From Late-Night Ideas to Scooting
Once the initial spark for Roll Rider was lit, we knew we were onto something—but having an idea is one thing. Bringing it to life? That’s the real ride. From networking with sourcing partners to shaping our brand identity and carving out a new product category in the market, here’s how we turned a family-inspired idea into a business.
Talk About It—Loud and Often
One of the biggest myths in entrepreneurship? That you should keep your idea under wraps. I believe the opposite: talk to anyone who’ll listen. Every time I shared the scooter suitcase concept—with friends, moms, and fellow founders—it got sharper. People asked great questions, and many offered to help.
At a dinner with my friend Amy Jain, founder of BaubleBar (and a fellow mom in our target demo), I mentioned Roll Rider. Her reaction: “You have to do this.” Within five minutes, she connected me with someone heading to a factory in China that same day. I handed over our early prototype—and just like that, it was on a plane, and Roll Rider’s manufacturing journey began.
Leaning Into Your Network
When you’re starting a company, your network is everything. I reached out to anyone who had built a product before—especially those who understood mass retail, sourcing, shipping, and pricing. I asked questions nonstop and absorbed everything.
Through these conversations, I was able to zero in on unit economics—the cost to design, produce, and ship each unit—and determine whether our business model was viable. We looked at the size of the market (How many families travel every year? How many use kids luggage?) and realized we weren’t just launching a product; we were building a new category of travel gear for active families.
Finding Our Identity – and Our People
Naming Roll Rider was just the beginning. We partnered with Mutiny Branding, whose CEO is also a mom in our target market. What started as a quick brainstorm turned into a full creative partnership: naming, logo design, scooter suitcase colors, packaging, web design—even discussions about our first scooter luggage accessory pack.
My kids were a key part of the process too—joining calls, sharing design opinions, and helping choose color combos. They weren’t just involved; they were co-creators, which gave Roll Rider its unique voice: smart, playful, bold, and rooted in real family life.
Most importantly, we didn’t want to be just another scooter suitcase in the market; we wanted to stand out—so we made it:
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Durable and kid-friendly with a simple fold/unfold mechanism
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Sized to fit in overhead compartments or car trunks
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Designed for kids ages 3 to 12, with an adjustable handlebar
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Customizable with stickers, patches, and a scooter luggage tag, giving kids a sense of ownership and style
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Built with future accessories in mind—our scooter suitcase accessories line is just getting started!
Marketing Momentum: Let the Product Speak for Itself
We knew our kids scooter luggage would turn heads—because it already had. Even before Roll Rider officially launched, people stopped us in airports to ask, “Where can I get that?” That organic buzz became the heart of our marketing strategy:
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Make the product irresistible and eye-catching
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Create moments that families want to share
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Let our customers be the storytellers
Roll Rider was born for active lifestyle travel with kids, and everything we do supports that—from the way we design our suitcases to the content we share online. We’re not just selling a travel suitcase for kids; we’re selling confidence, independence, and a little extra fun in the middle of airport chaos.
What Makes Roll Rider Different?
In a sea of generic kids' luggage, Roll Rider is in a category of its own. We didn’t just improve the product, but we reimagined the experience as a whole.
Coming Up Next…
In our next post, we’ll take you through the launch process: how we went from prototype to production to our first real orders. If you’ve ever wondered how to go from “what if” to “it’s shipping,” stay tuned!
And in case you missed it… check out Parts 1 and 2 here.
Take a look at some of our early scooter suitcase renderings—hard to believe how far we’ve come since those first sketches!
