Emily Byrne Built a Better Way to Start the Day

Emily Byrne was tired of starting her day with her phone screen.

Intent on changing that, she tried sunrise alarm clocks in search of a gentler wake-up—only to find products that felt overly techy, visually uninspired, or out of place in the calm, grounded bedroom she wanted to create. So Emily did what dreamers do best: she built what she couldn’t find.

Inspired by the Himalayan salt lamp on her bedside table, the Rise Centered alarm clock emerged from years of prototyping, sourcing natural materials, and refining a product designed to help people wake more intentionally. Today, as founder and CEO, Emily is helping people reclaim their mornings in a more analog, centered way.

What’s one thing you wish you had known before starting your company?

How much harder and more expensive it is to make a consumer electronic product with natural materials. There’s a reason almost every electronic product in your home is made from plastic; it’s more uniform, easier to manufacture at scale, and far more forgiving. Natural materials are beautiful, but they come with variation, fragility, and a level of complexity that affects everything from design to engineering to quality control. I don’t regret that choice at all because it’s core to what makes our product special, but it has absolutely made the journey more challenging than I could have imagined.

We dare you to brag: What achievements are you most proud of?

In 2023, Rise Centered raised over $200,000 on Kickstarter, which gave us the proof and momentum to bring this product to life. I am also incredibly proud that in just a year and a half as a direct-to-consumer brand, we have already reached 5,263 orders. That number does not even include the additional 1,700 orders from Kickstarter, which makes the growth feel even more meaningful. More than anything, I am proud that an idea that started as a personal frustration has turned into a real company with real traction, real customers, and a product people genuinely want in their homes.

Can you delve deeper into the evolution of your company's mission and values over time?

Over time, our mission has evolved from simply helping people wake up without their phones to supporting a broader philosophy of more analog, intentional living. As the company has grown, we have become even more committed to practicing what we preach by building a business that values presence, rest, and limits, not constant productivity. We take weekends off and close between Christmas and New Year’s because we believe those rhythms matter, both for our team and for the kind of life we want to encourage. Rise Centered is grounded in the idea that well-being does not come from endlessly buying more wellness products or forcing more self-discipline. We believe simple, thoughtful tools can help people feel more present in their lives and more connected to themselves without adding more noise.

In what ways has your upbringing or past experiences contributed to how you operate as an entrepreneur?

Working in the wine industry taught me that great outcomes start with great raw materials. Just like high quality grapes make high quality wine, high quality materials make a better, more beautiful clock. My love of design and art also deeply influences how I build the company because I have always cared not just about how something functions, but how it feels to live with. I grew up just outside of New York and was shaped by that fast-paced energy, but I really found myself when I moved to California and slowed down. Living in Jackson has reinforced that even more, and I think that contrast is a big part of how I operate as an entrepreneur. I care about ambition and excellence, but I also care deeply about creating a business rooted in beauty, intention, and a less frantic way of living.

What are the biggest mistakes you’ve made?

I’m dyslexic, and on our very first packaging run, 3,000 boxes for our clock went out reading “A Natural sunrise alarm cock” instead of clock. At the time, it was horrifying, but also one of those founder moments you can only laugh at later. Building a company has definitely humbled me, and that mistake reminded me how important it is to put strong checks in place, especially around the details you think are too obvious to miss.

What’s next for you and your company?

Next for Rise Centered is continued growth and new product development. I have a lot of ideas for new ways to help people stay more analog, present, and centered in their daily lives, and I am excited to begin bringing those to life. We are building beyond a single product and thinking more broadly about how simple, thoughtful tools can support a less distracted way of living.

What would you tell your younger self if you were to start your entrepreneurial journey all over again?

Have more patience. Building something worthwhile almost always takes longer than you think it will, and that does not mean you are failing. I could probably stand to remind myself of that now, too.