CoolRevolution in the news
Fishers-based pajama company wins $50,000 prize on new Bloomberg TV competition
CoolRevolution, a young Fishers-based business that makes breathable pajamas for women
experiencing hot flashes, won $50,000 in cash and prizes last week on the series premiere of a new Bloomberg TV competition.
Bloomberg TV’s 2 Minute Drill, hosted by Sports 1 Marketing co-founder David Metzler, invites four contestants to pitch their company’s product to a panel of three entrepreneurs in just two minutes. The contestant with the best pitch wins cash and prize, including business coaching, valued at $50,000.
Fishers resident Laura Musall, 55, appeared on the debut episode Friday and took first place for the pitch she gave on the line of breathable pajamas she co-created with Mindy Ford, 53, of Lebanon. The two women founded CoolRevolution in 2019 to address their own troublesome night sweats, and the company has since grown to help perimenopausal and menopausal women across all 50 states and Canada stay cool.
The company was born from Musall’s own experiences with menopause a few years ago.
“In the spring of 2018, I was having these horrible night sweats,” Musall told IBJ. “I sent a text message to Mindy and two other friends complaining about them, and I became obsessed with the fact that there should be something for women who have hot flashes.”
About a week later, Musall and Ford gathered around a kitchen table to design a pair of pajamas that would help women stay dry and sleep through the night.
“We had absolutely no skills in the fashion and design industry, whatsoever,” Ford said. “We were totally going into this blind.”
So, they turned to IU School of Nursing Associate Dean of Research Janet Carpenter, whose research focuses on helping women with menopausal hot flashes. After testing a couple of prototypes, Musall and Ford settled on a fabric made from bamboo for its sustainability and breathability.
CoolRevolution’s original lineup offered shorts, T-shirts, tank tops and pants manufactured by a small company in Chicago. The online store’s lineup has since expanded to offer capri-style pants and a night shirt in a variety of colors.
Musall said CoolRevolution had already been a featured guest on Meltzer’s Office Hours podcast prior to the launch of 2 Minute Drill, so she was encouraged to fill out an application to be on the show. Once approved, Musall and Ford practiced their pitch with a stopwatch and delivered it live over Zoom in December.
Jayson Waller, a judge on the program and the CEO of Powerhouse Solar, called Musall passionate, funny and interactive before asking if CoolRevolution makes pajamas for men who sweat when they sleep.
“When I think back, it was a very unique opportunity for a company that sells pajamas to women going through perimenopause to be on a show run by men who grew up in the sports world,” Musall told the IBJ. “That’s not their realm or what they’ve been involved in, and it’s exciting to be able to share that story about a real need women have.”
Musall said men can wear the pajamas as well but her passion lies in helping women and educating others about the ways in which women age. She said, on average, women start going through menopause at age 51. This year, 20 million women will reach that benchmark, and 75% of them will have night sweats.
It’s not a blip on the radar, either. Musall said perimenopausal and menopausal symptoms can last for 10 years.
“I’m not demeaning anyone who is a hot sleeper, but there’s waking up in the middle of the night hot, and then there’s actual night sweats. These night sweats, you are drenched,” Musall said. “We’ve talked to women who are just desperate for something. They’re waking up in the middle of the night having to change pajamas, and that disrupts your sleep.”
Musall and Ford are the company’s only two employees, and they’ve kept their full-time jobs outside of CoolRevolution. Musall works as a real estate agent, and Ford is director of operations for Well Done Marketing in Fountain Square. They plan to use their prize money and the suite of business coaching opportunities that come with their grand prize to further market their product line.
“It’s going to be helpful to learn what other companies recommend we do—how we take this from a small business to a large business,” Musall said. “What that means, we’re not sure. We want to expand our product line and listen to customers to get them what they want and need.”
The show is not yet available on-demand through Amazon Prime Video, but audiences can listen to it on Melter’s podcast, The Playbook, through Spotify or Apple Podcasts.
Musall said CoolRevolution has had thousands of orders, and sales grew 70% over last year. About 25% of customers have placed multiple orders, and she’s looking forward to more growth in the coming year.
'I love you and I love your presentation. I loved everything about it,' says Rory Cutaia, CEO of Verb Technologies
Co-founder of CoolRevolution was featured on a new TV show (think Shark Tank) hosted by David Meltzer, an entrepreneur, best-selling author and business owner. CoolRevolution pitched how its pajamas are helping hot women stay cool through its unique bamboo fabric. The show premiered on Bloomberg TV and is being shown on Amazon Prime. You can see it here.
'Flattering, soft, silky,' a Reader's Digest reporter says of CoolRevolution PJs
Reader's Digest writer Lois Alter Mark asked to try CoolRevolution PJs, and she'd like them so much, she included them in the magazine's holiday gift guide. Here's what she had to say:
"Sure, she’s cool—but not when she’s lying awake, experiencing hot flashes. This flattering v-neck is soft, silky and stretchy, and can be worn with matching pajama pants to keep her comfortable all night. It’s so good-looking, though, she can also wear it outside with jeans or a skirt."
You can see the gift guide here.
CoolRevolution PJs featured on David Meltzer podcast to talk about how night sweats led to business venture for two 50-something women
The podcast, Office Hours, hosted by author and entrepreneur David Meltzer asked CoolRevolution to talk about how the PJ company for women with night sweats got started.
"It began with a whole lot of sweat," said co-creator Laura Musall, who talked about how she and long-time friend Mindy Ford decided to stop complaining about night sweats and hot flashes and do something about it.
You can hear the entire interview here.
"Finally, Pajamas For Warm Bodies"
Judy Koutsky, Contributor, Travel - "I cover all types of travel--from family and adventure, to romance and emerging destinations."
Here's what she had to say after trying CoolRevolution PJs:
Pajamas That Look Like Clothes
CoolRevolution PJs come in shorts, pants, T-shirt and tank and are made from a blend of fabric, including bamboo, which is naturally cooling, wicks moisture, dries quickly and is naturally anti-bacterial. They also added a little cotton to keep the shape. Both the shorts and pants have pockets and the roomy fit is great not only for sleeping, but for lounging around the house. When the coronavirus pandemic began, people wanted to be comfortable, yet presentable on video chats. The CoolRevolution PJs are just that—they have the look of normal clothes, but the feel and comfort of pajamas. Read the full article.
PRODUCT RECOMMENDATION FROM WOMAN'S WORLD:
"2 Friends Created This Amazing Line of Night-Sweat Fighting Pajamas. Necessity truly is the mother of invention!" - Women's World editorial
Here's what a columnist had to say after testing CoolRevolution PJs:
CoolRevolution makes its pajamas from quick-drying bamboo rayon (mixed with cotton and spandex) that wicks away moisture. My favorite part of the set was the V-neck top that could legitimately be worn outside the house as a regular T-shirt, thanks to a shirttail hem and how the shirt dips lower on the back for more coverage. I’d like to try it out on a hot summer day to see how it compares to a regular cotton t-shirt. Although they’re fine for lounging, the shorts didn’t excite me. With a 7-inch inseam, they’re quite long and are best if you’re looking for a more conservative cut. The big pockets were nice, though, and they felt soft and stretchy. CoolRevolution is open about designing pieces for “aging bodies” and women going through menopause, which explains the shorts, but if you like the pieces and are looking for something that’ll keep you cool, they could work for any age group. CoolRevolution also offers the widest range of sizes, with pajamas that go up to 3XL.
Yes, hot flashes are awful. These Hoosier women designed pajamas that can help.
The hot flashes, to say the least, were unpleasant. A head-to-toe burning sensation. Body aches. Sweating at any given time. All compounded by the inability to get a full night's sleep.
Hot flashes are awful, so these empty-nester moms designed pajamas to help
Literally through sweat and hard work CoolRevolution pajamas was born, and its arrival appears timely. Experts say the longtime stigma surrounding menopause and aging is starting to fade, and women are seeking ways to be more comfortable rather than relying on medication, which can add side effects to their woes. Read the story.
Fox59: CoolRevolution to celebrate World Menopause Day
The Indianapolis news station, Fox59 featured CoolRevolution on Oct. 12 to talk about PJs and world Menopause Day. See the story.
Join CoolRevolution from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Friday at Books & Brews to celebrate women, help low-income women and get answers to your burning questions about perimenopause and menopause. Learn more.
Indianapolis Monthly magazine features CoolRevolution PJs
Fishers Startup Creates Pajamas for Menopausal Women
A pair of entrepreneurs from Fishers has launched a sleepwear company targeting women going through menopause. CoolRevolution PJs was founded in March 2018 by Laura Musall and Mindy Ford after Musall had difficulty dealing with night sweats and the inability to find pajamas to help. The result is a collection of cooling pajamas made with natural bamboo-based material. In an interview with Business of Health Reporter Kylie Veleta, Ford said the decision to use bamboo came from conversations with many people. (See the whole story and watch the video.)
Women Develop Cooling Pajamas to Help Women with Night Sweats
Laura and Mindy consulted with medical experts and textile experts and came across a fabric made of bamboo, which has all the qualities they were looking for, plus more. It's a natural fiber that keeps you cool when you get hot, and warm when you get cold. It's breathable, absorbs moisture, dries quickly and is antibacterial. Plus, it's buttery soft against your skin. (Watch the video.)
Current Publishing: Women Launch Sleepwear Business
After Laura Musall’s first experience dealing with night sweats from menopause, she was so frustrated with the lack of cooling sleepwear options for women that she decided to create her own. Musall along with her long-time friend Mindy Ford recently co-founded a business designing, making and selling sleepwear for women suffering from symptoms of perimenopause and menopause. (Read the story.)
Fox59 News: Stigma Surrounding Hot Flashes
Hot flashes are something a majority of women will experience in their lives, but they often aren’t openly discussed. Laura Musall is one of the 75 percent of women who experience hot flashes. “All of a sudden I am sweating and, so it just, when I have hot flashes it is hard to explain, but they start in my upper body and the heat is inside and it just travels up and it just seems to grow in intensity,” Musall said. IUPUI researcher and professor Janet S. Carpenter found a way to measure them using thermal imaging. (See the story.)
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