Ellie Badass was built by someone who shouldn’t be the voice of women’s safety—and he knows it.
His first memory of fear was watching his father’s fists. His first memory of courage was his mother deciding they deserved better, packing everything they could carry, and running toward a life where violence wasn’t normal. Since his childhood, he aspired to be better than the man his father showed him to be.
When he met Jess, a singer, she had a voice and a story that showcased the strength of women. Not only did she carry herself like a queen, she constantly lifted other women up around her, radiating positivity wherever she went.
The idea of “Ellie” came from an unexpected place: a signed CD and a simple doodle. He’d asked Jess to draw lots of hearts on the CD she was signing. She drew one heart with an infinity sign in the top right corner. A playful joke that became something more.
That little doodle inspired a jewelry brand. He paired empowerment message cards with wearable pieces, thinking maybe women needed tangible reminders of their strength. But as Ellie took on a shape of its own, symbolic empowerment started feeling hollow. Women needed more than necklaces with inspiring words. They needed each other.
So Ellie Badass transformed from products to platform. From one person’s interpretation of strength to a space where women share their actual experiences—the strategies that worked, the boundaries they set, the instincts they trusted.
A doodle on a CD is a cute story. But women’s voices sharing real wisdom? That could actually save lives and truly honor the strength he saw in Jess.
P.S. The founder’s name is Derek Ryans. His photo isn’t shown on this site, and his name isn’t written much anywhere. Because Ellie was built to keep women safe. The job of the “founder” – he’d prefer to be known as the architect, really – is to build the space and stay out of the way.
“If I had a daughter, it would be my responsibility to make sure she thrives and steps on the stages she envisions and dreams about.
Ellie was inspired by the woman who had defeated the concept of time and built for future queens like my niece to take the reins.”
– Derek Ryans
Just a guy who happened to build a dope platform.
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