This is Part 2 of our two part story!
A lot of people are asking how we came up with the idea for our company, and what the difference between RYSE and AXIS is. Well, we’re here to share our story of RYSE, how we got started, and what the RYSE brand means to us.
PART 2: RYSE
Like all new companies, our original ideas and plans took a shift as our company continued to grow and new ideas were developed.
A big shift we experienced was our brand name change… but why this name change?
We want people to think of RYSE when they think about smart shades.
Just like how you’ll think of Nest when you think of thermostats, or Dyson when you think of vacuums, or Ring when you think of doorbells, we want to own the idea of “smart blinds & shades” in the consumer’s mind.
Life at home and work is changing all over the world. As lives get busier and even more connected, people’s expectations for the spaces they live, work, and play in are increasing too.
How we live or work in a space becomes a relationship between us, our environment, and the things we own. A space shouldn’t just function but should also make us feel.
All it takes is a little ingenuity to imagine and create devices that can transform the ‘every-day’ into clever intelligent solutions that give you greater control over your environment, and we needed our name to connect with that feeling as well.
But to understand the meaning behind the name RYSE, we need to start from the beginning…
AXIS
Where did ‘AXIS’ come from?
AXIS was originally a brand name that represented the mechanical properties of the products we were developing in the window coverings industry, which all contained different types of “gears,” from face gears to worm gears, which all had different “axis” of rotations. We took this concept one step further with “AXIS Gear”, our first-generation smart shades product.
We were dabbling with actual window blinds and shades, in addition to making them smart and motorized. In fact, we originally started AXIS by developing a one-size-fits-all window blind: one that could extend to different sizes of windows without the need to measure, and can be installed without tools or screws.
However, as we went through our own journey in defining ourselves and where we wanted to be in the marketplace, we soon realized that it made far more sense to focus on one thing, and be the best at that one thing.
In this case, we wanted to be the best in providing smart and innovative solutions that allowed consumers to motorize existing window coverings. Specifically, smart devices that retrofitted on existing window shades.
We wanted a brand name that consumers would associate with the opening and closing of window shades. And the phrase that always came up was “rise and shine” – our customers primarily used our devices to schedule their shades to open in the mornings, to wake up naturally to sunshine.
And that is how the name RYSE was born… from a place of taking inspiration from the very people we designed products for to begin with.
RYSE and Shine
Our rebrand now represents how we dream of being portrayed. As our CEO and Founder, Trung Pham, says: “At RYSE, we are a company focused exclusively on smart technology for window coverings benefiting both the building and the user.”
We live and breathe by three principles that make up all successful smart home products: Reliable, smart, and innovative.
We create inventive solutions that give people moments of wonder and smiles of appreciation for their spaces. Especially in a situation when we’re working from home, our relationship with our spaces turns from simple function to an emotional connection and feeling.
At RYSE, our mission is simple: we want to enhance your space with smart, simple technology that makes a big impact on your comfort, and energy efficiency.
RYSE Up: The Focus On SmartShade
The smart home industry is ever-changing with new and exceptional ideas created every day.
After all, “The U.S. is the largest consumer of smart home technology with a market volume of $23.5 billion in 2019 (followed by China with $12.9 billion and Japan with $4.19 billion)” as stated by Safe Smart Living.
However, although the market for smart home devices is ever-growing and changing, what will never change is our core purpose. We will always aim to create the most magical experience to enhance your space, and we look forward to growing, learning, and continuously staying on top of trends within the industry.
Best said by Trung himself, “There were a lot of happy customers, while there were also a lot of customers that expected the world from our first-generation device. One thing we learned is that you’ll never be able to make every customer happy, but you have to focus on doing a few good things with your product and being the best at those few things.”
At RYSE, we aren’t distracted by other brands and products in the smart home space.
We are unique, original, and have large growth potential and opportunity in an untapped market. Instead of creating another version of someone else’s idea, we want to focus on our original idea – smart shades.
With no direct competition and our massive market in the smart home product realm, RYSE has the means to reach full potential in the smart home world to become the product that comes to mind when you think “SmartShade”.
With RYSE SmartShade you’ll save thousands on upgrading your shades without throwing out the ones you already own and love. Maximize the comfort and beauty of your home with our wire-free options, go green with energy savings, set up a timer schedule for the best natural lighting options throughout the day, and control your SmartShades all with the power of voice command.
We develop retrofit devices that seamlessly enhance the spaces they are installed in. We use innovation and design to create holistic experiences that are intuitive to your needs and don’t require technical know-how to live with.
We are RYSE and we believe in sharing our ingenuity with the world.
Let’s Connect
Now that you know more about how RYSE was born, and our roller coaster ride from AXIS to RYSE, be sure to follow us to stay updated on the latest RYSE news and innovation on our social channels—Facebook and Instagram.
Questions? We’re all ears.
Reach out to us, and we’re happy to help.
