I turned stuffed-animal side hustle into full-time lucrative business [Video]

When I left a 20-year career as a journalist and editor to launch a brand of weighted stuffed animals, my friends and colleagues were shocked. Frankly, I was too. But I knew my career shift was the culmination of a lifelong mission.

My family arrived in Columbus, Ohio, from Russia in the 80s when I was two. Mental health was not a topic of discussion. The prevailing wisdom was: If you’re not seriously injured, no need to complain. 

So as a pre-teen grappling with anxiety and depression, I turned to magazines for information and validation. They helped me feel less alone, and it became my goal to do the same for others. I went on to cover mental health as an editor at Cosmopolitan, Women’s Health, and Glamour, and as chief content officer at Thrive Global.

Behind the scenes, my racing mind and anxiety led to constant sleep issues. I tried a weighted blanket, which calmed my …