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Devin: What is your superpower?
Trung: Grit and perseverance.
Automating your window coverings can save you money while reducing your carbon footprint. In today’s episode, Trung Pham, CEO and founder of RYSE, shared how his company’s smart home devices can motorize and automate existing window shades and curtains, helping homeowners optimize energy efficiency and comfort.
RYSE products are designed to retrofit common blinds and shades, turning them into smart, automated systems. Trung explained, “If it’s a hot, sunny day and you live in a region like Phoenix where it gets super hot, you want your shades to lower when the sun is blistering into your windows. What that does is it blocks out all that heat, that solar heat gain, and reduces the need for an increase in AC and cooling.” Similarly, during cold winters, opening shades to let in sunlight can help naturally warm your home, reducing heating expenses.
According to Trung, RYSE’s technology can help homeowners save up to 24% on heating and cooling bills by automating when shades open and close based on weather and time of day. He emphasized how simple the idea is: “You just got to lower the window shades—they call it shade for a reason—and you know, you get that shade and you lower the amount of heating that’s being injected into your room.”
Beyond its environmental and cost-saving benefits, RYSE is also an investment opportunity. Trung and his team are currently raising funds through a regulated crowdfunding campaign, offering shares of the company at $2.25 each under Regulation A. Trung highlighted how equity crowdfunding has allowed RYSE to build a community of investors, many of whom are also customers.
This innovative approach to energy efficiency and sustainable living is creating a real impact. By making cutting-edge technology accessible to everyday consumers, RYSE is helping people save money, reduce energy consumption, and contribute to a greener planet—all while giving them the opportunity to invest in the company’s future.
If you’re interested in learning more about RYSE’s products or its crowdfunding campaign, be sure to check out their offering.
tl;dr:
RYSE automates window coverings, saving energy and cutting heating and cooling costs by up to 24%.
Trung Pham founded RYSE to retrofit existing shades and curtains, eliminating the need for replacements.
RYSE is raising funds through equity crowdfunding, with shares available at $2.25 under Regulation A.
Trung’s grit and resilience helped RYSE pivot during COVID-19 to succeed with crowdfunding.
Trung encourages entrepreneurs to persevere, adapt to setbacks, and maintain enthusiasm to succeed.
How to Develop Grit and Perseverance As a Superpower
Trung’s superpower is his unwavering grit and perseverance. He explained that hardware development is a long, challenging process, often requiring years of research, development, and problem-solving before a product reaches the market. Trung said, “It’s not about how hard you get hit; it’s about how hard you can get hit and get back up and keep going forward.” His ability to stay motivated and focused through setbacks has been critical to RYSE’s success.
Illustrative Story:
One of Trung’s most defining moments came during the early days of the pandemic. A $4 million VC funding deal fell through just as COVID-19 disruptions hit the commercial real estate sector, RYSE’s key market. With limited cash reserves and payroll approaching, Trung pivoted away from institutional funding to equity crowdfunding. This bold move not only saved the company but allowed RYSE to raise over $10 million from individual investors. Trung’s grit turned a near-disaster into a remarkable success story.
Tips for Developing Grit and Perseverance:
Keep going when faced with challenges: “A startup fails when the entrepreneur gives up.”
Adapt to setbacks: Look for creative solutions to problems, like pivoting your strategy when needed.
Stay motivated over the long haul: Maintain enthusiasm, even when progress feels slow.
Embrace resilience: Learn to recover quickly after setbacks and keep moving forward.
By following Trung’s example and advice, you can make grit and perseverance a skill. With practice and effort, you could make it a superpower that enables you to do more good in the world.
Remember, however, that research into success suggests that building on your own superpowers is more important than creating new ones or overcoming weaknesses. You do you!
Guest Profile
Trung Pham (he/him):
CEO, RYSE
About RYSE:
is redefining the last untouched categories of the smart home: smart window shades and blinds—a multi-billion-dollar category that has remained largely untouched by Big Tech. While Nest revolutionized the thermostat and Ring reinvented the video doorbell, RYSE is leading the charge in smart shading, with retrofit devices that bring intelligence, automation, and energy savings to every space. Operating in a $158B smart home market growing 23% annually, RYSE stands out with patented hardware, seamless platform integrations, and retail presence. Its technology offers not only unmatched convenience through voice and app control, but also environmental impact—reducing heating and cooling energy use by up to 24%. Our technology has been featured by TechCrunch, CNET, Fox News, CBS, and has been awarded the Mark of Excellence by the Consumer Technology Associated in 2017 at CES. We have generated over $10 million in revenue, shipping 50,000 devices to date, and secured over $10 million in funding. With 10 granted patents, products in over 100 Best Buy stores, and a track record of rapid revenue growth, RYSE is positioned to become the go-to brand for smart window automation—a category primed for major acquisition as tech giants race to complete the connected home. Learn more at https://invest.helloryse.com.Website: helloryse.com
Twitter Handle: @helloryse
Company Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/helloryse
Biographical Information: Trung Pham is a serial entrepreneur and the founder & CEO of RYSE, a hardware startup transforming the last untapped category in the smart home: window coverings. A graduate of the Schulich School of Business at York University (BBA) and a CFA charterholder, Trung brings a rare combination of financial discipline and product intuition. As a non-technical solo founder in hardware—a space typically dominated by engineering-led teams—he’s built patented, retail-ready smart devices from the ground up, positioning RYSE as the “Nest” of smart shades in a $158B industry.
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/tpham87/
Instagram Handle: @techwithtp
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