Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Jenna Whiteside . We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Jenna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I started my business years ago, shortly after I got married. I designed my own wedding invitations and save the dates, and realized I enjoyed it, and was good at it. So I thought, why not just make this a business. Well unfortunately, while I made hundreds of designs, it just was not proving to be as profitable as I had wanted. Fast forward a few years, during COVID, I was pregnant with my son, and had a lot of free time on my hands. While I was working still full time as a paramedic, I wasn’t busy doing anything outside of work, because well, no one could. So I went back to the drawing board with Jellyfish Designs. While my invitations have always been available, I knew I needed more. Enter tumbler making!
I did a lot of research as to best ways to make profits, best ways to sell, etc. as well as what my start up cost was going to be for this.
Once I purchased everything I needed, I now had to learn exactly how to make all the designs I wanted to make. This took some time and work perfecting the designs as well as trial and error with different brands and techniques with epoxy. But within about a month I had it down pretty well! I started at first selling to family and asking them to give me designs so I could work more at different designs. And once I felt confident, I put them up on my website as well as started selling at local craft fairs. I’ve recently began doing the sublimation style tumblers as well and am having a blast making those, even though the learning process of how to, had to begin again.

I have always been crafty. I love doing work with my hands, but being crafty is all well and good until you have a plethora of things you’ve made sitting around your house with no space. Which is why my business, Jellyfish Designs, combines the best of both worlds. It allows me to do the crafty things I love, as well as make some money!

I’ve always had an entrepreneurial mind set. Since I was a teenager. My dad is the same way. He and I are very much alike in that way. We aren’t afraid of putting in the hard work, time, and effort when it comes to creating a business and making it profitable.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Jenna. Full time I am a paramedic. I’m also a mom to two beautiful children, and the wife of a wonderful husband. Because I love to keep my days busy, I have turned my love for anything crafty into my business: Jellyfish Designs.
I sell invitations, announcements, and tumblers!
While I have hundreds of designs on my website, www.jellyfishdesigns.net
I love making custom work. I love customers reaching out to have me make something I never have before! This allows me to learn more and continue to perfect the craft.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I mentioned this in an earlier question. I started this business designing and printing invitations and announcements. Unfortunately, it wasn’t as profitable as I would’ve liked, and the main market, weddings, was extremely expensive to partake in expos to publicize my work. As a small business, it was hard for me to compete with the huge online business that do what I do. Of course I still did have customers, and did make some money. People are always out there who would rather support a small business than a huge one, and that is who was buying from me. But when it wasn’t proving to be what I anticipated, I knew I needed to add something to sell, and that is when I started making tumblers. The tumblers have became the main sellers off my site. I still love to make invites, and they’ll always be on my site, but tumblers we’re what I found drew in more business.

How did you put together the initial capital you needed to start your business?

Luckily for me, my business is small and start up was pretty low. Like I mentioned, I’m a full time paramedic, so I just bought the things I needed little by little, and once I had a higher demand and needed other products, is when I started purchasing more as needed. Start small and work your way up.

Contact Info:

• Website: Www.jellyfishdesigns.net
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jjellyfishdesigns