We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rowan Stout. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rowan below.
Rowan, looking forward to hearing all of your stories 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.
Growing up I always wanted to help others, I wasn’t sure in what way, but I just knew that helping others feel seen, heard & loved was something I was meant to do. So when I lost my childhood best friend to suicide & I saw firsthand how poorly everyone handled the situations leading up to her passing & how they handled it afterward, I knew there had to be a better way.
For years I wasn’t allowed to talk about her, I wasn’t allowed to express how much pain I was in which created a storm of loneliness & negative emotions that I wasn’t prepared to deal with. As I got older, I began hearing other suicide loss survivors stories & how they also felt they were failed by those around them. So I created endure as a safe space for us all to share our stories, a space where we can learn, heal & grow at our own pace & remind one another that we are not alone in trying to overcome these things.
Rowan, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
I’m Rowan Stout, the founder, designer & photographer behind Endure! I started my brand in 2014 as a way to process the loss of loved ones to suicide & be a support to those who had to go through a lack of support as I did. Through my designs & photography I work to make Endure a safe space to help others keep going, keep growing & know they are not alone. My platform is helping people out there know they matter just as they are & that our experiences don’t define who we are.
Not only has my brand allowed me to build community for those grieving the loss of a loved one, it has given a channel to inspire others to see the healing power of nature & enjoy those little moments of life- like a pretty flower, bird or wonderful sunset.
In addition to running Endure full-time I’m also a proud dog mom, wife to my partner Cari & avid soccer fan (former goalkeeper here!). When we aren’t exploring for new photography spots we’re cheering on our favorite teams!
We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.
Being a business thats sole purpose is advocating for mental health has a whole different set of obstacles, much like other businesses that advocate for taboo topics. There is so much pushback & many times people aren’t willing to openly support you & your cause because talking about mental health still makes people uncomfortable. There have been many times where I’ve thought that I should just give up because it really seems like an impossible battle, but I remind myself that this is exactly why Endure exists. To show those that feel unseen that they are loved & that the entire Endure community is behind them cheering them on.
Have you ever had to pivot?
Dropping out of college was the biggest pivot of my life. I had no idea what I was going to do, but I knew that if I didn’t take a step back from the exhaustion of being a college athlete & in the midst of bachelors degree that my mental health would continue to deteriorate. It was such a big moment for me because it was the first time I chose myself over what others wanted for me or what I felt I “needed” to do to make those around me proud. Many people were disappointed in me, but at the end of the day I know that I wouldn’t be here today if I wouldn’t have made that decision. Not long after I dropped out, I came up with the idea of starting Endure & I’ve been on this journey ever since.
While moments like this can feel impossibly hard, I hope you know how important it is for you to choose yourself. Only you know what you’re going through & you have to take the steps that are best for you to be okay.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.endurelifenow.com
- Instagram: @endure_life