Matteo Franceschetti – Modernizing Sleep – [Founder’s Field Guide, EP. 23]

My guest today is Matteo Franceschetti, the founder and CEO of Eight Sleep, a smart mattress company. I’m a customer of Eight Sleep and this was one of the most unique founder conversations I’ve had on the show, in both the focus on the product and the exploration of sleep. We talk about which biometrics matter, how hard it is to start a hardware company and launch manufacturing overseas, how Matteo manages his own sleep, and the massive potential for preventative health companies like Eight Sleep may have in the future. I hope you enjoy this conversation with Matteo Franceschetti. 

For the full show notes, transcript, and links to mentioned content, check out the episode page here.

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Show Notes

[00:02:36] - [First question] - Origins of the Eight Sleep business

[00:03:21] - Designing and testing the original product

[00:04:17] - Goal of the product

[00:05:19] - How temperature can improve sleep

[00:06:28] - Accuracy of the sensors in this product

[00:08:30] - Valuable inputs for health that they measure, HRV (heart rate variability)

[00:09:59] - Amount of research on the variables they measure and impact on health

[00:11:45] - Hardest data for them to measure in their mattress

[00:14:03] - Early challenges to launching the business

[00:15:27] - Lessons from the early manufacturing process

[00:16:50] - Working through the potential business models

[00:17:56] - Goal of less sleep and reducing light sleep

[00:19:45] - Behavior changes he’s made as a result of understanding his sleep more

[00:21:08] - How alcohol/caffeine impacts sleep

[00:22:01] - How food impacts sleep

[00:23:01] - Why glucose spikes are bad for sleep

[00:23:40] - Challenges in the business after the crowdfunding stage

[00:25:34] - Marketing lessons from a high price point and infrequently purchased product

[00:26:42] - Most exciting day in the researching phase

[00:27:48] - Turning an infrequent purchase into a frequent sale

[00:28:54] - What it’s like to work with his wife

[00:30:03] - Future of the quantified self-movement

[00:31:23] - The hardest challenge in the business

[00:32:13] - Most valuable things he’s learned as a fan of Formula 1 racing

[00:33:41] - Future of the mattress business

[00:35:28] - Other businesses he has learned from

[00:36:40] - Lessons from the data part of the business

[00:38:26] - Collecting more data from their customers without being intrusive

[00:39:56] - What he’s learned through Apple Health 

[00:41:39] - What has him excited for the long term future of Eight Sleep

[00:42:32] - Kindest thing anyone has done for him