PeachSkinSheets Founder and CEO Karen Levine left the corporate world at age 48 and founded The Original PeachSkinSheets. Karen’s goal was to offer a boutique sheet brand with sets priced under $100, and one that could better manage night sweats. Karen created PeachSkinSheets out of her own need for a product that didn’t exist, comfortable, breathable sheets under $100. She is married and has a son (31), daughter (25), and two stepsons (32 and 36). Her pets include 2 German Shepherds named Ana and Diesel and a 6 pound Maltese named Sugie (short for Sugar).
What is The Original PeachSkinSheets all about?
The Original PeachSkinSheets® was founded in 2013 and is based in Atlanta, Georgia. We pride ourselves on being The Original, One and Only Authentic Brand, and our signature peach zipper pull is featured on every sheet package. Our affordable bed sheets are made from a breathable, high performance athletic grade SMART fabric that is great for hot sleepers due to its thermal control and moisture wicking properties.
In addition, the ultra-soft brushed finish provides a softness level that parallels 1500 thread count cotton but without the shrinkage, wrinkles and pilling. We thrive on being a quality company with a quality product and going the extra mile for our customers.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company.
I left the corporate world at age 48 and founded The Original PeachSkinSheets. My goal was to offer a boutique sheet brand with sets priced under $100, and one that could better manage night sweats. I created PeachSkinSheets out of my own need for a product that didn’t exist, comfortable, breathable sheets under $100.
What would you say are the top 3 skills needed to be a successful entrepreneur, and why?
Not everyone is cut out to be a founder, and I believe that it has to do with mindset. An “employee” minded individual counts hours on the job and when it’s five o’clock, they are done. A founder does not get consumed with hours, but rather the job itself. They have fostered an innate purpose and that drives them. An employee many times has a “what’s in it for me” attitude, whereas a founder says, “what’s in it for us”, with “us” referring to the company itself, the employees, the community, and on a larger scale, the world. They feed their vision and have a desire to make a bigger impact.
What are your plans for the future, how do you plan to grow this company?
We are planning to increase our international presence, expand our product line, and continue building awareness and recognition with key influencers and media.
How do you separate yourself from your competitors?
One of the top reasons PeachSkinSheets are the best sheets to buy is because they are made from Smart Fabric – the very latest in sleep technology textile innovation. This fabric is extremely lightweight, breathable, and temperature regulating. Whether you’re a hot sleeper or a cool sleeper, you’ll be comfortable throughout the night. The airy, athletic-grade performance polyfiber works with your body and room temperatures to keep you comfortable all night long. Although no fabric can actually change your body chemistry, our fabric helps to ensure that you won’t wake up with a sheet stuck to you since it does not absorb moisture, but rather repels it. It is designed to manage hot and cold tendencies so that you sleep all night long and wake up well-rested. Not only will you sleep more comfortably, but polyfiber sheets are luxuriously soft, strong, and durable, and their colors continue to stay vibrant after every wash. Whites will remain bright white and colors will not fade.
We take the customer experience very seriously. Orders are shipped out within one business day of being received, our customer support team is second to none in accessibility and response time, and we stand behind each and every product with a risk free guarantee. In terms of options, we strive to have colors and sizes for everyone, even hard-to-find ones. Our catalog currently offers 24 beautiful colors, 9 sizes, and FREE fabric swatches so customers can feel to believe before they purchase.
Finally, the level to which our product significantly improves the quality of their sleep, moods, and overall health was totally unexpected when I started this company nine years ago. Hot sleepers now have relief, cool sleepers have coziness, and everyone has softness at a price that does not break the bank. The world definitely became a happier place with more well-rested people, at least in the world of PeachSkinSheets customers!
What were the top three mistakes you made starting your business, and what did you learn from them?
- Underestimating the amount of space our company would need, in order to attain and manage planned growth – Always get more square footage than you think you need. In our first two years, we expanded four times and no one likes to move. It’s expensive and requires time and energy that should be reserved for running your business. When the time comes to move, go at least 25% bigger than planned if you can afford it.
- Trying to do it all on my own – You can’t be an expert in everything. It’s important to create a structured schedule to help you stay on task, hire the right people, and delegate. You don’t have to do everything yourself. Invest in training others and that time will pay off in greater freedom to live life.
- Putting the wrong personality in the wrong position – For example, someone who has a difficult communication style will have immense challenges trying to motivate and manage others. Not only is it frustrating for you as the head of the company, but imagine for that employee and their team. I would stress investing in a personality profile course to learn about different personalities and how they interact best with each other. You will be able to better match positions with people, assign the right team members to the right projects, and understand what drives a person and why they react the way they do to different situations. It’s a proactive approach to building a solid team and helping everyone, as well as the company itself, reach their potential. Remember that as much as you try to make it work, a square peg can’t fit into a round hole!
Tell us a little bit about your marketing process, what has been the most successful form of marketing for you?
For us, grassroots marketing is where it all began. We did hundreds of festivals and tradeshows in the beginning to find out what customers wanted and didn’t want in sheets, and what they thought about our products. Customers told us about the colors, features, and benefits they wanted and were willing to pay for. We listened to them at the ground level and took their suggestions and opinions to heart. All of that information was priceless and helped us fine-tune our product.
What have been your biggest challenges and how did you overcome them?
One of the greatest challenges was developing the right fabric and texture. It had to be ultra-soft, lightweight, and breathable, but durable too. A lot of the fabrics I sampled did not hold up to daily use and especially pets. Patience and perseverance resulted in a perfect fabric for our customers.
What was your first business idea and what did you do with it?
My first business idea was in the early years of eBay around 1998, when I became one of the first luxury sheet sellers on the site. I had access to greatly discounted fine linens so of course I bought low and sold high. It was my introduction to the world of eCommerce, and I never looked back.
What are you learning now? Why is that important?
I am learning more about the financial side of my business as we forecast significant growth while cutting expenses. I naturally gravitate towards the creative side of my business and have had to focus on developing my financial acumen. It’s important to understand that financial success is not only tied to the dollars that come in, but also to the dollars that you are able to keep at the end of the day!
The current tools I’m using to grow my brand are:
- Key Influencers
- Brand Ambassador
- Media
What’s a productivity tip you swear by?
Don’t be afraid to fire someone…a cancer spreads and destroys from the inside out. Protect your people and your business!
Also, take vacations, as they are critical to recharging your mind and body. In the beginning, when funds are tight, you can always make it a staycation … a break is a break!
Can you recommend one book, one podcast, and one online course for entrepreneurs?
- BOOK: The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results by Gary Keller – A great book about focus, managing priorities and making sure that you don’t spread yourself too thin by excessive multi-tasking. Drill down to what matters most, accomplish that and move onto your next priority.
- PODCAST: The Science of Social Media By Buffer – Because social media has been critical to our growth, and the landscape changes so quickly. It’s important to stay up to date on new perspectives, direction and strategy.
- ONLINE COURSE: Any highly rated personality course, such as Understanding Personality Types At work by Robin Hills. I mentioned above how important recognizing and understanding personality types are to a business, but this knowledge would also be indispensable in your personal life.
If you only had $1000 dollars to start a new business, knowing everything you know now, how would you spend it?
On initial product samples, to get the ball rolling!
What helps you stay driven and motivated to keep going in your business?
I have two personal platforms…single moms and animal rescue. We hire a lot of single mothers … some have children at home and some are empty nesters. They are incredibly loyal, hardworking, compassionate, and grateful and many just needed the opportunity to shine. I believe in the underdog! Speaking of dogs, I am a HUGE dog lover but of course, love all animals. We donate returns, defective products, and more to several local animal rescues. We also have #PeachSkinPets, and every month feature pet models on our sheets. They just make the world a happier place!
What is your favorite quote?
“The Fortune Is In The Follow Up”
What is your definition of success?
A balanced life spiritually, personally, at home and professionally. When any are off balance it affects the others!
How do you personally overcome fear?
My personal faith
