#550 From Zero to a Million-Dollar Month: How Colin McIntosh Built a Breakout Consumer Startup

In this conversation, Colin opens the curtain on how Sheets & Giggles became a breakout DTC success by doing things differently: selling before building, leaning into humor, making bold brand decisions, and prioritizing community and impact over hype.

This episode is packed with practical lessons for founders navigating uncertainty, fundraising, pricing strategy, brand identity, and the deeper personal journey behind entrepreneurship.

About the Guest

Colin McIntosh is the founder of Sheets & Giggles, one of the most beloved modern consumer brands known for its sustainable eucalyptus bedding and its unmistakably humorous voice. Colin bootstrapped the company from a simple idea into a high-growth startup that hit one million dollars in monthly revenue within two years. His journey blends sharp execution, authentic branding, creative fundraising, and a grounded philosophy about building companies with purpose.

Colin has appeared on Good Morning America and multiple national outlets, has built a loyal customer community, and is now also a mentor at Techstars, where his 2019 pitch is used globally as an example for new founders.

Connect with Colin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/colindmcintosh/

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In This Episode You’ll Learn

1. How Sheets & Giggles Started Without Inventory

Colin reveals why he chose to validate demand first through pre-orders, and how a successful Indiegogo campaign became early seed capital and proof of market need.

2. The Inflection Points That Unlocked Serious Scale

From a bold COVID donation that unexpectedly reached the governor’s office to a national Good Morning America feature and a high-impact podcast sponsorship, Colin breaks down the moments that changed the company’s trajectory.

3. Humor as a Business Strategy

Why Colin embraced the “jester” brand archetype and how authenticity, relatability, and personality helped Sheets & Giggles stand out in a boring category.

4. Pricing Psychology Explained Simply

Most founders underprice — Colin explains why, and how he tested price elasticity, optimized margins, and used real data to guide pricing decisions.

5. How to Talk to Investors the Right Way

Colin breaks down investor psychology, why FOMO matters, why you must know your numbers by heart, and how honesty builds long-term trust.

6. Bootstrapping vs. VC in Today’s Market

An honest look at why this era might be the best time to build slowly, stay disciplined, and focus on profitability instead of chasing rounds.

7. Purpose, Happiness, and the Reality of Being a Founder

Colin dives deep into fulfillment, ego, expectations, and why internal peace matters far more than revenue milestones.

8. Techstars and a Full Circle Moment

From joining Techstars Boulder as an early team member to returning years later as a founder, and later as a mentor and pitch coach — Colin shares what the program taught him and why founders should consider it.

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Chapters

00:00 Intro

01:00 Colin’s journey and background

03:00 Starting Sheets & Giggles through pre-orders

06:00 Early traction and unexpected breakthroughs

10:00 The donation that changed everything

12:00 Building a humorous and authentic brand identity

16:00 Pricing psychology and finding your true value

20:00 Fundraising and managing investor expectations

27:00 The truth about growth and scale

33:00 Bootstrapping vs raising capital

40:00 Purpose, fulfillment, and founder mindset

46:00 Techstars experience and mentorship

52:00 Final reflections

Why This Episode Matters

If you’re building a startup today, this conversation will give you both tactical clarity and emotional grounding. Colin brings a rare mix of sharp execution and thoughtful humility. From pre-selling products to scaling with humor, from raising millions to staying true to purpose, his journey offers a realistic playbook for building something meaningful.