🚽 Toilet talk—elevated. In this episode of Hard Refresh, hosts Karina Neff and Caden Hutchens dive deep (pun intended) into bathroom tech and brand psychology with Rob Poleki, Founder & CEO of Washie and self-proclaimed restroom revolutionary.

From his roots in government to a viral Shark Tank momentthat never aired, Rob shares how he turned a seemingly “crappy” problem into a category-defining smart toilet seat—and a cultural movement around restroom dignity.

In This Episode:

🔹 Clear Cache:

• The absorbent lie about toilet seat covers—and what we’ve all been doing wrong

• Washie’s origin story: from elected official to inventor of the first smart public toilet seat

• Delta Sky Club’s 5-star restroom experience and how it started with a single customer complaint

• The psychology of public restrooms (stall 3 is not the move)

• How Washie is using data and IoT to reinvent cleaning operations, reduce waste, and boost customer confidence

• The secret to sustainable restroom design—and why “sharticles” might be Rob’s greatest marketing moment

• 🚨 Washie Home is coming. Yes, for residential use.

🔹 Quick Control:

• Washie’s Free Trial Offer – For the month of June, facilities can try Washie free for 30 days

• ISSA Business Growth Strategies – June 10–11 in Chicago

Register here

Use code BGS10! for 10% off

• CLX: Robotics & Automation – June 24

Register here

• Last episode: AI, Autonomy & Robots with Brain Corp’s David Pinn

💡 Whether you're a facility manager, real estate operator, janitorial provider—or just a parent of teenage boys—this episode is for anyone who’s ready to rethink what clean really means in 2025.

🎧 Subscribe & Follow Hard Refresh on Spotify, YouTube, and your favorite podcast platform.

Connect with the Hosts & Guest:
Karina Neff – https://www.linkedin.com/in/karina-neff-01b0782a/
Caden Hutchens – https://www.linkedin.com/in/caden-hutchens/
Rob Poleki – https://www.linkedin.com/in/robpoleki/