Meet teen who started working from garage, now set to make Rs 25 crore at just 16 from...

What started as a small side project for a teenager has now turned into a flourishing multimillion-dollar jewelry brand. Evangelina Petrakis, a 21-year-old entrepreneur from New York, began her journey as a high school student with a creative side hustle that has now expanded into a thriving business, EP Jewels, expected to reach USD 3.1 million in revenue this year.

Evangelina’s entrepreneurial story began in 2020 when she was just 16 years old. During the pandemic, she launched her first venture, EP the Label, a collection of handmade tie-dye clothing marketed through Instagram. “I started in my garage, reaching out to my small follower base on Instagram, and soon, orders were pouring in from around the world,” she wrote in an essay last year. Although her clothing line was successful, Evangelina realized that it demanded intense, time-consuming labor, which limited her creative energy. In 2021, she decided to pivot and launch EP Jewels, allowing her to express her creativity in a new medium.

Her jewelry line has been an incredible success, recording over USD 1 million in sales last year. Today, she maintains a strong social media presence with 553,000 Instagram followers, 545,000 on TikTok, and 93,000 on YouTube. Her strategy on social media has been genuine and friendly, with a focus on sharing her journey rather than directly pushing sales. “I never push anyone to buy anything. Instead, I simply tag the products in my videos—rings, necklaces, earrings. They’re not seeing ads; they’re experiencing the products with me,” she explained.

Behind her success lies hard work. Evangelina often puts in 80-hour weeks, handling various aspects of her business from designing products to connecting with her followers. With the help of a small team, including her “momager,” she manages tasks like hosting pop-up events, creating designs, and even answering customer emails. These pop-up events have helped her build stronger relationships with customers, giving them a personal connection to her brand.

Her journey has not been without challenges. Being young meant facing some skepticism, especially from potential manufacturing partners who were hesitant to work with someone fresh out of high school. “Some manufacturers were hesitant to work with me at first,” she admitted, though her solid business plan and growing customer base quickly earned their respect. Surprisingly, her age sometimes worked in her favor, helping her negotiate beneficial terms.

Evangelina credits her success to consistency, dedication, and a deep connection with her audience. By staying active on TikTok and posting regularly, she has built trust with her followers, who view her as a trendsetter. “People come up to me at events saying they feel like they know me from my videos, and that’s my goal,” she shared.

For young entrepreneurs looking to follow in her footsteps, Evangelina emphasizes the importance of networking. One of her best collaborations was with influencer Jordyn Mannino, with whom she launched a signature jewelry line. “Networking has opened doors I wouldn’t have found on my own,” she said.