At the age of 15, Kiana Mei embarked on an entrepreneurial journey that diverged markedly from the conventional path taken by many teenagers. Rather than seeking part-time employment in a café like her peers, sheeding her father's encouragement, decided to channel her efforts into founding her own company. This bold choice laid the groundwork for her current status as a financially independent 20-year-old business owner.
The origins of her enterprise trace back to a skill nurtured during a school trip to Japan, where she learned the art of origami. The COVID-19 lockdown period provided the time and focus necessary to refine this craft, leading to a unique product offering. At 16, Kiana began showcasing and selling her origami butterflies at markets around Melbourne, a venture that crystallized her entrepreneurial potential when a customer purchased three pieces for $100. This moment marked her realization that her creations could generate tangible financial return.
Following this early success, Kiana expanded her brand, Kiana Mei Designs, by incorporating dainty, customizable, and affordable jewelry alongside her origami pieces. Throughout her high school years, she adeptly balanced academic responsibilities during the week with weekend market sales, maintaining a dedication to both endeavors.
She excelled academically as well, graduating with one of the highest grades in her school, qualifying her for a broad range of university courses. Nevertheless, she consciously opted to dedicate a full year exclusively to growing her business instead of entering college immediately. This decision was underpinned by her reflection on the relevance and application of academic studies relative to her real-world business experience: "What am I actually going to be studying in university that's related to business that I'm not already doing now?"
Currently, Kiana operates a stall at Melbourne's Queen Victoria Market, open from Tuesday through Sunday. She has moved out of her parents' home to live independently, has achieved financial autonomy, and expresses no regrets about prioritizing her entrepreneurial ventures over traditional higher education.
Nonetheless, her journey has illuminated several important considerations she wishes she had been aware of before plunging fully into entrepreneurship at a young age.
1. Experiencing Isolation as a Young Business Owner
The sense of isolation proved an unforeseen challenge for Kiana. While attending school, her social circle included peers with similar academic and personal interests. However, upon graduating and immersing herself in business activities, those relationships weakened due to divergent life paths and interests.
Her experience also highlighted a scarcity of young entrepreneurs, particularly young women, within her local business community in Melbourne and broadly in Australia. Despite attending numerous networking events, she found herself largely among older individuals with whom she found it difficult to relate, further contributing to feelings of separation in her professional and personal life.
2. Navigating the Importance of Health and Work-Life Balance
Kiana emphasizes the often overlooked physical demands associated with running a market stall, including extensive periods of standing and constant engagement with customers. During the Christmas season in one recent year, she worked fourteen consecutive days without taking a break, exacerbating the toll on her body.
Her commitment to health is underscored by incidents such as losing her voice for several days owing to illness, which directly impeded her ability to work, as customer interaction is central to her sales approach. Recognizing the primacy of health, she integrates a disciplined routine of early morning exercise, nutritious meals, and consistent sleep schedules to sustain her energy for market days.
3. Accepting That Not Every Customer Will Be Engaged
Initially, Kiana grappled with feelings of rejection when potential customers passed by her stall without stopping or interacting. This led to overanalyzing customer behavior and questioning her offerings' appeal.
Over time, she cultivated a healthier perspective, understanding that her products are not universally appealing and that entrepreneurship entails identifying and connecting with a particular segment of appreciative customers. This acceptance allows her to allocate energy constructively during market days — engaging genuinely with receptive patrons and moving on promptly when interest is not reciprocated.
Kiana Mei's story reflects a distinctive blend of youthful initiative, creative passion, and pragmatic adaptation to the realities of entrepreneurship. Her experience offers valuable insights into the challenges of diverging from traditional educational routes, the emotional and physical demands of running a small business, and the importance of attitude toward customer engagement in retail.