Author Archive

  • Fri, May 20 2011

    If you’re a brand-obsessed, action-oriented individual, this position could be for you!

    ACCOUNT MANAGER AT QUIRKY

    ABOUT US:
    We’re a company called Quirky. What are we Quirky about? We make invention accessible to everyone in the world. We develop two brand new consumer products every week. The ideas for those products come from anyone who has had “wouldn’t it be cool if…” type ideas for decades.

    So yeah, two products per week, that’s why we’re writing this job description. We need an account manager to help mange the two biggest Quirky accounts: Bed Bath and Beyond and HSN.

    You may have worked in account management roles in the past, but are you a brand-obsessed, action-oriented individual ready to make the shift from your current job into irreverent ‘we’re gonna make invention accessible’ start-up culture? We sure hope so.

    If you like what you’ve read so far, then please read on because a spot in Quirky’s Marketing Department might be right for you.

    Your main responsibilities pertain to managing Quirky’s two largest accounts: Bed Bath & Beyond and HSN. This involves:

    - Acting as a liaison between Quirky’s Sales & Operations teams and both major retailers.
    - Providing daily updates (calls/emails/visits when necessary) between Quirky & both retailers.
    - Managing multiple product production schedules.
    - Being generally enthusiastic, outgoing, hard working & fun to be around!

    QUALIFICATIONS:
    - 0-3 years experience; recent graduates will be considered.
    - Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
    - Action oriented and detail oriented.
    - Highly motivated to drive projects to completion.
    - Good sense of responsibility and accountability.
    - Knowledge of retail sales is a plus but not required.
    - Incredibly intelligent, energetic, and possess the ability to figure things out and make good decisions without much guidance.
    - Good with technology, numbers, dates, details, and deadlines.
    - Super excited to work at a high growth and high-energy startup.
    - Passionate about Quirky!

    TO APPLY:
    - STEP 1: Check us out at www.quirky.com. Learn about us by browsing around the site. If you fall in love, move on down.
    - STEP 2: Let’s have a real conversation. If you’ve got a beautiful standard cover letter you use to apply for other job postings, cool. But that will not land you this job. Instead, email Nikki at accountmanager@quirky.com, a very brief personal note, explaining why you think you’re the perfect fit for this position, and of course include a copy of your resume.
    - Ensure your email is addressed to me, Nikki, with the subject line:
    “Account Manager – [your name] – [place you found the job posting]”

  • Thu, May 19 2011

    Introducing… Coop

    By jess at 1:56 pm

    Think boiling eggs can’t get any easier? Think again. Coop is a six-cup egg caddy designed with the egg enthusiast in mind. Coop makes hard boiling, soft boiling, and poaching eggs a snap.

    Coop was thought up by Eric Fehrenbach of Hamilton, Ohio, and more than 570 people chipped in to bring it to life. This product is now available in the Quirky store for $22.99 presale ($24.99 retail) with a threshold of 1200 units.

    Features:
    – Egg caddy with six removable egg cups.
    – Telescoping handle, which extends to safely lower your eggs into boiling water and remove them once they’re cooked.
    – Handle contracts so you can store the entire unit, eggs included, in your refrigerator.
    – Poaching pod attaches to the caddy so you can easily poach up to six eggs.
    – Made from food-safe, high temperature Polypropylene.

    Dimensions:
    7” diameter
    3.5” tall
    Handle extends up to 5”

  • Tue, May 17 2011

    Washing your wine glasses can be risky business, especially when you’re using your dishwasher. Save your stemware with Tether, a flexible silicone rod that stabilizes your stemware as it goes through the cycle.

    Tether was submitted by Gary Rose and collaborated upon by hundreds of community members. Pick up a set of four for just $12.99 presale ($14.99) retail in the Quirky store.

    Features:
    – Comes in a pack of four.
    – Hollow base slides over dishwasher post.
    – End clasp clips onto wine glass stem.
    – Adjust the rod to fit the glass on either the top or bottom rack of your dishwasher.
    – Comes in purple.

    Dimensions:
    7” long

  • Tue, May 17 2011

    Charlie Kwalwasser’s got the chops to be Quirky’s new General Counsel, that’s for sure. But what really sold us was a YouTube video of a certain performance at a certain hip hop karaoke championship. A rapping suit? Now that’s quirky.

    As General Counsel, Charlie handles everything related to intellectual property, patent protection, and legal matters for Quirky. Before joining the team, he served as Intellectual Property Counsel for Barclays Capital and previously Lehman Brothers, where he was responsible for all intellectual property matters globally. Prior to Lehman Brothers, Charlie worked in the Intellectual Property Group at the New York office of Clifford Chance, one of the world’s leading international law firms. He received a degree in civil engineering from the University of Virginia and a law degree from Cornell Law School. A third-generation Brooklynite, Charlie is that rare New Yorker who’s both a Giants and Mets fan, but also follows Nascar and UFC. He is obsessed with NYC real estate, unhealthily follows global financial markets 24/7, loves mid-80s to mid-90s hip hop (especially Wu-Tang), and enjoys hanging with his wife and dogs.

  • Mon, May 16 2011

    Yup, you read that right. Plug Hub is now shipping! If you placed an order in presale, check your inbox and log into your Quirky account to complete your order and claim your influence.

    And if you didn’t order in presale, click here to learn more and pick one up for just $28.95. Need more convincing? Look no further than this clip from Plug Hub’s HSN debut, and the promotional video underneath. Cable management never looked so sexy.

    We’re excited to share this success with ideator Jared Joyce and the 568 influencers who helped make this product a reality. Y’all deserve a pat on the back. Oh, and if you feel like spreading the word about Plug Hub to rack up those social sales, feel free to use the promotional video below. Cable management never looked so sexy.

  • Mon, May 16 2011

    Nothing’s worse than reaching for your favorite necklace to finish off an outfit, only to find a tangled mess. When you own great jewelry, proper storage is key to protecting your pieces and making them last. Whether it’s that handmade recycled necklace you’d been eyeing on Etsy, or that antique Rolex from your grandfather, you want to be able to store, transport, and/or display your items easily and efficiently.

    This week, let’s come together to figure out a jewelry storage solution.

    Remember: all jewelry isn’t created equal. Here are some things to keep in mind as you ideate:

    Types of jewelry: necklaces, bracelets, rings, watches, cuff links, etc.
    Value: family heirlooms, cheap costume jewelry, statement pieces, etc.
    Materials: jewels, metals, pearls, beads, textiles, wood, recycled materials, etc.
    Purpose: safekeeping, display, travel, etc.

    We’re accepting submissions until May 23rd at 12 noon ET, and they’re free as always. With a brief like this, we’re bound to get some gems. Submit now!

  • Thu, May 5 2011

    When cooking, you use a measuring cup to dole out your ingredients, then a spoon to stir them all up. Why not simplify? With Portion, a cooking spoon with integrated measurement tools, you can. Portion features a hollow clear plastic handle, which doubles as a measuring cup, and a silicone spoon with lines for measuring smaller quantities.

    Portion was born out of Marc Rumaner‘s idea for a basting spoon with measurements. More than 828 influencers came together over multiple phases to come up with the final product, and it’s now available for $12.99 ($14.99 retail) with a threshold of 900 in the Quirky store.

    Features:

    - Hollow clear plastic handle holds wet or dry ingredients up to 1/4 cup.

    - Silicone spoon with lines that indicate half teaspoon, teaspoon, and tablespoon measurements.

    - Locking silicone spout at the end of the handle seals to prevent spills and opens wide for an easier pour.

    - Made of food-safe plastic and silicone.

    Dimensions:

    13″ long x 2.5″ wide

  • Tue, May 3 2011

    Meet John

    By jess at 2:04 pm

    We’re thrilled to welcome John Jacobsen, a pioneer in 3D design and engineering, as head of Quirky’s new engineering team. Yup, not only are we adding new staff members, we’re also adding whole new departments!

    John applies his craftsman-like qualities to the domain of 3-D design and engineering. Previously, he was a Senior Design Specialist at SMART DESIGN, where he helped to create iconic, award-winning, patented products for brands like OXO, Shell Black Magic, Pure Digital, Logitech, Zune, Corningware, and Pyrex. As a strategic consultant, John has also worked around the world to bridge the gap between design and engineering for such clients as Airbus, NRC-Canada, Ford, GM, Piaggio, Pininfarina, Design Partners, Canon, and Seiko. In addition, John has spent over ten years in the design and development of paradigm-shifting applications in 3-D Surfacing and Visualization at PTC and UGS. Through his theoretical and practical pursuits, he has helped to evolve modern 3-D technology and its applications worldwide. John holds both a Bachelors and Masters Degree of Science in Manufacturing Engineering from Boston University. He took the SAT at age 12 and hand writes his notes, always in black ink and preferably with an ultra-fine point Sharpie. Other passions include hand-ground coffee, LBV ports, Rosso di Montalcino wines, insignias, and incandescent lights.

  • Tue, May 3 2011

    Japan taught us what great product design means. After we heard word of the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear plant explosion earlier this year, we wanted to do our bit to help out. The day after the disaster, our community and staff came together during a special brief to design and develop a product for Japan.

    Out of 63 ideas submitted over a three day period, we selected Jason Hennessy’s vase idea, and more than 554 community members pitched in, without the promise of financial reward, to develop it. That’s pretty awesome.

    Named after the Japanese word for “flower”, Hana is an elegant vase within a vase — a two-piece decorative element that allows you to display flowers, then easily strain and dispose of excess water.

    Hana is available for $39.99 presale ($44.99 retail) in the Quirky store. We will be donating all of Quirky’s gross profits on this product, as well as all community influence awards, to relief efforts. You can help us out by making a commitment and by spreading the word.

    Features:
    – Inside vase with drain holes, made of ceramic.
    – Outside vase to contain the water, made of frosted glass.
    – Available in two color options: dark red ceramic/clear frosted glass and white ceramic/clear frosted glass.

    Dimensions:
    When assembled, this product is 10” tall with a 4.25” diameter.

    Please note that standard presale influence rewards do not apply on this product. All profits and influence will be allocated to ongoing relief efforts in Japan.

  • Mon, May 2 2011

    This week’s Quirky brief sounds simple enough: Let’s make a hook product.

    Easy, right? Well, not quite. Let’s think this through a bit more.

    Hooks are used by different people of different ages for different uses in different locations. There are multiple ways to attach hooks to a surface: screws, nails, adhesive, pure brute force. We have to think of how the hook looks, both when in use and not. Then, of course, there’s what needs hanging, which can be, oh, anything at all.

    That’s a lot to consider, and we encourage you to think outside the box. At its core, a hook is any object that provides a surface opposing the pull of gravity of a second object. When you think of it that way, there’s really any number of directions this brief can go.

    Submissions are free, and the deadline is Monday, May 9, at 12 noon ET. Hook us up with some great ideas!

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