The Lenovo Pro Community is pleased to spotlight Sandy Lisa Rouse, Founder & CEO of Sandy Lisa as March 2025 Featured Lenovo Partner. The Lenovo Pro Store carries the high-quality, functional and fashionable Sandy Lisa bags. Enter this month's giveaway for a chance to win one of eight Sandy Lisa bags.
About Sandy Lisa Rouse
I was originally born in South Africa and immigrated to the United States at a young age. I met my husband on a remote island in Fiji and we have 3 children as well as 3 dogs. We currently reside in Calabasas, California. I love traveling around the world, exploring other beautiful countries and learning about other cultures. You will also find me in the kitchen cooking meals and entertaining family and friends.
At the age of twenty-one, I started my first corporate job in an entry level position in a computer carrying case corporation. I started at the bottom and spent years trying to get to the top. It was no easy task advancing in a male-dominated environment, where I had to work extra hard to prove my worth, as we women still do. After several years, I was made an offer by a smaller corporation. It was a more senior position, which in turn would afford me enhanced opportunities to learn, advance and take on increasingly higher levels of responsibility.
As with most women, I was juggling so many roles in so many settings. I had given birth to my daughter Sienna and, eighteen months later, welcomed our son Oliver into the world. When Oliver was three days old and we got home from the hospital, my employer called to tell me that I no longer had a job. I knew at that very moment that I had two choices: I could stay in bed, become depressed and feel sorry for myself or I could get myself together, pick up the pieces, and start my own business. Sometimes when things seem like they are falling apart, they may actually be falling into place!
I needed to build my own dreams or someone else was going to hire me to build theirs. With great determination, I was up for the challenge. I launched ECO STYLE followed by Sandy Lisa during a recession knowing I had a long road ahead. After all, life is not only about the destination but the journey we travel to get there.
About Sandy Lisa
We are a small, certified woman owned business with a strong infrastructure in place. We partner with the large distribution channels and reseller partners while manufacturing goods in several different countries, utilizing large scale factories with a huge capacity to cater to both small businesses and extremely large businesses. I had to quickly learn the ins and outs of owning a business, setting goals each week.
After all, a goal without a plan is just a wish.
I quickly learned that I would miss 100% of the opportunities if I didn’t take them. And I failed over and over again but took something positive out of each failure and that is why I ultimately succeeded.
Today, ECO STYLE & Sandy Lisa is recognized across the globe. We are the laptop bag standard in Fortune 500 Corporations, have been featured on Prime TV news outlets, partnered with some of the largest retailers and e-tailers and continue to be named “The Best Bag in the Business”. It is our ongoing journey to reduce our carbon footprint creating sustainable bags using recyclable materials.
Q & A
What do you do with the Lenovo Pro Program?
It is an honor to work with the Lenovo Pro Program. We have built long-standing relationships with our colleagues at Lenovo who is such a valuable asset in our day to day business operations. Lenovo helps to promote both our brands, and we continue to launch new and exciting products that attract new business which strengthens our successful relationship. We work around Lenovo’s calendar to ensure we provide promotions that are competitive and compelling to our customers while providing products that are innovative in design, fashionable yet functional and affordable to all.
How long have you been a part of Lenovo Pro and what is your favorite Lenovo or Sandy Lisa product?
I have worked closely with Lenovo for 10 years. I don’t leave home without my X1 Carbon laptop which is, of course, placed inside my Sandy Lisa bag. Given my busy days, I designed all of Sandy Lisa bags to take a working woman from day to night effortlessly. Fashionable yet functional at prices affordable for all women.
What was one of your greatest successes in your professional life?
My greatest success in my professional life was launching my own Company when the odds were stacked against me. I believed in myself and never gave up on my dreams. Today, I run a successful organization and can proudly say that we continue to grow, do business all over the world and it is my ongoing commitment to inspire and empower other women to work hard. Anything is possible and never give up. My largest account today told me for 9 years that they are not interested in our bags, with grit and determination I never gave up and continued to pursue them. They have never been happier with our superior product and the excellent service and support we provide to them not to mention we are a diverse supplier offering 100% lifetime warranty on our entire product line.
What was one of your greatest challenges in your professional life?
Starting my own business. Getting on a plane to China not knowing the language while I had to leave behind my husband, 18-month-old daughter and 3-day old son to forge relationships with factories, create designs, build relationships with banks and start a business from the ground up.
What was one piece of encouragement that you got along your professional journey that helped you?
My husband believed in me and supported me throughout this journey, ensuring me that I had the tools to succeed, the knowledge to overcome trials while I had the will to ensure the success of my newly formed corporation. We work closely together in business, take time outside of work to enjoy being husband and wife and equally as important parenting our 3 children, Sienna, Oliver & Mila. While everyday is a constant juggle, our values always align ensuring we work as hard as we can, empower our colleagues around us and teach our children that anything is possible.
What is one piece of advice you would give other professionals or aspiring business owners?
Every challenge is an opportunity to grow. Believe in yourself, “everything works out in the end and if it didn’t work out, then it’s not yet the end.” I cannot stress enough the importance of never giving up, of making an even greater effort when you think the opportunity is lost.
Did I ever consider quitting? Absolutely! Did I ever actually quit? Absolutely not!
What I did was realize that “Impossible” if you adjust your perspective, could read impossible as I'M POSSIBLE.
I am here today because of where I have been, and because I have always believed in the possibilities. So please… take risks. Bet on yourself. Doubt kills more dreams than failure ever could. And when you do experience failure, because we all do, remember that success is not rising to the top out of the gates but falling down and getting up again.
Connect with Sandy: LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook & X
Thank you for being such a valued part of the Lenovo Pro Store and congratulations on being Lenovo Pro's Featured Partner!
Do you have any questions for Sandy about her journey, interests or business?
Leave your questions and comments below!