Hello! I’m Emelie, a 20-year-old entrepreneur from New York. When I was in 4th grade, my class had a project where we created a product and then had to sell it to other students. From this project, I fell in love with the idea of making crafts to sell. Read on to hear about my journey and how EmeliesMinis came to be!
The Full Story
How EmeliesMinis Began
2016-2018
At 12 years old, I began making custom key chains and magnets. I sold my creations at a local craft fair every year. It was exciting to create a budget, keep track of inventory, calculate costs, and do the math to sell my products for a profit.
2019
In late 2019 I picked up on a hobby known as crochet. Crochet, the art of using a hook to interlock loops of yarn is similar to knitting. However, knitting is a craft that can be replicated by machine while crochet can only be done by hand. Each item that is crocheted comes out unique, making it a special talent that produces a valuable product.
2020
Throughout the 2020 quarantine, I worked on honing my craft. Crochet takes a lot of practice to perfect so I experimented with different materials to figure out what worked best. Well, most people crochet hats or scarves, I created small stuffed animals known as amigurumi. I picked five basic animal designs and spent the next few months building a basic inventory of those designs.
2021
Due to the global pandemic, I could no longer sell my crafts in person. I needed a way to sell them online. As a result, I launched my Etsy shop in May 2021 and got my first sale that July!
2023
As a freshman in college, EmeliesMinis grew in leaps and bounds. I was able to apply all the knowledge I was learning in business school straight to EmeliesMinis. I even hired a group of freelance contractors to help me make Minis! In the summer of 2023 I participated in two large county fairs. This took a lot of work and planning, which made it a HUGE accomplishment.
2024
At my county fairs, I discovered a huge gap in the market. Nobody was teaching young children how to crochet! I wanted to combine both my passion for business and my passion for education to fill that gap. I competed in the North Country Regional Business Plan Competition and was awarded the GRAND PRIZE! Thankfully, this gave me all the funding I needed to begin producing my next product; Learn-To-Crochet Kits for young children!
Finally,
I am forever proud of how far my business has come. I feel both honored and privledged by all the opportunities I have been given. Starting a company, especially as a young entrepreneur, is not always easy. But, I am excited for the future as EmeliesMinis continues to grow and looking forward to what comes next!