This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Justin Soleimani, 34, and Zach Dannett, 35. The pair met as classmates at Emory University and then went on to co-found flop. Their Los Angeles-based company sells machine-washable, spill-resistant rugs and scaled revenue from zero to $20 million in 2.5 years. Today, Tumble boasts a team of 10 and eight-figure sales. Answers have been edited for length and clarity.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Tumble. Justin Soleimani, left, and Zach Dannett, right.
What was your day job or main occupation when you started Tumble as a side hustle?
JS: I was a consultant at Bain & Co., a global management consulting firm providing strategic advice to Fortune 500 companies. I advised companies in many industries, including biotechnology, consumer goods, entertainment and private equity.
ZD: I worked at Noble House as head of trade. While I was there, Noble House became one of the largest home furnishing e-commerce companies.
When did you start Tumble, and where did you find the inspiration for it?
JS + ZD: We began development of Tumble in the fall of 2019, about 18 months before our official launch in April 2021. The idea grew out of our frustrations with traditional rugs, which we found difficult to maintain, and washed, washable alternatives. which had their shortcomings. After talking to dozens of customers and analyzing thousands of reviews, we identified the common ones pain points such as insufficient cushioning, curling of corners and challenges in keeping carpets flat. Although many washed rugs were marketed as convenient, the reality often involved rearranging heavy furniture, turning a simple task into a hassle. To address this, we not only focused on making our carpets stain resistant, but also prioritized developing safer, non-toxic materials and obtaining environmental certifications that ensure they are safe for children and domestic animals.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Tumble
How long was Tumble a side hustle before you took it on full time?
JS + ZD: We spent about a year working long nights and weekends before launching our crowdfunding campaign. During that time, we visited various sewing shops in Los Angeles as part of our prototyping process, allowing us to test the product right here in the US. There were countless iterations and iterations with suppliers in Asia before we arrived at our desired final product. We remember walking the streets of LA on a hot summer day, carrying an 8×10' rug over our shoulders rolled up to the seams – definitely hands-on and hard work, but in the end it was all worth it.
Throughout that year, we focused on various critical aspects: securing manufacturers, developing prototypes, filing of patentsconducting customer research, defining our product category and creating financial forecasts. We went full-time just six months before officially launching the company in April 2021.
What were some of the key steps you took to start and grow your business?
JS + ZD: To launch Tumble, we leveraged crowdfunding as a key mechanism. This approach allowed us to assess product-market fit, gather insights into our customers' design and size preferences, and raise capital to place larger orders with manufacturers. Our goal was to get our products into the hands of as many people as quickly as possible, which helped us shorten the feedback loop—a great approach.
We fully built the business, investing our personal savings along with funds raised through crowdfunding for our initial purchase order. Our focus has always been on profitability; we have never raised capital from outside and the company remains fully owned by our founders and employees.
Because we prioritized profitability and financed the business through cash flowwe ran the business without full-time employees for the first two years, relying on independent contractors and agencies to meet our needs. We navigated the challenges presented by Covid, including supply chain disruptions and economic uncertainty, while maintaining profitability in a volatile environment.
After two years, we invested more in our team, bringing essential skills in-house to build resilience. This has laid the foundation for the next phase of our growth, which includes expanding into new product categories, exploring additional sales channels and entering markets outside the US.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Tumble
What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your business and how did you navigate them?
JS: One of the most important challenges we faced was the impact of Covid on our supply chain. As a young company during this period, we faced constant changes in regulations affecting manufacturers and shipping. Prices rose, the economy was uncertain, and ports were often closed. Navigating these disruptions as a growing brand with limited resources was especially challenging.
ZD: For the first two years, we could not engage with our international suppliers, which added to the difficulty. We rely heavily on our international team and our suppliers to ensure that products are delivered on time and meet our quality standards. Strong COMMUNICATION and cooperation were crucial in overcoming these obstacles.
What does growth and revenue look like for Tumble right now?
JS + ZD: As a result of our success and profitability, Tumble has averaged eight figures in revenue, with a clear path to reach nine figures – all achieved in less than four years. We plan to expand into new product categories in 2025 and explore new ones sales channels and markets. Additionally, our team has grown to over 10 members in the US
What do you enjoy most about running Tumble?
JS: Bringing new ideas and products to the world. It's always exciting to think of concepts and then see them come to life while observing customer feedback and daily use. Reading reviews and comments makes the process incredibly rewarding. I also take great pride in building a team and creating a workplace where people feel proud and excited to be a part of Tumble.
ZD: Running a business is full of ups and downs – the road to success is never linear. Facing challenges and new and changing landscapes is the reality of any business. And within these challenges lies the fun.
each new market we come in and every new product we create presents its own challenges and an opportunity to dive deep, learn and create.
Almost five years later, with our business changing rapidly, I can safely say that this is the most exciting time for Tumble and the future has never been brighter.
Image Credit: Courtesy of Tumble
What is your advice to others hoping to start successful side hustles or their own full-time businesses?
JS: My advice is to be willing to fully commit to an idea, even if you are not 100% sure it will succeed. You need a strong desire to make it happen. Choose something that resonates with you—something you're willing to invest your time and energy into—and then take the plunge. Be open to the idea evolving over time, but you must be ready to step off the ledge with your initial concept. It's also important to choose the right moment to make that jump; for example, we worked on Tumble for a full year before we went all in. By then, we had built confidence in our idea, and crowdfunding helped us gauge consumer interest early on. It's about being thoughtful and strategic when you make that move.
ZD: don't be afraid”failure.” Many people see business as a binary outcome (success or failure). But in reality, some things work and some things don't. You have to treat setbacks as challenges and opportunities to improve. If you keep choosing more problems than created and learn every day from your failures and successes, you have a good chance to succeed.