The BedBuzz

Hosted by Harry Roberts and Jimmy Hill

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Latest episode

Aug 2026

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EN-US

About the show

Our mission is to create an entertaining and informative platform where we dive into the world of our Mattress Firm family, the mattress industry, and all things sleep. We uncover the captivating stories of Mattress Firm employees and industry veterans and explore their journeys, experiences, and the valuable lessons they've learned while having fun and selling beds. In addition to the storytelling, we'll also share practical tips and tricks of the trade along with the importance of sleep wellness. Our host, Harry Roberts, is one of the original founders of Mattress Firm, the largest sleep shop chain in the United States. Our Co-host, Jimmy Hill, has broad experience in mattress retail, mattress wholesale and building a mattress brand from the ground up. Together, Harry and Jimmy's contagious passion, enthusiasm, and sense of humor will have you waiting for their next episode.

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 14, 2026Episode 1649 min

Don’t Wait for Traffic! Go Create It! with Greg & Katie Law

What if your job wasn’t just to sell mattresses but to create your own business within the business? Greg and Katie Law of Sweet Dreams Furniture & Mattress return to The BedBuzz to share how they transformed the traditional Sales Associate role into a Sales & Marketing Associate role and built a culture where their team doesn’t just wait for customers to walk through the door. Greg and Katie share practical ideas their team uses every day, including networking, business development, volunteering, referrals, community involvement and their unique “Sweet Dreams Cash” program. We also talk about the power of becoming your customer’s “mattress guy,” creating memorable experiences for repeat customers, building genuine relationships in your community, and why people buy from people they know, like and trust. Plus, Greg and Katie explain how clearly defined core values helped transform the culture at Sweet Dreams and create a team of leaders who take ownership of the business. In this episode: Sales Associate vs. Sales & Marketing Associate How to create traffic instead of waiting for it Networking, business development and volunteering Turning customers into repeat customers and referral sources The Sweet Dreams Cash referral strategy Becoming your customer’s “mattress guy” Creating memorable customer experiences Building your personal sphere of influence Getting involved in your community without “selling” Creating a business within the business Building culture through core values Why great salespeople are always creating opportunities The big takeaway: Everybody sleeps. Every relationship is an opportunity to help someone—and you don’t have to wait for traffic to come to you. Have FUN and sell beds!

July 31, 2026Episode 151 hr 8 min

PranaSleep's Jason Goodman on Leadership, Mentorship & Success

What does it take to go from selling mattresses on the sales floor to becoming one of the fastest-rising executives in Mattress Firm history? In this episode of The BedBuzz Podcast , We sit down with Jason Goodman to explore an incredible career built on hard work, mentorship, leadership, and a willingness to take risks. Jason shares the lessons he learned from industry legends including Gary Fazio, Steve Stagner, Philip Busker, Charlie Roberts, and Harry Roberts, along with the leadership principles that shaped his success. He also discusses his entrepreneurial journey, what he learned outside the mattress industry, and why he returned to help grow PranaSleep across the country. You'll hear stories about Mattress Firm's explosive growth years, franchise expansion, building high-performing teams, the importance of mentors, and Jason's simple leadership philosophy: Love. Money. Metrics. Whether you're a retail salesperson, manager, business owner, or industry veteran, this episode is packed with practical leadership lessons and entertaining stories from one of the industry's most respected leaders. And of course...stick around until the end for Jason's craziest mattress sale!

July 17, 2026Episode 141 hr 6 min

Mattress Firm's CMO Philip Busker Celebrates Mattress Firm's 40th Anniversary (Part 2)

In Part Two of our special 40th Anniversary conversation, Mattress Firm's Chief Merchandising Officer, Philip Busker , continues sharing the incredible experiences that helped shape both his career and Mattress Firm's evolution into the nation's largest mattress specialty retailer. Philip reflects on launching Mattress Pro in Las Vegas, overcoming major business challenges, returning to Mattress Firm during a pivotal time in the company's history, and helping build one of the industry's premier merchandising organizations. In this episode you'll hear: The Mattress Pro story and its eventual acquisition Lessons learned from leadership, entrepreneurship, and adversity Philip's philosophy on merchandising and product innovation Building exclusive products that changed the business Why trust, culture, and opportunity have always been part of Mattress Firm's DNA Reflections on Brian Wilson's lasting legacy Advice for the next generation of Mattress Firm leaders This episode is filled with stories, leadership lessons, and a behind-the-scenes look at what has made Mattress Firm special for 40 years. Thank you for celebrating Mattress Firm's 40th Anniversary with us on The Bed Buzz .

July 3, 2026Episode 131 hr 4 min

Celebrating Mattress Firm's 40th Anniversary with CMO Philip Busker (Part 1)

As Mattress Firm celebrates its 40th Anniversary , We welcome one of the company's most influential leaders, Chief Merchandising Officer Philip Busker , for the first of a special two-part conversation. Philip joined Mattress Firm in 1989 as a salesperson and quickly became one of the company's top performers. From there, he helped launch and grow franchise operations in Austin, San Antonio, Kansas City, Wichita, and Tulsa , before eventually returning to the corporate team where he now serves as Chief Merchandising Officer. In Part One, Philip shares unforgettable stories from the early days of Mattress Firm, including: How he got his start in the mattress business Winning a Cadillac as the nation's top Stearns & Foster salesperson The scrappy culture and competitive spirit that fueled Mattress Firm's growth Leadership lessons that still guide him today What made the company's people-first culture so special from the very beginning Whether you've been with Mattress Firm for decades or are just beginning your journey, this episode offers a fascinating look at the people, culture, and values that helped build the nation's largest mattress specialty retailer. Be sure to join us in two weeks for Part Two , where Philip shares the next chapter of his remarkable career, including Mattress Pro, Las Vegas, returning to Mattress Firm, and his vision as CMO.

June 19, 2026Episode 131 hr 9 min

40 Years of Mattress Firm: Harry Roberts Tells the Story

As we approach the 40th Anniversary of Mattress Firm, this week's episode of The BedBuzz is a special re-release of Harry Roberts Tells His Story , originally recorded on the Dos Marcos Podcast . It's one of the best conversations ever recorded about how Mattress Firm got its start and the people who built it. Harry shares the incredible journey of three young friends from South Dakota who started Mattress Firm in 1986 with just $15,000, a dream, and a lot of determination. Along the way, you'll hear stories about the early struggles, the sacrifices, the culture they built, and the principles that helped transform a small Houston startup into a nationally recognized company. Episode Highlights: How the name "The Mattress Firm" was created over a case of Miller Lite Why cleanliness, trust, and customer experience became competitive advantages The sacrifices made during the first years, including 13 months without a paycheck The power of positive thinking, teamwork, and culture How franchising fueled explosive growth across the country Harry's advice for today's leaders: "Stay close to the front door." One of my favorite takeaways is Harry's reminder that success wasn't built on being the smartest people in the room—it was built on passion, relationships, gratitude, and taking care of people. Those values remain just as important today as they were 40 years ago.

June 5, 2026Episode 121 hr 13 min

Steve Rigby: Managing to S.M.I.L.E. and the Power of Self-Management

Steve is the bestselling author of Circle Selling , S.M.I.L.E. , and his newest Amazon bestseller, Managing to S.M.I.L.E. In this episode, Steve joins us for a powerful conversation about leadership, self-management, personal growth, and helping others reach their full potential. You'll learn why great leaders don't control people...they empower them. Steve shares practical lessons from his newest book, including the "Six Serving Men" framework, why curiosity is more valuable than knowledge, and how the best managers help people get where they want to be. Along the way, you'll hear stories about mentorship, humility, personal responsibility, fitness, reading, lifelong learning, and the simple habits that separate high performers from everyone else. Key Takeaways: • Why self-management is the foundation of lasting success • The Six Serving Men: What, Where, Why, When, How, and Who • Why managers should cut strings instead of pulling them • How to empower people without micromanaging • The importance of curiosity, kindness, and humility • Why reading remains one of the most powerful growth tools available • Leadership lessons from Steve's newest book, Managing to S.M.I.L.E. Whether you're a salesperson, manager, business owner, or simply someone looking to become a better version of yourself, this episode is packed with wisdom you can apply immediately.

May 21, 2026Episode 1157 min

Jody Putnam, Chief Retail Officer of Mattress Firm, on Winning Memorial Day Weekend

Our guest is Jody Putnam, Chief Retail Officer of Mattress Firm and one of the best leaders in the business. Jody shares his incredible journey from delivering beds and working operations to leading retail sales for the largest mattress retailer in the world. This episode is packed with real talk about leadership, sales, urgency, creating customer trust, and what separates top performers from the rest. A few highlights from the show : • Why the best salespeople always “find a way” • How creating urgency drives consistent success • Why great leaders focus on helping people win today and preparing them for tomorrow • Memorial Day weekend selling strategies and how to maximize one of the biggest sales events of the year • His unforgettable first big Tempur Pedic sale that changed the way he sold forever Jody’s message heading into Memorial Day weekend is simple: Have fun and sell beds. Perfect timing as we get ready for one of the biggest weekends of the year. Take a listen, get fired up, and let’s go win big.

May 8, 2026Episode 1054 min

Innovation, Sleep, and Success with Todd Youngblood

Our guest is Todd Youngblood—an inventor, entrepreneur, and true mattress industry pioneer whose uncle actually invented the waterbed! Todd shares his incredible journey from developing airbeds with built-in pumps, to creating products sold at Walmart and Target, to building Chilipad and now launching Geli Sleep. A few highlights from the episode: • How solving one simple problem turned into a $300 million business • Why great execution always beats a great idea • The importance of understanding the customer journey and what problem your product solves • Lessons from building products with Walmart, Target, Brookstone, and beyond • Why retail success depends more on the RSA understanding the product than the product itself • Todd’s newest innovation, Geli Sleep, and how it could change pressure relief and sleep technology forever One of our favorite takeaways: “Great products and great businesses start by solving real problems.” This is a fun one with a lot of practical lessons for anyone in sales, leadership, or retail.

April 24, 2026Episode 91 hr 10 min

Tempur-Pedic Secrets to Selling More and Winning the Floor

This episode features TJ Hathorne and Jesse Abreu from Tempur-Pedic, and it’s loaded with practical on the floor insights. If you’re selling on the retail floor right now, especially with Memorial Day around the corner, this is one you don’t want to miss. A few highlights: • Simple ways to create urgency without pressure and stay “in the pocket” longer with customers • Powerful Tempur-Pedic selling tips from demos to positioning that actually moves the needle • A great reminder “Pressure relief puts you to sleep… spinal alignment keeps you asleep” • How top performers personalize every presentation instead of using a one size fits all approach • Real world techniques to overcome common objections like “too hot” or “I don’t like foam” It’s practical it’s fun and there are a ton of nuggets you can use right away on your next guest. Give it a listen and pick up one or two things to put into action today.

April 10, 2026Episode 832 min

Why Customers Buy Today Not Tomorrow: The Power of Urgency

This episode is all about creating urgency and helping our guests make great decisions today so they can start sleeping better tonight. A few highlights from the show: Great salespeople create urgency because they believe they are helping, not pushing It starts with an enthusiastic greeting and a strong first impression Use the sale event. If they don’t hear it and feel it, it doesn’t exist Inventory and delivery timing are powerful tools to close today Price increases and supply uncertainty can create real, honest urgency The question “how soon do you need your mattress?” can change the entire conversation Enthusiasm wins. The guest will match your energy every time Bottom line: be prepared, be confident, and have fun with it. When we do that, we create a better experience and we sell more beds.