Check Out Liza Savary’s Story

Today we’d like to introduce you to Liza Savary

Hi Liza, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I am originally from New Jersey and moved to Los Angeles as an Interior Designer about 15 years ago. When I became a new mom in Santa Monica, we lived in a small city apartment, my son’s nursery was also our home office and guest room, so we had to be selective with every item we chose. I assumed that we would have to use a bright, busy play mat or worse…foam tiles. In addition, we found that those products don’t actually provide much cushion, they are easy to pull apart by little ones, and they collect crumbs, dirt, and liquid in the cracks.

I was hoping to find a play mat solution that looked like a rug. When I realized it didn’t exist, I decided I would create it myself. While working full time and having another baby, I found a manufacturer, created a sample and launched a Kickstarter campaign. When we were fully funded within two weeks, I gave my notice at work and Ruggish Co. was born! The growth was very organic given that it was a new concept. We were lucky enough to be picked up by blogs, podcasts and high-end retailers and share our products throughout the country!

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Originally, growth was very smooth.
Sales doubled for the first 3 years, and then there was COVID. With so many families homeschooling and updating their play spaces, orders skyrocketed. Luckily, we had just received a new shipment, so we were able to briefly keep up with the demand. Of course, we then had shipping delays, back orders and fulfillment challenges.

In the few years since then, there has been more competition, higher prices and a decrease in sales. The past two years have definitely been a struggle for small e-commerce businesses.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Ruggish has grown beyond just Play Rugs into Runners, nursing pillows, and playtime accessories. We have expanded to major retailers including Nordstrom, Target, Pottery Barn Kids and Amazon. I have a small team of people that help me with customer service and fulfillment, but overall, I am the lead.
As a new mom, I struggled to find work/ life balance. I knew I wanted to be proud and challenged by what I was doing, while still being present for our family. When I created Ruggish Play Rugs, my boys were 1 and 3. Now that they are 9 and 11, I look back most proud that I was able to be fully involved while still growing my business.

What quality or characteristic do you feel is most important to your success?
Focus and patience. I’ve had many ideas that never came to fruition as I lost focus and gave up because it seemed like it would never happen. When I was able to be more specific about what I was trying to accomplish, I planned a realistic timeline and was able to work backwards.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://ruggishco.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ruggishco/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/RuggishCo