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“Not everyone wakes up one day and decides to create a company because they dislike their sheets,” remarks Scott Tannen, co-founder and CEO of Boll & Branch. For Scott and his wife, Missy Tannen, co-founder and chief product officer, this unusual genesis marked the beginning of their luxury bedding and home goods venture.
About ten years ago, the Tannens found themselves transitioning from a queen-sized bed to a king, embarking on a quest for sheets that ultimately left them dissatisfied with the options. The bedding market seemed stagnant, burdening consumers with a series of generic products that lacked innovation or excitement.
Missy pointed out that the industry had largely commodified cotton, resulting in a lack of standout brands that customers yearned to associate with. In contrast, other product categories such as smartphones and handbags thrived with distinguished names. This observation spurred the couple to embark on an entrepreneurial journey in 2014, culminating in the birth of Boll & Branch, a name inspired by the cotton plant’s parts crucial for fiber support.
Utilizing his brand marketing experience at Nabisco, Scott drew inspiration from the iconic Oreo cookie, which, despite its century-long existence, remained a classic unaffected by trends. He noted that the key to Oreo’s enduring appeal lay not only in its taste but also in strategic and continuous marketing paired with the assurance of product quality.
Scott and Missy’s mission was to create an unambiguously superior product across all metrics compared to their competitors. To achieve this, they engaged in extensive market research, soliciting feedback on sheet qualities to understand consumer preferences. Missy’s educational background in math and science fueled her passion for product development, contributing to a thorough investigation into materials and production processes.
“I was fascinated with the details, like the staple length of cotton fibers, and how these factors influenced the yarn’s characteristics,” Missy elaborated. Her dedication to perfecting the product led her to conduct an extensive experiment to evaluate various pillowcase options from around the globe, eventually determining that organic cotton was the ideal material for the brand’s signature fabric.
This attention to quality resulted in the Signature Hemmed Sheet Set, as well as an expanded product line that includes pillows, blankets, and quilts. The fabrics used are sustainable and certified for Fair Trade, with additional options such as percale and flannel now available.
Boll & Branch aims for a color palette that is “fresh, clean, relaxing, and peaceful,” with Missy explaining that each hue contains a subtle gray undertone, providing uniqueness while softening the overall appearance.
In its early days, the Tannens funded their direct-to-consumer brand without venture capital, instead relying on personal loans and debt. Scott reflects on the risk, recalling moments of doubt as he managed family responsibilities alongside his entrepreneurial aspirations. Despite facing a $1 million setback due to an accounting blunder, which Scott identified as an opportunity to bolster business safeguards, Boll & Branch persevered through its initial challenges.
As the company progressed, it eventually welcomed investments, leading to impressive growth. Today, Boll & Branch generates over $200 million in annual revenue, operates eight retail locations with plans to expand further, and is featured in major retailers like Nordstrom and Bloomingdale’s.
The brand experiences a significant sales surge during the holiday season, with Scott noting that this year’s holiday shopping period has exceeded expectations, resulting in logistical challenges as they scramble to fulfill unexpected demand.
Scott describes each phase of Boll & Branch as a process of “reinvention.” With a burgeoning business, he emphasizes the importance of seeking big ideas — “$10 million ideas”— to foster growth instead of smaller, incremental thoughts. The company’s success can be attributed to its cultivation of a strong company culture, strategic hiring, and empowering employees to excel in their roles.
Scott advises budding entrepreneurs that a leader’s effectiveness is relayed by the team they build around themselves. Emphasizing the importance of collaboration, he recognizes that a great company thrives on a diverse talent pool.
As the Tannens look ahead, they are committed to a “hospitality-first mindset,” focusing on customer experiences that extend beyond the product. They offer personalized services, including home setup for customers, ensuring a distinctive and memorable buying experience.
Boll & Branch has significantly evolved since its founding, and so too have its co-founders, who courageously entered a field they initially knew little about, determined to transform it for the better.
To those aspiring to launch their own brands, Missy emphasizes a crucial lesson: embracing the unknown. “You don’t have to know everything from the outset,” she advises. “The journey of learning is part of the process, and recognizing the gaps in your knowledge wouldn’t deter you if you remain focused on your goals.”
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