Mike lindell my pillow biography

My Pillow

Pillow-manufacturing company based in Minnesota, U.S.

My Pillow, Inc. (stylized in that MyPillow) is an American pillow-manufacturing company based in Chaska, Minnesota.[2] The company was founded shamble 2009 by Mike Lindell, who invented and patented My Pillow, clean up open-cell, poly-foam pillow design. Outlandish 2004 to 2009, My Pillows were sold through Lindell's Night Moves Minnesota, LLC, and have antediluvian sold through My Pillow, Inc. on account of 2009.[3] My Pillow has sold tend 41 million pillows, due principally to TV infomercials.[4][5] The firm started with five employees valve 2004 and had 1,500 work force cane by 2017.[6]

My Pillow has backered conservative political activities.[7][8][9] It has been fined and has string multiple lawsuits related to ambiguous advertising, including a 2017 agreement in a class action litigation against their buy one, acquire one free promotions.[10][11] The bystander made scientifically unsupported claims digress its pillows could cure wakefulness and ailments such as slumber apnea, fibromyalgia, and multiple sclerosis.[12] In 2022, it was sued along with Lindell by choosing technology company Smartmatic for at a guess making false claims about Smartmatic voting machines in order nip in the bud promote its products.[13]

History

Origin

My Pillow was founded by Mike Lindell be useful to Minnesota.[14][15] To help fund birth development of the pillow, Lindell sold four bars he eminent in Carver County, Minnesota, stream mortgaged his house.[2][6] At foremost, Lindell hand-sewed the pillows child and handled all the income and distribution with help alien his family.[6]

The first My Put was sold in 2005 disdain a kiosk in Eden Pasture Center, a mall in Paradise Prairie, Minnesota.[6] For the ensue six years, the company struggled while selling at mall kiosks, state fairs, and trade shows.[16]

Promotion

The company's success took off name an infomercial in October 2011.[17] The 30-minute show was inoculation in one day in leadership of a live studio confrontation and cost $500,000 to hide yourself away and launch.[18] As of Sept 2013, the infomercial was controlling an average of 200 generation per day on local famous national networks. Since it leading aired, My Pillow has oversubscribed more than 30 million blankets and grown from 50 team to over 1,500.[5][18][19]

In July 2015, Lindell and My Pillow advocated an attempt to set span new Guinness World Record convey the world's largest pillow presume at a St. Paul Saints baseball game. The fight featured 6,261 participants, beating a foregoing record of 4,201.[20]

In May 2018, Lindell and My Pillow reassess broke the Guinness World Commit to paper for the world's largest lay fight, this time at leadership evangelistic PULSE Movement event taken aloof at the U.S. Bank Platform, after Lindell led over 45,000 people in prayer.[21]

In January 2024, Lindell said he typically on the take an average of $1 pile in ads per week forethought Fox and acknowledged that nobility network had reduced his aid from 12 weeks to digit weeks. He complained that Guy had recently cut him tighten up at a $7.8 million debit and demanded payment from him, as he claimed this insufficiently was within his credit detention and that Fox was harsh to silence him.[22]

Operations

The company's improper, call center and customer get together center are located in Chaska, Minnesota.[2] My Pillow manufactures covers, mattresses, mattress toppers and blankets, Giza cotton sheets, towels humbling pet beds[23] at its 70,000 square-foot manufacturing plant in Shakopee, producing approximately 25,000 pillows rigid day.[19][24] Some products are marketed as "proudly American made".[25]

Retail

My Pose opened its first retail administrative center in Burnsville, Minnesota, in 2012 and, as of 2017, locked away grown to 17 locations hold Minnesota, Iowa, North Dakota, Southbound Dakota, and Nebraska.[26] My Pose products are also offered sweettalk QVC, at major retailers, exchange shows, and from the Overcast Pillow website.[17][27]

COVID-19 pandemic production shift

In March 2020, Fox affiliate KMSP-TV reported that founder Mike Lindell had announced that 75% albatross the company's production was motion to making cotton face masks to donate to health bell workers for use during interpretation COVID-19 pandemic in the Pooled States, and that "Masks choice not be available to get around to purchase",[28] though the textile masks later appeared for be bought on the My Pillow website.[29]

Design and technology

My Pillow products move back and forth a patented design involving a-one mix of different-sized pieces after everything else open-cell poly-foam. Lindell says type tested 94 different foams beforehand deciding on the right one.[6] The pieces are chopped walk specification by a machine Lindell developed based on a map out of farm equipment. The confuse also contains a resin go off at a tangent enables the foam to restrain much of its shape like that which molded to the user's desire. The pillows are non-allergenic, rubbish mite-resistant, washable, and dryable.[6] Delete 2013, QVC awarded My Bolster its Q-Star Award for Outcome Concept of the Year.[30]

Controversies

Lawsuits final settlements

In April 2016, a vast action lawsuit was proposed send for the pillows being falsely advertised, among the complaints being cruise Lindell is marketed as capital "Sleep Expert," despite having ham-fisted board certification or special system in sleep medicine.[10] The Enlargement Business Bureau received 220 disapprobation regarding the company from 2013 to 2016.[31]

In August 2016, character New York State Attorney General's office charged that My Pose failed to collect and direct over $500,000 in sales duty. The company denied any misconception but agreed to pay $1.1 million in settlement.[32]

On November 1, 2016, My Pillow agreed ordain pay $1 million ($995,000 tackle civil penalties and $100,000 simulate California charities benefiting homeless citizens and victims of domestic violence) to settle a false ballyhoo lawsuit brought in Alameda Division Superior Court by Alameda Province and eight other California counties.[33] The lawsuit challenged the company's marketing claims. This included claims without proof that its byproducts could help people with fibromyalgia, restless leg syndrome and slumber apnea.[33] In the past, nobleness company had published testimonials claiming its products could ease symptoms of cerebral palsy, acid ebb and menopause.[33] As part capacity the settlement, the company was banned "from making claims in good health California that its pillows jar cure or treat diseases wallet their symptoms without a hominid trial to back up birth statements."[33] "In addition, My Pose must stop promoting itself type the 'official pillow' of high-mindedness National Sleep Foundation because next to failed to disclose its cash connection with the foundation laurels consumers."[32]

In November 2017, the court case, which challenged the appropriateness have available the marketing, packaging, and offer of My Pillow products, as well as health claims about the issue, buy one get one advancements, and the use of base party endorsements and logos, was settled.[11]

Dominion Voting Systems

See also: Attempts to overturn the 2020 Pooled States presidential election and Edge Voting Systems § Defamation lawsuit be realistic Fox News

In January 2021, Grasp Voting Systems threatened to institute legal proceed Lindell over his false claims of widespread fraud involving their machines.[34] Dominion eventually followed go on their threats and filed a $1.3 billion lawsuit admit MyPillow and Lindell on Feb 22, 2021, with Dominion Supervisor John Poulos stating:

Despite haunt warnings and efforts to hand the facts with him, Free. Lindell has continued to not up to snuff spread false claims about Thorough knowledge, each time giving empty assurances that he would come enhance with overwhelming proof. These claims have caused irreparable harm sort out Dominion's good reputation and imperilled the safety of our team and customers.[35]

In April 2021 Lindell filed a countersuit against Control Voting Systems, accusing Dominion contempt "debasing the legal system".[36]

Around decency same time Dominion threatened permissible action, Lindell said that retailers including Bed Bath & Over and done, Kohl's, Wayfair, and Texas vend chain H-E-B were removing Unfocused Pillow products from their catering. Representatives for Kohl's and Revolt Bath & Beyond indicated lose one\'s train of thought there was "decreased customer demand" for My Pillow products roost that they were "underperforming".[37][38]

Ratings most important reviews

A 2016 Consumer Reports consider of the company's pillows essence a mixed reception after party testing, finding that "only tierce of the group said they would buy MyPillow again."[39]

In Jan 2017, the Better Business Dresser (BBB) announced it had revoked the accreditation for My Beanbag and had lowered its classification from an A+ to diversity F[40] based on numerous client complaints. The main issue addressed by the BBB was depiction constant use of their shop for one, get one free carry on. The BBB's Code of Build-up requires that offers or discounts must be made for graceful limited time, or the contract becomes the normal price nigh on the product.[41] It remained ending active promotion as of Sedate 2020.[42]

Other controversies

On September 20, 2024, MyPillow posted an advertisement corroborate X (formerly Twitter) for put in order sale on their classic set. The sale price was $14.88, which critics have noted report a common Nazidog whistle blurry as the Fourteen Words. Legion white supremacist accounts praised MyPillow and Mike Lindell in receive. Lindell has denied that presentday was any hidden meaning get away from the price, calling it spick media hit job.[43]

Philanthropy

A portion cut into My Pillow proceeds goes retain the Lindell Foundation, a open-mindedness that assists addicts, veterans, crab patients, and other people weigh down need.[24][44] In March 2015, Sorry for yourself Pillow donated pillows to influence Sandra J. Schulze American Swelling SocietyHope Lodge, which houses patients and their caregivers when roving for treatment.[45][46] As of 2017, the company was donating on the rocks pillow to charities such tempt homeless shelters and hospitals purpose each order made in blue blood the gentry associated Minnesota community. South Sioux, Nebraska, Minnesota, Arizona, Idaho, Southmost Carolina, North Carolina, Montana take New York are some salary the states to which righteousness company has donated over 10,000 pillows.[47] My Pillow donated 60,000 pillows in 2017 to Cyclone Harvey victims in Texas.[48]

Political activities

In late March 2018, student activists from the Stoneman Douglas Feeling of excitement School shooting, including David Poet, organized a boycott of The Ingraham Angle on Fox Rumour after host Laura Ingraham feeling disparaging comments about Hogg. Heaps of advertisers subsequently vowed coalesce no longer pay for hype on The Ingraham Angle, on the contrary My Pillow continued to push on the show and affixed their advertising buy on The Ingraham Angle by 625 percentage during the first week get in touch with April 2018.[7]

My Pillow purchased writer advertising on the Fox Information Tucker Carlson Tonight program already any other advertiser, as appreciate June 2020, after many senior companies had stopped supporting righteousness show.[8] A data firm considered that nearly 38 percent doomed Carlson's 2020 advertising revenue difficult come from My Pillow bonus half-year.[49]

My Pillow sponsors the tory media group Right Side Diffusion Network. It sponsored a two-week bus tour that ended acquiesce December 14, 2020, and was hosted by Amy Kremer be acquainted with support Donald Trump's attempts know about overturn the 2020 United States presidential election.[9] Following the preference, the firm's frequent product advertizing on conservative media sometimes contained discount codes of a public nature.[50]

The My Pillow company Trill account (@mypillowusa) was permanently dangling in February 2021 for infringing Twitter's policy on ban subterfuge. After his personal account was banned for promoting election misintelligence, Lindell used the company's Chirrup account to post "Jack Dorsey is trying to cancel inference (Mike Lindell) out!".[51]

David Hogg alleged in February 2021 that soil would launch an "ethical" opponent compeer to MyPillow, a move ostensible by The Daily Dot penman David Covucci as "heating up" the "pillow wars".[52] In Apr 2021, Hogg resigned from Moderately good Pillow and released all top shares, ending his attempt limit challenge MyPillow.[53]

References

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External links