Podcast Summary: My First Million – "My mother-in-law's side hustle made $1M selling pillows?!?"

Podcast: My First Million
Hosts: Sam Parr and Shaan Puri (HubSpot Media)
Guest: Smithy Sodine
Date: February 11, 2026

Episode Overview

This inspirational episode features Sam Parr interviewing his mother-in-law, Smithy Sodine, who turned a modest $10,000 investment and a passion for sewing into a seven-figure decorative pillow business: Smithy Home Couture. Smithy shares her immigrant journey, how she transitioned careers in her 50s, the realities of starting and scaling a handcrafted e-commerce brand, and lessons for aspiring entrepreneurs at any age—especially those feeling stuck or overthinking their business launch.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The Origin Story: Immigrant Drive and Career Pivots

• Smithy immigrated from Haiti to Miami at age 16, ultimately settling in New York to pursue her love of fashion and sewing ([02:32]).
• She juggled part-time courses at Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), motherhood, and work, before becoming a teacher and later seeking a new path as her children grew up and her husband’s business wound down ([03:29]).

Smithy: "Sewing has always been a passion of mine... It was just a way to express my creativity." ([02:32])

2. Starting a Business in Midlife (and with No E-Commerce Experience)

• Smithy decided on decorative pillows—not bed pillows—leveraging her sewing skills and fabric collection despite no experience with online stores or marketing ([05:42]).
• She launched Smithy Home Couture with $10,000, learning Shopify, Photoshop, Canva, and other tools from scratch in her 50s ([09:03], [17:46]).
• The business model: stock fabric, sew to order, fast turnaround (3-5 days), and prioritize excellent customer service ([09:03]).

Smithy: "It was so simple to start this business... I started it with $10,000 and have never invested another penny in it." ([09:03])

3. Overcoming Doubts (Internal and External)

• Smithy faced skepticism: “Everyone kept discouraging me… they’re saying, why would you want to sell pillows?” ([03:29])
• Sam admits to being initially doubtful: “In my head I was thinking, this is just another conversation I’ve had tens of thousands of times…” ([09:53])

4. Building Momentum: The Power of Taking Action

• She attributes her success to taking fast, decisive action rather than overthinking:

Sam: "Just move fast, you know, momentum to your first dollar." ([16:59])

• Smithy emphasizes action over perfection. She started selling immediately, received a rush of demand during COVID lockdowns, and was profitable from year one ([13:03], [14:53]).

Smithy: “I was able to pay myself the very first year... maybe I made like $60,000.” ([14:53])

5. Metrics, Growth, and Scaling Realities

• Smithy hit seven-figure sales within six years, doubling revenue in 2025, and aims for 50% growth in 2026 ([15:48]).
• Maintains a small, flexible team (5–6 subcontractors), operates from a New Jersey “workroom,” and does not stock finished pillows—everything is custom ([08:23], [09:03]).
• Core channels are Etsy, Wayfair, and her own site. Exceptional customer reviews: 17,000+ orders and a 4.9/5 rating ([06:41]).

6. Customer Experience, Consulting, and Personal Touch

• Smithy personally consults with clients and interior designers, handles fabric buying, and treats every customer as she would like to be treated ([07:15]).
• Offers custom work: customers can provide their own fabric ([33:09]).

7. Growth vs. Lifestyle: Choosing Fulfillment

• Despite inbound interest from big retailers (e.g., Bed Bath & Beyond), Smithy resists scaling for its own sake ([25:03], [31:30]).
• She values personal client relationships and flexible hours, allowing time for family and grandchildren ([27:14], [28:03]).

Smithy: "There's a lot to lose by going bigger. I have to really consider if that's what I want to do." ([27:14])

8. Mindset, Learning, and Resilience

• Smithy’s advice to older aspiring entrepreneurs: “There are ways to do things if you really want to do something, there's always a path to take… I never doubted myself that I couldn't learn things.” ([17:46])

• She stresses the advantage of immigrant mindset and resilience:

Smithy: “If you’ve traveled this far, you’ve left your homeland… you have nothing to lose.” ([21:10])

9. Family, Community, and Entrepreneurial Support

• Discussion of how family support—especially emotional, not just financial—makes a huge difference in tackling entrepreneurship at any age ([38:55]).

10. Notable Anecdotes and Memorable Moments

• Smithy recounts her first real sale to a non-friend and the rush of validation ([13:03]).
• Hilarious family stories: Sam meeting Smithy (and her initial impressions), immigrant culture shock, encounters with high-powered suitors for the business ([34:50], [31:02]).

Notable Quotes & Timestamps

• "How do you create a multi million dollar business starting with only $10,000 without having much of a plan...?"
  — Sam Parr [00:00]

• "I made decorative pillows...couch pillows, the sofa pillows, and also the decorative bed pillows that people used."
  — Smithy Sodine [05:42]

• "Etsy made it pretty easy at the beginning...but the first time I actually had a client that I have never met ordered something, it was amazing. It was exhilarating."
  — Smithy Sodine [13:03]

• "I was able to pay myself the very first year...maybe I made like $60,000."
  — Smithy Sodine [14:53]

• "In 2025, my revenue grew by 100%. So we are in the seven figures now."
  — Smithy Sodine [15:48]

• "I'm okay making mistakes. I've always been that way. But I've also taken action on the things that I wanted to do."
  — Smithy Sodine [17:46]

• "Immigrants don't feel like they have a lot to lose...the opportunities are here. We left there because there weren't any opportunities."
  — Smithy Sodine [21:10]

• "There's a lot to lose by going bigger. So I have to really consider if that's what I want to do."
  — Smithy Sodine [27:14]

Segments & Timestamps

• Intro & Smithy’s Background: [00:00–05:33]
• Why Pillows? & Learning E-Commerce: [05:33–09:53]
• Road to First Sale & COVID Impact: [13:00–14:53]
• Hitting Profitability & Scaling Up: [14:53–17:46]
• Mindset, Action, and Lifelong Learning: [17:46–21:10]
• Immigrant Resilience & American Dream: [21:10–22:34]
• Growth Intentions, Wholesale, and Lifestyle: [24:55–28:41]
• Work-Life Balance & Fulfillment: [28:41–29:55]
• Family Support & Entrepreneurial Roots: [38:55–40:35]
• Anecdotes and Closing Stories: [33:24–38:00]
• How to Find Smithy / Promotion: [40:35–41:03]

Takeaways for Listeners

• Taking action is more important than exhaustive planning—start messy and iterate.
• Core business principles: find passion, solve a real-world problem, prioritize customer experience.
• Age, background, and prior experience are not barriers; technology is learnable at any stage.
• Emotional support and belief from friends/family can be more impactful than funding.
• Scaling up should be intentional; lifestyle businesses can be fulfilling and lucrative.

How to Find Smithy Sodine

• Website: smithyhomecouture.com
• Instagram: @smithyhomecouture

Final Words

This episode is a must-listen for anyone contemplating a career pivot, aspiring to start a side business, or doubting it’s too late to pursue a new path. Smithy’s story is a powerful example of how grit, learning, community, and customer focus can build both wealth and meaningful work—at any age.