From Amateur to Mattress Doctor

SIDE SLEEPERS restless group

BACK AND STOMACH SLEEPER stationary group

I broke my arm soon after I got married. It was my right arm and up until that time I was always a side sleeper who woke up on my right side. I figured my body would say “that idiot broke his arm so we will sleep on the left side.” Nope. I slept in bed on 5 different mattresses over the course of 10 years. I bought 4 brand new mattresses, and I already had a mattress that was less than a year old. I slept a grand total of 5 nights with my wife in bed. The other couple thousand nights I slept in this clearance love seat that I bought sight unseen. It was ugly but it reclined on the left side and that’s where I slept every night for a decade. The left side of an ugly loveseat.

I couldn’t sleep in a mattress because my body rolled onto my bad arm after I fell asleep. I was paralyzed by a brand-new mattress. I had to rush in for arthroscopic surgery to even move the arm after just one night. Rectangular torture devices are how I viewed mattresses, but I kept on buying mattresses because I wanted to sleep in bed with my wife. She became an ex. Soon after the divorce, I was transferred to Philadelphia for my work which was with fireworks of all things.

I was out there for a couple months and decided I wanted to sleep in bed. I bought the 4th new mattress. I was still sleeping on the loveseat. I walked into a Sleepy’s mattress store, and they had 87 beds on the floor. I told the salesman my dilemma and he suggested this one fluff top I called it. He said it’s a pillow Top. I said no I call it a fluff top. He said OK. It’s a fluff top! I laid on it in the store. I rolled onto my right side, and it felt fine. Like a cloud.

I got it delivered the next day. I slept on it for one night just like the rest. My arm was killing me after waking up on the arm. Soon after that I decided to move across the state to the Pittsburgh area where I am from. I didn’t have a job, but I really felt like it was time to move back because my family members were getting older. I knew they would need my help soon. I listed everything I owned including the loveseat in one ad because I was tired of moving all this stuff with the job I had. I lived in many states. I wanted to write a Separate ad for the mattress since I just bought it and slept on for exactly one night. I listed all my stuff in one ad on Craigslist, and the other ad was just for the mattress.

My phone started blowing up. I received almost 40 calls the first day. 5 people called within minutes about this mattress. They were all coming to buy it at the same time. I told them all I was selling other stuff too. It was whoever showed up first got the mattress. A came and grabbed it. Then all the other people came with their trucks and bought everything. The loveseat and everything else were gone within 8 hours. I deleted both ads right away because I was getting bombarded with calls about the mattress. They kept calling about the mattress. I was getting over 30 calls a day still. I contacted Craigslist and asked them how it’s possible. I deleted the ad. The confirmed that and stated that they have no idea.

I packed my clothes in my Jeep and set sail for Aliquippa, PA. I was still getting tons of calls about the mattress. I took the time when I arrived to investigate. It didn’t take long to find out why I had kept getting calls about the mattress. My ad was voted by the people Best of Craigslist and it was featured on top of everyone’s page. I deleted it from the best of section and got one more call.

I was sitting at my mom’s house drinking coffee with her. A guy calls and I answered. He says I am calling about the mattress. I was mad. I said it’s been sold! He no I’m calling to see if you moved back to the Pittsburgh area yet like the ad mentioned. I said yes. I’m back. He said I’m the VP of Sales for a local 5 chain of mattress stores. Wanted to see if you wanted to interview for a job selling mattresses? I said I don’t use a mattress. My mom asked what the call was about. She laughed and said He doesn’t sleep on a mattress. He said don’t worry we can find you the right mattress just come in for an interview. I agreed and walked in the store in Robinson for the interview. He shakes my hand and says, “Let’s start your training.” I was like, ” What about the interview? “He said, “We skipped that step.”

There I was in this place full of torture devices. I didn’t apply for the job. I didn’t interview for the job. I didn’t use the product. And I never really sold anything before. I didn’t understand why until I started training. I kept training and training. I didn’t want people to lose their marriage like I did. I didn’t want them to not be able to sleep in bed for a decade. I kept training. They said you know everything Dan. I said no I don’t. I learned about the body. The muscles. The bones. The spine. The sleep cycle. Conditions and diseases like sleep apnea, insomnia, other mattresses, all mattresses, I am still training and I will never stop.

I developed ways to shop for a mattress that no one ever saw before. I jam my knee into the mattress and I count. I slam my phone onto the beds to test for pressure relief. I sold famous athletes, but I wouldn’t dare mention their sport. I had to act like I didn’t know them. I had to find them the right mattress above all else. I didn’t get their autograph because it’s distracting. I jammed my knee into the mattresses. I was counting. The athletes couldn’t believe it. They started throwing their phones at the beds. It was fun. They were appreciative that I maintained a fun professionalism the entire time. Even when the sale was getting written up. I have to ask first thing their last name as I start writing out the invoice. It becomes without question the moment of truth. This is when people fall to pieces. I can’t believe it. Oh My Gosh. Can you sign this. I loved that play you made to score that goal, touchdown or whatever. Not me I had to continue on like I didn’t know their name.

I was one the presenters at a medical convention. The auditorium was full of doctors and chiropractors. 250 to 300 doctors. I was on stage with a mattress and 5 pillows. I wanted to demonstrate how to find the right mattress and pillow for each of the sleep positions side, back, and stomach. And I talked about the 4 different support systems in modern mattresses. It was fun. They seemed to enjoy it, but I don’t think they care to know about mattresses or pillows. There is a medical aspect of purchasing a mattress that can’t be ignored. If you are young and healthy with no issues, then perhaps it’s less critical to ponder these aspects.

There are things we have to buy like a car and everything else that have no medical aspects. A mattress purchase done right can at least attempt to help reduce some of the challenges you face in completing your sleep cycle each night. There are 4 stages of sleep that we cycle through a few times a night. Stage three is about physical healing like tissue regeneration, and muscle repair. Stage 4 is about the brain getting recharged. Processing negative emotions and cataloging all that transpired to wake up feeling refreshed. This 4th stage is known as REM sleep. Rapid Eye Movement because our eyes flicker like a computer processing data. Our brains are like an organic computer. It’s alive!!