Today we’d like to introduce you to Rose Schlagel.
Hi Rose, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My story is one of resilience, growth, and learning to turn life’s challenges into opportunities. I was born in Buffalo, New York, and grew up between Buffalo and Puerto Rico. Being raised between two cultures gave me the gift of being bilingual in English and Spanish and taught me from a young age how to connect with and appreciate people from different backgrounds.
My journey hasn’t always been easy. I experienced difficult circumstances during my childhood and faced many personal and health challenges throughout my life. Those experiences shaped me into a strong, empathetic, and determined person. They taught me that even when life takes you down an unexpected path, you can find the strength to keep moving forward.
Professionally, I spent more than 10 years working in the healthcare field. That experience taught me so much about compassion, communication, patience, and working with people. Eventually, I began exploring my creative side and realized that I wanted to build something of my own.
In 2023, that vision became “Contagious Inspirations,” a personalized-product business that has grown into a one-stop shop offering sublimation, embroidery, laser engraving, printing and design, and UV printing. We work with individuals as well as small businesses, and some of our favorite experiences have come from attending fairs and craft shows where we can meet people face-to-face, hear their ideas, and turn those ideas into custom products.
As our business continued to grow, I saw another opportunity to use my administrative skills and created “RS Business Solutions,” which provides services such as notary public services, word processing, Pennsylvania LLC registration assistance, and bookkeeping.
Today, I’m proud of how far we’ve come, but I also see this as just the beginning. My journey has taught me that you don’t have to have everything figured out before taking the next step. Sometimes you just have to be brave enough to start, be willing to learn, and keep going when things get difficult!
That’s really how I got here—one challenge, one idea, and one step at a time.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
No, it definitely has not been a smooth road, but I believe the challenges I’ve faced have helped shape the person and entrepreneur I am today.
I’ve experienced difficult situations throughout my childhood that had a lasting impact on me, and as I became an adult, I faced significant health challenges, including endometriosis, early-onset menopause, and multiple surgeries. There were times when I had to put my personal goals on hold, focus on healing, and learn how to move forward when life wasn’t going the way I had planned. I’m still learning from some of those experiences today.
Starting a business has brought its own challenges. When you are building something from the ground up, there isn’t always a clear roadmap. There are financial decisions, learning new equipment and technology, managing customers and orders, marketing, balancing different responsibilities, and constantly figuring out how to grow. Sometimes you have an idea that doesn’t work the way you imagined, and you have to be willing to learn from it and try again.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned is that struggling doesn’t mean you’re failing. Sometimes it simply means you’re growing.
There have been moments when I questioned whether I could keep going, but I reminded myself of everything I’ve already overcome. That has given me the strength to keep pushing forward.
Today, I try not to look at my challenges as things that held me back. I look at them as experiences that taught me resilience, patience, empathy, and courage. They have made me more understanding of other people’s struggles and have taught me to appreciate every opportunity I have to create something meaningful.
The road hasn’t been smooth, but every bump in the road has helped prepare me for where I am today—and I wouldn’t trade the lessons I’ve learned along the way.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Contagious Inspirations is a personalized products and creative services business that was created with one simple idea in mind: we want to help people turn their ideas into something they can actually hold, use, display, or give to someone they love.
We opened our doors in 2023, and since then, we’ve grown into a one-stop shop offering sublimation, embroidery, laser engraving, printing and graphic design, UV printing, and allows us to personalize a wide variety of products. We work with individuals, families, organizations, and especially small businesses. We also offer bulk-order discounts for businesses and ship throughout the continental United States and Puerto Rico.
One of the things Contagious Inspirations has become especially well known for is our “personalized slate plaques” We love working with slate because every piece is unique, and it gives us the opportunity to create something truly meaningful and personal. Whether it’s a memorial, a family keepsake, a special gift, or something created to represent a business, we put a lot of thought into the design and the finished product.
What really sets us apart, though, is the personal experience we provide.
Today, there are many companies that offer DIY customization where customers choose a template, enter their information, and place an order themselves. While those services can be convenient, we believe there is still something special about having an actual person listen to you, understand what you’re envisioning, and help bring that vision to life.
With Contagious Inspirations, custom really means custom.
We offer one-on-one service and work directly with our customers throughout the design process. Sometimes a customer comes to us with a very specific idea, and other times they simply know they want something special but aren’t sure how to create it. That’s where we come in. We listen, brainstorm, design, make adjustments, and work with them until we create something they are excited about.
I’m especially proud of the relationships we’ve built with our customers and other small businesses. Some of our best opportunities have come from meeting people at fairs, craft shows, and community events. Those face-to-face connections often lead to custom orders, repeat customers, and relationships that go beyond a single purchase.
For us, Contagious Inspirations isn’t just about making personalized products. It’s about making people feel heard and creating something that has meaning to them.
We want our customers to know that when they come to us, they’re not just placing an order with a company—they’re working with real people who genuinely care about what they’re creating.
And that’s something I never want to lose as we continue to grow. I want Contagious Inspirations to grow without losing the personal touch that helped us get here in the first place.
As our slogan reads: “Your wish is our Inspiration”
Can you talk to us a bit about the role of luck?
I think luck has played a role in my life, but I don’t necessarily believe that where I am today is simply because I was lucky. I believe that luck creates an opportunity, but you still have to be willing to recognize it, take the chance, and put in the work.
I’ve experienced both good luck and difficult circumstances throughout my life. Some things happened that were completely outside of my control, and there were moments when I could have allowed those experiences to define me. Instead, I’ve tried to take the lessons from them and use them to become stronger.
When it comes to my business, I feel incredibly fortunate for the people we’ve met along the way. Some of our best opportunities have come from simply showing up at a craft show, fair, or community event and having a conversation with someone. A customer might approach us with an idea, and that conversation can turn into a custom order, a relationship, or even an introduction to another small business.
I consider those moments good luck, but I also know that we created the opportunity for that luck to find us by putting ourselves out there.
There have also been times when things didn’t work out the way we hoped. Orders don’t always go as planned, ideas don’t always work on the first try, and growing a business comes with plenty of uncertainty. But I’ve learned that what initially feels like bad luck can sometimes redirect you toward something better.
I think the biggest “luck” in my life has been having the opportunity to discover that I can create something of my own and build relationships with people through it.
So, I don’t believe luck is the whole story. I believe luck may open the door, but resilience, faith in yourself, hard work, and the courage to walk through that door are what ultimately move you forward.
Pricing:
- Business Card Designing: $35
- Slate Plaques: $30
- Ceramic Tiles: $7
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.contagiousinspirations.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contagiousinspirations/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063114497210
- Other: https://www.instagram.com/rsbizsolutions/
