SIDE HUSTLES WITH ADPI!

Katie Teague, a member of Alpha Delta Pi shares all about her sorority sisters' small businesses:

Starting as young as third grade, girls sell their rainbow loom creations or necklaces made out of beads. We would gather on the playground taking pride in our passions. Girls have always loved showing off their talents and making a little extra cash while doing it. Why should those side hustles stop there? Keeping a business afloat when real life settles in requires an entirely different kind of passion and dedication. The talent that lies within each Sorority is so impressive and the amount of girls that balance their lives with the time it takes to run a small business, whatever it may be, is something to be commended

Two junior Alpha Delta Pi’s took time to talk about how their side hustle began and how they continue to balance it alongside their current schedule.

Delaney Thomas owns her own art business that she sells on an instagram account : @delthomasart. Here are some of her own words about starting a side hustle and gaining a following.

“I was inspired to start my art account when I was in high school, working on my AP art portfolio. I wanted a place where I could document all the work I was doing on a platform that was easy for me to use. I wasn’t selling anything at that point but really wanted to. It wasn’t until Christmas break of my freshman year when I was brainstorming ideas for Christmas presents for my friends that I decided to create my heart blocks, which I claim are the start to my small business. I gave away these hearts to my friends but decided to post them on my account to see what the reaction would be, and it was better than I could have ever imagined. Since then it has continued to grow!” Delaney says.

Because of the wide community found in college and the social media platform, Delaney’s business flourished.

“I really began to gain a following as I continued to post my hearts and small projects on Instagram following my freshman year. People began to reach out to me about other personal projects they had in mind, which gave me more creative freedom and ideas for things I loved to create. As I began to post these things I kept getting recognition and gaining sales as more people loved the variety of styles I had to offer. People were also posting the things I made for them which was a significant boost to my following.”

Ivy Turner owns a clothing business where she creates custom denim jackets, shirts, sweatshirts, etc. She uses an instagram @ivyturnerjackets to do so. Ivy shares her experience in balancing a side hustle with the normal hustle of college life.

“Since I began, my classes have gotten harder so it’s been challenging for me to find the time to do both. Recently, I’ve been doing more wholesale orders for Grace and James kids. I’ve had to tell myself it’s okay to take a break. Last year, I was very stressed trying to do it all on top of a challenging course load and felt like I was letting the customers down when their jackets would take 4-5 weeks to finish. Since then, I’ve stopped doing as many commissions and just do things as I have the time and then post them to sell!”

When asked if Ivy will continue her passion beyond college, Ivy responded: “I’m an accounting major completely unrelated to fashion so i don’t have many long term goals for ivy Turner jackets but I will always embroider things for my friends!”

Ivy and Delaney are an inspiration to all of us in Alpha Delta Pi, as many other girls have been encouraged to follow their passions because of their success. SO props to any other Panhellenic women who are pursuing their side hustle right now and I hope that this page inspires someone who has a passion to pursue!