Leslie Voorhees and Calley Means: A Love Story Spun Into an Entrepreneurial Dream

Their story focus on how vision, dedication & a shared sense of purpose can spur innovation where it’s least expected - turning a frustrating wedding-dress search into a thriving, high impact business

In the fast-paced world of startups, founding teams often describe their partnership as a kind of marriage - where honesty, trust and a shared vision must flourish every day. But in the case of Leslie Voorhees and Calley Means, it really is a marriage: a partnership rooted in love and cemented by a big idea that would transform how thousands of brides shop for their most important dress. This is the story of a couple who saw a glaring problem in the wedding industry and decided to fix it - together.

The Early Days: Two Paths Converge

Before they joined forces in life and business, Leslie and Calley each followed distinct paths fueled by ambition and curiosity:

• Leslie’s Roots in Supply Chain and Engineering: Raised with a flair for problem-solving, Leslie studied industrial engineering at UC Berkeley and later earned her MBA from Harvard Business School. She became something of a supply chain specialist, working at companies like Apple and Nike, where she learned the intricacies of manufacturing, sourcing and large-scale logistics.

• Calley’s Entrepreneurial Spark: Calley’s background blended strategic thinking and a knack for building impactful ideas from the ground up. Over the years, he explored ventures across different industries, gaining a wealth of knowledge in product development, marketing and how to energize diverse teams toward a common goal.

Their worlds intersected in California’s robust tech scene, where big ideas flow as freely as the sunshine. Mutual friends and professional circles brought them into the same orbit, revealing in each of them not just a sharp mind, but a genuine openness, curiosity and zest for life.

Sparks Fly: How They Met and Fell in Love

From their first conversation, the chemistry was unmistakable. They spoke of innovation and entrepreneurship - but also about family, personal values and the kind of world they hoped to create. Each shared experiences in Silicon Valley’s dynamic ecosystem and both possessed a deep admiration for craftsmanship in all its forms, whether in product design or in forging meaningful relationships.

Their courtship grew around late-night brainstorming sessions, dinner dates that inevitably circled back to supply chains and weekend adventures in nature - momentarily escaping the hustle to connect over life’s simple joys. Over time, Leslie and Calley realized their bond wasn’t just intellectual or logistical; it was deeply personal, rooted in the mutual respect and compassion they showed each other (and everyone around them).

Leslie Voorhees and Calley Means - on Founders Couple (Image by The New York Times)

A Proposal, a Dress and an Aha Moment