In 2020, Rhea Korubilli (‘24) launched her online Etsy business, IvyRose01. Starting a new hobby and project gave Korubilli an opportunity to kill time, but it soon turned into a meaningful activity that allowed her to expand her skillset. 

“During quarantine I didn’t really have much to do, so my business gave me a creative outlet and it’s also a hobby to work on,” said Korubilli. 

Korubilli has always been passionate about jewelry, particularly necklaces, rings, and earrings. From a young age, Korubilli enjoyed watching videos from creators on YouTube, using their designs as inspiration for her own business. 

“I’ve always liked to use jewelry ever since I was younger, so when I saw videos of (other people making jewelry), I was very interested. That inspired me to start my own shop,” said Korubilli. 

To ensure each piece of accessory is fine tuned, Korubilli crafts all the projects by herself. Korubilli will sketch an original design first, then purchase the materials from stores like Amazon, Michael’s, and Hobby Lobby. 

“I’ll make my own designs and then follow the designs to make necklaces. Usually I [like to use] crystals and different little charms,” said Korubilli. 

After Korubilli gathers everything she needs, she will spend anywhere between 2 minutes to a few hours to work and produce a final product. Then she will make sure the environment is bright before she will give the product a photo shoot and upload it onto her shop’s page on Etsy. 

“Basically whenever I make a new piece, I create a backdrop with white cloth and add some decorations like leaves or lights. I also may model the pieces if it is too difficult to show how they look if they are laying flat,” said Korubilli. 

Upon receiving a notification about the new order, Korubilli will package the jewelry with a small bag and attach the shipping information. She will then drop the package off at the post office or FedEx. 

“I use Etsy shipping so it charges the buyer and there’s a whole algorithm to help [shop owners] to figure it out,” said Korubilli. 

Working alone as a full-time student and part time business owner has not been easy for Korubilli. In order to increase her sales, Korubilli tries to promote the business on [social media platforms] like Instagram and Tiktok. Although she works hard to balance her life with a busy schedule, Korubilli gained a lot valuable experience from working on her own business.

“I learned that it takes a lot of time and effort to maintain an Etsy shop and it’s hard. It takes a lot of effort, but whatever you put in is what you will get out it. If you want to start your own Etsy shop, do it if you have a lot of time,” said Korubilli.