malachite; art on a bag!

Ambitious Rodyna Ahmed, a fifteen-year-old teenager, and the owner of malachite, a startup targeting gen-Z-related preferences in tote bags! Rodyna single-handedly manages malachite, where she orders blank totes, comes up with designs, and hand-paints them on the totes, finally sending them to their loving new owners.

malachite was first inspired by animes and anime characters, like My Hero Academia's Bakougou, her favourite character. When voiced our concerns about what it's like managing a small business whilst being a high-school student, Rodyna stated that she finds it easy to manage the brand alongside studying saying that, “it's not really that difficult to manage.”

And, while every young entrepreneur faces different reactions from family and friends, in Rodyna's case, she had a supportive family and compassionate friends right by her side,

“so far, my friends have encouraged me to continue. Some of them even bought my first sold totes!” she said.

Rodyna isn't only a smart entrepreneur, but she was also an interesting and talented artist whom we were keen on getting to know better, and she didn't disappoint when asked about her definition of a day-well-spent, saying, “when I have the motivation to paint or I finish the artwork,” beside listening to music which puts her at ease and comfort. 

We asked Rodyna about any exclusive info she can let us tell you about, and she has piqued our curiosity with her forthcoming intentions to expand her small business to include hand-printed tees! Lastly, when we asked if she has anything to say to fellow young people considering starting their own brand, she was really encouraging of the idea of them starting their own business, and gave the following advice,

“sort everything out before starting the business, that includes -but isn't limited to what the products itself will be, its price, how you're going to deliver the products. But another important thing is not ti get confused or struggle while dealing with a customer, always ensure that you understand what they want exactly.”

 

Our chat with Rodyna was eye-opening, not only to what's on the mind of such a talented, young entrepreneur, but also to how the times have changed, and the doors have opened for young artists to be able to make an income without the need to be a middle-aged white man. malachite is not just a totes brand, it's a fifteen-year-old artist's heart and soul poured into arts curated to the taste of fellow young art-enthusiasts who understand how to appreciate such works.

Make sure to DM malachite on Instagram and ask them about their prices, you will not be disappointed! 😉