Greenville brand partners with billionaire entrepreneur — U.S. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina

IT Cosmetics founder Jamie Kern Lima sold her business to L’Oréal for $1.2 billion before offering her support to Greenville’s Dionne Sandiford, the woman behind BMW and Michelin vendor Corporate Stich, as she launched a new brand on April 2.

Sandiford founded Cozy Covers, a manufacturer of portable sleep coverings for mats, beds and seats, during the COVID-19 pandemic to address sanitation needs at daycare centers and homeless shelters. Overhearing Sandiford pitch the brand at a conference a few months ago, Kern Lima provided seed money for the first major order of Cozy Covers and donated the product to several Upstate day cares and foster care agencies.

“Although I have enjoyed great success, I remember vividly what it was like to be a struggling entrepreneur with vision, so I see so much of my own story in Dionne’s,” Kern Lima said in a news release. “As I listened to her share her dreams, doubts and fears, I recognized how relatable and how inspiring she is to so many. Because she makes other people believe in themselves and truly wants to help people through Cozy Covers, I knew I had to help kindle that dream. I cannot wait to see what she does next.”

A Cozy Covers product, winner of the inaugural GVL Starts pitch program in 2021, can serve as a mat cover, blanket or pillowcase and can be personalized for each customer.

“I am living proof that it takes a village to be truly successful,” Sandiford said in the release. “My village, both locally and far beyond, has come together not just to support me but because they are bought into the value proposition and growth prospects for the Cozy Cover brand. I am determined to build on their guidance and generosity to take the brand and company to the next level, becoming a great case study for what’s possible here in Greenville.”

Read the full story from GSA Business Report.