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Mike Lindell
File:Michael Lindell at the Rose Garden.png
Born
Michael James Lindell

(1961-06-28) June 28, 1961 (age 62)
Mankato, Minnesota, U.S.
Occupation(s)Founder and CEO of My Pillow
Political partyRepublican
WebsiteOfficial website

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] He is also the founder of the Lindell Foundation and the Lindell Recovery Network.

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] In the 1980s and 1990s, Lindell became addicted to cocaine, crack cocaine, and alcohol. His addiction loomed so large, that his house would be foreclosed and his wife filed for divorce. Lindell stated that he achieved sobriety through prayer in 2009, and since then, he has been clean.[3][6][7]

Lindell invented the MyPillow pillow in 2004 and grew the business into a major Minnesota manufacturing company.[8][9]

In August 2016, the New York State Attorney General's office charged that My Pillow failed to collect and remit over $500,000 in sales tax. The company denied any wrongdoing and agreed to pay $1.1 million in settlement.[10]


In March 2017, Lindell produced The Mike Lindell Story: An American Dream, a documentary about Lindell overcoming drug addiction and building a multi-million-dollar business. The documentary was shot in Minneapolis, Minnesota at the Pantages Theatre.[11]

On August 21, 2019, Lindell was presented with an honorary Doctor of Business from Liberty University.[12]

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.[13][14] The foundation's focus was then broadened to help people with any personal problem, including addictions, work and spousal problems, cancer victims, and veterans.[6][15]

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.[16][17]

On January 16, 2020, Lindell announced the release of his new memoir, What Are the Odds? From Crack Addict to CEO,[18][19] 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.

Donald Trump advocacy

This section may lend undue weight to certain ideas, incidents, or controversies. Please help to create a more balanced presentation. Discuss and resolve this issue before removing this message. (February 2020)

In August 2016, Lindell met with then-Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump, at Trump's request, in the Trump Tower in New York City. They discussed products being made in America, bringing jobs back to the US, and working with inner cities.[3][20][21] Lindell became an avid Trump supporter, calling Trump "the most amazing president this country has ever seen in history."[22] On October 19, 2016, Lindell attended the final presidential debate in Las Vegas.[23] 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.[22][24][20]

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.[25][26][3][21]

At a rally in Fargo, North Dakota on June 27, 2018, President Trump praised Lindell, saying, "I want you to be my ad buyer because I guarantee you, he makes great deals."[27] Lindell spoke at a Trump rally on October 4, 2018, in Rochester, Minnesota, saying he was "100 percent convinced [Trump] would be the greatest president in history" after meeting with Trump during the 2016 campaign.[28]

Lindell spoke at the 2019 Conservative Political Action Conference, in which he praised Trump as "the greatest president in history".[29]

Lindell spoke at a Coronavirus conference alongside President Trump in March 2020, encouraging the American public to "read [the] Bible and spend time with [your] families."[30]

References

  1. ^ "Multimillionaire Trump Fan and Fox News Advertiser Jumps Into Film Financing". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 March 2020.
  2. ^ https://www.dnb.com/business-directory/company-profiles.my_pillow_inc.faa7690540f9672e92fc8e26c5c3c859.html. Retrieved 30 March 2020. ((cite web)): Missing or empty |title= (help)
  3. ^ a b c d e f "How this entrepreneur went from a crack addict to a self-made multimillionaire". CNBC. CNBC. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  4. ^ a b "The Preposterous Success Story of America's Pillow King". Bloomberg Businessweek. Bloomberg L.P. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  5. ^ Betsy Klein. "How the MyPillow guy became a midterm messenger". CNN. Retrieved 2019-05-10.
  6. ^ a b "'My Pillow' founder opens up about addiction". Salvation Army Northern Division: Serving every county in Minnesota and North Dakota. Salvation Army. Retrieved 28 September 2017.
  7. ^ "International Opulence Fall 2017; Philanthropy; The Most Seen Man on TV and His Novel Notion on Giving". International Opulence Magazine. pp. 126–127. Retrieved 29 September 2017.
  8. ^ "Mike Lindell's fitful journey from crack addict to MyPillow magnate". StarTribune. Star Tribune. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  9. ^ "The story of the My Pillow king". CBS News. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  10. ^ Farrell, Mary H.J., "My Pillow Settles Consumer Lawsuit Over Health Claims for $1 Million", Consumer Reports, November 03, 2016
  11. ^ ""The Mike Lindell Story: An American Dream" Exclusively on RFD-TV". RFDTV. Frankly, Inc. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  12. ^ Klinker, Ryan. "MyPillow founder Mike Lindell gifts students with pillows and message of God's grace". Liberty University. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
  13. ^ "Special Projects Donation Update: Hurricane Harvey". Lindell Foundation. Lindell Foundation. Retrieved 20 November 2017.
  14. ^ "MyPillow to donate 60,000 pillows to Hurricane Harvey victims". Shakopee Valley News. SWNewsMedia.com. Retrieved 30 November 2017.
  15. ^ "MyPillow Inventor Mike Lindell Shares Testimony at NRB Media Leadership Dinner". NRB. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  16. ^ "A Year of Historic Action to Combat the Opioid Crisis". WhiteHouse.gov. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  17. ^ "MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell and His Story of Hope". WebProNews. Retrieved 24 October 2018.
  18. ^ mdebilzan@swpub.com, Maddie DeBilzan. "MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell to be on TV show, launch online help for addicts". SWNewsMedia.com. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  19. ^ "What are the Odds? | Mike Lindell's Story". www.mikelindellsbook.com. Retrieved 2019-07-26.
  20. ^ a b 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.
  21. ^ a b 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.
  22. ^ a b "Web Extra: Mike Lindell Speaks At Trump Rally". CBS Minnesota. CBS Broadcasting Inc. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  23. ^ "Live Reaction to Pres Debate". Facebook - Fox Business. Facebook. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  24. ^ "MyPillow CEO on attending 'surreal' Trump party". KARE 11. KARE-TV. Retrieved 21 November 2017.
  25. ^ "Made in America Roundtable". Whitehouse.gov. United States Government. Retrieved 3 January 2018.
  26. ^ "MyPillow CEO Featured In White House Event With Trump, Paulsen". CBS Minnesota. Minneapolis, Minnesota: CBS Broadcasting Inc. July 19, 2017. Retrieved January 3, 2018.
  27. ^ Fernandez, Henry (June 27, 2018). "Trump: 'MyPillow guy' should be my ad buyer". FOXBusiness. New York City: News Corp. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  28. ^ "Live: Thousands gather for President Trump's Rochester rally". Star-Tribune. Minneapolis, Minnesota: Star Tribune Media Company, LLC. October 4, 2018. Retrieved October 24, 2018.
  29. ^ "My Pillow founder Mike Lindell: Donald Trump was 'chosen by God' to run for president". Washington Times. March 1, 2019.
  30. ^ 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.

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