How this entrepreneur went from a crack addict to a self-made multimillionaire

CNBC ^ | September 24, 2017 | Jane Wells

[Kaslin]

Mike Lindell says there aren't many crack addicts who've become successful, but he's one of them.

"It can be done, people," he laughed.

The self-made multimillionaire and infomercial superstar created the MyPillow empire from scratch in 2004. He did it while addicted to drugs. "People say all the time that's one of the biggest miracles ever."

He's been clean and sober for over eight years, but his path from rags to riches — and almost back to rags — is an amazing American success story.

It is also one long, strange trip.

From college dropout to aspiring entrepreneur

MyPillow is located in Lindell's hometown of Chaska, Minnesota, outside Minneapolis, a place he's always stayed close to. Back in 1979, "I went to the U of M (University of Minnesota) for one quarter, and I was working two jobs," he said. "I felt like I was just wasting my time."

He quit school and continued working both jobs, including one at a grocery store. "I actually got fired at the grocery store," Lindell said.

He clashed with the manager, but he believes the manager sparked his entrepreneurial spirit. "He says, 'Well, Mike, if you don't like it here, maybe get your own company someday.'"

Lindell did, but only after several failures.

[Kaslin]

I find it ridiculous paying $50 for a pillow

[Will88]

I own eight My Pillows. I have four on our king bed..

Thanks, I'm just about convinced after your's and other comments in the thread. Stands to reason there's be many satisfied customers as much as they've advertised constantly for several years now.

[ViLaLuz]

I bought two MyPillows at Walmart, they were on clearance at $25 each. That was about three years ago. The pillows are holding up. They’re washable, and fluff up in the dryer. They’re the best pillows I’ve ever had. I have spinal stenosis and the pillows help me sleep easier. I like them better than the $125 cooling gel memory foam pillows.

[wally_bert]

So that’s what I’ve been doing wrong.

[sparklite2]

Wow. No pillow that doesn’t include
reach-arounds is worth that much.

[Persevero]

” Only if a kid puked on it do I dump them.”

Now see? You have standards. :)

[smileyface]

Thanks. Was considering a purchase...

[aMorePerfectUnion]

I have one and love it. In fact I travel with it.

I’ve recommended them to others who also love them.

[Texan5]

No way I’m paying $50 for a pillow-not even if it makes coffee and functions as an alarm clock...

One of my neighbors ordered one from that website-got a twofer for maybe $20 more, said it was okay, but not worth that much money-after some weeks, one of them began to come loose along a seam. She noticed and was about to get a needle and thread to repair it-but she checked out what was inside first-it was just regular foam, cut in a certain shape. She sewed it up, and said when they wear out, she knows she can just buy a cheaper pillow with the same foam, but uncut-take out the foam, cut it into pieces in that shape and put it back into the pillowcase and get the same effect for much less...

[RBStealth]

“His ad has gotten better from the way it used to be”

He now demonstrates how other pillows fail, but doesnt actually show how his succeeds .

I went into a mattress factory, that had other main competitors mattresses cut into to explain how theirs
was better. One thing missing though. They didnt show me theirs , they just explained that theirs was better.

Its all a hustle!

[dp0622]

Why? All I see are mostly whiny and bitchy posts putting him and his product down?

I’m beginning to think too many FReepers are bitter and stodgy and dont want feel good stories.

Stool softener is good for that :)

[SamAdams76]

I agree. This is a good story, I don’t care what the others say. I like redemption stories.

[refreshed]

Just chiming in on the pillow. We got ours six months ago. I don’t remember how much we paid but we got two plus two free travel pillows. Very comfortable. I used to have a lot of problems with neck pain. This pillow seems to have mitigated much of that. I’d happily buy again although, I personally never would have made the initial purchase had it not been a last ditch effort to find better alignment for my neck problems.

Hey, never take a testimonial alone for a reason to buy something if you don’t know the testifier. But they DO work for us.

[newfreep]

psssst.....it was a joke.

[daltec]

We bought some My Pillows -- they frequently have coupons or buy one get one free sales, depending on the size of the pillow. I think they are very comfortable and worth what we paid (it came to about $35 each, after discounts, as I recall).

Another poster commented that they were "scrunchable" -- this is very true! You can scrunch them up in many different ways. Then when you lay your head down, it sinks in a little but not much, and it STAYS that way. They really are quite comfortable. They don't flatten out during the night, nor do they keep your head jacked up all night like some foam pillows. Just fluff up the pillow to your preference, and go to sleep!

With our old pillows, I would always wake up with a sore ear, where the pillow had flattened out. Does not happen with our My Pillows. We've had them for about a year.

[Delta 21]

A cheaper pillow will not have the same foam in it.

There are literally thousands of different kinds of “foam rubber”.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

I was discussing dog poop retrieval with a woman online. She said she always threw it in the trash. She seemed shocked when I told her I flushed unbagged poop down the toilet. Never could figure out what her objection was.

Poop is poop, and there's no better place for it than the sewage system!

[Will88]

Thanks for the replies. I’m convinced and plan to order a couple this week. Will listen to talk radio and other sources to obtain some of those discount codes the advertisers always seem to mention.

[Mr Ramsbotham]

I find it ridiculous paying $50 for a pillow.

I paid $80 for a Serta memory-foam pillow, and it's perfect for me. Well worth the money considering that it enables me to sleep.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

I think they have a warranty, if you don’t like them...