Wait! People want to buy this?

How did three students turn their hobby into money with their free time and social media accounts during the pandemic this summer?

By Ella Thomas

“I posted [handmade earrings] on my private story on Snapchat and I was like, ‘Guys, look what I learned how to do!’ Said Senior Tatum Cox, one week before she started her own online business. Cox received multiple offers to buy her earrings that week.

Students often find ways to stay busy and make money over the summer. However, students were limited in what they could do during lockdown due to closed businesses and canceled summer programs. This summer some students chose to work for themselves.

Along with Cox, sophomore Annika Zmijewski and senior Mandy Unterhalter also run small businesses. Cox runs a Jewelry account, Tatum’s Trinkets, on Instagram, selling bracelets, necklaces and most prominently, earrings. Zmijewski also sells earrings on the Instagram account Anika’s Earrings and Unterhalter has sold baked goods through Instagram and Facebook for the past 4 years through the name Sweet Addictions by Mandy.

The great thing about the fundraiser was that I got to educate people and made a way for younger people to donate

Students were encouraged to social distance this summer, which gave some more free time than usual. Both Cox and Zmijewski started Instagram accounts for their businesses after the governor’s executive order to restrict mass gatherings on March 17. They both noted without the extra time they would not have been able to start their online shops.

“I didn’t really have much to do and I thought that would be really fun to do and try,” Zmijewski said. “If I had been in school, I wouldn’t have had the time or I just wouldn’t have had the idea to even start the business.”

Unterhalter started her bakery in 2017, but said the lockdown gave her more free time. In the past, Unterhalter declined orders because of other commitments, but the lockdown allowed her to take more orders. This summer, Unterhalter had enough time to hold a fundraiser in support of the Black Lives Matter movement. She raised around $660 and donated it all to the Equal Justice Initiative.

“The great thing about the fundraiser was that I got to educate people and made a way for younger people to donate,” Unterhalter said. “Some people may not want to donate to a person that they only know from the internet, but this made it easier for them.”

All three businesses make most of their sales through word of mouth, according to the students. Cox sells her jewelry to other influencers on TikTok or Instagram that then post pictures of what they bought.

“I have quite a few friends that have pretty big followings on TikTok and Instagram,” Cox said. “They wanted earrings. And then I was like, ‘Oh, hey, if you wouldn’t mind, could you post it on your Instagram story or something?’ And then most of them just made a whole review video or something, which I didn’t even ask for.”

According to the students, organization and customer service are the most difficult parts of the job. Although Cox and Unterhalter receive some help from their family members with organization, much of the planning is done by them.

Pricing is difficult for Cox and Zmijewski because shipping can double the cost of a pair of earrings. Zmijewski has had a few orders from Chicago but mostly hand-delivers her earrings locally. Cox has had orders from New York, Florida and California, plus requests from farther away.

“A lot of people have asked me, ‘Do you ship to Europe? Do you ship to Canada?’ And I’m like, ‘I don’t do that at the moment,’Cox said. “Because, I’m not going to make people pay a ton of money for a product that size.”

Unterhalter explained that baked goods get expensive and considers that when pricing cakes or cupcakes. Unterhalter’s cakes are also “bakery price," meaning that they have more detailed decoration and higher quality ingredients compared to a store-bought sheet cake.

“I did have one order where a lady thought she knew the price of the cake better than me and wanted to pay $30 for an eighty-or-so-dollar cake,” Unterhalter said.

Unterhalter had baked for years before she made her account. Cox started by crafting earrings for fun with a friend in Colorado.

“I’m making a little bit of profit,” Cox said. “It started as something I wanted to just do for myself, even though I don’t really wear earrings much at all. For me, it’s just like a hobby.”

Tatum’s Trinkets

WHO? Tatum Cox, A senior who started a homemade earing business.

WHEN? Cox started her Instagram account on August 8, 2020.

WHERE? After learning the craft in Colorado with a friend, Cox brought the hobby home to Kansas City.

Cox brought bright summer colors into her earrings this September as part of a circle themed release.

Sweet Addictions by mandy

WHO? Mandy Unterhalter, a senior who has a love for baking.

WHEN? though Unterhalter started her Instagram account on January 15, 2017, Unterhalter has sold her baked goods for 4 years in total.

WHERE? As a Kansas City local Unterhalter sells her treats close by to ensure that they are of the highest quality.

Mandy Unterhalter shared a picture of her Black lives matter cupcakes on June 27. The cupcakes raised awareness for the racial injustice and encouraged others to make a difference.

Annika’s Earrings

WHO? Annika Zmijewski, A sophomore who started a homemade earing business.

WHen? Zmijewski started her Instagram account on May 21, 2020.

Where? Annika started by delivering locally in the Kansas City area but has since started to ship some orders.

One of Zemijewski’s more recent designs are these large hoop-like earrings. These earrings were handmade with a common craft popular to most children.

Want to see more?

You can find all the students mentioned on instagram at: @tatumstrinkets @annikasearrings @sweetaddictionsbymandy