On a Quest to Building a Brand That Cares About Community and Sustainability!
As daily life becomes increasingly hectic, the struggle to stay connected while ensuring personal hygiene has never been more pronounced. With smartphones becoming essential tools for communication and productivity, the risk of germs proliferating on these devices poses a significant health threat. Meet Robert Nathanson, the Co-Founder and CEO of UltraBLU, whose innovative solution addresses this dual challenge head-on.
Robert has pioneered a groundbreaking product that combines a powerful portable sanitiser with a high-speed power bank. UltraBLU charges devices three times faster than its competitors while simultaneously eliminating harmful pathogens in mere seconds. This revolutionary device is tailored for everyone, busy professionals rushing between meetings, families navigating outings, and anyone who values both connectivity and cleanliness.
Beyond the impressive technology, Robert’s vision for UltraBLU transcends mere profitability. He is committed to fostering a brand that resonates with consumers through community support and environmental responsibility. By prioritizing sustainable practices and engaging with customers, Nathanson is not just selling a product; he is building a movement towards healthier living in our fast-paced world.
With UltraBLU, Robert is changing the way we perceive hygiene and the surrounding technology and is showing people how to have a connection, wherever life may take them.
Let us learn more about his journey:
Modernizing On-the-Go Living
It’s critical to stay connected in the current world of today. Robert, a brilliant businessman, has recognized the urgent need for a product that solves two of life’s most common problems: making sure our surroundings are sanitized without the use of toxic chemicals and keeping our phones charged. Presenting UltraBLU, a power bank and portable sanitiser made for the contemporary lifestyle.
With busy schedules packed with meetings, client lunches, and family activities, having a reliable phone charger is more valuable than ever. UltraBLU stands out by offering a charging speed faster and more efficient than many competitors, certifying your phone can go from 0 to 100% in under 60 minutes.
But it doesn’t stop there. In a world where hygiene is paramount, especially in public spaces, UltraBLU effectively inactivates harmful pathogens in under 10 seconds without relying on harsh chemicals or wasteful plastics.
Robert predicts UltraBLU is a game-changer not only for everyday users but also for critical environments like hospitals, dental offices, and airports. The portability and dual functionality of this device mean it can be used anywhere, whether you’re at a volleyball practice with the kids, enjoying a weekend getaway, sporting event, at a concert or simply taking a breather at the salon.
As our lives become increasingly hectic, UltraBLU offers a sustainable solution to help keep us connected and healthy. With its patent-pending status, Robert believes there are no limits to where UltraBLU can go, making it a main companion for everyone on the move.
Unlocking Success
In the fiercely competitive consumer goods market, it is imperative to bring passionate people together around a common vision. Robert knows that the first step in this process is to put together a team that has an infinitely expanding view of what is possible, and then work together to create something truly extraordinary, an innovative product that inspires enthusiasm, receives positive feedback, gives back to the community, and eventually generates impressive sales.
According to Robert, a successful product userbase and active user volume are its lifeblood. This measure is a must for determining customer perception and market demand. Robert is aware, though, that educating potential buyers about a new product frequently takes time and effort, constantly.
Robert stresses the significance of using focused marketing techniques that connect with the community they want to serve to overcome this obstacle. Promoting awareness and passion for the product can be greatly aided by developing an engaging story and making sure the proper messaging reaches the target audience.
In his vision, success is not just about the bottom line; it’s about building a brand that captivates and engages customers, paving the way for a sustainable and thriving business.
The Ecological Solution
During the COVID pandemic, Robert recognized a pressing need for innovation in hygiene and sustainability. With businesses and cities shuttered, he introduced UltraBLU, a groundbreaking product designed to address two critical issues: the proliferation of harmful viruses and the overwhelming plastic waste crisis. UltraBLU stands out as a 100% sustainable solution, generating zero waste throughout its lifecycle. Remarkably, it eliminates viruses, bacteria, and meld in just 10 seconds with a lab-tested 99.8% effective rate while also providing hurried charging capabilities for devices.
Robert’s vision highlights the limitations of traditional single-use gels and alcohol wipes, which contribute significantly to plastic pollution, 50% of all plastic products made each year are single-use, resulting in 33 billion pounds of plastic entering oceans annually. This pollution endangers marine life, claiming the lives of 100,000 marine mammals and turtles, and 1 million sea birds each year. Additionally, the use of alcohol-based products can lead to skin irritation and increase vulnerability to infections. Through UltraBLU, Robert aims to transform hygiene practices while advancing a healthier planet for future generations.
Robert’s Approach to Revolution
Robert believes that “there is no process that does not require time.” He understands that building something new inherently involves a learning curve, necessitating the ability to pivot when certain strategies prove ineffective or could be improved. Staying updated with the latest technologies is crucial in this fast-paced world as it’s constantly changing every six months.
He stresses the importance of non-stop learning and maintaining a focus on becoming quicker and more efficient. He knows that having the right team in place is vital for timely execution, minimizing downtime, and reducing costs. By raising a culture of adaptability and innovation, Robert aims to route challenges effectively and drive success.
The Key to Success
Robert, a seasoned entrepreneur, attributes his success to a singular word: “Management.” Early in his career, he learned this lesson from a fascinating 90-year-old neighbour, an inventor with over 55 patents, who founded SKYY Vodka and innovated multiplex movie theatres (Quad Cinema 1972), D-Fuzz-it (1964), a continuous note paper called “Roll-it notes” (later sued by 3M Post-it Notes and won, changing the name to Zip Notes) as well as creating a safety sheath for hypodermic needles.
He makes a point that effective management, encompassing time, team underlying forces, and financial resources, is decisive for both small businesses and large corporations aiming for long-term sustainability. His experiences underline that mastery in these areas can significantly influence a company’s ability to thrive over the years.
Supporting Local Communities
Robert, a passionate entrepreneur, believes that every community thrives on support and hard work. His vision is that a flourishing community is one where individuals come together, contributing their time, products, and combined resources.
Whether dining at a local restaurant or purchasing handmade goods, Robert accentuates the importance of local engagement in creating unique offerings. In 2014, he co-founded GrubMarket, a platform designed to connect consumers with locally grown organic farms, allowing them to purchase fresh fruits, vegetables, honey, baked goods, and nuts for delivery within 24-48 hours of harvest.
The response was overwhelming; during the first week, Robert sold over 400 pounds of organic cherries from a nearby farm on their web-based portal, providing the validation needed to scale the business. Today, GrubMarket has become one of the largest private food tech companies in the U.S., boasting a valuation of $3.6 billion and over $1 billion in annual sales, reflecting Robert’s loyalty to supporting local agriculture and open growth.
Balancing Ambition and Community
Robert has always demonstrated a strong work ethic, diligently prioritizing important tasks to carve out time for community engagement. In the early stages of his career, he often found himself consumed by work, neglecting self-care in the process. However, he has since learned to balance the demands of building a new company with the importance of giving back.
This shift in perspective reflects his understanding that the stage of one’s career significantly influences the capacity to contribute to non-profit organizations and the community at large.
Recognizing the brevity of life on Earth, Robert foregrounds the value of a solid support system, especially those who align with his company’s mission. He believes in rewarding these supporters in meaningful ways, understanding how impactful such gestures can be for those he serves.
The Wisdom of Listening
Robert often reflects on the wisdom imparted to him by his father: “Listen… listen to people in the room and don’t talk much, as you can’t learn if you are talking. Find out who the smartest ones are and absorb everything you can while taking mental notes.” This principle has shaped Robert’s approach as a leader, accentuating the importance of actively listening to customers and peers alike.
He believes that effective leadership requires not only a clear direction and goals that promote win-win outcomes but also the agility to learn from setbacks and pivot positively.
Robert understands that this adaptability advances confidence among team members. He advocates for always looking one to three steps ahead, confirming that plans B, C, and sometimes even D are in place to navigate challenges effectively.
The Importance of Listening and Empowering Teams
Robert stresses the need for listening to consumers, pointing out that their opinions can feature the best features of a product or service as well as areas in need of development. He advocates for building a team that embodies humility while also possessing the confidence needed to tackle projects effectively and drive positive outcomes.
He believes that by providing employees with growth opportunities, companies enable them to develop new skills, take on greater responsibilities, and advance their careers. This approach not only raises engagement and motivation among staff but also develops overall job satisfaction and loyalty to the organization.
The Power of Commitment
He understood that giving his best effort is vital, believing that the outcome would reflect his dedication, regardless of immediate results. He recognized that pouring his heart into his pursuits could lead to personal growth, new opportunities, and valuable lessons, even if the outcomes weren’t precisely what he had envisioned. For Robert, the journey itself was just as important as the destination, as it forwarded resilience and shaped his character along the way.
The Transformative Journey of Robert
Every experience, whether positive or negative, teaches Robert something valuable and shapes his perspective. These lessons help him make better decisions, understand others more deeply, and sail across future challenges with greater confidence. At last, it is through his varied experiences that Robert has learned to grow and adapt.
The Ripple Effect of Kindness
At the end of the day, everyone seeks validation, and Robert is no exception. He yearns to know that he has changed lives for the better. This deep human desire to make a positive impact is what drives him.
Robert understands that even small acts of kindness or support can create ripples in others’ lives, often in ways he may never fully grasp. It’s the connections he builds and the inspiration he offers that matter most to him.
Each step he takes to uplift those around him contributes to a bigger picture—one that fills him with pride. Throughout his life, Robert has encountered countless people, but he recognizes that the next meaningful connection could be just around the corner. By being engaging, listening intently, and discovering commonalities, he might just find his next co-founder.
