With the recent announcement of the Brandery class of 2016, we are excited to feature each company in its own blog post! Each day we’ll post a new blog highlighting one of the startups in this year’s cohort. As we are officially two months out from Demo Day, get to know the names and faces behind the company!
Today we’ll be highlighting Goodwipes!
Pictured (left to right): Managing Partner, Charlie Siciak; Brand Catalyst, Maria Guilbault; Managing Partner, Sam Nebel
What does your company do?
In a world that keeps moving faster and faster, Goodwipes allows you to keep up and stay active, without letting your hygiene, comfort, or confidence suffer. Their cool, convenient, and eco-friendly take on wet-wipes seamlessly complements the lifestyles of today’s busy consumers.
What attracted you to apply to the Brandery?
There are two things that put the Brandery above ALL other accelerators for us. 1) A high level of focus and commitment to brand and design, and 2) Being in Cincy, the Brandery and its team have deep roots in CPG.
With Goodwipes living in the CPG space, having access to mentors with relevant experience is king. As far as brand goes…well, brand is everything. Not everyone understands this - YET! Surrounding ourselves with like-minded teams that are bullish on serving their customers with unforgettable experiences that compliment their lifestyle makes for a high-energy and exciting work environment, forcing you to dream bigger than you ever thought you could.
How did the team come together?
The Goodwipes co-founders instantly bonded their freshman year of college at FSU, when they discovered that they were both habitual baby wipe users. When their journey later took Goodwipes to Atlanta, they made the first addition to the team. Working out of a B2C-focused workspace (Switch Yards Downtown Club), they met and brought on Maria Guilbault, better known as Maria G, the hustle bee!
What’s the most surprising thing you’ve learned at the Brandery, so far?
The level of commitment and support from everyone in Cincy cannot be expressed in words - it both surprises and inspires us daily. From the Brandery’s team leaders, to the program’s mentors, you can feel the genuine compassion and willingness to roll-up their sleeves and lend a hand. It’s a really good feeling to know that you have so many people on your side.
What do you like the most about Cincinnati?
Cincinnati is VERY walkable. This makes meeting people mid-day or running out of the office for a quick snack very easy and enjoyable.
Did you have an “aha!” moment?
Being addicted to living life to its fullest, feeling our best when we are busy and on-the-go is a must. We saw an ever-growing white-space in the consumer wipes market, which was failing to keep up with the hygiene demands of active consumers…“aha!” There wasn’t a company taking on the challenge of waking up this incredibly sleepy space. We knew there had to be a better way to stay fresh on-the-go, so we made one.
The pictures used in this blog post were captured by Zackariah Cole, visit his website at http://www.zackariahcole.com/.
