Entrepreneur Gemma Markland has made a passion for handicrafts in to a successful online business - all run from her own home.
Mum-of-one Gemma launched her Bespoke Gems business, which offers a host of luxurious items that can be personalised with the name of your choice, two years ago as a sideline to her main job as a school business manager.
But business became so brisk that in November 2018 she took the plunge to make Bespoke Gems her full time career - and has now seen her monthly earnings QUADRUPLE from her old school salary.
She says: “I always knew I wanted to run my own business from a young age, but it was just finding the right niche at the right time.
“I always knew I wanted to be my own boss, and that I wanted to be creative.”
The business is now on course to make a minimum £250,000 turnover in 2019 - up from an £86,000 turnover in her first year.
The concept all started for Gemma when, in June 2016, she was struggling to find the perfect gift for her cousin’s 30th birthday.
Gemma, 29, recalls: “I struggled to know what to get her so I thought I’d make her a frame as a keepsake. I did that and really enjoyed it as I’ve always been a crafty person - and it kind of spiralled from there. Friends and family started to order things so I made a Facebook page, it mainly started with those photo frames, and I remember being really busy with orders in the run up to Christmas.
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“But when January came it was very quiet, and I wondered what I could do that would sell all year round. So I started to think about weddings - particularly as I was about to plan my own wedding myself.”
Her personalised bridal gifts became a huge hit - the likes of bridal robes and slippers, and personalised gift boxes and photo frames for bridesmaids. She was able to maintain a luxurious and high end feel, but at reasonable prices that made them a big hit with brides-to-be and their wedding parties.
From there, Gemma could see the potential for a whole range of personalised gifts and clothing and business boomed throughout 2017.
But as she entered 2018 she could see that holding down a full time job as well as running the business was too much and she reduced her hours at school.
By November that year Gemma went full time with the business - and hasn’t looked back since, generating around £24,000 a month in sales.
She sells her gifts on her own website, bespokegems.co.uk, as well as on the handicraft giant Etsy.com, which has been a huge boost for her business.
She runs the business from her home in Appley Bridge in Lancashire that she shares with husband Kyle, 27, and daughter Grace, 10.
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Gemma has run the entire business herself, including until recently all the accounting using her own finance background to help.
She says: “My husband does help out loads, he’s always doing bits and bobs.
“And a friend comes and helps me when she can.
“But otherwise it’s me pretty much 24 hours a day.
“I work all day and I’m mainly in my pyjamas all the time to be honest! I even did all the accounting until recently, but I’ve now taken on an accountant to help.
“My phone is always going, night and day, because I’m dealing with orders from all over the world now.”
Gemma sources her products from 海角视频 and overseas manufacturers, and then all the personalisation is done by Gemma at home using high quality inks.
She then sends out around 600 packages a month cross the world.
She laughs: “I have completely winged the whole thing really, just by research and figuring things out for myself along the way.
“It’s incredible how much the business has grown.
“I’d say I’m earning four times more a month than I was working at school, at least.
“But I try to use the money to grow the business.”
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The personalisation trend seems set to only get bigger in the run up to Christmas 2019 - with a host of celebrities and influencers leading the way - and Gemma says that has a big impact on sales.
She says: “I honestly think social media is one of the biggest drivers for the trend because people love things that are personalised - and are then keen to post them online.
“Especially with weddings, they are getting bigger and bigger and the amount of money people will spend is unreal.”
Gemma has created a full Christmas range ready for 2019 - with everything from personalised baubles, pyjamas, notepads to even dog bowls to cater for all of the family, with prices starting from £5.95.