A decade ago, Rudo Kemp launched Sloom from his garage with a simple ambition: to rethink how South Africans buy mattresses.
Rudo Kemp, founder of South African mattress disruptor Sloom. Image supplied
Ten years later, the homegrown sleep-tech brand has become one of South Africa's best-known direct-to-consumer mattress businesses, helping redefine the category through its mattress-in-a-box model, adjustable comfort technology and 100-night risk-free trial.
Reflecting on Sloom's journey, Kemp has distilled 10 lessons from the highs, lows and realities of entrepreneurship; offering practical advice for founders building businesses in competitive markets.
1. Solve real problems, not small inconveniences
According to Kemp, the biggest opportunities come from identifying genuine customer frustrations rather than making incremental improvements.
"Something I have learned over the past decade is that if someone copies your idea, it is the clearest sign that a product has addressed a genuine customer pain point," he says. "I believe we have pioneered the way forward for better quality sleep."
2. Learn the industry before trying to change it
A strong idea alone isn't enough.
Kemp believes entrepreneurs need a deep understanding of how an industry operates before attempting to disrupt it. Hands-on experience provides insight into customer needs, production challenges and where established players may be falling short.
"In relation to Sloom, the technical grounding I gained before launching the very first Sloom Mattress ensured I built an engineered solution rather than a marketing gimmick."
3. Reduce the customer's risk
Consumers are naturally cautious when buying expensive products online, particularly from emerging brands.
For Kemp, trust must be earned by making the buying process as risk-free as possible through transparent policies and generous trial periods.
"At Sloom, we introduced a 100-night risk-free trial, which has been incredibly well received by our customers. Even with this offering, we have less than a 3% return rate, and that says something about our quality and promise of sleep."
4. Treat capital as your most valuable resource
One of entrepreneurship's biggest surprises, says Kemp, is how quickly money disappears during the startup phase.
Hidden costs—from product development and inventory to websites and packaging—can quickly drain cash reserves, making disciplined spending and patient growth essential.
5. Find suppliers that can grow with you
Large manufacturers often require order volumes that young businesses simply cannot support.
Instead, Kemp recommends partnering with suppliers who are willing to work flexibly, allowing startups to test products, refine processes and scale sustainably.
6. Build a brand, not just a product
Even the most innovative product needs a compelling brand to gain customer trust.
Kemp says successful businesses combine technical excellence with strong design, storytelling and customer experience to create brands consumers genuinely believe in.
7. Celebrate progress along the way
Entrepreneurship can easily become all-consuming.
Founders often sacrifice personal time while focusing on future goals, but Kemp believes it's equally important to pause and recognise milestones to avoid burnout and maintain perspective.
8. Commit fully to your vision
Having confidence in your business can make the difference between giving up and finding another solution.
"Sloom was always Plan A for me. I never really had a Plan B, and looking back, that probably helped me persevere when things were not going my way," says Kemp.
"It does not mean you ignore reality, but it does mean you keep finding ways to move forward until the business either works or you are genuinely forced to stop."
9. Let customers improve your product
No product is ever truly finished.
Kemp says customer feedback has been one of Sloom's greatest sources of innovation, helping refine its products based on how people actually sleep rather than assumptions made during development.
"The best products are not static; they evolve as customers use them, question them and reveal what matters most."
10. Earn the right to scale
Growth should never outpace a company's operational foundations.
Before investing heavily in marketing or expansion, Kemp believes businesses must ensure their supply chain, customer service, returns process and cash flow are capable of supporting increased demand.
"A business has to earn the right to grow," he concludes.
A decade of disruption
Founded in 2016, Sloom has grown from a garage startup into one of South Africa's leading sleep-tech brands, pioneering the country's modular mattress-in-a-box concept.
Built around adjustable comfort technology and locally manufactured foam components, the business has sought to challenge traditional mattress retail through direct-to-consumer e-commerce and customer-first policies.
As Sloom celebrates its 10-year milestone, Kemp's reflections offer a reminder that while entrepreneurship often celebrates rapid growth and disruption, lasting success is more commonly built through patience, resilience and a relentless focus on solving meaningful customer problems.
