Business ideas: 8 steps that can help you start your own artificial jewellery business
Covid killed their artificial jewellery business in 2020, Deepika Jain and Anup N. Mehta found another way to make a comeback. The Bengaluru-based entrepreneurs took the business online in 2021, christening it ‘Just Lil Things’. The dream that started with Rs.1.5 lakh generates an eight-figure annual revenue today, riding on unique designs and well-structured processes.
It all started with Mehta’s decision to bring back jewellery for his wife from his overseas trade trips. When this jewellery began to find favour with Jain’s friends and family, the couple decided to convert it into a business, starting only as a pop-up model. “In Bengaluru, an exhibition called ‘Sunday Soul Sante’ attracts 10,000-15,000 people, comprising mostly Gen Z, and the rent at the time was Rs.15,000-25,000. We thought selling modern jewellery here would be a good idea,” says Jain.
She was right. In their first such display, they sold out, earning Rs.1.5 lakh in barely 4-5 hours. However, Covid-19 jettisoned their well-laid plans. So, in August 2021, they launched a website, which proved to be a turning point. By March 2022, the business had generated around Rs.5 lakh in revenue, garnering over 6,000 orders. The couple used their home and Mehta’s existing warehouse as storage, gradually scaling the operations as the orders increased. “Covid was good for our business as we are getting over 1,200 orders daily now and have reached an eight-figure yearly revenue,” says Jain.
Their two failed businesses prior to Just Lil Things—event management
