Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Ferrell.
Hi Lindsey, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I never set out to start a company or become an entrepreneur. At the time, I was a full-time Teacher for the Deaf at White Station High School in Memphis, Tennessee, working two jobs while raising my family. Building a business was never part of my plan or childhood dream. I was simply a mom who saw a problem and wanted to create a better solution for her own family.
When my oldest daughter, Ryan Rose, was born, I struggled to find pacifier clips that felt both safe and beautifully designed. Most of the options on the market felt too long, poorly made, or lacked the simple, modern style I was drawn to, so I decided to create my own.
That small idea from the Lord, led me to start Ryan & Rose in 2013 from our kitchen table with just $500 from my mother-in-law.
We began with pacifier clips and became known for creating one of the first shortened pacifier clips designed to be both safer and more stylish. What started as a small side business slowly grew year by year as I worked nights and weekends building the company while continuing to teach full-time.
For the first seven years, we operated completely out of our home in Lakeland, Tennessee. My daughters truly grew up surrounded by inventory, shipping boxes, and products stacked throughout the house. Looking back now, those years were some of my sweetest memories. The time went by so fast.
In 2016, we launched on Amazon, and honestly, it was incredibly difficult in the beginning. There were many nights I cried trying to figure it out. But through a lot of perseverance and hard work, it slowly became one of the biggest blessings and largest sources of growth for our company today.
But the true turning point for our company came in 2017 when my second daughter, Charley, was born.
Charley refused every traditional pacifier we tried, and as an exhausted mom searching for a solution, I created the Cutie PAT, the first pacifier and teether combined into one product. To my surprise, she instantly loved it. That product completely changed the direction of our business and connected with parents all over the world who were looking for practical, thoughtfully designed products that actually solved a problem.
We were incredibly grateful for Instagram because that is truly where our growth exploded. Social media allowed us to connect directly with moms in a real and authentic way during a time when organic connection online was still possible. In the early days, I packed orders myself alongside my sister, created content from home, and reinvested everything back into the business while continuing to work full-time.
In 2019, my husband stepped away from his family’s HVAC business, HR Ferrell and Company, to join Ryan & Rose full-time, which was both exciting and difficult at the same time. Then in 2020, we launched into Target stores nationwide, which was another surreal milestone for our family and business.
A huge part of this journey has also been my faith. I truly believe God gave me the vision and ideas for this business. While I never planned to build a company, once I felt the Lord leading me in this direction, I did believe He had big things in store for us. I just did not know what that would look like yet.
From the very beginning, we made the decision to never borrow money and to always tithe and give back to the Lord through our business. That foundation has shaped every part of Ryan & Rose and the way we operate today.
Before January 2021, we had launched many baby products, but as my children grew up, my ideas grew with them. I created Jesus Bracelets as a way to help my girls boldly share Jesus with others.
Jesus Bracelets quickly became much more than just another product. Today, they are our number one seller and truly the heart behind our business. More than anything, they represent our mission. Over the years, I have realized this business is not mine at all. It is the Lord’s. Everything we have is because of Him, for Him, and from Him.
As the company has grown, so has our passion for innovation and solving problems for families. Today, Ryan & Rose holds 33 patents, and in 2023 we launched the Cutie Dose, continuing our mission of making families’ lives easier at every stage of life.
Today, Ryan & Rose has grown into a brand carried by families around the world. We have expanded into pacifiers, toys, faith-based products, gifts, and more, but the heart behind it has stayed the same. I want everything we create to feel meaningful, beautiful, intentional, and rooted in purpose.
One of the sweetest parts of this journey has been building it alongside family. Both of my sisters now work for the company, and we have an incredible team who pour so much into this business every single day. We truly could not do it without them.
There have been seasons of growth, uncertainty, sacrifice, and many moments where I had no idea what I was doing. But looking back, one of the biggest lessons I have learned is that you do not have to have everything figured out to start. Sometimes the most meaningful things begin with simply taking one small step of faith right where you are.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
There have been many unknowns, challenges, and moments that stretched us, but through every season, the Lord has always provided and remained faithful.
One of the biggest decisions we made early on was that we never wanted to borrow money to grow the business. That meant there were many moments where things felt uncertain financially. I can remember weeks where I genuinely did not know how we were going to pay employees. I remember being on my knees praying, asking God to provide and guide us, and He always did. Time after time, the Lord provided exactly what we needed, sometimes literally down to the penny and many times way more!
I did not have a degree in business or a background in entrepreneurship. I was a Teacher for the Deaf stepping into an entirely new world and learning everything as I went. From shipping logistics, Amazon, patents, product testing, manufacturing, retail, and eventually building a team, nearly every part of the business was something new to me. So much of this journey has been learning little by little along the way, growing through mistakes, asking questions, staying persistent, and trusting God through every new season.
I also struggled for years with balance. I was absolutely a workaholic in the early years of building the business. Because I cared so deeply about what we were creating, it was hard for me to turn work off. Over time, the Lord has taught me the importance of slowing down, being present with my family, and realizing that success means very little if you miss the people and moments that matter most.
There have definitely been stressful seasons and moments that felt overwhelming. Building a business while raising children, working multiple jobs, and eventually leading a growing team is not always easy. But through it all, we have learned not to carry the weight of everything ourselves.
Our faith has truly been the anchor through every obstacle. We believe God is in control, and because of that, we do not have to walk through hard seasons alone. That does not mean everything is always sunshine and rainbows, but it does mean we know who to turn to when challenges come. We have learned to place those worries at His feet, work hard, stay faithful, and trust that He will guide us through whatever comes next.
Over the years, we have also learned not to sweat the small stuff as much. Problems will always come and go, but God’s faithfulness has remained constant through all of it.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
What I am most proud of is the integrity behind our business and the heart of why we do what we do. We have never wanted to create products just to create products. Every item we design is meant to solve a real problem and genuinely make families’ lives easier at every stage of life.
I am also incredibly proud of the way we have chosen to build the company. From the beginning, we made the decision to trust God fully, never borrow money, and grow at the pace we felt He was leading us. There were difficult seasons and many unknowns along the way, but time after time, we saw His faithfulness provide exactly what we needed.
Another thing that means a lot to me is the culture within our company. We truly care about our employees and want them to feel valued, supported, and appreciated. We buy lunch for our team every day, and we intentionally take Fridays off to allow more time for family and rest. As a former workaholic myself, I have learned how important balance truly is, and I want the people around me to enjoy both their work and their lives outside of work.
I think what sets us apart is that Ryan & Rose has never been just about selling products. At the heart of everything we do is faith, purpose, integrity, and people. We truly want what we create to make a difference in someone’s everyday life, whether that is through solving a practical problem or pointing someone back to Jesus.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Something many people may not know about me is that I was born with a tumor on my spine and was told I would never walk or have children. Over the years, I have gone through more than 25 surgeries. Looking back, I can truly see the Lord’s hand through every part of my story. Those experiences shaped so much of who I am today, especially my faith, perseverance, and gratitude. They taught me very early on not to take life, family, or purpose for granted and to fully trust God even when things feel uncertain. I truly believe every challenge strengthened my faith and prepared me for the journey He had planned for me.
Also, despite owning a brand and constantly being in front of the camera, I still dread filming ads. Ha!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ryanandrose.co
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ryanandrose
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RyanAndRoseCutieClips
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@ryanandroseco
