My First Million My mother-in-law's side hustle made $1M selling pillows?!?
264 snips
Feb 11, 2026 
Smithy Sodine, entrepreneur and founder of Smithy Home Couture who built a made-to-order decorative pillow brand in her 50s. She talks about choosing pillows as a niche. She explains learning e-commerce from scratch, launching on Etsy, and early traction. She describes made-to-order fulfillment, selling through Wayfair and wholesale, and balancing growth with craftsmanship.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Started Fast With Zero E‑Com Experience
- Smithy launched Smithy Home Couture with almost no internet experience and built it into a seven-figure business.
- She started fast, learned Shopify/Photoshop, and validated demand by selling pillows to friends then strangers.
Customer Service As A Differentiator
- Treat customer service as a product: reply fast and offer alternatives when you can’t meet a request.
- Personally manage relationships and let reviews reflect that care.
Made‑To‑Order Production In A Small Workroom
- Smithy manufactures made-to-order pillows in a New Jersey workroom using fabric rolls rather than pre-made covers.
- Orders get cut, sewn, stuffed, packed and shipped within three to five days.