From College Startup to Gen Z Success: Starting Young, Innovating, and Co-Founding with Mom with Amanda Zuckerman, Co-Founder of Dormify

Superwomen with Rebecca Minkoff

According to Urban Dictionary, "dormify" means "to decorate your living space with cool, trendy, hip fashion." It was added in 2011, the same year Dormify, the powerhouse brand behind the growing Internet trend for designer dorm rooms, was officially launched. Co-founded by Amanda Zuckerman and her mom, this brand has transformed dorm and small-space living into something chic, personalized, and functional.

As Amanda stood in the aisles of Bed Bath & Beyond with her mom in 2009, trying to find dorm room essentials, she couldn't find bedding suitable for dorm room beds, let alone something stylish. She realized she was having a lightbulb moment. She planned to create a brand dedicated to students getting ready for college. With encouragement from her mother, Amanda co-founded Dormify at 18 years old from her dorm room. Over the past 13 years, Amanda’s college startup success has helped countless millennials create the dorm room of their dreams and now Gen Z (and soon-to-be Gen Alpha) are catching on to the growing trend. Throughout her entrepreneurial journey, Amanda has learned the best way to navigate the co-founder relationship between mother and daughter, how to adapt to the needs of a new generation while innovating new products, and how to find her rhythm as a young founder.

With so much success already under her belt, Amanda is looking forward to the next evolution of Dormify, transitioning to the go-to brand for all your pivotal life moments, from decorating your first apartment to your baby nursery.

Thanks for listening! Don't forget to order Rebecca's new book, Fearless: The New Rules for Unlocking Creativity, Courage, and Success.

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