When he received a grant from the Small Business Administration, Rockland Page had one goal: to bring his unique clothing designs to Indianapolis. 

Page started as a graphic designer who graduated from Ball State University. Soon after, he moved to Chicago to become a senior designer at a local firm, but his friends encouraged him to put his designs on t-shirts.

What started as a creative outlet led to Page operating a business out of his basement. He took his shirts to pop-up shops in Chicago and Indianapolis and soon began to build a loyal following. But during the COVID-19 pandemic, Page says, “Everything just got shut down.” As a result, he opened a new storefront in Merrillville, Indiana, in 2021. 

Months later, Page participated in a pitch competition where he showcased an augmented reality t-shirt that taught black history. After receiving large orders from iHeartMedia and the Obama Foundation, he says,  “I knew I needed a bigger place.” 

That led to Page receiving a grant from the SBA, which allowed him to open a larger storefront on the near north side of Indianapolis. Now, Page says he is focused on fostering more corporate relationships while managing the retail side of his business. 

When it comes to being a small business owner, Page says he’s learning to act more like a CEO than a designer. “That’s super challenging.” His advice to other small business owners is to “go with your gut” and learn to make mistakes.