When we were getting ready to meet Sara Blakely and Jesse Itzler, we couldn’t help but think of the phrase “never meet your heroes.” Since we launched Bundle, this power couple have been mentors for us. They just didn’t know it yet. We watched every interview we could, listened to every podcast, read all we could get our hands on about these two incredible entrepreneurs. Yes, they are wildly successful. But even more important than success, they have such hustle, humor, and heart. We try to emulate them as much as possible on our lives, so when they were visiting NYC last month we thought - why not dress up like them and give them a personalized Bundle game all about their family? (Seems like the obvious choice, right?)
Both of us wore our favorite Spanx products and with Cassie toting her trusty red backpack and Jackie in a pair of athletic shorts, we were ready to meet our idols. It was Sara and Jesse’s last day in New York City and they had a packed schedule, so we were going to give them the game, pose for a quick photo with our “twins” and head out. We were dancing in their hotel lobby with excitement in anticipation of their arrival. (I’m sure hotel staff and other patrons loved that.) Normally, we would have been nervous, but it’s difficult to be scared when you’re wearing ridiculous wigs and look absolutely absurd. (Life hack for next time you have to do something that intimidates you: throw a wig on!) Sara and Jesse came downstairs and immediately started laughing. Then they asked if we wanted to go into the lobby and play the game with them. DID WE WANT TO GO INTO THE LOBBY AND PLAY THE GAME WITH THEM?! Yes, yes, a thousand times yes! (Neither one of us has been proposed to but we have to confess there will probably never be a more affirmative or enthusiastic ‘yes’ to any question ever again.)
We went into the lobby, which was very quiet...until the four of us got there. We made a personalized board game all about Sara, Jesse, their family, and their entrepreneurial adventures. Normally, we have our customers fill out our Bundle Blueprint so we can make our personalized board game for them. But for Sara and Jesse...we wouldn’t call ourselves stalkers, but we have a working knowledge of their lives. Sara and Jesse immediately put us at ease. We were laughing immediately and they listened intently while we told them about our company and mission. They really listened and offered much insight and encouragement. Sara and Jesse are so unabashedly themselves that it makes those around them feel free to be their authentic selves. (Wigs and all!) At one point there were two different conversations going on - Jackie and Jesse talking about nutrition and music while Cassie and Sara talked strategy and pricing. It was so surreal to be able to talk to these brilliant thinkers about Bundle, and to have them be so invested in our story. We can’t stop talking about it but at the same time it doesn’t even feel real. It was a day we will never forget and we are beyond grateful.
Whoever said never meet your heroes had the wrong heroes. Because ours are even better than we thought they would be.
