Meet Ollie Rose | Designer & Content Creator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Ollie Rose and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Ollie Rose, maybe we can start at the very start – the idea – how did you come up with the idea for your business?
I wanted to create something I’ve always wanted, but couldn’t find on the market. I designed my first sling bag to be my perfect rollerskating bag. It’s not too big or small, held the important things I needed when I would skate on trailers, it’s comfortable, it’s so cute, but it also ended up working as a perfect bag to take out when I went out with my kids.

I’m currently working on the 2.0 version of my bag that includes more details to make it more of an accessible bag for users.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
Four years ago, I unintentionally started my journey as a content creator on TikTok. After a couple of years in content creation, I transitioned to a more sustainable way of making money by starting my own business. I began with stickers and taught myself how to use Procreate, an art app where I designed all my stickers. As I sold stickers for some time, I had the brilliant idea to create stuffed animals, despite having no knowledge about the manufacturing process. I launched pre-orders for my very first stuffed animal, a cannabis-themed unicorn, with the goal of selling 1000 of them. While my husband has always been supportive of my endeavors, he was a bit skeptical about my ambitious sales target. Unsurprisingly to me, I managed to pre-sell all 1000 stuffed animals before production was completed.

Following the success of my first stuffed animal, I introduced a second one based on emo music. The sales from this stuffed animal provided the down payment for our house when the one we were renting at the time was being sold. I designed and pre-sold 500 of them, enabling us to relocate from Reno to Arizona and purchase our current home.

During the stuffed animal production process, I had another bright idea to design a functional bag that catered to my needs when roller skating, but I couldn’t find such a product on the market. My husband assisted me in designing the first version of the bag, which had a tactical design in mind. I had 1000 of these bags manufactured and they sold out within a few months. The interesting thing about the bag was the unintended accessibility it provided. People started using the strap meant for holding rollerskate tools to secure their inhalers and keep other necessary items close to them. As customers shared their reviews and stories, I realized I had created something that had broader appeal. Although I didn’t intentionally design it for accessibility, it turned out to be a valuable feature. Now, I’m working on the 2.0 version of the bag with accessibility in mind. While I aimed to make the first bags as ethical as possible, the 2.0 bags will be made using completely ethical resources. With the 2.0 bag, I want to blend accessibility, functionality, and luxury. I strive to make my bags not only functional but also visually stunning.

Apart from the multi-mini bag, I’ve also taught myself to use Adobe Illustrator, which I use to design shirts for my merchandise shop. Many of my designs are inspired by comments from trolls or people trying to bring me down. Instead, I turned those negative comments around and used them to my advantage. That’s how the name of my bag company, Rancid Rose Bag Co, came about. I absolutely love the name and it truly encapsulates who I am. Someone left a comment on one of my videos where I expressed my indifference toward billionaires, saying that I gave off rancid vibes. There’s something intriguing about the word “rancid” — it has a grossness to it, yet it’s also edgy and punk rock. I decided to incorporate it into the rebranding of my bags. In one of my TikTok videos, I mentioned the possibility of naming the company “Rancid Vibes Co,” and I received numerous DMs and comments suggesting “Rancid Roses” instead. The moment I read that suggestion, I knew it was exactly what I wanted. The name exudes sass and embodies everything I could ask for. I understand that some people might find it offputting, but my target audience and market understand and appreciate why I chose it. They understand me not only as a business owner but also as a content creator.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Oh man don’t hate me, but I very rarely leave my house. I am a mother to three boys, and this is a household full of people who are autistic- myself included. So it all depends on the day, what I’m hyper fixated on, and if I can even get out of my house and a moment from the kids.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to dedicate my shoutout to my husband, Kaliko. He’s always stood by me as I went through the waves and motions of me trying to figure out what to do with myself. He’s never always been one to tell me I can do anything and support what I’m doing.

Website: www.ollierose.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/ollierose_?igshid=YjNmNGQ3MDY=

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/OllieRoseFromTiktok?mibextid=LQQJ4d

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCLSjWn6zm_lhQnnjUxJbgw

Other: Threads: https://www.threads.net/@ollierose_