We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Justin Soleimani a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Justin , so happy to have you with us today and there is so much we want to ask you about. So many of us go through similar pain points throughout our journeys and so hearing about how others developed certain skills or qualities that we are struggling with can be helpful. Along those lines, we’d love to hear from you about how you developed your ability to take risk?
I grew up in a community of immigrants, and as a first-generation American, I was surrounded by entrepreneurship from a young age. My father, aunts, uncles, and many friends were always their own bosses – whether running small businesses or managing larger ventures. Even my father, who was a doctor, owned his own practice and managed his own employees. This ingrained an entrepreneurial in me from early on.
Throughout my childhood, it was always clear to me that being in charge of your own destiny was not just possible, but normal. This mindset pushed me to pursue entrepreneurship, and every step I took along the way in my career was a stepping stone toward that goal.
Many would consider starting your own venture the biggest risk one can take, but having witnessed so many people around me succeed in this path, I was willing to bet on myself.
Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?
We started Tumble to address the gaps we saw in the washable rug market, which often featured products that were thin and lacked cushioning. My co-founder, Zach and I wanted to introduce a line of washable rugs that excel in quality, functionality, and style.
We designed our rugs with cushioned pads, corner pockets to prevent curling, and spill-proof coatings for easy maintenance. Additionally, we prioritize using premium, safe materials free from harmful ‘forever chemicals,’ which is especially important for families with pets and children. Our manufacturing facility holds an OEKO-TEX certification, and we work with independent third-party labs to ensure our rugs meet rigorous health and environmental standards.
Finally, we are committed to our customer experience. We offer a rug swatch program that lets customers ‘try before you buy,’ free design consultations with the Tumble team, an augmented reality feature to visualize rugs in their space, and free shipping and returns. Our goal is to ensure a smooth experience from start to finish.
Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
The three qualities that have been most impactful on my journey are curiosity, decisiveness, and working smart.
First, curiosity was key. When I started, I knew nothing about manufacturing, importing, or designing a product. Tackling something entirely new requires an eagerness to learn and dive into topics you have no experience with. That interest drove me to seek out information wherever I could—through YouTube videos, podcasts, articles, and other resources. For anyone just starting out, I’d encourage you to embrace curiosity. Don’t shy away from what you don’t know, get excited about learning and lean into it.
The second is decisiveness. You can have a million ideas, but if you can’t commit to any of them, you’ll never move forward. Waiting for the perfect moment or the perfect opportunity can be paralyzing. You have to make decisions as calculated bets, understanding that you’ll never have all the information you need. My advice is to focus on moving forward, making the best decision you can with the information at hand, and adjusting as you go.
Lastly, working smart has always been critical for me. It’s not just about working hard, but about working efficiently. Prioritizing tasks that will move the needle and leveraging available tools and resources has made a huge difference in how I approach my work. I use AI almost every day to streamline processes and increase efficiency as well as other task management tools for my team at Tumble. My advice is to look for smart solutions—there are so many tools out there that can make your work easier and help you focus on what to prioritize.
To close, maybe we can chat about your parents and what they did that was particularly impactful for you?
From an early age, my parents invested in my education and emphasized its importance. They set the bar high but this laid a great foundation for me, setting me on a path for success down the road.
In addition to prioritizing education, they encouraged me to take risks and bet on myself. Having that support system beneath me gave me the confidence to push forward, even when things weren’t guaranteed to work out. Knowing they believed in me made a world of difference.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.tumbleliving.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tumblerugs
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tumblerugs
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/justin-soleimani/
