Roberta Hall didn’t just launch a design studio, she started a riot against silence.
What began as a form of self-therapy in 2020 has transformed into Happy Impulse, a Georgia-based studio where Roberta and her partner, Cheryl, champion queer joy and the radical act of taking up space.
Read on to learn how Roberta uses buttons and stickers to build safe spaces and celebrate what she calls the "juxtaposition of madness and sanity."
Busy Beaver: You’ve shared that Happy Impulse officially launched during the ‘hellscape’ of the 2020 pandemic, but the seed was planted much earlier in 2016. Can you take us back to that shift from creating as a form of self-therapy to realizing that you needed to share your art on a broader scale?
RH: I couldn't stay silent anymore, at least not with my art, because I was so f@&*ing angry at the world.
Here's the gist of it: I grew up in a tiny Southern Baptist town where the people who loved me most would nod along when the preacher called me a sick deviant going to hell because I was a closeted gay kid. And when I finally had the courage to tell my aunt I was in love with a woman, she said I was going to hell and better not tell my father because it would break his heart and kill him.
So I stayed silent and kept my mouth shut. Made art under the alias Happy Impulse and never really showed my face. In 2017, my father died. At his funeral, I held my girlfriend's hand in front of my entire hometown. I wasn't trying to take anything away from the people mourning my father, but I was angry that I didn't let him get to know this part of me because I was scared of how he viewed the LGBTQIA+ community. Instead of breaking his heart, I ended up breaking my own.
That's when I started creating for the kid I used to be. The rebel punk who didn't think there was space for her anywhere.
And according to The Trevor Project, an organization I love, "estimates that more than 1.8 million LGBTQ+ young people (ages 13-24) seriously consider suicide each year in the U.S.—and at least one attempts suicide every 45 seconds."
So I show up. I speak out. And yeah, it's corny as hell, but I refuse to dye my gray hair. Because I want queer kids to see that you can get old being queer. Your life doesn't have to end because of how alone you feel. We can get old. We deserve to get old. Did I answer the question? Lol
BB: You’ve mentioned that your style is a mix of childhood nostalgia, queer identity, and "a dash of ADHD." How does that "chaos" translate into your design process? Do you find that the fast-paced nature of creating merch a good match for that energy?
RH: Oh god, yeah, the ADHD thing is wild with this business. You know what my teachers told me growing up? That I was "too chaotic." Too much. That there wasn't space in the world for someone like me who couldn't sit still, couldn't focus the "right" way, and couldn't fit into their neat little academic boxes.
But screw them. I use this inner chaos to define Happy Impulse's art style as the "juxtaposition of madness and sanity," aka the art of the unexpected. It's about experimenting with different objects and perspectives that shouldn't go together but somehow do.
And the fast-paced merch world? It's a perfect match. I can jump around to whatever interests me in that moment. My customers reinspire me when I feel worn out. A design I've stared at for 10 hours might feel hella lame to me now, but watching someone see it for the first time at a pop-up and connect with it and really see themselves in it—that's everything.
And honestly? Those old feelings of doubt, of being "too much"—they actually push me to be better. That creative restlessness makes me want to create things that matter. Even when it's messy, I try my best to show up anyway, because I'm still here. I'm still around.
BB: You describe yourself as the "creative storm" and your partner in life and business, Cheryl, as the "organizational wizard." How does that dynamic influence the way the business grows? Does having a Better Half to handle the gears allow you more freedom to explore your art?
RH: Completely. I bring the chaos, and Cheryl brings the calm. While she supports all the ideas I show, she also won't let me send out 6 different shirt designs if the design is mid. She handles operations, inventory, and the unsexy stuff that keeps the business from going to shit and helps to protect my space for me to experiment.
She's the only reason Happy Impulse runs as well as it does. And...she would greatly appreciate it if I stopped waking her up at 2am to look at my latest design.
BB: Ha! I bet! Let Cheryl get some rest. Sounds like she’s doing a lot of work ; )
BB: Happy Impulse stands on a foundation of rebel art and social dissent. In a world that often demands conformity, how do you think small, tangible items like buttons and stickers help your customers own their defiance?
RH: Queer joy is an act of resistance. An act of defiance. And most people can afford to splurge on a sticker or button that speaks to them about what they believe in.
I'm gonna sound cheesy as hell, but those little buttons and stickers? They've saved my ass so many times. They've helped me identify safe people and places more times than I can count. Anytime I'm meeting someone new, I'm like, please, please be a safe space, an ally, someone in the family, because it's not safe out here. The LGBTQIA+ community is getting attacked daily, so if someone is being brave and wearing a queer-friendly button, I'm so stoked. Plus, it gives people the chance to test the waters, see how people react, and find their people.
And the stories I hear from past customers mean everything to me. A few years ago a woman bought a subtle pride sticker at a conference, and the following year, told me she bought it because she was struggling with coming out, and it felt good buying something small to represent the LGBTQIA+ community. And I love hearing that.
That these small tangible goodies are hopefully a reminder to be proud of who we are and to find joy in any way we can.
BB: Have you heard from other customers who used a Happy Impulse button, sticker or merch to start a difficult conversation or to signal their identity in a space where they previously felt they had to be quiet?
RH: A few weeks ago at the Creative South conference, this dad approached me with a handmade print and thank you card. Two years earlier, we'd talked during the conference about how his kid was struggling with accepting themselves. So in a moment to celebrate the joy of someone finding themselves, Cheryl and I created what we call a "Welcome to the Family" kit for them. It's this good-for-our-hearts type of project we do. It's a free goodie bag of some merch like maybe buttons, stickers, enamel pins, or keychains. We give them to people who are just coming out. And sometimes, to the parent of a kid who is just coming out. It's a way we can help a parent show up for their kid and say, I love you, and I'm proud of you.
Anyway, the thank you card said, "How about now his son says if people don't accept me for who I am, then screw them." Normally when we do these things we don't know the outcome, but this time we did. And it reminded me to keep showing up, no matter what.
Because that's the thing about these little pieces of merch we create at Happy Impulse: they're not just products. We hope that they are small little reminders to people to take up space and to say this is me. And if that's the only impact we ever have on people, then I'm okay with that.
BB: You’ve taken the stage at major industry events like Creative South and Crop Con to talk about the intersection of art, business, and identity. When you're speaking to a room full of fellow designers, what is the core message you hope they take away?
RH: Honestly, when I get up on stage, a small part of me is speaking to other queer creatives. To say it's okay to be who you are and live openly. Sure, it's super scary that people you love may reject you, but screw them.
I also talk about my partner way too much, but it's because I have the privilege to be in a relationship with someone I love. I want to let others know that from my perspective it's okay to love who you love, even when parts of our society try to shame the LGBTQIA+ community into staying in the closet.
And in all my talks, I'm really talking about love. Being in love with someone and being in love with what you do, even when it's all messy and imperfect. Those creative struggles we face? That imposter syndrome? It's just like falling in love; it's uncomfortable and overwhelming but proof that you care about what you do. Plus, the world needs a few more weirdly wonderful people creating things that matter.
BB: Your work often tackles heavy topics like mental health and queer identity. Which specific themes or designs are your customers gravitating toward right now? Is there a particular "vibe" that seems to be resonating most in this current social climate?
RH: The themes selling right now? Dark humor about being broke and burnt out, basically.
That "what doesn't kill you tries again" design is my bestseller because it's like... yeah, life keeps coming for you. People relate to that. It's not pretending everything's fine. And that design extends beyond just the LGBTQIA+ community, because it's rough out here.
Also, my "Dead Tired Club, Make Rent or Die Trying" sells because everyone's pissed about having to work themselves to death just to afford rent. It's honest about how screwed up everything is.
And naturally, anything more obviously pride-themed because people want to show solidarity.
The whole vibe is like... authentically miserable but still here? People are done with fake positivity. They want shirts that match the fight we are going through right now, which is tired, resilient, but still showing up.
BB: We are so proud to be part of your journey! Since you handcraft many items in your own Georgia studio with blood, sweat, and tears, what was it like for you to hand over the files to Busy Beaver and why did you choose to work with us?
RH: Yes, honestly, I was freaking out a little. Like, I'm used to doing everything myself in the studio. I know exactly how each color should look. So giving up that control was scary.
But what y'all don't know is that I actually heard [Busy Beaver Founder] Christen speak at the Creative Works conference back in 2019. She had this same passion for buttons that I do. I still have the matte magnet y'all made for the conference sitting on my studio desk.
So I already knew Busy Beaver was woman-owned and that you care about sustainability and treating people right. When I needed to trust someone to help scale up production, I already had y'all in mind, because y'all get it.
BB: We do. We do get it! (Also - see some of the buttons we've made for Happy Impulse HERE!)
BB: Is there a specific "rebellious" design or a "weird meets wonderful" concept you’ve been sitting on that hasn't become a button yet, but is currently fueling your next creative impulse?
RH: I've had this "Support Your Local Weirdos" phrase stuck in my head. I keep thinking about how we throw around "community" like it's this beautiful, easy thing, but real community means making space for the people who don't quite fit in. Like me.
And the weirdos are the ones asking uncomfortable questions and creating this weird but beautiful art. Like supporting that friend who makes art with bottle caps, or the neighbor who dyes their hair purple, or the kid who wants to do experimental art with old stamps.
The world keeps trying to sand down our edges, but the edges are where the magic happens. The mess is the beautiful part of this shitshow we call life.
Ready to support your local weirdos?
Roberta uses buttons and stickers as "small reminders to take up space." Whether you're signaling a safe space or owning your own defiance, we want to help you say it loud.
Start Your Custom Button Order Today!
Snag a piece of the rebellion! Place any order at Busy Beaver through the end of June to receive this special button design by Happy Impulse tucked into your package. To see more of Roberta’s work, visit happyimpulse.com and follow the madness on Instagram @happyimpulse.
