How Brett Harrison Turned College Dorms Into a Goldmine

This week on Turning Pro, Adrian Alfieri and Ben Sharf sat down with Brett Harrison, co-founder and CEO of Roomie and Eepy, two businesses reshaping the college experience. Roomie, dubbed “The Sims for College Dorms,” helps students visualize their dorms before moving in. With 175K+ users and zero paid ads, Brett has hacked growth through niche sales strategies and deep-rooted university partnerships.

But Roomie isn’t just a dorm design tool, it’s an enterprise SaaS business solving real logistical headaches for colleges. And his other company, Eepy, is doing the same for furniture rentals. Brett’s playbook proves that solving unsexy problems can lead to massive wins.

Listen to the full Turning Pro episode on YouTube, Spotify, or Apple Podcast.

10 Takeaways from Brett's Interview:

1.  Find the Right Niche: Instead of chasing trendy industries like AI, Brett focused on solving a real, overlooked problem—college housing logistics. Schools struggle with dorm setup, so he built a SaaS tool that fixes it.

2. 175K Users, $0 in Ads: Roomie has scaled purely through organic university partnerships. Schools embed Roomie’s platform into their housing portals, making it a must-have.

3. Bootstrapped Hustle Over Hype: Brett didn’t raise capital until Roomie was already working. He scaled the old-school way: customer obsession, problem-solving, and grit.

4. Boring Businesses = Big Money: The startup world glorifies flashy ideas, but most founders get rich by solving ‘boring’ but crucial problems.

5. Creative Sales Strategies Win: Brett found his first customers at tiny, niche university housing conferences. Instead of competing for attention at massive events, he dominated smaller rooms with key decision-makers.

6. Pivot When Needed: Roomie started as a DTC dorm upgrade business, but Brett quickly pivoted to B2B SaaS when he saw a bigger opportunity.

7. Customer Questions = Business Ideas: Roomie was born from one common question: “Will my new mattress fit in my dorm?” Sometimes the best startup ideas are hidden in everyday frustrations.

8. Sales Cycles in Slow Industries: Selling to colleges is a grind. Universities have long bureaucratic processes and high employee turnover—but once you're in, you’re deeply embedded.

9. Sleep is a Competitive Edge: Brett's insights into college sleep quality led him to partner with Yale and other universities to improve dorm beds—proving that well-being is a business opportunity.

10. Hire for Autonomy: Brett doesn’t micromanage. He hires self-starters who take ownership—and lets go of those who don’t.

Brett built a business that colleges need, and students love—without relying on VC money or paid ads. If you’re a founder, this is your reminder that solving a real problem beats chasing trends.

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