MANY OF US feel unsure about what we want to do with our lives at some point.
And one woman knew exactly how that felt after graduating from university back in 2015.
That's when Niki Mahon, 30, from Kent, decided to start a side hustle in her bedroom alongside her full-time job working at a small tech company in London.
She told Latest Deals: "In my spare time on evenings and weekends, I started selling unwanted clothes and jewellery on Depop and eBay.
"I noticed I felt a spark when I was packaging items and sending them to customers and wondered if there was a way I could do this and make a profit!"
Once she knew she liked it she decided to start creating her own jewellery and began creating her own logo.
Niki was able to do it on her own as she had some experience in graphic design.
But she recommended the website Canva to save money and do the branding yourself if you plan on starting your own business.
Niki then created the website, Nikita, and began taking images of the products to sell on the website and promoted the brand on Instagram.
At first, Niki’s company profit was modest, but now she’s making six figures.
She said: "In the first year, I made between £15k and £20k. Now, the business is turning over half a million pounds a year, and I’m proud to say that it is organic growth without any outside investment."
Niki has expanded the business a great deal since the early days - and was able to quit her job in 2016 to focus on her business.
Now the business owner has three full-time staff members working for her.
She added: "I worked hard to make the business the success it is now. I don't believe there is any such thing as overnight success. This took me nearly 7 years of steady growth."
But her success hasn't come without obstacles, she revealed companies were using her pictures after seeing her company gain traction.
And she revealed it can be difficult to deal with impolite customers but showing kindness and understanding always pays off.
For those thinking of starting their own business, Niki shared her top tips.
She said: "My advice would be to look beyond just selling via social media. I listed my products on Amazon in 2016, and the sales there have been consistent and almost like a backbone to my company.
"Adding your products to other platforms helps a great deal as people are already shopping on there. It’s easier than trying to get people to stop what they’re doing and shop on your website.
"You’ll see quicker and more consistent growth. I would highly recommend selling on Etsy and Amazon as they have been the most profitable for me thus far, and we have tried many platforms over the years."
Tom Church, Co-Founder of LatestDeals.co.uk, said: ‘Niki is truly an inspiration to anyone who feels unsure about the kind of work they want to do. She proves that if you want to make something that feels truly yours and you’re willing to put the work in, you can succeed. All the best to her!’
