The FAM is excited to announce that Bedgear‘s CEO Eugene Aletto is speaking at Sleep Summit 2025. The event is taking place October 14-17, 2025 in beautiful Bentonville, Arkansas and tickets are on available now.
In honor of the announcement, we are replaying last year’s most listened to episode, featuring the bad boy of bedding himself!
From million-dollar sales rep to industry trailblazer, Bedgear’s founder shares his unconventional journey—and why education, innovation, and empathy remain his cornerstones.
Challenging Industry Norms, One Product at a Time
When Eugene Alletto launched Bedgear, he didn’t set out to disrupt the mattress industry. He wasn’t looking to “fix” anything. Instead, the former top-earning salesperson focused on being additive—bringing something new and valuable to the marketplace that hadn’t existed before. The nickname “Bad Boy of Bedding” was a tongue-in-cheek label tossed his way because he did everything the industry didn’t: from how people are fit for pillows to how he approached sleep as a performance environment.
“I wasn’t trying to fix the industry,” Alletto told host Mark Kinsley on The FAM Podcast. “I just wanted to be additive—to bring new ideas retailers and consumers hadn’t seen.”
Connecting the Dots No One Else Was
While the industry was layering foam and springs like birthday cakes, Alletto was asking deeper questions: Why do we lie people on their backs in-store when 68% sleep on their sides? Why do we wrap beds in heat-trapping comforters only to sell cooling mattresses? He saw disconnection everywhere—and an opportunity to “coordinate it all” into a true sleep system.
Bedgear’s performance bedding products (which the company calls “essentials,” not “accessories”) aim to create a holistic sleep environment. That reframing of language—along with consistent consumer education—has helped build a passionate customer base and a retail model that rewards selling, not just storytelling.
From the Bronx to Boardrooms: A Self-Made Sales Philosophy
Alletto’s career began with borrowed cars and cold calls. Raised by immigrant parents, he lost his father as a teenager and learned quickly that victimhood wasn’t an option. That ethos translated into an unmatched work ethic, pouring weekends into sales training and store visits.
Education, Alletto says, has been the most powerful catalyst in his career. He still runs Bedgear with a separate, dedicated training division that doesn’t report to sales. “If I drive traffic to a store and the RSA isn’t ready, that’s money wasted. Education is everything,” he said.
Leaving Millions on the Table—for a Dream
At the height of his career, Alletto was making over $1 million annually. He walked away from that income to start Bedgear. What gave him the courage? Encouragement from retailers who saw his talent and believed he should “do it for yourself.” And the arrival of team members like Shana Rachu, who joined without a salary simply because she believed in his vision.
His transition was strategic. He operated Bedgear out of a furniture showroom closet, pitching pillows after selling dining sets. “I handed customers off to my team and said, ‘Sit down, you’re going to make good money on this.’” Bit by bit, Bedgear was born.
If He Started Today? Go Mattress First—But Do It Differently
When asked what he’d do if launching now, Alletto was clear: he’d start in mattresses. But not with gimmicks or white-label offerings. He criticized DTC brands for innovating only in logistics, not product. His advice? Start with real product innovation, partner with retail from day one, and build a brand with a promise—not just a price point.
“A brand has a promise,” he said. “Private labels are just labels. If there’s no customer service follow-through, if it doesn’t mean something, it’s not a brand.”
Ingredients Marketing, Inclusion, and a Call for Innovation
Alletto also championed “ingredients marketing”—a strategy used in auto and tech industries where brands highlight premium components. He believes bedding retailers can use this same tactic to tell richer stories and justify premium pricing.
Beyond business, Eugene’s global travels have shaped a worldview rooted in connection. “We spend so much time focusing on what’s different instead of what we have in common,” he said. “We’re all just trying to do business, take care of family, and share a meal.”
Final Word: Be Additive. Be Brave.
“Don’t be disruptive just to replace something cheaper,” Alletto advised. “Be additive. Retailers are starving for innovation, and consumers want something that actually makes a difference.”
From redefining language to redefining sleep, Eugene Alletto’s story is a masterclass in leadership, resilience, and building brands that stand for something.
