Nina Alston turned jewellery supplies worth £10 into £21,000 a month business in just a few years. The savvy young woman launched her jewellery company, The Messy Archive, during lockdown and has gone from strength to strength ever since.
Ms Alston started creating jewellery as a hobby to pass the time in Australia. She started during Covid since she was unable to afford any of the nice pieces she could see online.
However, in just over two years, the company makes an average of between £16,000 and £21,000 in sales per month.
Having always been interested in arts and crafts and creating things, the 22-year-old decided to start selling the jewellery she made for herself on Depop.
The money she made on Depop was used to buy more supplies and invest in higher-quality tools.
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“When I first started, I was very concerned about what others would think of me.
“I kept it a secret for a few months until a few people I knew bought our products via Depop and only realised it was me when their PayPal receipt was sent from my personal account (whoops)!”
After nearly two years, the business is now at a place where they sell consistently which Ms Alston is “very grateful for”.
By prioritising pop-up events, markets and in-person retail events, she is able to make up for any losses that occurred during the start of the year – which are typically slower months in many industries, she explained.
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Ms Alston continued: “There are so many women in business who are accomplishing amazing things, however, I’ve never seen myself as a business figure.
“Instead, I see myself as working for myself, doing a job I truly love and selling a product I genuinely like.
“My idea of success is to wake up every day knowing I’m going to a job I love and that has given me the opportunity and flexibility to work from wherever I am in the world.
“I currently have four freelancers who help me work on our Google presence, all advertising and marketing on Facebook and Instagram as well as a content creator.
“We are currently averaging between £16,000 and £21,000 in sales per month – however, our focus this year is to ensure steady growth during the cost of living crisis.”
The entrepreneur suggested how those starting a business can remain calm and not overthink the process.
She said: “It’s always easier selling a product you actually love and care about. I love jewellery and so designing, creating and selling jewellery has been almost natural to me.
“I’m always wearing my pieces and constantly talking about the brand and I believe this love I have towards my own brand can be seen by others.”
Tom Church, co-founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, said: “Nina has achieved the kind of financial success many of us can only dream of. She’s so young that it just goes to show anyone can do incredible things no matter where they are at in life.”
Ms Alston concluded: “I’m so excited to watch The Messy Archive grow.”
