We think Rachel Lincoln Sarnoff, executive director of Healthy Child Healthy World says is very well: “Parents are always looking for smart solutions to help protect their children from harm, but Rhoost has taken the extra step to ensure their materials are also non-toxic and safe for babies to touch and feel.  We are proud to work with partners like Rhoost that make it easy for parents to choose safer, healthier products for their families.”

So, what does the partnership mean?  We will collaborate on series of initiatives to educate consumers about the importance of using sustainable and healthier babyproofing products. We’ve hit the ground running and already are participating in the Mom in a Mission Campaign. It’s a great way to celebrate inspiring parents who are dedicated to creating healthier and happier environments for children and families.

Like us on Facebook for updates on future Healthy Child Healthy World and Rhoost campaigns.

For us, it all starts with products we need and ideas for how to make them better.  To that end, we thought we’d share with you a little video about the design process for our Decoy Outlet Cover. Sorry in advance for the slight shake in the video…Graeme is quite the outdoors-man so we caught him in between motocross venues.

Jill is not only a savvy business woman growing an amazing diaper bag company, but she’s also an incredibly insightful, honest, and intelligent person and for that reason, we knew her reaction to the Rhoost concept would make or break our decision to move ahead.  Jill’s reaction was nothing less than the genuine confirmation and encouragement we were hoping for and since that day, she has helped us every step of the way.

Reflecting on how much she’s helped us, we have come up with a list of the 5 best pieces of advice she has given us (so far) – note that some of these she has said, but all of them she lives and shows by example:

• Get product feedback every step of the way – not just from parents, but from retailers as well
• Be on top of inventory…or it will be on top of you! (sounds fun but trust us it’s not)
• Be generous with your time and advice
• Being a savvy business person and a nice person is not an either/or decision – you CAN be both
• Never (and she means NEVER) stop improving

Over the past 2 years, our seed idea has grown into a full-fledged company what has been even better has been taking this journey with a friend and mentor like Jill.

Picture it, January 2009, we are beginning to bring our vision of child-proofing products to life.   We have a name, some great product concepts, and even our own Rhoost email accounts! Then it occurs to us that we are not going to get much farther without a logo.

With a non-conventional name like Rhoost – our logo had to convey characteristics about our products and company that our name alone does not necessarily imply. Namely – clean, aesthetic, innovative.

We immediately turned to Alphabet Arm Design.  Their artistry is nothing short of amazing and to say they ‘get’ branding might just be the understatement of the year.  Aaron and the guys at Alphabet Arm are amazing at listening, translating, and executing.  Check out their creative process to see for yourself.

In Aaron’s own words, a logo…

• Crystallizes the forward facing aspect of a brand
• Speaks for your brand when you are not there
• Sets the tone for the company

Even further, a GOOD logo…

• Embodies all aspects of a company without being weighted down by too many graphic elements or type treatments
• Is a friend…awwww
• Evokes emotion – like the joy of seeing your favorite coffee shop or clothing store, a logo will tell you something about what you will find inside
• Looks as amazing tiny and in black and white as it does plastered across a highway billboard

The best part for Aaron?  Seeing a simple logo become a bigger part of the brand as the company grows.

As we have grown, Alphabet Arm has been an integral part of maintaining our look and feel and translating that into all of our materials. From our logo to our marketing collateral and packaging, with the help of the guys at Alphabet Arm, we are able to convey a consistent message – clean, aesthetic, innovative.

Well then, call us crazy.  But what we’ve learned through this experience is the power of the human connection – virtual and physical. We have met people whose generosity of time and advice amazes us, and for that, we are forever grateful.

The Rhoost community is our backbone.  It nourishes us and building this community is all about quality relationships, not networking for sake of networking.

In recognition of these amazing people we have come to know, we are launching a new blog series called “The Rhoost Nest” – so stay tuned because our next entry will feature the first member of our nest.