Introducing Our New Chief Sleep Officer

We’ve been hard at work here at Bensons, analysing CVs, interviewing candidates, generally leaving no stone unturned etc etc, and after months of searching and whittling down, we’re super excited to officially introduce our newly appointed Chief Sleep Officer! And what better day to do that on than World Sleep Day itself? Destiny strikes!

With World Sleep Day in mind, and with us being strong advocates of all things sleep-related, we wanted to take the opportunity to offer some “behind-the-sheets” info about our new CSO, and what they’ll be up to (besides sleeping on the job that is…).

Firstly, our Chief Sleep Officer is without doubt a strong female, worthy of a lead role in a Scandi-noir drama for sure! She’s a mum too. And given the importance of sleep equality and the all-too-common sleep debt suffered by many – if not all – new parents, we wanted to offer this role to someone who was truly aware of the essentiality of sleep. Not only that, but someone who values the importance of a healthy sleep routine, as well as someone with recent knowledge and experience of the impact disrupted sleep patterns can have on us all.

Without further ado, and the trumpeting of trumpety trumpets, here’s a Q&A session with the brand new “Bensons for Beds Chief Sleep Officer (CSO)”, Courtney-Red Veitch.

A Q&A Session with Our New CSO

Q. Where did you spot the advert for the CSO role and what did you think when you first saw it?

A. I saw the role initially in the news! I couldn't believe it. I really thought it was a wind up until I found the actual job ad!

Q. Why did the role appeal to you?

A. I'm pretty sure the role would appeal to most people; I mean it's sleeping on the job! In all seriousness, I'm a relatively new mum. I have a 17-month-old son, Henry, so I can absolutely appreciate a good night's sleep. As well this, I am so interested in the science behind both adult and child's sleep.

Q. What are you most excited about?

A. I really can't wait to find out even more about sleep science, work on some really fun and interesting articles and content, and especially excited to find out how beds are made!

Q. Can you share an overview of your career history?

A. My career started in law after studying it at university. I started out mostly in criminal law then moved into employment law, HR and talent acquisition which I loved! Since having Henry I've focused on being a mum. But I have recently started my own small business making greetings cards as I'm quite a keen crafter!

Q. As well as the value of sleep and the importance of having the right bed, what else are you interested in?

A. Family is everything to me. My partner and I have been together for 6 years, and as well as being parents we also have a pug called Bella. We enjoy exploring and going for long walks most days. I'm really creative and love anything homemade, crafting, DIY and all things in between! I was part of a drama school when I was younger and did a lot of theatre shows, whilst also being a keen hockey player! (I like a bit of everything as I'm sure you can tell!!)

Q. What are you hoping to accomplish as Chief Sleep Officer?

A. This is definitely a really fun role, and I cannot wait for all the light-hearted aspects. But I also absolutely cannot wait to understand further and educate our audience and the wider team around the importance of sleep and the science behind individual circumstances of sleep. As someone who's been through a whirlwind of sleep deprivation with a new-born and coming out of the other side with a different view of sleep, I'm really excited to deliver some engaging and informative content.

So, Who Exactly is Courtney-Red Veitch?

Courtney-Red Veitch originally comes from Devon, but is currently living in Essex with her partner, their 17-month-old baby boy and their mischievous pug. With a healthy following on her main Instagram account and two additional active Instagram accounts, we were confident that Courtney ticked all the boxes as far as what we were looking for in a CSO is concerned.

Courtney-Red also used to work in HR and recruitment. After leaving to have a baby, she was on the lookout for her next challenge. In comes the Chief Sleep Officer job vacancy we posted back in early January.

While being very academic is a great quality, it was Courtney-Red's keen interest in sleep and the science behind sleep that made her a great fit for the role. As a person, Courtney-Red comes across as genuinely nice and really personable. Plus, her keen interest in learning about the bed industry and sleep, as well as her unwavering excitement to get involved with the testing of products and generate honest reviews made her a great fit for Bensons for Beds.

How Did We Decide on Who Was Right for the Role?

Plain and simple, here are some fun stats relating to the recruitment process for the CSO position at Bensons for Beds:

257 applications

48 shortlisted

38 pre-screen phone calls

4 video applications

8 interviews

…

1 Chief Sleep officer!

What Will a Day in the Life of a Chief Sleep Officer Look Like?

Though there will be a lot of it, Courtney-Red won’t just be sleeping on the job. She’ll also be testing out and reviewing mattresses, beds, pillows, and duvets like a pro.

If you want to learn more about the CSO role, be sure to check out our original job blog post here.

And in the meantime, should you need any help or advice while buying a new bed or mattress, we’re always on hand to help. Give our customer care team a call or pop into your local Bensons store where our experts will be able to offer unique insights and answer any queries you may have.