I’ve interviewed hundreds of founders, but this was a first—I talked to a married couple who built a business together. Lisa and Paul Juris, founders of Somo Sleep Fitness, joined me on The Startup Show to talk about their sleep mask that does more than just block light.

The idea started with a simple problem: light disrupts sleep. But Lisa and Paul went deeper. They found that 63% of people struggling with sleep weren’t just dealing with light pollution—they were battling stress, anxiety, and an inability to shut off their brains. Instead of adding tech, apps, or wearables, they looked at acupressure.

Their mask applies gentle pressure to the yin-tong acupoint, the spot between your eyebrows that has been clinically linked to reducing stress. It’s the same pressure point used in hospitals like Memorial Sloan Kettering and Mass General to help patients relax. With a patent in hand, Lisa and Paul focused on making their product better—comfortable, adjustable, and built for real-world use.

Then came the moment every founder dreams of. They sent samples to a few industry contacts, and Oura—yes, that Oura, the sleep-tracking ring company—reached out. Instead of feedback, Oura placed an order for 6,000 masks. They wanted to include it in their global referral program, and suddenly, Somo Sleep Fitness wasn’t just a side project. It was a business.

With no outside funding, Lisa and Paul had to figure everything out—manufacturing, logistics, global fulfillment—on the fly. They didn’t just make it work, they built things methodically using the skills they gained over long careers. They hustled, adapted, and stayed focused on what mattered: making a product that people actually love to use.

And that’s the key. When people start tracking their sleep with an Oura ring or Apple Watch, they see the difference. Athletes, parents, travelers, even an entire national soccer team have adopted the mask. Customers send messages at all hours asking for replacements after losing theirs. Parents buy extras after their kids steal them.

Now, Lisa and Paul are expanding. They’re working on a version for kids—because, apparently, 76% of parents are giving their children melatonin just to get them to sleep. They’re also exploring more acupressure-based products for recovery and performance.

Their story is the best kind of startup story. They didn’t set out to raise millions or chase hype. They found a problem, solved it in a way that actually works, and built something that people genuinely love. They stayed flexible, embraced learning, and never let setbacks stop them.