Paris Emily Nicholson (26) and Saskia Teje Jenkins (25) participate in this Side Hustle Q&A. Business partners and friends began working on an Australian fashion brand (*7*)Amelie Teje as an add-on in 2020, at just $2,500 each, and that has since ballooned to a seven-figure sum. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.
Photo source: courtesy of Amelie Teje
What was your day job or predominant occupation when you began working on the side?
Nicholson: I used to be completing my degree at university in business and events marketing, working part-time in retail and doing freelance digital marketing for several e-commerce brands.
Jenkins: I used to be a full-time model. I worked between Los Angeles, London and Australia. I used to be never home for greater than a month, normally on my approach to the next place, and I never settled anywhere for long.
When did you begin your side business and where did you discover the inspiration for it?
Nicholson: After working in digital marketing, I quickly realized that I preferred working for myself. While working for e-commerce fashion brands, I fell more and more in love with the idea of owning my very own. I saw that there have been some gaps in the market. I felt that my wardrobe was missing items that I desired to create myself. Saskia and I sat down one day in 2020 and began discussing the idea. Since that day, we have fulfilled our dream by officially launching Amelie Teje in early 2021. We’ve been working every day since then!
Jenkins: We began during the pandemic, like many latest firms. This was the first time I had to remain put for an prolonged time period and I began to reflect a lot on where I used to be in my life and where I desired to go. I have at all times been obsessed with fashion and creativity. I feel like this is the only thing I won’t ever get uninterested in; in fact, it completely regenerates me. I at all times dreamed of starting a fashion company, but I didn’t imagine I might succeed because I went straight from school to modeling, without a higher education. But being around designers, creators, production managers and everyone else taught me a lot. I understood a lot just by watching and listening and wasn’t afraid to be nosy and ask questions every time I could! One day, Paris and I were talking about what we must always do next, and an idea was born.
Photo source: courtesy of Amelie Teje
What were the first steps you took to interrupt away from the game?
Nicholson: We began by writing down potential company names and got here up with the idea of combining each of our middle names: Amelie Teje. We then began drawing logo designs and discussing what we desired to create and share with the remainder of the world. Once we had a vision of what we wanted Amelie Teje to appear like, we began searching the Internet for producers who we thought would best fit our brand. We did a lot of research to know our ideal customers and potential competitors. We began sacrificing and saving like crazy so that we could put all our savings into our first collection.
What were the biggest challenges you faced in building your side team and how did you overcome them?
Nicholson: My biggest challenge was juggling paid work and the business because we didn’t take any money for at least the first two years. Trying to place all the money I used to be making at work into the business but not seeing any return was difficult. For the first few years, I felt like I used to be throwing money away. Finding the right work-life balance was also difficult because as a 22-year-old I at all times desired to go out and meet friends, and most of the time I needed to work as an alternative. Late nights and weekends were mostly Amelie Teje’s time. It was hard at first, but I actually believed in this brand and loved it so much that I used to be willing to make sacrifices.
Jenkins: I might say the biggest challenge was attempting to reconcile modeling with the brand as Amelie Teje began to grow rapidly. It was good to have a balance with Amelie not taking on most of the time, but the goal was at all times to make Amelie Teje #1. It’s an amazing problem, but stressful nonetheless. I shoot nine hours a day and then go straight to the office until 10 p.m. to get up and do all of it over again. We packed the orders ourselves from a small room. We decided that the next step could be to maneuver to a 3PL distributor. I also decided it was time to provide up modeling and be more selective about what I did.
How long did it take for you to realize stable monthly income? How much did the side hustle earn?
It took at least two years to realize consistent revenue. It was depressing when we had a good month and thought: Perhaps this is the moment where all of it begins. But then all of it comes back down. After two years, we were achieving consistent (or higher) numbers and sales every month. In two years, we only made $549,993.32.
(*2*)Photo source: courtesy of Amelie Teje
What does growth and revenue appear like today?
Here are some fun statistics from October:
Sales increased by 1,318% in fiscal 12 months 2021-2024, and gross profit increased by 472% over the same period.
We now run a multi-million dollar business – something we never thought we would give you the chance to say!
What do you enjoy most about running this business?
Nicholson: There are so many things I like about running Amelie. I like having the ability to work with my best friend every day. Being in a position to share the same vision is unique and exciting. I like feeling proud and passionate about my work every day. I enjoy tackling the challenges we face, networking, traveling, and simply creating things that make people around the world feel amazing. There is no higher feeling!
Jenkins: I work with my best friend every day. It’s at all times nice to go to work. Even on the bad days, we discover comfort in doing this together. I’d be lying if I said it wasn’t amazing to give you the chance to travel wherever we wanted for a photo shoot, and to give you the chance to work our own hours.
What is your advice for others trying to start a successful side hustle or their very own full-time business?
Nicholson: Never surrender. No matter how difficult some days are. If you are passionate about something, it is going to prove the way you imagine it. There can be times when you’ll think to yourself, Is it really value the stress and worry? Or, I’m Do I actually feel like doing this? But you have to trust the process. Work hard, sacrifice, and never say no to the opportunities that scare you the most. There is at all times room for growth, so make sure you are always willing to learn and do not be afraid to ask for help and advice from individuals who have done it before. I at all times say that an inch of forward movement is higher than a kilometer of intention.
Jenkins: Just keep going. There can be times when you think it’s easier to simply go back to what’s easy. If you are truly passionate about the business you are starting, you will not even see quitting as an option. If something sets you back, learn from it and use it as ammunition to maneuver forward again. And sometimes you’ll have to sacrifice nice things for your future: a trip, a purse, a night out, a lazy day… one day it is going to all be value it! Paris and I never have a day without work, even if we’re on vacation, traveling or hungover (all of us must vent sometimes!). If there’s an email that should be answered, WhatsApp messages buzzing from international production teams in different time zones, customs forms that must be accomplished before a shipment could be rejected, or Zoom meetings with colleagues, we’ll make it occur. Even if we wanted to modify off, we know that is not an option. Some people probably think it’s depressing, but it brightens us up. We love this business so much – we would not change it for the world!
This article is a part of our ongoing Young Entrepreneur® series highlighting the stories, challenges and triumphs of being… young business owner.