'How I Started A Six-Figure Business At 22'

Jessica Williamson

Original Article on whimn.com.au - read the article on Whimn here.

I have always wanted to start my own business, I even used to run small businesses in primary school.

So after workshopping many ideas, I decided to go for it.

I launched my first business, swimwear label Ete in about seven months at age 22.

Looking back it was a pretty gutsy move but I really was just following my passion and intuition.

I have a background in digital marketing and advertising but no formal training in fashion, despite always having a keen interest in it, having completed several fashion internships as well.

Being born and bred in Perth, I have grown up with a love of the sea and going to the beach whenever I have spare time, so a swimwear label was the perfect choice for me.

Ete found success quite quickly: After one week I was invited to debut at the prestigious New York Fashion Week.

When I got the call about New York Fashion Week, I was shocked and excited to say the least. Being invited to showcase at one of the largest fashion events in the world just one week after launching was quite a surreal feeling.

What followed was months and months of hard work, including producing a whole new collection to launch at the show.

The process of creating initial sketches and samples, to finally getting the final product takes several months. As well as organising promotions and marketing for the time that Ete Swimwear would show in New York - not to mention continuing to run the day-to-day business in the meantime.

It was a crazy time but also incredible opportunity for Ete to expand and reach new audiences, an aspect that was an amazing contributor to the success of Ete’s initial launch.

Right from the start, I didn’t have the budget for paid advertising so I spent endless hours on Instagram, building our profile up even before we had launched. Now we have over 70,000 followers on Instagram with many of them being loyal and raving fans.

I also created key partnerships with aligned influencers, including Matilda Djerf who I collaborated with to design a collection, which resulted in us selling out in just two days. Our social media and influencer strategy really has been a major asset to helping me get to six figures so early on.

Following on from the success of Ete, I founded a new company; Somewear Elsewhere -Australia’s first influencer travel agency, pairing top influencers with the best brands, destinations and resorts in one-off travel experiences.

Drawing from my experience working with over 200 influencers with Ete, I launched Somewear Elsewhere to bridge the gap between enviable premium influencer content and brands. It offers a unique opportunity for brands who are seeking content from sought-after locations across the globe without the associated expenses of overseas photoshoots.

Ordinarily the costs absorbed include flights, a creative team including makeup artists and hair stylists, and photographers but now brands have the ability to tap into a creative team regardless of their budget as Somewear Elsewhere creates bespoke solutions to suit every budget.

It really has been a dream come true seeing the success of Ete Swimwear and as well as launching another business, entrepreneurship is very addictive! There have been many highs and lows since launching Ete at 22, but it has been such a rewarding experience that I would encourage anyone wanting to start a business regardless of their age to absolutely take the plunge.

Entrepreneur Jessica Williamson is the brains behind cult Aussie swimwear label Ete and Australia’s first influencer travel agency Somewear Elsewhere. At 25 years of age, this Perth-based local continues to prove she’s one-to-watch, with her smart business acumen putting her brand in competition with long-established companies. Jessica’s success hasn’t gone unnoticed, being recently named a finalist in the WA Telstra Business Women’s Awards 2017 in the Young Business Women’s category, a Westpac Business of Tomorrow 2018 winner and a WA finalist in the Telstra Business Awards 2018.

If you know a woman who’s undoing business for the better, nominate them now for the 2019 Telstra Business Women’s Awards here.