My name is: Ron Rudzin. 

My stomping ground is: I am a Queens native and currently live in Westport, CT.

I’m known for being: A lifelong entrepreneur and founder and CEO of online luxury mattress company Saatva

I’m talking about: 

Established in 2010, Saatva is the original DTC mattress industry disruptor, founded on the principle that everyone deserves healthy and restorative sleep on a quality bed. All nine of our handcrafted, eco-friendly mattresses are made to order in the USA with premium materials and hand-delivered to the customer’s home, never shipped in a box.

You can find it at: 

Our products can be found at saatva.com or in our new viewing rooms in cities around the country. Our new retail locations are elegant, immersive, state-of-the-art spaces where visitors can experience the full range of products (which now includes bedding, soft goods, designer frames and accessories) and explore the brand with the help of the latest retail technology.

Before I launched this, I was:

I’ve been in the home furnishings industry since I was 20 years old. I was on the team that built my previous company into a 219-store retail chain. From that experience, I learned that the luxury mattress was the highest-margin item in the home furnishings space. I knew that I could sell a luxury mattress as good or better than what was available in traditional mattress stores for a fraction of the cost.

My interest was sparked when:

I saw how much time my wife and daughter were spending online. I was fascinated by the Internet, and I believed that it represented a huge opportunity to provide a new customer experience in an industry that was known for delivering terrible customer service. By adopting a then-new online business model, I could replace the confusing, exhausting environment of the traditional mattress store with 24/7 customer service and a no-pressure home trial. I could offer a luxury product with white-glove delivery at a dramatically lower price by selling directly to the consumer. They agreed, and that’s why today we are the largest online luxury mattress company in the United States. 

The idea behind it is:  

At Saatva, we believe in democratizing access to a good night’s sleep. Saatva offers best-in-class mattresses in nine different categories—innerspring, ultra-premium memory foam, all-natural latex, latex hybrid, modern foam, adjustable air and specialty designs for babies, youth and bigger bodies—plus designer bed frames and a full collection of luxury bedding products. Made with recycled steel, organic cotton and CertiPUR-US foams, Saatva’s mattresses reflect the company's commitment to green principles and practices.

What makes it different is: 

Saatva mattresses are made fresh to order, so they never sit in inventory or gather dust in a warehouse. They are always hand-delivered and set up in the customer’s home, never compressed in a box for doorstep shipping. We can deliver it anywhere in the continental U.S., typically within two weeks or less. 

Our secret ingredient is: 

Our proprietary network of 19 U.S. factories and more than 150 delivery partners and our commitment to 24/7 customer service. You can call us any time of the day or night, any day of the year, and we will be there to help.

Sleep/rest is so important because:

Sleep is paramount to enhancing problem-solving, boosting mood, among many other benefits—all of which help drive personal and professional success. It also helps us feel better throughout the day.

My bedtime ritual is:

I believe sleep is an activity you have to prepare for, the same way you prepare for any physical activity. You need to create the right environment. Every night before bed, I take a warm shower, wear the right pajamas and set my bedroom to the right temperature. I personally need a pillow under my leg to help with spinal alignment. I prepare and motivate myself for sleep and encourage others to discover their own unique sleep routine to make the most of their rest.