People often say that if you are able to make a living doing something you love, you should be grateful. For Jenny Ross this isn’t just a saying, but a way of life. Jenny is an Apex entrepreneur with a lot to be grateful for. As a wife and mom, Jenny has managed to bring together several ideas and has made a product that is the talk of women not only in Apex, but around the country.
Jenny Ross is the designer and owner of Grateful, Initially Inspired Bags. Grateful bags are beautifully designed handbags that can be personalized with interchangeable acrylic monograms that fit every bag. Jenny came up with Grateful bags by combining different styles and ideas together. “I had an embroidery business and monograms were the most requested thing for me to stitch,” Jenny said. Around the same time that Jenny was preparing monograms for customers, she received an acrylic monogrammed necklace as a gift. “That Christmas, my nieces got designer purses with the big round logo on the outside. So, in January 2012, I woke up my husband in the middle of the night and said ‘Why can’t the purse logo be your monogram, or your brand?’” And thus, Grateful bags was born! After conducting research and putting in a lot of work and trial and error, Jenny was granted a US Patent in March of 2013 for the interchangeable monogram, ensuring that there is nothing else like it out there. From small clutches and wristlets, to large totes, Grateful has something for even the pickiest fashionista.
What’s in a Name?
So why name her company Grateful? For Jenny, the term Grateful means that “even in our darkest moments and hardest days, we all have so much to be thankful for. It’s about appreciating the little things and being present in the moment,” she said. For the Ross family, being grateful is about what they have been blessed with, but more about what they can give to others. There is a bible verse that Jenny holds near to her heart: Luke 12:48 “For those to whom much is given, much will be required.” It is so important, in fact, she has it painted on her kitchen wall.
For Jenny, her husband Erik and their sons Nick and Noah, taking the blessings they have been given and being able to give to those less fortunate is truly what they are grateful for. “Giving back is our ongoing responsibility and commitment,” she said. “We have the honor to be connected to the ZOE organization which is a distinctive three-year program developed in Africa that empowers orphans and vulnerable children around the world to overcome extreme poverty and become completely self-reliant.” As an organization, ZOE has over 30,000 children currently enrolled. Jenny and her family traveled to Rwanda to meet the children they help support, and, she said, “we came back even more passionate to advocate for this program.” Jenny’s dream is to hold an event at the Oaks at Salem that would combine a party for Grateful Bags and a fundraiser for ZOE. “I’ve envisioned it several different ways…I’d love to see it become a reality,” she said.
What makes Grateful Bags so unique isn’t just the personalized touch that goes into every detail of the bags, but the fact that the designs are timeless.
And let’s be honest, there
isn’t a southern girl around
that doesn’t love a monogram!
Although Jenny’s back-
ground isn’t in fashion or design, she is a Texan and has lived in Apex for 18 years, so she knows a thing or two about what southern (and all other regions) ladies like. “Our social media tagline is ‘Handbags with Southern charm + a modern edge that makes them truly unique.’ Monograms and personalization are certainly on-trend, but classic and timeless at the same time…and what’s more Southern than a monogram?” Jenny said. “Women love to customize the font, color, and initials on their Grateful bag to make it their own…and our customer is ageless…they really are high-schoolers to grandmothers,” she said.
One way Jenny stays current is by keeping up with fashion trends, but also keeping up with the lifestyles of her customers. As any southern lady will tell you, in fall, football is life. And in this area whether you bleed Wolfpack Red, Tarheel Blue, or run with the Blue Devils, every fan needs the right accessory for those weekend tailgates! One of her most popular bag is called the Izzy. The Izzy is a crossbody bag that was designed to comply with the recent stadium restriction policies which is either a clear bag, or a small clutch the size of your hand (6.5”x4.5”). All NFL and NCAA stadiums have implemented these size limits, along with arenas, concerts and other venues. The Izzy is exactly the right length and height, but unfortunately doesn’t hold much more than keys and a phone. To keep up with the changing needs of her customers, Jenny is coming out with a “new gameday bag called Zoey” and is sure to be a hit with every tailgating lady!
Stay Tuned…
Jenny is constantly looking at new ideas and designing bags that fit the lifestyles of her customers, many of which she knows personally, or catches a glimpse of while in and around Apex. When asked about the response to Grateful bags, Jenny said she gives much credit to the Apex community for keeping her going. “Because of small business challenges and hurdles, there have been moments when I’ve thought ‘maybe this isn’t meant to be,’ then I see someone carrying a bag at Target or church or I receive a sweet email or message complimenting the product, customer service and the message that Grateful stands for,” she said. But it isn’t just local customers that are singing the praises of Jenny Ross and her designs. Grateful Bags has been featured in publications such as INC. magazine, Life & Style, and Inside Weddings as well as the News & Observer and most recently in WRAL’s Go Ask Mom section.
Jenny does not let her gratitude for her customers go unnoticed. Jenny has held Grateful Bags Anniversary parties at Cloer Vineyards in Apex to thank her customers and friends for helping her make her dream become a reality. Jenny says that the support she gets has been the biggest motivator to push ahead and keep chasing the dream, and we can’t wait to see what she dreams up next!
