At the age of just 14, Corinne Dumbreck from St Andrews has launched an online jewellery business that’s become a global success.
The schoolgirl started gemsbyeden in November after thinking of the idea last summer.
Since then she’s accumulated more than two million views on Instagram, driving traffic to her shop.
Corinne’s handmade jewellery, accessories and clothing have been sold to 20 countries in four continents.
Business grew on social media
The young Fife entrepreneur said doing school work at home during the pandemic gave her time to start the shop.
She thinks the combination of social media and lockdown has helped her success.
With more people shopping online, Corinne’s content on social media started travelling far and wide.
She says: “It started very slowly and I could see the views going up.
“As I was looking at it, I was measuring it against the population of St Andrews. Then it was the population of Edinburgh, I was surprised.”
Sustainability is also important to Corinne. All gemsbyeden orders come in recyclable packaging and are plastic free.
“I want to make a difference to the planet in the ways I see possible,” she says.
“Because I know that lots of bigger businesses aren’t very eco-conscious.
“Although I don’t have as big of a customer base as Amazon or something I still want to make a difference.”
Learning outside school
As she prepares to enter her fourth year, Corinne said running the business had given her skills she wouldn’t have gained in the classroom.
She says: “It’s given me an opportunity to reflect on myself, because I can learn more than school can teach.
“I can learn to communicate professionally and talk to people I don’t know.
“I’ve learned how to balance my time between friends and school, but that’s also been easier because of the quarantine.
“So it taught me more than some parts of school.”
In the future, she hopes to study art, textiles and business.
She says: “It’s quite good to have my business, because when my family ask me what I want to do when I grow up, I have an answer.
“It means that I’m not just on my phone for the whole summer and I’m actually doing something.”
Mum plays part in gemsbyeden success
The entrepreneur makes all the jewellery and clothes by herself, but sometimes mum Siobhan lends a helping hand in packing orders.
She bought Corinne a scratch map so they can mark the countries she has sold products to.
Siobhan says: “My mum tells me off for not complimenting Corinne enough, but I think loads of kids have got this inside them.
“Kids are fearless and if they don’t have barriers like too much homework, they can achieve so much.”