Hipstapatch was created out of Amanda Glass’ passions for fashion, art, and creativity. She came up with the brilliant idea of “peel-and-stick” patches with an adhesive backing that can be placed on everything from denim jackets to cell phones to Converse sneakers. At only 17 years old, Amanda founded her company, and she hand-draws and designs every patch sold on Hipstapatch’s website. Additionally, Amanda’s donates a portion of her profits to help those affected by Lyme Disease. I am honored to feature such a wonderful and inspiring entrepreneur on The Zeitgeist this month, and I am beyond excited to see all of the amazing things Amanda will do in the future. I hope you enjoy Amanda’s answers as much as I loved interviewing her. Be sure to visit Hipstapatch’s website HERE and their Instagram account HERE.
When did you realize you wanted to launch your company?
I came up with the idea about nine months ago. Initially, I had thought it would be great to make permanent patches to stick onto shoes, being a sneaker fanatic. But, as time went on, I realized that the patches would be much more fun if you could remove them and change them up. After visiting and speaking to a bunch of manufacturers, Hipstapatch was set and ready to go. We launched about four months ago. I never thought we’d be doing so well in such a short amount of time!
I love that you donate a percentage of your profit to ILADS.org to help those affected by Lyme Disease. Why did you choose to work with this particular organization?
Sadly, Lyme Disease has affected a number of people who are very close to me. Having recently gained more attention in the media, Lyme Disease has become more recognized. We hope to spread awareness about Lyme and its effects. By donating a percentage of our profits to the International Lyme and Associated Diseases Educational Fund (ILADEF), we aim to give back to the Lyme Disease community and help further research and testing.
Where do you find inspiration for your amazing designs?
Inspiration is everywhere! I love to stay up-to-date with all of the latest trends. Ideas for patches come to me during the most random times of the day. Usually, I write them down somewhere in my phone and start designing them later on when I have time. I’m a big fan of Tumblr and Pinterest and definitely get a lot of inspiration from there. Also, magazines such as Teen Vogue and Nylon are my favorite reads – you’d be so surprised as to what you can find in there!
What is the best thing that has happened to you since founding Hipstapatch?
Seeing random people wearing our patches is probably one of the most exciting experiences. It’s so weird to think this was all just an idea a matter of months ago. The response we’ve gotten to them has definitely exceeded my expectations, and I’m so grateful for all of the support and positive feedback we’ve received.
What piece of advice do you have to share with young entrepreneurs?
Never give up. It might sound cliché, but it’s definitely the truth. Awesome businesses and companies that are booming today did not gain their fame overnight. If you have an idea, I say do your research, and then go for it! I never thought that I would be running my own business today.
