‘My advice to anyone starting out would be to figure out how you actually work best. Don’t force yourself into a system that doesn’t work for you.’ How Jenny built a business that works for her.
Jenny Latto - The Upcycologist shares her business journey with She Owns It.
What’s your biz?
My business has a few connected strands!
I write travel and op shopping blogs, sharing secondhand finds and hidden gems across Aotearoa New Zealand and overseas.
I sell vintage & retro goods and upcycled art from reclaimed materials.
Who do you work with? What sets you apart?
My ideal customer is someone who loves secondhand and vintage but doesn't always know where to look or what's worth buying. That could be a homewares buyer wanting something or someone planning a trip who wants real op shopping tips rather than generic travel advice.
What sets me apart is that I live for hunting out the unusual - whether it be in a secondhand store or in other spots while travelling!
What sparked the idea behind your business?
It started with upcycling a small wooden dish. Then I started noticing the things I was drawn to while op shopping and traveling the textures, the materials, the stories behind old pieces - and then how those things can translate into my art and blogs.
What does a typical day look like for you as a business owner?
No two days look the same. Some days I'm listing products, other days writing blogs and editing video and images.
Days often involve a mix of writing, photography, admin and more.
Or I might be out exploring a town or city for its opshops or other things worth seeing.
What have been some of the biggest challenges you've faced so far?
Juggling so many different strands of the business at once has probably been the biggest challenge, travel content, resale, upcycling, all pulling for attention.
I was diagnosed with ADHD later in life, which explained a lot about why constant switching between tasks used to wear me out. The fix has been leaning into batch working, doing all my Pinterest pins in one sitting, all my listings in another, rather than trying to touch every part of the business every day.
It's made a huge difference to actually finishing things.
What are you most excited about in your business right now?
Longer term, my focus will be more on travel content and my art & upcycling.
Growing my Pinterest Strategy and building a stronger content library is what I'm most excited about currently.
What’s worked best for you to build brand awareness and get customers?
Pinterest has been a fantastic vehicle to grow my brand awareness currently.
What is one of the important lessons you've learnt as a business owner? What advice would you share to someone starting out?
Take breaks, listen to your body, realise that we all work differently and what works for one person doesn't necessarily work for someone else.
My advice to anyone starting out would be to figure out how you actually work best. Dont force yourself into a system that doesnt work for you.
How does being a part of She Owns It help you in your business journey?
It’s been a valuable place for learning and problem solving, having other business owners to bounce ideas off and learn.
It’s also a place that I have found a couple of other business owners and used their expertise to help grow my business
⚡️ FAST 5:
1. One thing you’d tell your younger self starting out?
Dont listen to the naysayers
2. Your favourite biz or personal development books or podcasts?
Too busy for that!
3. How many tabs do you have open right now?
Too many to count
4. What's your go-to power song?
Only one?
4. A quote you love and why?
A jack of all trades is a master of none, but oftentimes better than a master of one - the full quote please!
How can people connect with you and your business?
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