How I Set Out to Make a Better Bed and Wound Up Starting a Linen Company
Sometimes you find a good idea and sometimes it’s the other way around
I talk a lot about FIX being born out of my quest for the perfect set of white sheets, and it definitely was. But at the core of my journey there has always been a deep desire to help my fellow hosts in the short-term rental community thrive. I believe in the power of transformative hospitality and the many forms it can take. I also understand the needs of Airbnb and vacation rental hosts. I was tired of cheap linens, sorting sheets, and tackling rage-inducing duvet covers while running my own Airbnb properties. So I did what so many of my fellow entrepreneurs have done: I found myself in the middle of a problem and decided to fix it.
Before founding FIX Linens, I spent nearly two decades as a freelance photo art director. It was the perfect job for me. Getting paid to work with talented, inspiring humans while helping companies build brands, make beautiful images, and sell their products. If you’ve ever shopped at a mall, browsed a catalog, or purchased products online, I’m guessing you’ve seen my work at least once or twice in your lifetime. My career took me around the world and I loved it. Travel has always been a vital piece of my life, both as an art director and an individual. For many years, I was on the road more than I was at home. During that time I considered home wherever I laid my head at night. That means I’ve slept in a lot of beds. Hundreds and hundreds of beds. Little did I know I was doing field research for my future life as the CEO of a linen company!
A life of traveling has taught me that great accommodations can make you feel at home anywhere and that better bedding equals better sleep.
As a guest, I’ve experienced some unforgettably luxurious and unforgettably awful beds. So when I started my Airbnb five years ago, I knew that providing outstanding hospitality was everything. Whether we are hosting ourselves, or hosting our guests, creating the best possible environment for sleep should always be a priority. My Airbnb business has been a true source of joy and pride. My experience as a Superhost has reinforced something I’ve always known to be true: when you do things from your heart, people feel it. Every decision I’ve made building FIX Linens has been grounded in that belief.
When my partner Jeremy and I decided to replicate the success I’d had hosting my own property with his three-bedroom home and one-bedroom condo, I knew we needed more sheets and duvet covers right away. A LOT more sheets and duvet covers. Quality linens were something I’d always struggled to find and as our business grew the lack of affordable, durable bedding options became more and more apparent. From experience, I knew that I wanted white, 100% cotton, hotel-quality sheets that last. I also knew that it is essential to have a minimum of three sets of sheets and duvet covers in rotation for every bed, making affordability extremely important. Here’s where I became the Goldilocks of linens: I found low-price sheets that looked cheap, felt cheap, and fell apart. I found sheets that were too expensive to fit my budget, some of which didn’t even withstand the high number of washings that rentals demand. No brand was offering a solution that was just right.
I threw myself into rigorous research attempting to find a solution.
After learning more than I’d ever imagined about the linen industry, I finally figured out the exact thread count, fabrication, finish, and price point ideal for short-term rental hosts like me. The problem? The product didn’t exist. Yet. Armed with nothing more than stacks and stacks of fabric samples and a vision for the perfect white sheets, I started making calls, sending emails, and designing what would eventually become our Simple Sort Sheet System. The Simple Sort System solved everything I hated about linens: sorting sheet sizes and finding the top of that squirrely fitted sheet. By adding color-coded tags and a thin line of embroidery to mark each size I was able to eliminate two huge pain points for hosts getting lost in a sea of white linens and consumers who have literally anything better to do with their time than sort sheets.
Last but not least, there was the duvet cover dilemma. I was powerless against the absolute rage I felt when changing duvet covers. Why, why hadn’t someone come up with something better than this cruel and unusual design? Then one afternoon, mid-duvet cover battle, the solution smacked me right in the face. A few prototypes later, the Triple Zip duvet cover was born and my days of wrestling with duvets were over.
Like sharing my home with fellow travelers, I wanted to share my knowledge with all my fellow hosts. Not only that, I wanted to create a better solution for all of us. By producing high-quality linens that take the frustration out of making the bed, I made a conscious investment in the success of the hosting community and the happiness of our guests. Today, I am so proud of what FIX Linens has become and am honored to be part of a community that fosters a spirit of connection, trust, and collaboration.
My life might look different than it did twenty years ago, but my guiding truths have remained the same: work hard, pay attention to detail, stay curious, and always try to find a way to make the world a little better. At FIX, we’re here to disrupt the bedding industry, not your precious sleep. I hope you’ll join us in making a better bed.