How a 21-year-old made $3.1 million this year from side hustle she started at 16

Evangelina Petrakis, a 21-year-old entrepreneur from New York saw her jewellery brand, EP Jewels reach $3.1 million in revenue this year from what initially started off as a side hustle in a teenage girl’s garage, according to a Moneycontrol report.
It all started during the pandemic when at 16, she launched her first venture of handmade tie-dye apparel called E&P the Label. She marketed it on Instagram.
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However, this was labour-intensive and she noticed it limited her creative potential which made her switch over to jewellery in 2021.
That’s how EP Jewels came about. Last year, sales was $1 million, according to a Business Insider report. This came from her huge online presence of 5,53,000 followers on Instagram, 5,45,000 on TikTok, and 93,000 on YouTube.
However, what differentiated her was that she did it in an organic and relatable way, with the Business Insider report quoting her as saying, “I never push anyone to buy anything. Instead, I simply tag the products in my videos—rings, necklaces, earrings. They’re not seeing ads; they’re experiencing the products with me.”
She even hosts pop-up events, which allows her to connect personally with her audience.
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However, all this came at the expense of 80-hour workweeks. Her small team includes her mother whom she calls her “momager,” and two other employees.
She initially faced skepticism from potential manufacturing partners as she was a teenager fresh out of high school.
“But once they saw my business plan and my steady customer base, I earned their respect,” the Moneycontrol report quoted her as saying.
However, there was a silver lining to her age as well. It sometimes did work to her advantage, enabling her to negotiate favourable terms.
Petrakis says maintaining consistency and a close connection to her audience by posting content which capitalizes on trends relevant to her niche helped her grow her following.
She emphasised networking is extremely important for aspiring entrepreneurs, with one of her most successful jewellery line collaborations being with influencer Jordyn Mannino.
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