Nobody really talks about what it actually costs to build a brand from scratch. So I'm going to.
In year one, Petite Protea did just over $33,000 in gross sales. My expenses were just over $23,000 — and that's not even counting the cost of inventory itself. The website and brand alone cost about $9,000 to build. Then the markets, the packaging, the branding, the software, the licenses. All the things.
I went into year one knowing it would cost more than it made back. That's what building something actually looks like. Every dollar was an investment — in infrastructure, in finding the right artisan brands, in showing up to 15 markets with displays and learning what my customers actually respond to.
The Full Picture
For the ones who like the numbers:
- 220 total orders fulfilled, 54 of them online — every one packed and shipped by me, personally
- 182 total customers, 18 of them returning — a 10% return rate in year one
- $142 average order value
- 68% of revenue from in-person markets, 32% online
- 536 Instagram followers, from zero
The Moment I Knew
About four months in, I had a market where something shifted. Not because of the sales — although those were great — but because of the people.
The ones who made generous comments. Who were excited about the story behind the pieces. Who'd been eyeing something and came back to get it.
That's when I knew I might be on to something.
Then January hit. One sale. The whole month. I'd be lying if I said I didn't start second-guessing myself.
I kept showing up anyway — networking events, conversations, connections. Then in March, I did a show hosted by the Lincoln Square Ravenswood Chamber of Commerce and landed a spot on local news. Website visits climbed 2,500%. People came out to buy what they saw on TV.
But even that wasn't the moment that made me believe.
It was a woman picking up a piece, hearing where it came from, and deciding it mattered. That moment — repeated across 15 markets, 182 customers, hundreds of conversations — is the reason year two exists.
What Year One Was Really For
Year one wasn't for profit. It was for proof.
Proof that fair trade, handmade jewelry has a community here. Proof that people respond to the story behind what they wear. Proof that I could build the infrastructure — the brand, the displays, the website, the supplier relationships, the systems — and still show up, week after week, market after market, to do the work.
I packed every order myself. I drove to every market. I learned what worked, what didn't, and what my customers were actually looking for.
That is the foundation Petite Protea is built on.
Year Two Is for Growing
I'll be at markets around Chicagoland again this fall — come find me if you're local. I'd love to see you in person, introduce you to some new pieces, and keep building this community together.
Because that's what this has always been about. Not just beautiful, ethically made accessories — but the people who wear them, the women who made them, and the community that forms around both.
Thank you for being part of year one. Here's to year two. 🌿
— Laura Tober, Founder
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