When Alexandra Rutkay, a makeup artist from New York, hit a parenting milestone — her son turning 18 months old — she was excited to swap her practical diaper bag for her long-forgotten designer purses. However, during a family dinner in August 2021, the practical needs of parenting clashed with her fashion desires.
“I realized I couldn’t shove wet wipes, snacks, and an emergency pull-up into my sleek Saint Laurent crossbody,” recalls Rutkay, now 41. “I was so mad about it. I thought, ‘There has to be something better for us moms. Everything is so frumpy and stupid and nothing is cute.’”
This frustration inspired the creation of Citymouse, a brand offering stylish yet functional cross-body diaper bags with adjustable straps. Launched in June 2022 as a side project, the brand has since earned nearly $600,000 (over Rs 5.08 crore) in revenue this year alone through platforms like Shopify and TikTok Shop, according to documents reviewed by CNBC Make It.
Rutkay, who works long 16-hour days on movie and television sets, initially kept Citymouse a secret from her husband, David. “My previous side hustles weren’t always successful,” she explained to CNBC. But as the business gained momentum, David became the company’s only full-time employee, handling logistics, operations, and customer service — even taking a pay cut to support the business. Together, they plan to earn a combined salary of $150,000 this year.
The drive to make Citymouse a success comes from a deeply personal place. In 2020, Rutkay was diagnosed with a rare soft tissue sarcoma. After surgery and chemotherapy, she was declared cancer-free in 2021. “Not to be morbid, but if I had died before [my son] even got to know me, what would I have left him?” she reflects.
Now, Rutkay dedicates 40 hours a week to Citymouse, in addition to her demanding day job. “Once I start a project, I can’t let it go,” she says, explaining that her health scare has intensified her drive to build wealth for her family.
Rutkay believes her success stems from addressing a specific need at the right time. “Creating a business that fills a need is the best way to grow and sustain a brand,” she says. She acknowledges, however, that success also requires effort and timing, admitting that consistency was the missing piece in her previous ventures.
Her entrepreneurial journey hasn’t been without its challenges. A failed attempt at selling pizza-themed baby milestone blankets set her back $6,000. “I thought strong SEO alone would drive sales. That was absolutely not the case,” she recalls. The venture fell apart within four months.
Looking back on her failures, Rutkay emphasizes the value of knowing when to pivot. “When I started Citymouse, I took a six-week course with a spiritual life coach who helped me understand that walking away from something that isn’t working is actually a superpower,” she explains.
