According to thinkimpact.com, over 55% of adults started their own businesses in 2022. However, some people from the Nest have taken the initiative and started their own businesses.

     Sophomore Jada Felton is in the stages of planning a jewelry business. Felton says, “It’s a work in progress, but as of right now, I primarily make necklaces and earrings.” Felton decided to start selling her work because she “enjoyed making things, and lots of people liked [her] work. [She] decided to go on from there and have [her] work available to be sold.” Items “can take anywhere from 20 minutes to two hours [to make], sometimes longer if it’s a complex necklace or choker,” according to Felton. While there is not usually an overwhelming amount of people who order, Felton notes that “because of all [her] school work, [she doesn’t] have time to make jewelry recreationally,” which can slow down the order process.

     Bel Air resident and former NH student Isabella Rivera also runs a small business, The Hippie’s Closet. Rivera “sell[s] clothing and accessories handmade by [herself].” Rivera started her business because she “always had a passion for clothing, and always wanted a business, so [she] kind of just combined both.” The majority of items on the Instagram page where Rivera promotes her business are crocheted, but she reports that she is “planning on expanding to sewing, too, and has more exciting things on the way.” According to Rivera, it typically takes “two to ten hours to make [clothing items],” depending on what she is making. 

     According to Investopedia, some of the hardest things about starting a small business include money management and fatigue. “The hours, the work, and the constant pressure to perform wear on even the most passionate individuals…Fatigue can lead to rash decisions about the business, including the desire to abandon it altogether.” Rivera reports that so far, her biggest challenge concerning The Hippie’s Closet is, “definitely trying to promote. I don’t have a huge following, so it’s a struggle getting myself out there.” On the flip side, Felton says the hardest part of her business is “working out the details of an order and making sure it is up to par with what the person asked for.”

     For those interested in starting their own home business, Rivera suggests that they, “do not give up, no matter what. There are going to be a lot of people putting you down and saying that you can’t do it, but as long as you have your mind and heart set on it, you can.”