You probably clicked on this article simply because of an association between Sleep Experts, one of the most well-known and respected mattress flagships in the country, and a graduation year behind a well-known name. I, too, was surprised to learn that Mr. Chris Cook, husband of Christine Cook, founded the company that so many of us have come to know today. Mr. Cook has truly made an impact in his industry, not only revolutionizing the customer service facet of Sleep Experts but also giving back to the community in a truly impactful fashion.
Mr. Chris Cook, class of 1986, spoke to the Entrepreneurship Club on December 10th, covering a wide variety of business-related topics, incorporating his experience at Jesuit in his advice.
Towards the beginning of his presentation, Mr. Cook spoke on his first experience in a mattress store in Austin and described it as the “worst retail experience you could ever imagine.” Inspired to supplant this unpleasant norm in the industry, Cook sought after a complete experience. Soon after, he outlined the three paths a business can take to be successful. First, product leadership, meaning that the product sold is a flagship and industry leader. (i.e. Apple) Cook stated that “We knew that we were selling the same thing as the people across the street,” removing that option. Next, a company can choose to be the lowest cost operator, but Cook identified that “We knew that we weren’t going to have an enormous scale.” Thus, Cook chose the tertiary of the options: “Our point was to differentiate on how we serve the customer.” Cook elaborated that “It was crystal-clear to me as the entrepreneur that there was a great business model here that no one had tapped into, no one was doing the way we thought it was.” Turning over a profit in just two years, Cook’s business soared within Texas due to this business model. In fact, Sleep Experts was named one of one-hundred Dallas companies on the “Dallas 100 Fastest Growing Companies” by Southern Methodist University from 2006-2008.
Operating 43 locations in the DFW metroplex, Cook has donated a steady amount of mattresses to Rest Assured, a non-profit that recycles old mattresses to give to a number of shelters for families to use. Cook explained that “We wanted our business to stand for something more than making a profit, more than just selling mattresses, and this was instilled in me at Jesuit. You have to make a meaningful impact; you have an obligation to be ‘Men For Others.'”
In his second year in the club, Senior Chase Kirkland enjoyed Mr. Cook’s talk because “It’s always great to hear what former Jesuit students did to become successful, and how Jesuit played a part in their success.” Kirkland saw “The best advice Mr. Cook gave was that when building up a company, keeping ownership of the company is essential, rather than selling it off to investors… I would encourage students to join the Entrepreneurship Club or simply just come to talks like Chris Cook’s. It’s a great way to get involved and learn about the business world beyond Jesuit’s community.”
