We were lucky to catch up with Rabia Razzaq recently and have shared our conversation below.

Rabia, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to have you retell us the story behind how you came up with the idea for your business, I think our audience would really enjoy hearing the backstory.

Three years ago, I moved to the United States, a journey that marked the beginning of a transformative chapter in my life. Early on, I met Professor Don Carr, who introduced me to the world of entrepreneurship and the art of bringing ideas to life. His mentorship sparked a deep passion in me for creating meaningful solutions.

A few months into my coursework, I had the incredible opportunity to meet Peyton, an Olympic athlete, during one of our class sessions. He was invited to speak about accessibility and inclusivity in design, topics that resonated with me on a profound level. Peyton and I quickly became close friends, and through our conversations, I gained insight into the unique challenges he faced, especially when it came to clothing.

One story that particularly stood out to me was when Peyton shared how his team needed customized uniforms for an important match. Each athlete had different dimensions and requirements, making it difficult to find a one-size-fits-all solution. This experience opened my eyes to the importance of personalized design in making life easier for everyone, regardless of their physical abilities. Remend, started with Peyton, where we customize clothes for people with different abilities through the tailors in their vicinity.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I grew up surrounded by stories about the rich history of my country. My grandmother often shared vivid memories of her life, particularly her experience during the Partition of India—a period marked by one of the largest mass migrations in human history. As a child, she was forced to leave her homeland, like so many others, to embark on a journey of hundreds of miles to build a new life.

These stories captivated me, sparking my imagination and leading me to sketch them on paper. This early fascination eventually grew into a passion for design. After four years as a Graphic Designer and earning my Master’s in Design from Syracuse University, these experiences have shaped me into the designer I am today.

I’m deeply passionate about creating products that prioritize inclusion and accessibility. One project I’m particularly proud of involved collaborating with Arise, Syracuse, where we designed and built cardboard products for a friend, making sure their needs were met in a meaningful way.

In addition to my design work, I also enjoy writing about these topics. If you’re interested, you can check out my article on Disability-Led Design, where I share insights on how thoughtful design can make a difference.

​Also, I love dancing with my dad and run a small start-up Olive.Creatives (https://www.instagram.com/olive.creatives/). Read about it here https://e.thenews.com.pk/lahore/05-05-2024/tns-page21

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Meeting new people and staying informed about market trends is essential to our team. We’re deeply engaged with the community, always eager to learn about the latest developments. Peyton and Kai, our co-founders, are especially active in this regard. Beyond their work on our MVP product, they’re consistently involved in community initiatives.
Through our volunteer efforts, we’ve built strong connections with individuals who are making meaningful contributions in the design and equity space. These relationships have enriched our work and reinforced our commitment to creating impactful, inclusive solutions.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

A significant lesson I had to unlearn was my approach to time management. Early in my career, I believed in working tirelessly on one project at a time, often to the detriment of my health. After moving to the United States, this habit caught up with me, and my health began to suffer significantly.

It was a wake-up call that forced me to reassess my priorities. I realized that not all tasks carry the same weight, and it’s crucial to prioritize them accordingly. The higher-priority tasks should be tackled first, while the less urgent ones can wait. Most importantly, I learned that nothing is more valuable than your health. Working hard is essential, but not at the cost of your well-being. This shift in mindset has made me more effective in my work and allowed me to maintain a healthier balance in life.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.rabiadesigns.com
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rabia-razzaq-961aa6223/