Two 13-year-old Bowen school girls are setting a fine pace for other youngsters in the region by running a successful business that, over the past four years, has paid for holidays and set themselves up for good savings.
Katie Austin and Casey Holt first started creating handmade earrings at Katie’s birthday party when they were nine years old, and it wasn’t long before a hobby morphed into a profitable side business.
The colourful resin earrings proved so popular with friends and family that Katie and her friend Grace started a small market stall under a carport at home.
Before long they began attending the markets and holding a stall there as well, naming the business K&G Jewellery.
Unfortunately, Grace was unable to commit enough time to the business, so she graciously stepped down allowing their other friend, Casey, to become the new business partner.
The girls agreed to keep the name the same though.
Katie and Grace have now become a well-known supplier of local earrings, with Katie’s mum Victoria saying that now “every business in Bowen owns a pair of custom-made earrings!”
The girls take orders from around town and can even complete branded commissions.
And at $2 per pair, the community snaps them up!
While $2 sounds like a modest amount, however, Katie says she has saved every cent and put it to good use.
The profits from earring sales have paid for the girls to go on holiday to Daydream Island and flights down to Brisbane to watch the ballet.
“When I’m 16 I’d like to buy a pink sparkly jet ski!” said Katie.
Proud mum, Victoria said she gets emotional when she thinks about how far they have come – “people often say to me that they’ve watched the girls grow up before their eyes!” she said.
Katie Austin and Casey Holt from K&G Jewellery. Photo credit: Rachael Smith
