Today we’d like to introduce you to Chris Roepe
Hi Chris, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I began my career as an executive in various industries, starting in high-tech companies like Intel and Motorola. Later, I transitioned into Fintech and eventually found myself in retail and apparel. Throughout my journey, I gained extensive experience, especially in executive roles, where I was involved in project management, product development, operations, and turning around divisions.
Despite the success, I grew tired of the repetitive dialogue and the lack of strong leadership and meaningful relationships within the corporate world. I realized it was time for a change. Over time, I aimed to work with smaller and smaller companies, knowing that my next big move would be to create something of my own.
That’s when my good friend and Figgy Play co-founder, Rachel, reached out to me with an idea. She had a product initially designed to be a dorm room couch, but parents loved it, and she believed it could become an amazing kids’ toy. We dove into the project, gathering as many kids as possible to test our prototypes. This process led us to develop what we now call the Figgy play couch. It’s an incredible product, designed with quality, safety, and play in mind. The Figgy is one of those rare items that, when you see it, you immediately know what it’s for—and parents love it just as much as their kids do!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We started from the ground up- completely from scratch, relying on every contact I had from my previous jobs to help us with creative branding, marketing, e-commerce, and logistics. It felt like every day, we uncovered something new that we had no idea we needed to know. There were plenty of nights where I went to bed with a pit in my stomach, wondering how on earth we were going to tackle the next problem that popped up.
But here’s the thing about entrepreneurship—it has this weird way of making you comfortable with being uncomfortable. It’s hard to put into words, but you almost develop a knack for thriving in situations where you don’t have all the answers, and you just figure it out as you go.
Rachel was a rockstar in all of this too. There were moments when we were completely stumped, but her approach was genius—reach out to as many people as possible. She’d connect with CEOs or experts in the field, basically interviewing them, and what we found was that so many people were eager to help. It was like we had this secret weapon in the power of our network, and we could solve some pretty tough problems just by asking the right people. It really shows you how much people want to help each other out, which is super cool. So now, whenever someone comes to me with a problem, I’m all about paying it forward and helping them out, because I remember all those times we needed a hand.
One of the biggest hurdles we faced was launching our company at the start of the COVID pandemic. Supply chains were a nightmare, and international shipping was even worse. We watched the cost of shipping containers shoot up from $1,500 to a staggering $11,000 per container. And even at those prices, we’d get bumped off boats and had to pay extra premiums just to make sure our shipments arrived on time. It was a crazy challenging time for our startup, but I can say that at least now, the challenges aren’t as frequent as they used to be—which is fantastic.
As you know, we’re big fans of Figgy. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
The name of our company is Figgy, and we’re known for creating award-winning (and third party certified) kids’ play couches. The Figgy is more than just a product—it’s a reflection of my entire business career. I’ve had the privilege of working with some truly great leaders, and it’s funny when you look at Figgy because it carries a little bit of each of them in it.
One of those leaders was a man named Joe. Joe was a master motivator and a brilliant brand leader. From him, I learned just how crucial a brand is and how it should tell a story. When we worked together at Lands’ End, an e-commerce and catalog clothing company, the brand story was all about founder-led values. Gary Comer, who founded Lands’ End, had a list of values that we all stood by—values like treating the customer right, having honest and open conversations, fixing problems when they arise, ensuring the highest quality, and focusing on safety. All of these principles are woven into the very fabric of the Figgy.
If you turn the Figgy inside out and inspect its construction, you’ll see it’s built to the highest standards. The fabric is the same material you’d find on thousand-dollar couches, and the foam we use is top-of-the-line, designed to last for a decade or more—it’s the same foam used in $3,000 mattresses. Don’t ask me how we managed to pack all this quality into a $300 couch, but somehow we did, all by following those timeless principles.
My background in supply chains and operations also played a huge role in shaping Figgy. I’ve spent years at Intel and Motorola, planning and operating semiconductor factories, walkie-talkie factories, and even working in the garment sector. These were high-stress roles, serving demanding customers like the CIA, FBI, NYPD, and FDNY. These experiences honed my skills in running manufacturing facilities, leading operations teams, and developing products that get it right for the customer. And all of that experience is built into Figgy as well.
What really sets us apart from our competitors is the novelty of our design and the simplicity of the product. The Figgy doesn’t just function as a toy; it looks fantastic in your living room when it’s not in use. Having served on the Board of Directors for several product management associations and led product management at various companies, I can tell you that if you can create a product that’s both compelling and so simple that it doesn’t need an instruction manual, you’ve got a winner. And that’s exactly what we have with Figgy.
The Figgy is a kids’ play kit that kids absolutely love. It features Velcro, allowing the different pieces to connect and transform into endless creations—spaceships, make shift roller coasters, rafts, slides, jungle gyms, obstacle courses, and of course also used as a couch.
And because I’ve worked at a company where we made uniforms for school kids across the nation, I knew how important it was to ensure safety. That’s why the Figgy is non-toxic, free from harmful chemicals like heavy metals, and all sorts of other nasty stuff, so parents can feel completely confident that they’ve chosen a super safe, made-in-the-USA product.
What matters most to you? Why?
Family matters the most to me. Around the time I turned 43, I was hit hard by the self-reflection and self-improvement bug, and I started to really think about what’s important in life and what isn’t. There’s this idea I carry with me about being part of a tribe. My close family and friends are my tribe, and I care deeply about them. I want to make sure everything is okay for them. While I believe in helping everyone around me, those in my closest circle—my family and friends—are the most important.
I also have a strong sense of spirituality. I don’t believe we’re just here to live our lives and then disappear; I think there’s something more to it. I believe we all have a beautiful, strong inner self. If we could see everyone’s true inner self, we’d recognize that each person is an amazing human being. Unfortunately, ego often gets in the way, and our inner selves don’t always shine through. But spirituality is something that matters deeply to me, and it’s something I encourage my kids to think about as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://Figgyplay.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/figgyplay/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/figgyplay1/
