Pre launch / Validation
Google trends research
Used Google Trends/search data to identify 300,000 monthly searches for 'weighted blankets' as proof of concept before building anything. Built a pre-order site with a single sample and basic images.
→ Validated demand before spending on inventory
Launch – Jan 2018
Google Ads
Bought Google Ads targeting the high-competition keyword 'weighted blankets' driving traffic directly to a pre-order landing page with a single product sample.
→ First sale on day one (~$20); scaled to 20 sales/day; hit $30k/month then $60k/month then $90k/month
MRR $90k
Summer 2018 – Crisis
Direct customer calls
After sales collapsed to near-zero in summer, emailed their entire customer list with a Calendly link and personally called every single customer to ask why they stopped buying. Every customer said the same thing: the blanket was too hot in summer.
→ Discovered the core product problem — lack of year-round usability — and identified the exact product improvement needed (cooling fabric)
Late 2018 – Product Development
Supplier sourcing
Spent September flying around to suppliers to source a cooling fabric. Eventually created a proprietary fabric called 'Ice Fabric' — the first cooling weighted blanket fabric — at a cost of $100,000 for the first roll, which they could not afford outright.
→ Developed differentiated product (Hush Ice) with a defensible feature competitors didn't have
Early 2019 – Kickstarter Launch
Kickstarter
Launched the Hush Ice cooling weighted blanket on Kickstarter with a low goal of $25,000. Had already spoken to ~3,000 customers on the phone who confirmed they would buy a cooling version. Used that validated demand as the campaign's foundation rather than a 'hack' or agency.
→ Raised over $1,000,000 in first 30 days; top 10 Canadian Kickstarter of all time
2019 – TV / Viral Moment
Tv appearance dragons den
Appeared on Dragon's Den (Canadian TV equivalent of Shark Tank), pitched their story, and became the first pitch in 14 seasons to increase their valuation live on air through dragon debate. The segment went viral on Netflix.
→ Went viral; catapulted brand awareness nationally
2020 – New Product Launch via Email List
Email list plus customer calls
Called thousands of existing customers to gather detailed feedback on what would make the perfect pillow, then launched the product exclusively to their email list.
→ Sold 3,000 pillows in 72 hours; posted on LinkedIn which drove further organic buzz
2020 – Product Line Expansion
Repeat customer feedback loop
Applied the same customer-call formula to launch two more products: Hush Ice Blanket 2.0 and Hush Ice Bed Sheets. Each launch was preceded by extensive customer interviews to define the product spec before manufacturing.
→ $20M in sales that year
2021 – Mattress Launch
Direct customer calls plus email
Spent three months calling customers to define a mattress product. Discovered the top pain point was discomfort during sex; engineered a Zone Technology mattress with targeted spring zones to address it. Launched to existing customer base.
→ $1.5M on launch day
Throughout – Brand / Community Building
Brand storytelling social linkedin
Documented the entire founder journey publicly — the failures, near-shutdown, and breakthroughs — to build an emotional connection with customers. Aaron posted milestone updates on LinkedIn. Opened a pop-up in the highest-grossing mall in Canada.
→ Pop-up drew 1,500 customers vs. competitor Alo Yoga's 700 on the same day; customers asked Aaron to sign their blankets