Allison Strumeyer, cofounder and CEO of doublesoul, launched her sock company in 2022 after gaining experience at BlackRock and the startup Mirror, which was later acquired by Lululemon. Due to her pregnancy, Strumeyer’s husband, Ben, and comedian Pete Davidson appeared on Shark Tank to pitch the business on her behalf.
Strumeyer’s journey began in college, where she sold T-shirts featuring local artists and participated in pitch competitions with her now-husband. After graduating from the University of Pennsylvania, she joined BlackRock, citing its global finance experience as valuable for her entrepreneurial goals. She later worked at Mirror, learning about startup scaling before deciding to launch her own venture.
Her focus on socks stemmed from observing a lack of innovation in the category. "We wear socks more than almost anything else in our wardrobe," she noted, "but there’s little innovation, product development, branding, or design around them." To validate the concept, Strumeyer and her husband ordered 10,000 pairs of prototype socks—a $100,000 investment—to distribute to their network for feedback. The organic sales and social media engagement that followed convinced them to officially launch doublesoul in 2022.
Strumeyer initially balanced her day job with building the company, leveraging social media to grow the brand. She credited investment as the turning point that allowed her to leave her employment and focus full-time on doublesoul. The company’s early traction included widespread distribution of free samples to test market demand, a strategy that yielded both sales and validation of their business model.
Doublesoul’s founding reflects a blend of corporate experience, startup lessons, and a targeted approach to an overlooked consumer product. The company’s growth trajectory highlights the role of personal networks and social proof in early-stage entrepreneurship.