After 30 years in the sleep products industry, John Schulte, the president and CEO of Innovative Sleep Technologies, still doesn’t assume he knows it all.
“I think the worst way to approach anything is to think you know everything,” Schulte said. This perspective has shaped Schulte’s entire career, from his start in the bedding industry to today.
“I came into the market in 1995,” Schulte said, when he got a job working in purchasing at Glideaway, a manufacturer that specialized in adjustable bases.
“I didn’t know anything, but I’m an inquisitive person by nature,” Schulte said. “So I just kept asking questions of everybody. It’s amazing what you can learn from all different types of people in all different aspects of this field of product development or purchasing or sales. They all have something to contribute.”
During Schulte’s 27 years at Glideaway, he moved from purchasing to product design and sourcing, eventually earning his first patent at the company. That experience would prepare Schulte for his next chapter in the industry.
“Fast forward to 2022, and Glideaway was in the final stages of a merger with Rize Home,” said Schulte. “But I wanted to continue the successful relationship that I built with the factory that I found in 2013. So, I decided to start Innovative Sleep Technologies, mostly partnered with the factory and its ownership.”
One key lesson from Schulte’s time at Glideaway would influence his decision:
“I learned that relationships matter more than just your ability to make something cheap or to try to buy as cheaply as possible,” Schulte added.
In 2023, Schulte co-founded Innovative Sleep Technologies with Sven Knabe, managing partner at IST, and Meise Moebel, a Kirchlengern, Germany-based developer and manufacturer of adjustable bases and platform beds. IST, headquartered in St. Peters, Missouri, has ownership in factories and a strategic manufacturing network spanning parts of Asia, Europe and Central America.
As for what motivated Schulte to start something new, rather than work for another existing company, it was his desire to capitalize on the factory’s German engineering expertise. “That allowed us at Glideaway, and now allows us at IST, to maintain a competitive edge because of that engineering,” Schulte said.
Schulte continued: “For me, I think it was an opportunity to just continue with that same relationship, knowing that we had the best possible product. I could have hired on with other people in the same marketplace, but I knew it would be taking a step back, and I didn’t want to do that. I knew that there would be more freedom in my designs and contribution because it wasn’t layered with family or a lot of bureaucracy on what should be done and how it should be done.”
Although best-in-class engineering remained a priority, Schulte knew there was one thing he wanted to approach differently with IST: outsourcing whenever possible. It’s unsurprising, given how much Schulte values learning from others. IST uses out-of-house agencies for various projects, including Digital Design NYC, a design agency based in New York City.
“I really enjoy having the ability to pick and choose these highly skilled, highly professional outsourced functions,” Schulte said. “So we’re able to keep a smaller team internally because we’re able to then use the outsourcing capabilities of all these different areas.”
IST’s small but mighty team of six employees also includes Jason Hodge (formerly of Restonic), vice president of sales at IST, and Bobby Keene (formerly of Leggett & Platt), vice president of business development at IST.
Over the past few years, IST’s brand Symphony Sleep has been focused on helping retailers, by creating an ecosystem of complementary products.
Notable introductions include SleepSafe, a patented secure storage system for its adjustable bases, and the ES700 Sonic Sleep System, with an under-bed speaker system, Bluetooth connectivity and sonic massage. At the January Las Vegas Market, Symphony Sleep debuted three new pillows — Symphony, Harmony and Melody — as good-better-best options for retailers.
Symphony Sleep also recently introduced a patent-pending replaceable fabric cover system for its adjustable bases. Inspired by seat cover systems used in German-engineered vehicles, it allows for easy replacement, giving retailers an opportunity to avoid product loss when bases are soiled or scuffed.
Another boost to retailers is Symphony Sleep’s QR-enabled point-of-sale videos on its offerings, which help retail sales associates to quickly learn product details.
Whether it’s the creative side or the engineering side of the business, Schulte’s natural curiosity continues to shape IST.
“I enjoy the marketing aspect,” Schulte said. He’s written scripts for videos for Symphony Sleep’s social media channels, which are then outsourced to a creator. He’ll also draw up point-of-purchase concepts for the showrooms.
“I also really enjoy the technical aspect,” Schulte said. “It’s good to be able to work with Sven and look at drawings and review how a future thought might have an impact on the current design. So we can make adjustments now for even things that we haven’t created yet, but maybe we’ll create.”
As for what’s ahead at IST, the company is leveraging artificial intelligence internally, using it to assist with freight optimization and forecasting. Schulte said the team is currently working on two projects for new products and accessories, which are currently expected to launch at the January 2027 Las Vegas Market.
In April, Symphony Sleep will make its debut at the High Point Market with a new showroom. Schulte said there will be some new point-of-purchase displays, and it’ll be his first time seeing them as a physical product since creating his design sketch.
“I’m pretty excited about that,” Schulte said. “I like to find a new way to showcase the same thing.”
