FINDING A CAREER PATH THROUGH BUSINESS
Fulcrum staff writer Fejiro Mejire sat down with entrepreneur Jasmine Jin to learn more about her business journey and what her company, Astryeet, means to her.
The Fulcrum (TF):
Could you tell me about yourself?
Jasmine Jin (JJ):
My name is Jasmine Jin. I’m a full time student in my third year at the U of O. My program is political science and a minor in civil law and the name of my company is Astryeet.
TF:
Why did you choose the name Astryeet?
JJ:
Long story short, I decided on the name because I wanted a brand name that stood out. I learnt from my aunt, whose jewelry business inspired mine, that once you have a visible name, you are more visible to your audience.
TF:
Why did you decide to start Astryeet and what does it mean to you?
JJ:
I always wanted to be an entrepreneur since I was young. I feel like that’s where everyone sort of starts from: bake sales, garage sales, lemonade stands and simple things like that. I think we all have done something similar [sold a service or a product]. I always got an adrenaline rush when I got paid for my creations and I fell in love with business.
I wanted to start the jewelry business because I wanted to support my family. Astryeet is of such importance to me, because I watched it grow and help grow my family as well. My aunt was a big inspiration for me choosing a jewelry business. She was a mentor for me throughout my journey and she also showed me how to design and manufacture my pieces.
So I decided Astryeet when I first saw my aunt starting her own jewelry business. So my aunt was a big inspiration for me to start my own jewelry business, and that’s why I’m able to create jewelry pieces that I think are very relevant, are able to be very wearable, like wearable and customizable.
And what really helps me a lot was that there was a mentor there for me. So when my aunt had her jewelry business, she helps me, kind of like, get started on my own, and she showed me, like how to make pieces, how to design them, using procreate and Adobe, as well as also how to manufacture them. So I was able to manufacture my own brand, my own jewelry.
TF:
Does your degree tie into your business in any way and do you plan to possibly merge those interests if they are separate?
JJ:
In the literal sense, they are very separate. However, I want to go into intellectual property law which is focused on copyrights, brands and trademarks. I want to be able to help small brands be able to have a trademark, because a lot of people don’t realize that having a brand name, and owning that brand name are two different things.
Ever since I was young, I wanted to be a lawyer. I didn’t know what type, but I knew I wanted to be a lawyer. Starting Astryeet piqued my interest in intellectual property law and I decided on that. It’s definitely a field that’s very interesting because it ties into technology. I want to be at the forefront of this, helping people understand these new advancements in technology and policy.
TF:
What advice would you give to anyone who wants to start a business not related to their career path but they don’t want to make business their career?
JJ:
Firstly, I would say there are different reasons why people start a business. You can start a business to upscale a hobby or passion. You can start one for professional/career development. You don’t have to make your business last long term and I know it’s very difficult, because people get attached. I would say have a defined purpose when you start a business: is it a side hustle or a part time thing? Is it meant to support your career? It is important to remember that business doesn’t necessarily have to be a full time thing and you don’t have to drop out of university to become the next Apple.
I will also say that business is as much a mindset as it is running an actual company. I can give you a good example. I recently wanted to do my own nails and I bought a nail kit. My friends also wanted their nails done, so I did it for them for a very cheap price and that covered my fees for the nail kit. I covered my fees with a business mindset but I’m not going to be doing nails as a business.
The final thing I would say is to find someone (and it doesn’t have to be someone that you know personally, it can be an internet personality) to be your mentor in business. I say just one person because you have to be consistent. Follow their journey and see the good strategies that they implement, but also the failures that they go through. When you go to multiple sources, you’re not able to see all the failures in their entrepreneurship journey.
TF:
Could you tell me what the manufacturing and distributing aspects of your business look like?
JJ:
Of course. So, I got most of my advice from my aunt when I started. What I did, and what I would recommend to entrepreneurs who don’t want to do the labour themselves is to look for a manufacturer. Go on websites like Amazon, Alibaba or even Etsy. Check out products in a similar category as what you want to manufacture. If you see an item that you think is manufactured, send the sellers a message using the contact information provided. Ask them if they do manufacturing, or if they know a manufacturer.
Usually, sellers on Amazon are either the manufacturers selling directly from the factory or a third party reselling a product. As a result, when you contact the sellers using the email or contact form provided, sometimes you will be able to directly reach the manufacturer. Whenever you reach them, ask them what their prices are for making whatever you want produced.
As far as distribution goes, I have a sort of homepage for Astryeet. I sell on Amazon, Facebook and Instagram. I find that between Facebook and Instagram I get more traffic on Instagram though.
TF:
Your business has helped you define your life path. What would you say to people who are still trying to find what they want to do considering how you found your career path?
JJ:
You’ll find a way. I would say a business is a way to try things and there are so many degrees to business. Do not expect success right away and I know it’s hard but don’t give up. Explore and have experiences. Try out different things and discover what may be for you or what may not be for you. These experiences can lead you down some paths that may eventually lead you to your goal.
