Mike Lindell

Michael James Lindell[2] (born June 28, 1961), is an American inventor, businessman, and entrepreneur. He is the founder and CEO of My Pillow, Inc.,[3][4][5] and is sometimes referred to as "the My Pillow guy".[6]

Mike Lindell
Lindell in 2020
Born
Michael James Lindell

(1961-06-28) June 28, 1961
Mankato, Minnesota, U.S.
OccupationFounder and CEO of My Pillow
Net worth~US$300 million (2018)[1]
Political partyRepublican
Spouse(s)
Dallas Yocumin
​
(
m. 2013; div. 2013)
Websitemichaeljlindell.com

Early life and career

Lindell was born on June 28, 1961, in Mankato, Minnesota, and was raised in Chaska and Carver, Minnesota.[3]

Prior to inventing MyPillow, Lindell launched and operated a number of small businesses including carpet cleaning, lunch wagons, and a few bars and restaurants in Carver County, Minnesota.[3][4] During the 1980s and 1990s, Lindell was addicted to cocaine, crack cocaine, and alcohol, leading to foreclosure of his house, and his wife filing for divorce. Lindell stated that he achieved sobriety through prayer in 2009, and, since then, has been clean.[3][7][8]

Lindell invented the MyPillow pillow in 2004 and grew the business into a major Minnesota manufacturing company.[9][10]

Lindell has been married twice. He married his second wife, Dallas Yocumin, in June 2013; however, a few weeks later, in mid-July 2013, Yocumin filed for divorce. Yocumin said they "don't have anything in common and [he] ruined the last two years of [her] life." Lindell stated that they had a prenuptial agreement.[11][12]

In March 2017, Lindell produced The Mike Lindell Story: An American Dream, about having overcome drug addiction and building a multi-million-dollar business. The autobiography was filmed at the Pantages Theatre in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[13]

On August 21, 2019, Lindell was presented with an honorary Doctor of Business from Liberty University.[14]

Foundations

Lindell created the Lindell Foundation, a faith-based foundation originally started to help addicts and MyPillow employees. The Lindell Foundation had a soft launch nationwide in August 2017, with a special project to help Hurricane Harvey victims.[15][16] The foundation's focus was then broadened to help people with any personal problem, including addictions, work and spousal problems, cancer victims, and veterans.[7][17]

The Lindell Recovery Network was founded by Lindell to "bring hope, recovery, and mentorship" to those struggling with drug addictions. The platform shares stories from recovered addicts to those looking to overcome their own addictions. The network also provides information on vetted Christian recovery organizations, as well as access to mentors for help with recovery. The Lindell Recovery Network was highlighted in an October 24, 2018, Opioid Crisis meeting hosted by President Trump at the White House. Lindell attended this meeting with 21 other private-sector and nonprofit partners.[18][19]

Poster for Lindell's memoir, with a MyPillow booth in the background, at the 2019 Minnesota State Fair

On January 16, 2020, Lindell released his memoir, What Are the Odds? From Crack Addict to CEO,[20][21] an account of his entrepreneurial journey from battling addictions, hardships, and failures to becoming CEO of MyPillow. Proceeds from the book will help launch the Lindell Recovery Network.[21]

Controversy

In 2016, Lindell's My Pillow company was sued in Alameda County Superior Court in Oakland, California for running ads with false claims of the pillow helping with snoring, fibromyalgia, migraines and other medical conditions. Prosecutors in nine California counties brought the charges against the misleading infomercials.[22] MyPillow settled for about $1 million, while admitting no wrongdoing. "We did nothing wrong. We did not make any misleading claims," Lindell told NBC News. "Rather than fight this, I made a business decision to prevent long and costly litigation, pay this and move on."[22]

In 2017, the Better Business Bureau revoked accreditation of MyPillow, lowering its rating to an F based on a pattern of complaints by consumers. The BBB cited a Buy One, Get One offer that became a continuous offer and therefore the normal price of the product, not a sale price or free offer.[23] Lindell released a statement: "MyPillow was built on our dedication to our customers' satisfaction. We run sales and specials for our customers, so that we can give as many people as possible the chance to have a great night’s sleep. Naturally, I am terribly disappointed by the BBB's decision."[23]

Political activities

In August 2016, Lindell met with then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump,[3][24][25] and became an avid supporter, calling Trump "the most amazing president this country has ever seen in history", following his 2016 election.[26] In a speech at Liberty University in August, 2019, Lindell said "When I met with Donald Trump, it felt like a divine appointment, and when I walked out of that office I decided I was going to go all in."[27][28]

On October 19, 2016, Lindell attended the final presidential debate in Las Vegas.[29] He spoke at a Trump campaign rally in Minneapolis on November 6, 2016, and attended the Official Donald Watch Party on November 8. He attended Trump's inauguration, receiving an inauguration lapel pin as a personal gift from President Trump.[26][30][24]

On July 19, 2017, Lindell sat next to President Trump at the White House's Made in America Roundtable with 19 other industry leaders, Vice President Mike Pence, White House staff members, and four US Representatives.[31][32][3][25]

At a rally in Fargo, North Dakota on June 27, 2018, President Trump commended Lindell's business acumen.[33] Lindell spoke at a Trump rally on October 4, 2018, in Rochester, Minnesota.[34] Lindell spoke at the 2019 Conservative Political Action Conference, in which he promoted Trump as "the greatest president in history".[35]

In March 2020, Lindell spoke at a White House Coronavirus press conference, subsequent to "refocusing" his bedding factories for face mask production, at the behest of President Trump. He said then that prayer was needed since religion had disappeared in public schools. Lindell also praised Trump's response to the crisis and encouraged Americans to "read [the] Bible and spend time with [your] families."[36]

Lindell has considered running for governor of Minnesota in 2022 against incumbent Tim Walz. In May 2020, he became the campaign chair for President Trump's reelection campaign in Minnesota.[37] A few hours before President Trump spoke at a 2020 Mount Rushmore Independence Day celebration, in response to an audience question at a small rally nearby, Lindell said he's "99% sure" about running for Minnesota governor.[38]

Works
  • Mike Lindell (2019). What Are the Odds? From Crack Addict to CEO. Minnesota: Lindell Publishing. ISBN 978-1-7342-8341-9.[37]

References
  1. Bond, Paul (November 21, 2018). "Multimillionaire Trump Fan and Fox News Advertiser Jumps Into Film Financing". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  2. "My Pillow, Inc". Dun & Bradstreet. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  3. Wells, Jane (September 20, 2017). "How this entrepreneur went from a crack addict to a self-made multimillionaire". CNBC. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  4. Dean, Josh (January 11, 2017). "The Preposterous Success Story of America's Pillow King". Bloomberg Businessweek. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  5. Betsy Klein (November 4, 2018). "How the MyPillow guy became a midterm messenger". CNN. Retrieved 2019-05-10.
  6. Martin, Jeffery (March 30, 2020). "'My Pillow' trends after MyPillow founder urges Americans to focus on religion during White House coronavirus briefing". Newsweek. Retrieved 1 May 2020.
  7. "'My Pillow' founder opens up about addiction". Salvation Army Northern Division. December 29, 2015. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  8. Roosevelt, Ava (Fall 2017). "The Most Seen Man on TV and His Novel Notion on Giving". Philanthropy. International Opulence. pp. 126–127. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  9. Hutton, Rachel (September 2, 2018). "Mike Lindell's fitful journey from crack addict to MyPillow magnate". StarTribune. Star Tribune. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  10. "The story of the My Pillow king". CBS News. July 29, 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  11. "C.J.: Bride leaves, says MyPillow CEO is a snooze". Star Tribune. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  12. Keogh, Joey (8 June 2020). "Inside the MyPillow guy's relationship with his ex-wife". TheList.com. Retrieved 15 July 2020.
  13. "'The Mike Lindell Story: An American Dream' Exclusively on RFD-TV". RFDTV. Frankly, Inc. December 28, 2016. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  14. Klinker, Ryan (August 21, 2019). "MyPillow founder Mike Lindell gifts students with pillows and message of God's grace". Liberty University. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  15. "Special Projects Donation Update: Hurricane Harvey". Lindell Foundation. Lindell Foundation. Archived from the original on 1 December 2017. Retrieved 20 November 2017.CS1 maint: unfit url (link)
  16. Winter, Deena (August 31, 2017). "MyPillow to donate 60,000 pillows to Hurricane Harvey victims". Shakopee Valley News. SWNewsMedia.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  17. Strode, Tom (March 2, 2018). "MyPillow Inventor Mike Lindell Shares Testimony at NRB Media Leadership Dinner". National Religious Broadcasters. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  18. "A Year of Historic Action to Combat the Opioid Crisis". WhiteHouse.gov. October 24, 2018. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  19. Ord, Rich (October 23, 2018). "MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and His Story of Hope". WebProNews. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  20. DeBilzan, Maddie (June 21, 2019). "MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell to be on TV show, launch online help for addicts". SWNewsMedia. Retrieved 26 July 2019.
  21. "What are the Odds? | Mike Lindell's Story". www.mikelindellsbook.com. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  22. NBC Los Angeles (November 4, 2016). "MyPillow Fined $1M for Phony Ads". NBCLosAngeles.com. KNBC. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  23. KARE-TV (January 4, 2017). "MyPillow accreditation revoked by the Better Business Bureau". USA Today. Retrieved May 6, 2020.
  24. Williams, Nick (January 20, 2017). "What MyPillow's CEO got from Donald Trump at the inauguration". Minneapolis/St Paul Business Journal. Minneapolis, Minnesota: American City Business Journals. Retrieved January 9, 2019.
  25. Lindell, Michael J. (July 24, 2017). "Mike Lindell: Here's why Made in America really will help make America great again". Fox News. New York City: News Corp. Retrieved November 21, 2017.
  26. "Web Extra: Mike Lindell Speaks At Trump Rally". CBS Minnesota. CBS Broadcasting Inc. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  27. Klinker, Ryan. "MyPillow founder Mike Lindell gifts students with pillows and message of God's grace". Liberty University. Liberty University News Service. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  28. Mehta, Hemant. "Liberty University Students Just Got $600,000 Worth of MyPillow Products". Friendly Atheist. Patheos. Retrieved 13 May 2020.
  29. "Live Reaction to Pres Debate". Facebook - Fox Business. Facebook. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  30. "MyPillow CEO on attending 'surreal' Trump party". KARE 11. KARE-TV. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  31. "Made in America Roundtable". Whitehouse.gov. United States Government. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  32. "MyPillow CEO Featured In White House Event With Trump, Paulsen". CBS Minnesota. Minneapolis, Minnesota: CBS Broadcasting Inc. July 19, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  33. Fernandez, Henry (June 27, 2018). "Trump: 'MyPillow guy' should be my ad buyer". FOXBusiness. New York City: News Corp. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  34. "Live: Thousands gather for President Trump's Rochester rally". Star-Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Star Tribune Media Company. October 4, 2018. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  35. "My Pillow founder Mike Lindell: Donald Trump was 'chosen by God' to run for president". Washington Times. March 1, 2019.
  36. Casiano, Louis (March 30, 2020). "MyPillow founder Mike Lindell, at White House coronavirus briefing, tells people to pray during crisis". Fox News. Retrieved March 30, 2020.
  37. Terris, Ben (May 27, 2020). "Is the MyPillow guy the future of the Republican Party, or is he just dreaming?". The Washington Post. Retrieved June 6, 2020. He's open about his past; so open that he wrote a memoir, paid to preprint 3 million copies out of his own pocket, and has just begun marketing it nonstop on television. It's called: 'What are the odds? From Crack Addict to CEO.'
  38. Tupper, Seth (July 4, 2020). "In Rapid City, My Pillow CEO Says He's '99 Percent Sure' About Running For Minnesota Governor". South Dakota Public Broadcasting.
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