The mission of Startup Grind is to educate, connect, and inspire entrepreneurs. Startup Grind Sacramento in partnership with the Urban Hive meets monthly in the heart of Mid-Town. There will be networking, great food, and live music! Come and be part of Sacramento's Startup Community. This month, we will be interviewing Dale Carlsen, founder of Sleep Train.
Dale Carlsen, CSU Sacramento graduate, founded The Sleep Train, Inc., in 1985 and grew the company to over 300 stores in 6 states with over 1600 employees. In 2014, Sleep Train merged with Mattress Firm, to become the first national specialty bedding retailer with over 3,500 stores across the country.
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Dale Carlsen, CSU Sacramento graduate, founded Sleep Train, Inc., in 1985 and grew the company to over 300 stores in 6 states with over 1600 employees. In 2010 the Sleep Train became an employee owned company through the use of an ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan). In 2014, Sleep Train merged with Mattress Firm, to become the first national specialty bedding retailer with over 3,500 stores across the country.
Currently, Dale is the CEO of the Ticket to Dream Foundation, a 501(c)3 charity, founded in 2008 to serve the needs of foster children, through the Sleep Train Foster Kids program. Ticket to Dream Foundation has now expanded to helping foster youth across the U. S. through the Mattress Firm Foster Kids program, BearPaws’ Boots for Kids program and several other programs dedicated to helping foster kids just be kids. In addition, Dale is CEO of Bunker Wilson, LLC, a real estate investment company. He attributes his success to his father’s advice, “Surround yourself with great people, treat them well and make everyone successful.”
Major awards:
Ernst & Young’s Entrepreneur of the Year, 2012
Sacramentan of the Year, 2012
Honorary Doctorate in Humanities from CSU Sacramento, 2013
