Meet Paula Quinn of Coming Up Rosies in Lakeview

Why not transfer some of her most-prized paintings onto a headscarf? We surprised her with a headscarf we’d had made using one of her more favored paintings. She was overjoyed, and asked, “What about the other bald kids? We should make these for all the bald kids who look like me. Can we do that?”

Just like that, a little gift to our daughter fueled a mission to help others, something I never would have dreamed up myself.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
The learning curve has been very steep since I don’t have a non-profit background. I’ve sat on a few boards in the past, but that didn’t prepare me for this journey of making Rosie’s dream come to life. Having worked at Google for over a decade, the concept “launch and iterate” became a part of my DNA. I had the drive to create an online company, now turned non-profit, but I didn’t know where to begin. Many questions kept me up at night: “What is our mission?, How do I set up an LLC?, What is our strategy?, How do I build a website? What is our name?”, etc. With all of these questions swirling around in my head, I asked myself, “Can I do this? Am I crazy for leaving my corporate job to help bald children?” The answer was simple – “yes to all, and I will need some help.”

So initially, I did a lot of Googling, and I relied on my network for guidance. In fact, I’ve learned to find smart and experienced people to help me, whether it’s with marketing, products, social media, website design, fundraising, and/or analytics. I’ve made some mistakes, and I’ve had some really heartwarming successes. Learning from my mistakes, and embracing the wins, keeps me going. I’ve learned to rely on my network and to never say no to help, advice or guidance.

Coming Up Rosies – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Today, we have grown into a recognized 501(c) 3 not-for-profit organization. Our mission is to restore confidence, happiness, and pride to anyone struggling with low self-esteem during their medical journey, especially bald children. Our vision is a world where every child goes to sleep proud of their differences.

We accomplish this by establishing Art Therapy Programs in children’s hospitals and treatment camps throughout the US. To date, we’ve donated 700+ art kits to hospitals and charitable organizations around the world. Each kit provides a child an outlet of creativity and the ability to create their own masterpiece with a smile from a hospital bed, hospital playroom or at home. Once the painting is complete, we digitally transfer the art onto a head scarf, neck scarf or superhero cape that the artist can wear with pride. They, and the people they encounter focus on their artwork instead of their differences. To date, our concept has reached thousands of children.

We are most proud of the children who have gone to bed smiling all over the world because of their Coming Up Rosies experience.

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my career was when Rosie put on her first headscarf, ran to the mirror, and asked if we could make this for all the bald kids. Little did I know at the time, how a simple question would redirect my career to the most rewarding and fulfilling position I’ve ever held. People spend a lifetime searching for a career that is fulfilling. My revelation came to me in the form of a bald four-year-old girl, grinning ear to ear, with a paintbrush in her hand.