Episode

She Had 18 Million Followers. A Cause She Cared About Turned That Into a Business

Podcast: Shopify Masters
Published: Apr 23, 2026
Duration seconds: 2757
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Summary

A content creator with 18 million followers turned her battle with anxiety into Hugz, a weighted stuffed animal brand that sold out its initial run within 24 hours of launch—with zero paid ads. Founder Lexi Hensler shares how crippling panic attacks in high school led her to discover weighted blankets, and why she set out to create something more portable, accessible, and affordable—donating 10% of every purchase to mental health charities along the way.