How Did You Get Your Start?

I started making jewelry in 7th grade. Noticing my friends were interested in what I was wearing, and wanting to buy, I saw the opportunity for demand.

In 2018 (8th grade) I started selling, and in 2020 I coined the name Funky Fads.

The core focus was customizable necklaces, bracelets, earrings – and my customer base was mainly friends and classmates.

Selling on Depop, I was able to reach 733rd top best seller in the world at one point, which was really cool. I used Etsy too, and now I'm using Shopify.

At UVA, I sold at in-person popups and sorority events. I found philanthropy events were the most lucrative because there was the added bonus of supporting the cause for buyers (and if their parents were there, that was great too!).

One semester, I took an entrepreneurship class where I got help from 4 other people to grow the business. We called ourselves the “Funky Five.”

Selling at UVA was super successful, but it was also hard being a full time student and doing sales on the weekend.