We were lucky to catch up with Julianna Illenye recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Julianna thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What was it like going from idea to execution? Can you share some of the backstory and some of the major steps or milestones?

I was a healthcare, professional, working 12 hours shifts 5 days a week. I was also a part-time online student getting my masters at the same time all while going through the pandemic. I became very unhappy in my job, even though I was in a field where I was helping others, and I thought that I would be fulfilled. I had spent over six years in school to do the job that I was currently doing and it terrified me to think that I may want to do something else with my life because it felt like I had wasted my time. I always had a passion for business and starting businesses and I knew that I wanted to work for myself. I had an equal passion for jewelry and being creative and creating an online platform. Two years ago, I decided that I would start what was that a side hustle, and is now my full-time job a jewelry business bringing some thing to New Jersey that had never been done before here. I was the first permanent jewelry company in the state and have amassed a 10k following on Instagram in less than a year. Because I had a full-time job at the time I was able to use that money I was making to invest in my business so I did not have to take out any loans. I invested around $7000 of my savings into starting my business, which was very scary. However, I was glad I did not have to take out a loan to do so. My business took off pretty quickly, because of not only the effort that I put into reaching out to businesses to do pop up a Vance, but all of the work I did online to grow my business I slowly was able to take less hours at the hospital, and now I am working full-time completely on my own, and since then have started multiple other businesses, including a social media management and content creation company. Through building my jewelry business, I have found many passions that are creative, and I want to strive to help other business owners grow their business on line, as I feel very strongly about the power of social media. I thought that working 12 hours at the hospital. It’s hard but I did not realize that I would have to work 10 times harder at building my business. It has brought me so much joy and gratitude and waking up each day and being able to control my schedule, and be excited about the people that I am working around, has changed my life indefinitely. I will forever continue to work hard each day to build my business, despite the hardships that come with working for yourself, and owning a small business. Although I do not regret going to college, I feel that my journey was exactly how it was supposed to happen, and I knew very young that this is where I wanted to be. I just wish that I believed in myself earlier on and I had people around me to support me to do this, rather than take a more traditional approach to a career.

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 Julianna Illenye, I am the owner and operator of Link Up Jewelry. New Jerseys first and original permanent jewelry company. We sell solid gold, gold filled, and sterling silver chains of all styles and sizes along with New Jerseys largest charm bar where people can design their own jewelry! I also have an online store with specialty curated pieces of jewelry available for purchase

Instagram: @linkup_jewelry

I am most proud of the amount of time I have taken to connect with my customers and other business owners, and the service that I provide to people creating a safe space, being welcoming, and wanting to be friend every person that I come in front of. Although, sometimes being a business owner is lonely I think the interactions that I get to make each day and the excitement I see on everyone’s faces when they get their piece of jewelry is something that is so special to me. I pride myself that my Instagram page and everything that I stand for is to show off the beauty in my customers on the pieces that they create themselves. Jewelry holds a lot of sentimental value to many people, and the fact that I get to create that, for my followers is some thing I will never take for granted.

Any insights you can share with us about how you built up your social media presence?

Consistency and creating valuable, attractive and unique Content. Social media is a very saturated place but if you can figure out how to grab the attention of your particular audience, you can completely dominant. I really lean into authenticity and lifestyle content and I think a lot of people enjoy that over a very curated and cookie cutter feed. I have found so much success in my contacts that I want to help other business owners thrive on social media so I started a social media management content creation company called Lime Media based in New Jersey.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Atomic habits, How to win friends and influence people

These books changed my life and I read them at a time that I felt lost and insecure

Contact Info:

• Website: www.linkupjewelry.square.site
• Instagram: linkup_jewelry
• Other: @thelimemedia www.limemedia.social

Image Credits
@rgordphoto