Webinar: R.Riveter on PCSing and RV Living
by Lizann Lightfoot - August 11th, 2021
Our Guest: Cameron Cruse, co-founder of R. Riveter
R. Riveter is a handbag company on a mission to support military families. Cameron went to college in Savannah and met a man in the military. Once they got married, they moved to the middle of nowhere, Georgia. That’s where R. Riveter began! Cameron and her family have moved twice since then, and are in the middle of a PCS right now. Her husband is retiring from the military, so they are on our final move and making a lot of decisions. They decided to move into an RV while they decide on their next steps.
How was R. Riveter born, and what is their mission?
I graduated with a Master’s in Architecture, and we moved to Dahlonega, Georgia, which is the start and end of the Appalachian trail. But other than that, nothing is really happening there. There were no jobs in architecture!
I started having a career crisis, realizing I wouldn’t be able to have the career path I dreamed of. Around that time, I met Lisa, my co-founder, and we realized other military spouses must be facing similar career challenges. We wondered if we could help support military spouses while building a company in a win-win moment.
We wanted to provide mobile, flexible income for fellow military spouses. Ultimately we decided on handbags because it is a power accessory and one that most women use every day. It has been an incredible journey, but we are celebrating ten years this year!
What has PCSing in an RV been like?
We’ve been living in the RV for a few months now. We have two kids, so there are four of us in a 43-foot RV. We started this process many months before we bought the RV, so we could understand what we were getting into.
We took to the internet the second we considered it. We pared down considerably and had to decide what to pay to store, what to keep, and what to sell or donate and get rid of. We plan to be in the RV for seven or eight months. It’s like a new category of the PCS purge!
As a military spouse entrepreneur, what are the benefits and challenges of taking your business with you when you PCS?
We are at the scale now where we have a network and a team. But in the beginning, Lisa moved much more than we did. We had to be really transparent about where we were in the moving process and which days we would be off-grid.
When you are moving in an RV, you're constantly moving and doing stuff around the RV. All I really need is a solid internet connection, my laptop, and somewhere to sit. There have been moments that are stressful, but this is why we built the business, to provide flexibility.
Is space the biggest adjustment to RV living?
The biggest adjustment was laundry and dishes. I don’t have a built-in laundry or dishwasher, so that’s a big adjustment. The space hasn’t been too bad, but it’s the summer months, so we have been in and out. We did run into peak RV travel season, and RV parks have very limited spaces, so we needed to go in advance and book spaces because we weren’t sure we would be able to stay in some areas.
Our kids are ten and seven, so we wanted to take a break and take it slow from North Carolina to Texas. We have a toy hauler in the back, so they are just living their best life!
Where can military spouses learn more about R. Riveter?
You can always go to our website, RRiveter.com. To learn more about the community and the brand, follow @RRiveterbags on Instagram and all other social media platforms.
How did you get into sewing?
My mom taught me to sew when I was young. I went and got an architecture degree that was unrelated, but I circled back to sewing. I don’t sew often anymore, but I think it’s one of the best therapeutic activities.
Tell us more details about RV living
Mail is something families should consider. We have everything forwarded to our parents, and turned on USPS informed delivery so we can see what is being delivered. Amazon still delivers to most RV parks, so I didn’t miss a beat with my online shopping!
It is a simpler lifestyle, but it’s a change in pace. You will be doing more chores as a family that you used to take for granted.
All RV layouts are not created equal! There are so many different options and layouts. Ours has a decent amount of food storage and kitchen and bathroom space. But if you have more kids, you may need the bunkhouse in the back.
Neighbors in RV parks have been wonderful. Everyone is so helpful and waves to you and wants to chat. We have met a lot of retired military families on vacation, especially when we were around Destin, Florida, and also in Texas.
I think travel in winter and cold weather would be a lot harder. The kids have been able to get out and spend a lot of time outside. And some RVs are rated better for cold weather than others.
There are military discounts and special rates at many RV parks.
We bought our RV from someone else, then spent some time and energy remodeling it to make it more airy and exactly how we wanted it. I definitely recommend renting an RV first for some short weekend trips before you take the plunge to make sure it works for your family.
How have you applied your artistic training to developing your products? Where do the design inspirations come from?
Our designs are all about refined, sophisticated, but highly-utilitarian military spouses. Our designs are inspired by that. The exterior pockets, for example, on the outside of the bags are designed to hold the military ID card, so it is easily accessible when driving through the gate.
A lot of design, engineering, and manufacturing is all project management. And that is a lot of what I learned in the school of architecture. I had to work backward to make a design happen. We are inspired by the minimalist look that goes well with everything–like a great pair of jeans. But we are also inspired by our community.
Community reviews of R. Riveter Bags
MJ: I have had my R. Riveter clutch for about four years, and I have used it with everything! I am low maintenance, but I also live near D.C. and go to meetings on Capitol Hill. So I have used this wearing my PCSgrades polo shirt, also with a t-shirt and jeans, and I have brought the same clutch to every formal event I’ve attended for years!
Sally: I’m going to show off my Dot bag. I love the handles. I also use the longer strap when I’m with my toddler in the parking lots running wild. It’s a very practical bag. I use the exterior pocket for my mask. And the story tag is stamped with the R. Riveter ID of each military spouse who helped make this purse!
For more information about R. Riveter, its mission, and available jobs, visit RRiveter.com.
Lizann Lightfoot, the "Seasoned Spouse" is a professional writer and speaker for the military community. After two decades with her service member, her family has been through 7 deployments and 6 PCS moves. Lizann has raised 5 children and published several books for military families. Her most recent book is "Open When: Letters of Encouragement for Military Spouses" published Sept 2021 by Elva Resa. You can find Lizann's articles and resources at SeasonedSpouse.com
