Cameron Cruse, Founder of R. Riveter
Name: Cameron Cruse
Founder: R. Riveter
Who is Cameron Cruse?
Cameron Cruse co-founded R. Riveter in 2011 and set out to provide mobile, flexible income for military spouses across the country. She graduated from SCAD, first with a BFA in 2010, and then again with a master’s in architecture in 2011. Cameron was named one of the 25 people changing the future of retail in 2019 by the NRF and Apparel’s 30 under 30 in 2018. Cameron is a mother of two and proud Military Spouse.
In less than three sentences tell us about your company and what you do.
R. Riveter is a handbag company on a mission to provide mobile, flexible income to military spouses as they move across the country in support of their service members.
What does BEING a FoundHer mean to you?
To me it means approaching situations absent of pretense whether that be gender, race, or experience. I’ve never considered the fact that I am a female founder as something exceptional. I see it as a huge responsibility to my family, my team, and my community. There are many ways to start and run a successful business – being a founder means that you bring your values, your passions, and your ideas to life. I have strengths that are unique to my perspectives as a female, a mom and a military spouse that I use to dial in on my leadership style and ultimately serve those who need me.
How do you support other female founders and women in business?
We have always been inspired by strong female leaders and the men that support them and visa versa. Ultimately, we hope to provide proof to anyone - that building a business on your own terms is possible. We try to encourage women to push beyond what they thought possible, whatever ceiling they have built form themselves begs to be broken through.
What lesson or skill did you take with you from a prior job to help you succeed in your role today?
Funny enough, I had no professional experience prior to launching R. Riveter in our garage. I did have a Masters in Architecture that prepared me for the challenges in visual communication and marketing as well as project management. The lack of experience led to a general naivety that helped us see the work through an unencumbered perspective which helped us pave a new path but also forced a steep learning curve.
What is something you do differently from the industry standard?
We pride ourselves on providing a unique way for women to earn an income while leaving space for the balance needed in their lives. Mobile, flexible income means she can have an opportunity that fits her needs and not need to choose between paying a car note or picking up her kids in the car rider line.
What was an obstacle you overcame to get your business where it is today? Please share the story behind it.
One of the largest obstacles we face as a brand, and something that many more organizations will face as we settle into a post-pandemic normal, is the remote nature of our company. Oftentimes even our greatest strengths can present as weakness. In creating a remote workforce, we are constantly challenged by building and maintaining a team culture. We look for ways to connect virtually – for example we encourage video “on” as a way to emotionally check in and maintain quality communication on everyday company communication.
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