We were lucky to catch up with Ellie Molewyk recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ellie, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. If you’re open to it, can you talk to us about the best (or worst) investment you’ve made. What’s the backstory and the relevant context behind why you made the investment

In high school I took two years of a class called Entrepreneurship and Global Business. At the end of my second year our class held a very exciting trade show. I gathered lots of information and got lots of encouragement to start a website. So that following June I opened a website and waited, and waited for the sales. I put quite a bit of money and time into this adventure, and guess how many sales I got? NONE! After the whole experience I realized, I should have gone about it differently. I should have started with an Etsy first, seen how the sales go and then decide whether I should invest in a website. It has been a hard pill to swallow, mostly because I hate failure. I also realized God has a plan, some doors will open and some never will. He knows what will make you truly happy, even if it’s going to hurt in the process of finding it. I will continue to create art and magnets for shows and my small Instagram following, because that makes me happy!

Ellie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My Ellie Molewyk, I am currently 19 years old and just starting my life and career. One word I would describe myself as is hardworking. I have 5 different part time jobs, including online classes to become a Certified Personal Trainer. What I’m mainly known for besides fitness is my magnets and art. I hand make succulent magnets and embroider canvases with monstera leaf designs. My business name is Bell’s Vintage and I’ve owned it for over 2 years now! My art is definitely different then anyone else’s, I haven’t seen any copies of my magnets since I’ve started. I do buy my materials from a well known retailer, but some of my materials are resourced! If you’ve never heard of Bell’s Vintage before, I want you to trust that you’ll receive quality handmade products that promise to make your space creative. If you’re someone who enjoys bohemian themes, houseplants, gardening, the earth, or just adorable things, you will love Bell’s Vintage.

I think the thing that I am most proud of when it comes to my business is my dedication to it. I have had several times where I have wanted to quit, not take a leap or felt embarrassed about the sales I haven’t made online. In those moments, I look at my dad, who started a towel tracking business in the 2008 recession. It took him almost a decade to have a truly successful business and make a profit. He knew the value of his product and didn’t give up. He is the definition of a true entrepreneur, and that is what I aspire to be. through the thick and thin, God has provided a way for my family through all the hard and easier moments, I look at God most of all!

Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?

I’ve shared before that I created a website and spent lots of money and time on it. It ended up flopping with 0 sales after a year. I switched to a much more cost friendly website that in the end will be better for my business because I know I sell more products at in person shows. Sometimes you need to find what works best for your business the hard way, and what will be the most cost effective or what will give you the most bang for your buck. It was super hard to realize I can’t keep throwing money into a website that isn’t generating money for me, so i figured out what i make a profit from and strengthened that quickly!

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

If you’ve ever graduated high school, you know after that your life basically begins. You either go to college, start working, take a gap year or follow a dream. After I graduated I became depressed and felt unstable, it seemed everyone who I had graduated with had a plan of some sort, and I didn’t. I didn’t want to spend lots of money on college for a career i would switch 5 times. It is exciting and nerve wracking knowing I could choose any course or life for myself. Some people may say this isn’t a big life pivot, but when you’ve been going to school for the past 13 years of your life, that’s a HUGE life change. Its gone in the blink of an eye, I wasn’t prepared or expecting to feel that way. Some questions that I asked myself at that moment were, What are my priorities in life? What do I like to do? Could I make a career out of that? What are my short term and long goals?
One book that really helped me make better goals for myself was a book called GOALS! by Brian Tracey. that book helped give me an idea of what I wanted in life, and how to achieve it. It also taught me how to be a better employee and get farther in life simply by showing up earlier than asked and staying later on the job. I can’t recommend this book enough to graduates or people who are confused about what to do!
Finally, a year after I’ve graduated high school and taken a gap year, I’ve decided to go into the fitness industry as well as keeping my side business Bell’s Vintage. God had a plan the whole time, I just needed to trust in Him!

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.etsy.com/shop/BellsVintageCo?ref=shop_sugg_market
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bells.vintage/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bellsvintage/
• Other: official website: bellsvintage.shop (soon to be deleted)

Image Credits
me :)