Paige Sandher and Harrison Gordon on making infrastructure foundational to small business growth
Other · May 7, 2026
What started as a personal frustration became a national brand. Paige Sandher and Harrison Gordon transformed
CouchHaus
from a living room experiment into a rapidly scaling made-to-order modular furniture company serving thousands of customers across Canada.As CouchHaus expanded across multiple locations, the demands of scale became impossible to ignore. Customization at precision required flawless systems and managing thousands of unique orders required reliable infrastructure. Paige and Harrison realized that technology wasn't a nice-to-have feature. It was the backbone of their entire operation.
Their journey offers critical lessons on navigating rapid growth, building systems that handle complexity at scale and recognizing when to pause and strengthen your foundation before pushing forward.
From living room to national brand: The CouchHaus origin story
What inspired you to start CouchHaus?
Sandher: Simply put, we saw a big gap in the market. People wanted customization, durability and affordability when it comes to their sofas, but that combination didn't exist. We started by solving our own problem, and it turned out thousands of other people had the same problem.
“We found our niche in custom furniture made simple. Every home deserves a couch that is as unique and comfortable as the people living in it.”
How were the early days of building the business?
Gordon: The early days were hands-on in every sense. We handled sales, customer service, order processing, marketing, quality control and deliveries ourselves. We were answering emails at night and tracking shipments at dawn.
What kept us going was feedback. When someone said, "This is exactly what we have been looking for," it confirmed the need. That validation made the long hours worthwhile.
In 2022, we opened our first pop-up showroom in Vancouver. By 2023, we intentionally slowed down to strengthen our foundation, refining systems, partnerships and operations. The following year we opened our permanent flagship showroom on South Granville, tested a Toronto pop-up and pitched CouchHaus on CBC's Dragons' Den.
“From our living room to national television in three years. That’s a moment we’ll never forget.”
The retail connectivity challenge: Solving infrastructure obstacles
What was your biggest challenge in growing the business?
Sandher: Growth brought complexity. Customization at scale requires precision and one incorrect dimension or fabric code can result in costly remakes. As we scaled, manual processes and disconnected systems became our biggest bottleneck.
But the real challenge we didn't anticipate was connectivity. There were moments during busy showroom periods where our POS would slow down during checkout. When customers are ready to commit to significant purchases, even small delays matter. As showroom traffic increased, we started noticing how dependent our operations were on reliable connectivity. Transactions, consultations and backend systems all relied on it running smoothly. We didn't want our time spent troubleshooting technology – we wanted it spent growing the business.
How did you navigate that transition and solve the infrastructure challenge?
Gordon: We realized that staying competitive meant investing in infrastructure early and finding a partner who understood not just connectivity, but our growth ambitions. TELUS Business was different. Most providers just talked about speed and pricing. But the TELUS actually asked about our business. They wanted to understand our growth plans, expansion strategy and how our systems worked together.
They helped us think through bandwidth needs, redundancy planning and what we would need to scale. Having them beside us means we can grow without constantly worrying about whether our infrastructure will hold. It means our foundation is solid enough for our ambitions.
Expert lessons for managing small business growth
What advice would you give other business owners about managing growth?
Sandher: Technology is a growth multiplier, not an expense, so invest in infrastructure before you need it. Beyond that, find partners who understand your vision, not just your immediate needs. The right partnerships free you to focus on what you do best.
Gordon: Also, stay focused on your core problem. We solve one thing really well: custom furniture made simple. That clarity guides every decision. Finally, build systems that scale with you. Without precision, automation and real-time visibility, you'll spend your time firefighting instead of leading.
Looking back, what makes you most proud of your entrepreneurial journey?
Gordon: What I'm most proud of is the combination of the team we've built and the experience we create for customers. We started as two people figuring things out in our living room and today we have a growing team across the country who care deeply about the product and the clients we serve. Seeing someone sit on their couch for the first time and realize it was designed specifically for their home is incredibly rewarding. That moment reminds us why we started.
"We've built something people want to be part of. Our team members have grown their careers with us."
Any final words of wisdom for other SMB leaders?
Sandher: You can't scale alone. We went from our living room to a national brand because we invested in people as much as we invested in systems. Hire people who believe in your vision, give them the tools to succeed and trust their judgment.
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solutions can support your growth.Authored by:
TELUS Business
