First off, can you tell us about your background and your product?
My background is actually in property, but I now run Bundle Beds full time, after a friend of mine and I came up with the idea and decided to quit our jobs and launch the business in 2016.
How long did it take to build your initial prototype and how did you validate it?
We actually bought all of the materials from a market in London and borrowed a sewing machine from a friend and made the first 3 or 4 prototypes ourselves in my living room. They are a long way from what we have now, but they proved the concept. We then took the samples to a factory in Brunei and got them to replicate what we had and made tweaks with them over the course of a few weeks to get the product absolutely perfect.
How did you get your first paying customer and how long did it take?
We launched on Kickstarter, so we actually got our first backer within about 30 seconds of launching, and raised over £67,000 in the 30-day launch campaign! We were very fortunate, but it is a really great way of launching a business.
What worked and what didn’t work when finding your first users?
The best way we found was to get organic PR from people that were interested in our product and story. The ‘paid for’ PR tended to be a waste of money and didn’t bring in customers.
What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs looking to onboard their first users?
If you are thinking about crowdfunding, do a HUGE amount of research and spend a lot of time perfecting the campaign before you go live. Using our social network for promoting the brand has been essential, as all our friends and family have been really supportive in helping spread the word for us.
How can people reach you and find out more?
Email us at hello@bundlebeds.com or call us on 0208 610 9969
Website: Bundlebeds.com
Twitter: @BundleBeds
Instagram: @BundleBeds
Email: hello@bundlebeds.com
