Today we’d like to introduce you to Justin Acosta
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I’ve been a graphic designer for about 12 years but only in the apparel industry for the last 2 years or so. I have both my Bachelors and Masters which led me to get pretty well-paying jobs but it seems the more I made, the more my mental health started going down the drain. I was working 60+ hour weeks, I had 2 phones and one was always ringing, skipping every holiday, birthday, graduation etc., and things went from just not wanting to go to work to much worse and darker. I never saw my girlfriend, friends or family, and the stress of everything sent me down some dark holes.
I was driving to work one day, stuck in Austin traffic, just mentally preparing to hate everything for the next 10 hours and then all of a sudden I saw a car in front of me that had a bumper sticker with some sort of positive message. I can’t remember what exactly it said, but whatever it was was enough to get me to pick up the phone, call HR, and file an FMLA claim. I started therapy later that week.
After a while I ended up leaving that job to pursue self-employment which I have been doing now for about 2 years. I began designing mental-health-inspired apparel strictly for myself…I had always had this idea of designing shirts with subtle messages on the back for the person behind you to see. Similar to that car and bumper sticker, the idea was to pass off some kindness to complete strangers who may be going through a hard time without ever taking any of the credit. That idea has since blossomed and the designs gotten more intricate and developed, but the underlying message and values are still there.
It’s been such a dope journey to see how our designs and apparel have resonated with so many people. We’ve gotten some crazy and inspiring messages from followers about stuff they’re currently dealing with or have gone through, not to mention some super heartfelt messages that customers have requested we print and place in the bag with the shirts they bought as gifts.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Far from it. It takes a lot to launch a brand or company, especially in today’s age wherever social media has everyone pinned against each other and comparing this to that. The hardest part was/has been trying to be open and transparent on social media to see. There weren’t many people who knew I was in therapy (definitely not my family), and from one day to the next I start publicly advocating for mental health….it was weird.
It’s been a challenge getting eyes on the brand, still is…continuing to create content when you’re getting 100 views, publishing designs that don’t sell, investing in equipment or supplies with no return in sight. I’d go days without sleep (occasionally still do), stressed, filled with self-doubt…the irony was not lost on me that my anxiety was being heavily intensified by the very thing I’m creating to try and combat and bring awareness to.
I’m fortunate that my day job allowed me to financially weather those storms, but it’s still rough. There’s so much work that goes into printing and designing apparel, and it’s just me that does it all. I designed all the apparel, built the website, order all the supplies and packaging, record and edit all the content, print, pack , etc. All while still not letting my day job work falter.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Rocky Road is a mental health-inspired apparel company with the sole goal of designing kickass clothing that looks cool while shining a light on mental health. What makes us different is that every piece we design is inspired by real stories of people overcoming struggles, and bring awareness to the fact that mental health issues don’t discriminate and often go unseen. Another thing that makes us different is that I firmly believe that our apparel isn’t really meant for the people who buy our shirts, it’s meant for strangers…people buy our apparel to spread positivity for complete strangers to read, and I think that’s incredible.
I’m most proud of the impact we’ve made in such a short amount of time. The stories people have shared on their own social media because of our apparel and the messages we’ve received expressing gratitude have meant the world to me. I don’t care how much money I make or lose, if one of my shirts helps even a single stranger seek help or make it to tomorrow, then the brand is a success.
Are there any apps, books, podcasts, blogs or other resources you think our readers should check out?
A few books have been super impactful to me: Man’s Search for Meaning, A long Way Down, All Stressed up and Nowhere to go, etc… but the book I find myself referring to regularly is “The subtle art of not giving a fu*k”
I overthink and tend to make things so much worse for myself, “the subtle art…” always helps ground me and remember that I’m either worried about the wrong things, or approaching them in the wrong way.”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://rockyroadapparel.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rockyroad_apparel/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rockyroadtx
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@rockyroadapparel
