Too hot, too cold, side sleeper, back sleeper, not a sleeper? Whoever said there was a one-size-fits-all solution was probably the same person who convinced you that flossing increases your life expectancy (has not been proved by science, yet). Mind blowing, we know! Luckily, Co-Founder, Adam Tishman launched Helix to remove all the bells and whistles from the sleep industry and provide customers with an online platform to build their own customized mattress.

Co-Founder, Adam Tishman has been interested in entrepreneurship since a young age. Even though he majored in History at Princeton University, it wasn’t until he got to Wharton and underwent a horrible mattress buying experience that he considered entering this category. “It was actually our co-founder, Kristian Von Rickenbach’s idea. He was thinking about the mattress space and had done a consumer study on it a while back. We both went to Wharton together for our MBA and bonded over our terrible mattress buying experiences along with our third founder, Jerry Lin.”

If you are interested in how they met, Adam and Kristian were both at a talk by Warby Parker’s founder, Neil Blumenthal (back in 2013) and were one of the few members in the audience to ask questions. We like to think it was their drive and confidence that brought them together, turning the duo into the three musketeers, on a mission to combat the boogie monster.

*Jerry, Kristian and Adam (from left to right).*

How It Works

While most mattress startups try to sell you the idea of a “perfect mattress,” Helix goes against the grain by customizing each mattress according to the data received from their online quiz. “Our online quiz is able to assess each individual’s needs and understand where the pain points are to provide a better solution. No two people are alike, so why are we being told that we all need to sleep the same way? For example, if you are 6’2” and weigh 250 lbs or 5’2” and weigh 100 lbs, you need a different mattress based on its support characteristics and our algorithm is able to construct one for you.”

Helix also caters to couples who agree to disagree about the perfect a.c temperature (you know who you are). She freezes at night, you sweat. It’s a clash of the titans when it comes to getting some shut-eye with your significant other. By creating two mattress feels in one, Helix caters to both parties and is known for keeping couples happier long term.

Similar to the Build-A-Bear model, Helix’s showroom is very unique. Customers are encouraged to stop by, take the quiz and build their own mattress using foam layers. You can even opt in for a one hour nap! (Sheep 1, sheep 2, sheep 3...okay enough with the counting). Once an order is placed, it takes 5-8 business days to get to your door and under your pillow. Fun fact: Helix doesn’t use memory foam in their products as it tends to trap heat and encourage sweating. Instead, their materials allow for air to dissipate and regulate airflow.

“We started working on the idea in 2013 and launched in August 2015. We raised a round of $800,000 with family, friends, and angels. This got us through launch, prototyping, building a website and having a couple of marketing dollars behind the brand.”

When we asked Adam about launch day he told us “naturally we got picked up by some media outlets (Business Insider, Entrepreneur, Inc.) which were a good push, but PR is very tricky. Therefore, we decided to acquire customers through different models and started out with digital first.”

Facebook, search, and content have worked exceptionally well for Helix. Adam tells us how you need to invest tens of thousands of dollars a month into digital to really understand if your campaign is working. “You are not testing the value of your dollars, but instead the educational aspect. You will see where you can improve and who to target further. The more expensive your product, the more money you will need to acquire that customer.”

Why The Name

“We went through thousands of names for this company. Choosing a name is one of the most stressful things ever. It is really hard. We explored every sleep word in the dictionary and every fictional and nonfictional character associated with sleep. We ultimately wanted something that embodied the personalization feature. Helix for us, represented the shape of DNA (since we tailor a bed based on your personal needs) and the shape of a spring in the mattress. Our logo represents an untwisted helix, double helix to visually showcase this story.”

The Advice

Don’t start a company with your best, best friend. It might get awkward in the long run.
Make your mistakes on your end and NOT on your customer’s.
Don’t get scared using Facebook advertising. If you don’t push through, you won’t find out what works.
When you start a digital channel, the CPA (cost to acquire a customer) is very high and over time it gets lower. This is why you need funding to start!
Those who have fun while working will be more creative and execute better on even the not so fun pieces of the business.
The founders should be aligned with what they want out of the venture.
One of the biggest commodities is your time and how you optimize it.

Sick of the cookie-cutter solutions? Take the Helix quiz now to find out what kind of a sleeper you are and how your bedtime routine can be improved. Or, feel free to stop by their showroom located on 1123 Broadway, NY to build your very own mattress and say hi to Adam while you catch some zzz.

Photo Courtesy of Helix.