Isabella Weems wanted a car, and her parents told her she needed to earn the money on her own by starting a company. At the age of 14, most kids would sell lemonade, but Weems ended up creating a huge business, Origami Owl. She wanted to create a business to allow people to express their dreams. Origami owl is an addictive site that offers customizable lockets and necklaces. A customer picks a locket they would want to buy and then they selects from many different charms to customize their locket. People use Origami Owl to tell their stories, remember a loved one, or to celebrate all the big moments in their lives.
Origami owl now has thousands of independent consultants who host jewelry parties. In 2012, Origami Owl made $25 million. According to Forbes, the company hopes to reach $250 million this year.
Isabella not only created a huge company, but also started a fashion trend. Many people have copied her idea, and now when you go to any type of craft show or shop on Etsy, you can find hundreds of companies just like Origami Owl. I love Origami Owl and have spent way too much money on the site. I recently made a locket to remind me of my trip to Haiti and to help share the story of so many orphans around the world.
It is not only inspiring that Origami Owl was created by a 14-year-old, but also, that she used her own perspective at that age (interest lockets, jewelry, charms) to create a lucrative business. In an age moving toward mass-customization, I think the fact that you are able to customize the necklaces really sets Origami Owl apart. Very interesting!
Thats so wonderful, I love how you can built your own necklace. It makes customer satisfaction pretty easy. Its also amazing that it was all started by a 14 year old, and that her parents had her make a business to raise the money instead of the usual suggestion of doing extra chores. I plan on going to look at the site myself!
One of the greatest things about this was that it was created by a 14 year old. But also, it is a great idea because people love stuff that they can customize. This is the reality of the world we live in. Everybody loves to have everything customized for them and being able to make something their own. Especially when it is not very expensive to do it. Overall, this is a great idea and it is clear why she can be successful.
Cool idea. Glad to hear that it took off like it did. I love the idea of creating a small device for sharing memories and stories. As a guy though, it’s hard to see myself actually making, and buying one. However, to each their own. It’s certainly still a very neat idea.