Community Highlights: Meet Liam Andres of Bedder Mattress

Today we’d like to introduce you to Liam Andres.

Hi Liam Andres , so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My story has always been shaped by family, hard work, public service, and a desire to make a difference in my community. I was born in Pasadena and grew up primarily in Simi Valley in a working family with both Mexican and Irish roots. From an early age, I learned that success is rarely a straight line and that some of the most valuable lessons come from the challenges you face along the way.

I attended Adolfo Camarillo High School and later studied Political Science at Oxnard College and Business at Los Angeles Mission College. Those two interests business and public policy have ultimately defined much of my path.

Professionally, I became involved in my family’s small business, Bedder Mattress, where I am now a co-owner and Director of Sales. My role has given me experience working directly with customers, developing relationships with manufacturers, negotiating with vendors, attending industry markets, visiting factories, and helping our family business compete against much larger corporations. It has given me a firsthand understanding of the challenges small businesses and working families face every day.

At the same time, I became increasingly involved in politics and community service. In 2026, at 26 years old, I took a major leap and ran for the United States House of Representatives in California’s 26th Congressional District. I knew I was an underdog, but I believed that ordinary people especially younger people needed to see that they could step forward and participate in our democracy. More than 3,300 people ultimately placed their trust in me with their vote. I didn’t win, but the experience strengthened my commitment to public service rather than ending it.

After the congressional race, I became even more involved locally, including serving as a fellow with the Ventura County Democratic Party and participating in numerous community and Democratic organizations throughout Ventura County.

Today, I am continuing that journey as a candidate for the Camarillo Health Care District Board of Directors, Division 5. Healthcare is deeply personal to me, but it is also fundamentally a community issue. I want to help protect and expand services for seniors, veterans, young people, families, and others who depend on accessible local healthcare and wellness programs.

When I look at where I am today, I don’t see a perfectly planned path. I see a collection of experiences from helping lead sales for a family owned small business and working directly with customers to campaigning for Congress and becoming involved in local public service that taught me the importance of listening to people, showing up, and being willing to take risks for something you believe in.

I’m still very much at the beginning of my story, and that is probably what excites me most.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It definitely has not been a smooth road, and I think it is important to be open about that because many of the challenges I have experienced are a major part of the person I am today.

My parents divorced when I was four years old, so from a very young age I had to navigate two different households and all of the complexities that can come with a divided family. At that age, you don’t necessarily understand everything happening around you, but those experiences shape you. Looking back, they taught me adaptability, independence, and that family doesn’t always fit into one perfect picture. I was fortunate to have strong people on both sides of my family who helped shape the person I became.

Another significant part of my story has been being diagnosed with autism and bipolar disorder. Growing up, I had to learn that my mind sometimes works differently and that the world is not always designed to accommodate those differences. There have been situations that seemed relatively simple for other people but required considerably more effort from me. I have also experienced what it feels like to be underestimated or have people make assumptions about what I could accomplish because of a diagnosis.

Over time, I learned that accepting support and advocating for yourself are signs of strength. I learned how to better understand myself, recognize where I needed help, build upon my strengths, and refuse to allow a diagnosis to determine the limits of my ambitions.

That is part of why the things I have accomplished mean so much to me. At 26, I am a co-owner and Director of Sales of my family’s small business, Bedder Mattress. I have helped build relationships with customers and major manufacturers, traveled for the business, and experienced firsthand what it takes to keep an independent family business moving forward.

At 26, I also made the decision to run for the United States Congress in California’s 26th Congressional District. I entered that race without the money, political connections, or institutional advantages of more established candidates, and more than 3,300 people ultimately voted for me. I didn’t win, but I walked away from that experience with a much deeper understanding of public service and an even stronger desire to remain involved in my community.

Since then, I have continued that work through my involvement with the Ventura County Democratic Party and numerous community organizations, and I am now a candidate for the Camarillo Health Care District Board of Directors, Division 5.

None of this means that the challenges disappeared. I think the word “overcome” can sometimes give the impression that you reach a point where everything difficult is simply behind you. For me, overcoming these challenges has meant learning how to live with them, grow through them, ask for help when I need it, and continue pursuing my goals even when the path is more difficult.

Those experiences have also given me a tremendous amount of empathy. I know that you can meet someone and have absolutely no idea what they are dealing with internally or what it took for them simply to get where they are that day. That perspective influences how I approach customers in business, people in my community, and the kind of public servant I hope to become.

At 26, I certainly don’t have everything figured out, and I don’t think anyone does. But when I look at the child I was and the challenges I faced compared with where I am today, I am proud of how far I have come. My struggles are not something I want to hide from my story. They are part of my story, and in many ways, they have given me the resilience, compassion, and determination to pursue things I once might not have believed were possible.

As you know, we’re big fans of Bedder Mattress . For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Bedder Mattress is much more than a business to me it is my family’s business, and it represents decades of our family working in the furniture and mattress industry. We are a local, family owned Southern California company with roots in the San Fernando Valley, serving customers throughout Southern California and beyond.

I currently serve as a co-owner and Director of Sales, but I want to be very clear that I owe so much of what I have been able to accomplish in this business to our controlling owners, my aunt Ivonne and my uncle Hector. They built the foundation that gave me the opportunity to grow, learn, and eventually take on the responsibilities I have today. Their years of hard work, sacrifice, knowledge of the industry, and willingness to trust me with an important role in our family business are things I never take for granted. I am incredibly grateful to both of them, and I would not be where I am professionally without their leadership and support.

Growing up around the business gave me the opportunity to learn virtually every side of it. That experience has shaped the way I approach sales today. I don’t believe buying a mattress should feel like buying a used car. Sleep is incredibly personal, and our job is to listen, educate, and help someone find what actually works for their body, lifestyle, preferences, and budget.

That philosophy is probably what sets Bedder Mattress apart the most. We want to be sleep experts, not simply salespeople. Someone might walk through our doors looking for a basic mattress for a child or guest room, while another customer may be looking for a luxury mattress, an organic and natural sleep system, advanced cooling technology, or a fully adjustable sleep system. We want both customers to receive the same level of attention and respect.

Our selection is something I am especially proud of. We have developed relationships with a wide variety of manufacturers and offer everything from traditional and hybrid mattresses to organic and natural products, advanced cooling technologies, latex mattresses, adjustable bases, pillows, bedding, and other sleep accessories. Having that variety allows us to focus on finding the right solution rather than trying to force every customer into the same handful of products.

We have also increasingly focused on wellness oriented sleep. Customers are much more educated today about what goes into the products they bring into their homes. We can help people explore organic and natural materials, cooling technologies, pressure relief, adjustable sleep systems, and other specialized solutions. I believe the mattress industry is becoming an increasingly important part of the larger conversation about health and wellness because quality sleep affects virtually every aspect of your life.

Service is equally important to us. We believe in personalized consultations and building relationships that continue after the sale. Being independent also allows us to develop direct relationships with manufacturers and advocate for our customers when they need assistance.

I am also extremely proud that Bedder Mattress is a woman owned, Latino owned and LGBTQ+ owned family business. Those identities are part of our family and our story, but our doors are open to everyone. We serve working families, seniors, young people purchasing their first mattress, veterans, people with disabilities, and customers from virtually every background imaginable.

I also believe a local business has a responsibility to participate in the community that supports it. Whether that means supporting local organizations and events, opening our space for community engagement, or simply being there when one of our customers needs help, I want Bedder Mattress to be viewed as a neighbor rather than simply another retailer.

What I want readers to understand most is that independent family businesses are still out there competing against enormous national chains and billion dollar online companies. We may not have their advertising budgets, but we can offer something increasingly difficult to find: real people who know the products, know the manufacturers, remember their customers, and genuinely care whether someone is happy with what they purchased.

And personally, whenever I talk about what I have accomplished at Bedder Mattress, I never want that story told without acknowledging Ivonne and Hector. They are the controlling owners, they created the opportunities that allowed me to develop into the Director of Sales I am today, and they trusted me enough to have a seat at the table. I owe them an enormous amount of gratitude.

At the end of the day, we’re not really in the business of selling mattresses we’re in the business of helping people sleep better. If we take care of people, treat them honestly, and help them make decisions that are right for them rather than simply what is most profitable for us, I believe the business will take care of itself. That is the family legacy and the Bedder Mattress brand that I am proud to help carry forward.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
My biggest advice is to build genuine relationships rather than approaching networking as a transaction. Some of the most important opportunities in my life have come simply from showing up, introducing myself, asking questions, and staying in touch.

I have also been fortunate that some of my first mentors were within my own family, particularly my aunt Ivonne and uncle Hector. In business, they gave me opportunities to learn firsthand, make mistakes, and grow into my role as Director of Sales at Bedder Mattress.

Outside of family, I’ve learned a tremendous amount through business organizations, political campaigns, community groups, and simply meeting people who have more experience than I do. Don’t be afraid to reach out to someone you admire. Ask for advice rather than asking for something from them.

Most importantly, networking has to go both ways. Be willing to help others, make introductions, volunteer, and show up when someone needs support. The strongest network isn’t necessarily the biggest it’s the one built on genuine relationships and mutual trust.

Pricing:

• Mattresses available at a wide range of price points
• Financing options available for qualified customers
• 0% promotional financing options available with approved credit
• Free local delivery available with qualifying purchases
• Regular sales and manufacturer promotions throughout the year

Contact Info:

• Website: Bedder mattress.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/beddermattress?igsi=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bedder.SantaClarita?mibextid=wwXIfr&mibextid=wwXIfr