The Creation of Rad Sister

Hello Everyone! October marks one year of being in business. I started Rad Sister last year and launched on October, 17th 2020. 

I realized I have never told the full story of how I got started. Here it goes:

In late August/early September of 2020, I drove from Southern Florida to Upstate NY. It was still peak COVID time, but I hadn’t seen my family in over six months, so I decided to drive. It wasn’t my first long solo road trip so I knew what to expect. I listened to podcasts and downloaded awesome music. With about 4 hours left in my 18 hour trip I was listening to Michelle Obama’s podcast. For some reason I felt super inspired, so I turned on my voice recording app in my phone and started talking. I spoke about cool things I wanted to try, places I wanted to go and good ideas that I thought of. Turns out, one of those ideas was a feminist t-shirt business.

Before I started Rad Sister, I didn’t even know I wanted to start a business. I just knew what I liked. Feminism, women’s rights, sustainability, and dope t-shirts that say something inspiring on them. I thought about all the shirts I had in my closet that were made by other people or big companies and thought to myself, “maybe I could do that” but was very worried about the environmental impact I would have by producing more clothing. 

I decided to try. I made two shirts at a local t-shirt shop and hired one of my friends to create the design. I told her what I was looking for and she delivered more than I could have asked. My friend Michaela and I, who I met during my time in South Africa, decided to go to the 2020 Women’s March in Washington D.C. A few weeks before, I decided it would be a perfect launch day. 

October 17th, 2020 was one of the best days of my life. It was the day I found my voice. Not because I started a business, but because I realized in my marching with thousands of women, that we all have something to say. Everyone there had a story, whether they chose to share it or not. All women do. 

I left my weekend in D.C feeling empowered and energized. I was overwhelmed with the support of people I had grown up with, went to school with, and some I didn’t even know, that they wanted to support my business and the causes I care so deeply about. 

Whatever it is that burns a fire inside of you, no matter how big or how small you should try it. Even if everyone tells you it’s a horrible idea, and it might turn out to be. You will never know if you don’t at least try. Thanks for following along on this rollercoaster of a journey. I appreciate you!