Bold was born out of a leap of faith I took at 19 years old. Faced with an offer from my dream university which was a “no-brainer”, I instead decided to take a chance on myself and pursue my dream full time. A dream of creating something that I could truly be proud of.

The first 11 months of the year were spent in the prototyping lab without seeing any real results. I headed down to the streets and public bus stops alone, seeking validation from strangers about my obscure ideas. I remember my hands trembling as I distributed the survey forms—which came back negative (talk about double heartbreak).

Not wanting to accept defeat, I travelled to China alone in search of factories, going on 14-hour train rides stuck in a cabin with 5 strangers. It was my first time travelling alone and the fear of not returning home kept me wide awake. Once, the boss of the factory even asked me “So, where’s your boss? and I had to awkwardly tell him that it was me.

Despite my efforts, my first product (and 11 months) turned out to be an epic failure. No one wanted it, and no one wanted to make it…

They say things can change in an instant. My “instant” happened during the last month when I finally received my first tangible product in my hand. It was surreal to see it take form from the sketches and prototypes over the months. I would always remember that feeling of accomplishment—which was far greater than any As that I scored in tests and exams.

In the next year, we launched a Kickstarter campaign for our first bag, Quiver, which raised 400% of our original goal of $15,000 ($60,000!!) in 30 days and we’ve never looked back.

Today, we are not a bag company. We never aspired to be. We always wanted to be a place that empowers people to take a leap of faith and be bold — very much like how we started this company.

May you stay bold and take that leap of faith,

-Mandy

The Bold Co. designs everyday carry gear for active urbanites. Our products are demand-driven, only producing in small batches and with sustainable and durable materials.

Our carry is meant to empower you to step out of your comfort zone to live the Bold life you’ve always dreamt of. #BeBold