How did you all come up with the idea to start QALO?
The quick and simple answer to this question is we got married. I wish we had some elaborate story about one of us almost losing a finger, but the truth is Ted and I married our wives a couple months apart from one another and we both found it super inconvenient to wear a metal ring. We wanted to represent our commitment to our wives, but it just wasn’t practical for our lifestyle and we didn’t want to be constantly taking a metal ring on and off. As a result we looked to create a solution to our problem and QALO was born.
What does the name QALO mean?
The name QALO is an acronym and the letters stand for Quality, Athletics, Love, and Outdoors. We wanted a name that summed up the way we lived our lives and could help build a foundation for our community of people who believed life should be lived the same way.
Here in Nebraska (the fly over state) we have heard stories of individuals who have fingers and hands today because of QALO?
Pretty cool, huh? The evolution of impact has been incredible. Initially it was just two active guys that wanted a more practical solution to wearing a wedding ring, and since then it has grown to something more impactful than I think we even had a vision for. Not only is it more practical for everyday use, but if you are someone who works with your hands daily, it has safely transformed your ability to represent your commitment. About once a week, our customer service has a story about QALO saving someone’s finger. We love sharing those stories, it’s a nice reminder of how important a silicone wedding ring can be.
How did the idea of teething necklaces come about?
We recognized teething jewelry had been created for new parents before, but none of it was attached to a brand that makes a declaration about the type of parent you wanted to be. At QALO, we value parents who celebrate their evolving identity from husband or wife to father or mother and recognize the magnitude of that shift. We created a line of teething that says I am a parent yes, but as a parent, this is what I believe and I acknowledge the sacrifice required to love this child the right way. The same way our rings declare, I am married yes, but in my marriage, this is what I believe and this is the way I live my life. From a product standpoint, a functional silicone jewelry product makes sense, but our products look as though they were designed for the parent, not the baby, and will always say more about your identity. Nothing can replace the moments where you are holding your little kiddo and taking the world in, QALO wanted to help create those moments and our teething line does just that.
QALO recently developed gear for pets. Tell us about your new line.
We just released our companion collection. Our thought behind it was the concept of “Through it all.” I look back on my growing relationship with my wife from marriage to having a kiddo and our dog has been present through it all. We believe dogs play the role of a “constant” in a family and genuinely contributes to bringing people closer together. Try telling someone with a dog that pup isn’t part of the family. In line with the meaning behind all our products we created the dog tags and beds that give you a fun, practical way to let your dog be a part of your family’s identity. The tags solve a problem as they are silent, don’t rust and are durable enough to stand up to any adventure. No more jingling tags at 2:00am waking up the whole house.
What can we expect from QALO in 2019?
I am more excited now than ever before about the direction our brand is heading. You can expect to see us dive even deeper into what it means to build a QALO family, and what we believe about the importance of family in today’s culture. We will continue to innovate, solve problems, and most of all remain authentic to the reason we started this company in the first place, a commitment to family above all else.
How can people buy your product and follow QALO on social media?
The easiest place to purchase is right on our site at QALO.com. We also have distribution in over 3,000 retailers including Dicks Sporting Goods, REI, Bass Pro Shop and Academy Sports. Our social media is a great way to learn more about our brand and even have some fun experiencing our internal company culture. You can follow our company on Instagram @qalo and as a founder I give some fun insight to the company culture and brand as well on my Instagram @mrkcholiday
What is one question you wished people would ask? …..What is the answer?
How do you pronounce QALO? Answer: Kay-Lo (There is no U)
