The WTFs and Wins of Building a Sleep Brand in Beta Mode 👀 🔴
What went wrong, what went right, and why we’re doubling down on creative chaos.
WTFs of the Week
Barcodes & I aren’t friends
We’re onboarding with a new retailer, and one of the first requirements was to add UPC barcodes to all our Sleep Tape units. But not just any barcode, a giant, compliance-heavy, brand-diluting rectangle that basically screamed boring. So we tried to finesse it. Shrunk the size, re-exported, manually printed and labeled every single unit going to the warehouse. I treated the team to pizza lunch knowing the day we had ahead of us. Little did I know what was coming.
Only after hundreds were relabeled did we realize we weren’t actually following regulations and had to redo it all correctly. Thursday night turned into a barcode bootcamp with two of our interns, and while it wasn’t exactly glamorous, it reminded me how much care and detail go into what customers never see. Will a barcode make or break the brand? No. But doing things right matters, even when it’s frustrating, but we did it.
Also, it is important I learned to tape the bottom of the box BEFORE you fill it 🙄
What It’s Like Managing a Team of Four While in Beta Mode
This summer is the first time I’ve had a team of this size, and leading four people has taught me a lot about flexibility. One of our interns who was originally assigned to operations turned out to be a secret Adobe Illustrator pro. We pivoted her into packaging design and die-lines, and it’s been a game-changer. I used to feel like every shift in role meant we were losing something, but now I see that leaning into people’s strengths makes everything stronger, and they are happier too.
Behind the Scenes Realness
If someone shadowed me this week, I think they’d be surprised by how much is happening at once. There’s always something unexpected, and we’ve almost come to expect it. But because we’re lean, we’re not afraid to test, tweak, and rebuild as we go. That mindset keeps things experimental, open, and agile. It’s how we’re building a stronger foundation for what’s ahead.
Our bags stand up on their own, which helps a ton with our premium offering + retail showcasing, but I noticed a difference in bottom of bag quality in our latest top up of inventory and confirmed the next order would be back to the bottom quality.
All the little details matter.
Wins of the Week
The Sleep Reapers Are Coming 👀
This week we’re launching a totally unhinged campaign on Instagram and it’s one we’ve had brewing for a while. Meet the Sleep Reapers, a slightly absurd, slightly eerie embodiment of our “sleep or die” mindset.
Lucky you, you also get the first preview.
It’s our boldest move yet on social and the kind of idea that wouldn’t have made it past a big brand approval chain. But here, we are the approval chain.
The Ultimate Collab
You may have seen the spoiler on Instagram already, but we’re teaming up with two killer brands for a collab dropping early July.
We’ll be showing up in a physical way and creating something that doesn’t just sit in your cart. It sticks in your head and belongs in your routine. More next week 👀.
Featured in Beauty Sleep Vol. 1 by Bethany Paris Ramsay
Bethany featured Sleep or Die in her Beauty Sleep Vol. 1 series, and reading it felt like looking in a mirror for the first time. She captured exactly what we’re trying to do in this category. Rebrand sleep in a way that doesn’t feel beige, boring, or biohacked. Seeing that come through someone else’s lens was a real moment, take a peek below:
https://substack.com/@bethanyparisramsay/p-166056563
The Personal Stuff
Sober Curious Experiments
I’ve been testing something new the past few weeks: no alcohol. I’ve always been curious about how drinking impacts my sleep, and instead of negotiating one or two drinks here and there, I’ve drawn a firmer line. Not drinking has been surprisingly easy and I’m excited to see the long-term impact on sleep, focus, and general mental clarity.
Saying No to Misaligned Partnerships
We’ve had a few brands reach out that just didn’t feel like the right fit. And as tempting as it is to say yes to everything early on, I’ve been trusting my gut. The right partner doesn’t just bring numbers. They bring alignment, creativity, and shared values. Quantity can wait. Intention can’t.
Staying Grounded While in Build Mode
I would be lying if I said it hasn’t felt more challenging lately. As we grow, the pressure to make the right channel decisions, prioritize clearly, and stay focused is real. But that’s the beauty of being bootstrapped. We get to stay in beta mode. We test everything. We learn in real time. That flexibility is a gift.
My Ask
What to you want to hear more about on Sleep or Die Diaries? Spill the tea.
Have a great week xx
Lo
I love the Sleep Reapers, really stood out when it came up on my feed. Can't wait to see how this develops as a series. Certainly got impact.
On the alcohol free front, I've been AF for nearly a year now, and sleep is definitely better, amongst other benefits. I reckon your brand and Botivo could be a good link (not going to miss the red and yellow combos), and it's a brilliant AF drink.