What I knew before visiting Cuddle Up to Me:
Intro and Expectations
Well, this is interesting. Never before had I heard of a business such as this one. A cuddling business was a rather peculiar thing to say out loud. I have heard of psychiatrists and psychoanalysts, but cuddling? I was intrigued. Given that I had never really heard of a business like this one before, I had no conceivable expectations. I assumed that in a city such as Portland, where quirkiness runs deep, a company where odd services are exchanged may have a market. I was primarily interested in meeting Samantha Hess. It is a bold move starting a business such as this one, and her job must often meet blowbacks from people who struggle to conceive something so out of left field. To put it frankly, I had no idea what to expect about the business or Samantha, but I was ready to learn.
Visit
Samantha visited us in the Kennedy Building in Portland. She had a very affable, happy-go-lucky glow about her. She wore her company shirt and delved right into how she became an entrepreneur of such a unique business. Cuddle Up to Me was first conceived by Samantha four years ago in a particularly tumultuous time in her life. She had been missing the touch of her partner, who she had been with since high school, and their relationship was in a downward spiral. That, coupled with chronic back pain from being a passenger in 8(!) car accidents, left Samantha yearning for the touch of another human. Upon separating from her partner in 2013, Samantha founded Cuddle Up to Me, a professional cuddling service designed to provide others with the same “touch” that Samantha had been yearning for.
The entire backbone of Cuddle Up to Me is not in greed and desire for wealth, but desire to do good by others. Samantha started her company out of both personal anguish and a drive to improve the lives of those in society who needed touch. Cuddle Up to Me is grounded in consent, for all cuddle sessions and moves taken during said session are always preceded with an affirmation of consent with the person being cuddled. Such is one of the reasons why Samantha runs extension training sessions on prospective certified cuddlers. This company is one that crosses the pillars of creativity, culture, business, and customer service, for not only does it add to the quirky surroundings of Portland, but it also provides much-needed help to those who need it most.
Although so many of her friends and family felt it to be a borderline insane idea, Samantha pressed on, determined to helpfully contribute to others. It turned out, she was on to something, and her business has grown to the extent that she now has her own store in downtown Portland, and has completed over 120,000 minutes of cuddling. Perhaps her most incredible accomplishment though is that she was on America’s Got Talent (and cuddled Neil Patrick Harris). Her business has continued to grow, for now she has 6 certified cuddlers in her employ and has conducted nearly 300 interviews about her business.
Samantha Hess has also released a book entitled, "Touch: The Power of Human Connection", which further delves into why touch is so necessary. In the book, she traces the origins of her business back to its roots, when she witnessed a long line forming on the street for a man who was offering hugs for $2. Upon capitalizing upon it as a business, Hess had reached an audience of nearly 30 million people, expressing the importance of the value of touch. Aside from the positive message Hess broadcasts, I feel like this book is also great for her business. When a business can show that it can branch out into different realms such as published literature, that shows growth which customers can trust. It establishes that the company clearly cares for its message and is willing to do extra work to prove it. Since Hess is the other, it only reinforces her stance on cuddling, especially when one considers that she offers 19 extra positions in the book.
Samantha is not looking to expand her business, not because she cannot financially, but because that is not what the company was founded as. Samantha made this company to make an impact on the emotions of people in Portland, and though she acknowledges that her sessions can get a little awkward, she always feels gratified to do so.
Post Visit Actions
Upon hearing Samantha speak, I went on the Cuddle Up to Me website and viewed how Samantha marketed her company. I noticed that the page had very light colors and was welcoming, not exactly surprising coming from a cuddling company, but nonetheless effective. Samantha posted a brief summation of her life’s story, which is clearly designed to tug at the heartstrings of viewers. She mentions her car accidents, her separation, the negative blowback form the company, but remains firm in her message. If I was a Portland resident who wanted a cuddle, the website is a welcoming entry to get one.
I also viewed her America’s Got Talent appearance with Neil Patrick Harris, although it was awkward and bizarre, Samantha remained headstrong in her intentions and inspired the judges with her vision. It is with this vision that she has founded a niche in a market where she has no competition, because as she says, no one can compete with love.
Key Takeaways
- It was a Portland-based company that provides cuddling services to its customers
- The company was started by an individual woman, Samantha Hess.
Intro and Expectations
Well, this is interesting. Never before had I heard of a business such as this one. A cuddling business was a rather peculiar thing to say out loud. I have heard of psychiatrists and psychoanalysts, but cuddling? I was intrigued. Given that I had never really heard of a business like this one before, I had no conceivable expectations. I assumed that in a city such as Portland, where quirkiness runs deep, a company where odd services are exchanged may have a market. I was primarily interested in meeting Samantha Hess. It is a bold move starting a business such as this one, and her job must often meet blowbacks from people who struggle to conceive something so out of left field. To put it frankly, I had no idea what to expect about the business or Samantha, but I was ready to learn.
Visit
Samantha visited us in the Kennedy Building in Portland. She had a very affable, happy-go-lucky glow about her. She wore her company shirt and delved right into how she became an entrepreneur of such a unique business. Cuddle Up to Me was first conceived by Samantha four years ago in a particularly tumultuous time in her life. She had been missing the touch of her partner, who she had been with since high school, and their relationship was in a downward spiral. That, coupled with chronic back pain from being a passenger in 8(!) car accidents, left Samantha yearning for the touch of another human. Upon separating from her partner in 2013, Samantha founded Cuddle Up to Me, a professional cuddling service designed to provide others with the same “touch” that Samantha had been yearning for.
The entire backbone of Cuddle Up to Me is not in greed and desire for wealth, but desire to do good by others. Samantha started her company out of both personal anguish and a drive to improve the lives of those in society who needed touch. Cuddle Up to Me is grounded in consent, for all cuddle sessions and moves taken during said session are always preceded with an affirmation of consent with the person being cuddled. Such is one of the reasons why Samantha runs extension training sessions on prospective certified cuddlers. This company is one that crosses the pillars of creativity, culture, business, and customer service, for not only does it add to the quirky surroundings of Portland, but it also provides much-needed help to those who need it most.
Although so many of her friends and family felt it to be a borderline insane idea, Samantha pressed on, determined to helpfully contribute to others. It turned out, she was on to something, and her business has grown to the extent that she now has her own store in downtown Portland, and has completed over 120,000 minutes of cuddling. Perhaps her most incredible accomplishment though is that she was on America’s Got Talent (and cuddled Neil Patrick Harris). Her business has continued to grow, for now she has 6 certified cuddlers in her employ and has conducted nearly 300 interviews about her business.
Samantha Hess has also released a book entitled, "Touch: The Power of Human Connection", which further delves into why touch is so necessary. In the book, she traces the origins of her business back to its roots, when she witnessed a long line forming on the street for a man who was offering hugs for $2. Upon capitalizing upon it as a business, Hess had reached an audience of nearly 30 million people, expressing the importance of the value of touch. Aside from the positive message Hess broadcasts, I feel like this book is also great for her business. When a business can show that it can branch out into different realms such as published literature, that shows growth which customers can trust. It establishes that the company clearly cares for its message and is willing to do extra work to prove it. Since Hess is the other, it only reinforces her stance on cuddling, especially when one considers that she offers 19 extra positions in the book.
Samantha is not looking to expand her business, not because she cannot financially, but because that is not what the company was founded as. Samantha made this company to make an impact on the emotions of people in Portland, and though she acknowledges that her sessions can get a little awkward, she always feels gratified to do so.
Post Visit Actions
Upon hearing Samantha speak, I went on the Cuddle Up to Me website and viewed how Samantha marketed her company. I noticed that the page had very light colors and was welcoming, not exactly surprising coming from a cuddling company, but nonetheless effective. Samantha posted a brief summation of her life’s story, which is clearly designed to tug at the heartstrings of viewers. She mentions her car accidents, her separation, the negative blowback form the company, but remains firm in her message. If I was a Portland resident who wanted a cuddle, the website is a welcoming entry to get one.
I also viewed her America’s Got Talent appearance with Neil Patrick Harris, although it was awkward and bizarre, Samantha remained headstrong in her intentions and inspired the judges with her vision. It is with this vision that she has founded a niche in a market where she has no competition, because as she says, no one can compete with love.
Key Takeaways
- In the right market, out-of-the-box ideas can thrive
- The importance of human touch is incalculable
- Consumers greatly appreciate the service