• Dirty dishes in the sink?  I’ve heard about this phenomenon but never actually seen it.
• Nothing (and we mean nothing) feels better than a clean kitchen
• I am more likely to run out of food than cleaning supplies…

If you can relate – you will be as excited as we were to find iQClean.

What do we love about iQClean products?  Everything.  They are made from non-toxic and environmentally sustainable materials and they save on space and the planet by using refill cartridges and re-usable spray bottles.

Also near and dear to Rhoost is that the bottles look cool and with a name like iQ – you just can’t help but feel smarter for using them.

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.

Given the competition for capital, especially in the current economy, start-up cash is often the thing that prevents new inventors from bringing their ideas to fruition.

Well, thanks to Huggies, mom inventors have a chance to win $15,000 towards the development of their ideas!  We think this makes a lot of sense since moms are quite literally the “mothers of invention” and have brought many innovative products to market.

Here are some great companies started by mom inventors:

Boon

Green Toys

Annabel Karmel

Thanks to Maria Bailey of BSM media for connecting Rhoost with Huggies as Inspired Moms Like You.

It has been a great opportunity for Rhoost.  Just last week, we were on Chatter Box Radio and Sisters of Sizzle.

So if you’re a mom with an idea – you have still have 10 days to enter for your chance at $15,000 from the Huggies Mom Inspired program! What are you waiting for?!