Shawn D. Nelson is the founder and CEO of Lovesac, the furniture company known for its modular couches and big ideas. He’s also the author of Let Me Save You 25 Years: Mistakes, Miracles, and Lessons from the Lovesac Story, where he shares the wild ride of building a disruptive brand from scratch. With a BA in Mandarin Chinese and a Master’s in Strategic Design and Management from Parsons, Shawn blends creativity with strategy—skills he later passed on as an instructor. From winning Richard Branson’s reality show to leading a publicly traded company, Shawn brings bold lessons in innovation, grit, and growth to every conversation.

In this episode, Jason and Shawn discuss:

• The origin story of Lovesac and how it started as a college project
• The philosophy of “Designed for Life” and true product sustainability
• Mistakes, miracles, and lessons shared in Shawn’s book Let Me Save You 25 Years
• Scaling a company with purpose while remaining humble and authentic
• Why building the right team is key to lasting leadership and growth

Key Takeaways: 

• A playful idea turned into a powerhouse brand—Shawn’s giant bean bag sparked Lovesac, a company now rooted in durability, innovation, and intentional design. What began as a college experiment evolved into a billion-dollar business.
• Shawn’s entrepreneurial path wasn’t all smooth—he shares unfiltered stories of painful mistakes (like a team member losing a fingertip) and remarkable triumphs, including taking Lovesac public.
• “Designed for Life” isn’t a marketing phrase—it’s the core of Lovesac’s identity. The company’s products are built to last and adapt, creating a unique edge in a disposable world.
• You don’t need to have it all figured out from the start. Sometimes, just surviving long enough opens the door for your true mission to take shape.
• True leadership isn’t about doing it all yourself. It’s about hiring exceptional people, trusting them to lead, and stepping back so they can thrive.

“Once you get to a point—and in my case, it took the better part of 25 years—you can finally wrap your organization around something that matters. Even if it takes a long time to find that purpose, once you do, you can build something way more meaningful and impactful than just a big bean bag or a clever couch company that makes some dude a bunch of money. Because that’s not really what motivates any of us.” - Shawn Nelson

Connect with Shawn Nelson:

Websites: https://www.lovesac.com/ , https://shawndnelson.com/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shawndnelson/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shawnoflovesac/ 

Podcast: https://shawndnelson.com/podcast/ 

Connect with Steve and Jason:

LinkedIn: Jason or Steve

Website: Rewire, Inc.: Transformed Thinking 

Email: [email protected]

Show notes by: Angelo Paul Tagama

Audio production by Turnkey Podcast Productions. You're the expert. Your podcast will prove it.