01.12.2023

A note from us, December.

At the beginning of rosewell, I wrote that I wanted to create a brand that looked more like health than sex. Why? I was disengaged and uncomfortable with the existing landscape. I wanted to make something that was meaningful, that felt intentional and not intimidating.

Now, almost three two years in, I feel like we’ve achieved that. It's no secret our industry is bursting, and more and more brands are launching. This indicates how much we need variety and access to products like vibes, and we welcome the change.

For us in 2023, we're leaning into embracing rosewell as a brand that represents connection, vulnerability and adds value to the lives of our community. There’s enough noise around sales, revenue, growth, scaling—I’m just not here for it.

Throughout the past three years, I’ve met some incredible people. The kind that allow you to think differently, question your own behaviour and encourage deeper thought. Without these people, I’d likely be closed off to what rosewell is today.

By choosing the route of vulnerability, I’ve explored my own sexuality, cried with strangers, openly discussed the breakdown (and build-up) of my most personal relationships and had over 100 phone calls with customers—just to chat.

A process like this has left me feeling more as a customer of rosewell rather than its founder.

This exposure to other people has fostered a braveness in me to say yes—to take risks with the business, move to new york for the summer, leave my marriage and prioritise my mental health.

I put myself online. I wrote. I practised mindfulness. I let go of decade-long friendships to make space for new ones. I allowed myself to admit I needed help. I tried to think less, be more present, do things for pleasure. I’ve shown love when I had nothing to give, I’ve forgiven when no apology was present, I’ve accepted that my pain, shame and relentless pursuit of ‘more’ won’t go away. I’ve shown up, grown up, and shut up when others needed the space I held. I’ve sat in discomfort and became curious about the parts of myself I didn’t like, to try and address them before they caused chaos in the future. I’ve learnt to recognise reactions and feelings that were indistinguishable before. That's because people invested their time in me and what I'm trying to create.

This growth is both intensely personal and necessary for rosewell to continue existing. I’ve let my cup get too empty for the sake of the website you’re reading this on, and I needed to pour a little back in.

The past year has been dotted with such highs, and great lows, with more time spent alone in my head with others. Maybe that’s okay. By taking the approach of curiosity and healing over deprecation and dismissing, I’m feeling alright.

For now, I’m unsure where I belong with rosewell. Is this pocket of the world going to make the impact I’ve dreamt it to be? Or should I allow it to exist between the small, intentional brands and the mass-produced, vc-backed bohemiths? Who knows. I do know I’m not concerned by the thoughts of others, and that feels like success within itself.

There are more questions, and more answers, but for now I’m promising you the vulnerability you show me each time you engage with rosewell, use a product, or share a story.

Thank you.

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