Could watching a game show inspire the creation of a billion-dollar company? In this episode of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship®, host Susan Sly sits down with Shawn Nelson, founder and CEO of Lovesac, who shares how a lightbulb moment during The Price Is Right led to 27 years of building a public company—through bootstrapping, winning $1 million from Richard Branson on reality TV, surviving Chapter 11 bankruptcy, and navigating four years of furniture recession.
Shawn reveals the one skill every entrepreneur must master (hint: it's not grit), his morning mantra for managing anxiety, and why his mom's seven-word advice saved his business. From executing immediately to maintaining "top ambition with infinite patience," this episode is packed with hard-won wisdom for anyone building something meaningful.
Whether you're bootstrapping, fundraising, or considering your next move, Susan and Shawn's conversation will equip you with practical strategies, actionable insights, and real-world lessons to help you tackle your toughest entrepreneurial challenges.
Meet Shawn D. Nelson - best-selling author, product inventor, and founder & CEO of Lovesac, the billion-dollar, publicly traded furniture disruptor built on one simple but wildly ambitious idea: design better, last longer, grow sustainably.
Shawn’s not a coach, not a consultant - he’s a real founder who’s still in the arena. His 25-year journey from building a joke-sized beanbag in his parents’ basement to leading a public company is full of grit, near-collapse moments, comeback pivots, and hard-earned growth.
Connect with Shawn:
- LinkedIn: @shawndnelson
- Instagram: @shawnoflovesac
Susan Sly is the maven behind Raw and Real Entrepreneurship®. An award-winning AI entrepreneur and MIT Sloan alumna, Susan has carved out a niche at the forefront of the AI revolution, earning accolades as a top AI innovator in 2023 and a key figure in real-time AI advancements for 2024. With a storied career that blends rigorous academic insight with astute market strategies, Susan has emerged as a formidable founder, a discerning angel investor, a sought-after speaker, and a venerated voice in the business world. Her insights have graced platforms from CNN to CNBC and been quoted in leading publications like Forbes and MarketWatch. At the helm of the Raw and Real Entrepreneurship® podcast, Susan delivers unvarnished wisdom and strategies, empowering aspiring entrepreneurs and seasoned business veterans alike to navigate the challenges of the entrepreneurial landscape with confidence.
Connect With Susan:
- Website: https://thepause.ai/
- Website: https://susansly.com
- Trusted Partners: https://www.susansly.com/trustedpartners
- LinkedIn:@susansly
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