Sonoma-based Level Sleep company is shaking up mattress biz

JJ Abodeely doesn't take bad sleep lying down|

Local entrepreneur JJ Abodeely lies awake at night trying to figure out how more people can sleep better. Citing recent research on the negative impact of poor sleep and the positive effect that robust sleep can have on physical performance, he speaks passionately about how his Level Sleep brand mattresses are unlike any others currently on the market.

“Sleep is the last frontier of health and wellness that people haven’t traditionally paid a lot of attention to,” he said. “But people are now becoming aware of the importance of great sleep in overall health,” he says.

“Chairs and cars have lumbar support,” said Abodeely. “Why don’t mattresses?” He explained that sleeping on overly soft or firm mattresses creates pressure on shoulders, hips and neck, and pulls your spine out of alignment. Level Sleep’s TriSupport technology provides lumbar support to your side and back, flanked by softer zones for shoulders and hips. “Bodies are curved,” he said. “Why are mattresses the same from head to toe?”

While there are plenty of other multilayer memory-foam mattresses on the market, Level Sleep supports parts of the body from head to toe differently, with a band of firm support that keeps the spine aligned properly, no matter whether the customer sleeps on their back, side or stomach.

The mattress market is huge, $150 billion at last count, and growing. It’s also changing, thanks to the development of mattress technologies that can easily be shipped by mail-in-a-box as opposed to delivered by truck. Online sales are trumping brick and mortar locations.

Headquartered in Sonoma, Abodeely’s Level Sleep start-up is flush with new funding from a group of mostly local private investors including Caymus Capital, the investment company that’s best known locally for its real estate development projects around town, including the First Street East development project currently before the planning commission.

Level Sleep’s mattress technology was developed by the company’s co-founder Roger Sramek, who is a Tiburon-based “sleep engineer.” Abodeely started as a customer and decided in July 2015 to build a company around Sramek’s products.

While manufacturing is done in Southern California, Abodeely is using local vendors for marketing and graphic design, logistics, textile design and more. He has six full-time employees right now, as well as a small remote sales team that is now selling the company’s products nationwide.

The company is currently hiring as the business is seeing rapid growth. Abodeely noted that thanks to their impact lessening snoring, Level Sleep’s pillow sales in particular have been so explosive that he is having to explore additional manufacturing and shipping options. “It’s great to work on a project that actually makes an impact on people’s day-to-day lives,” he said.

The Sleep Experience Center opened about a month ago, with retail space on First Street West and office space upstairs and in back. Sleep Level’s mattresses and toppers range from $299 to $2,399, with free delivery. The mattress can be used with a box spring or on its own. Pillows are $99. The company offers a discount to Sonoma locals.

The Sleep Experience Center ribbon cutting at 579 First St. W. is on Wednesday, Sept. 28, from 4 to 8 p.m. and kids are welcome.

Abodeely is frequently seen around town with his wife, Piper, and their three children and he’s all about family-friendly. He promises food, wine and music, as well as a chance to try out the entire Level Sleep line.

“It’s fun to be building a business in Sonoma,” he said from the front porch of Level Sleep’s office and showroom right off the Plaza on First Street West. “We’re proud to be building a world-class company here. Seeing Krave do it was so motivating. Sonoma has an opportunity to develop business and industry outside of wine and tourism.”

Contact Lorna at lorna.sheridan@sonomanews.com.

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