Get All Access for $5/mo

Mom's Side Hustle Started With a Facebook Page. Now It Makes More Than $1 Million a Year: 'Don't Overthink.' Karen Frederick, 43, wanted to establish a fulfilling, home-based career.

By Amanda Breen Edited by Jessica Thomas

Key Takeaways

  • Frederick launched the online jewelry and accessories brand Kole Jax in 2012.
  • She watched YouTube videos, opened an Etsy shop and published a Facebook business page.
  • Kole Jax hit six-figure annual revenue within three years and surpassed seven figures annually in 2018.

This Side Hustle Spotlight Q&A features Karen Frederick, 43, founder of Kole Jax Designs, an online brand selling personalized jewelry and accessories. Responses have been edited for length and clarity.

Image Credit: Courtesy of Kole Jax Designs. Karen Frederick.

What was your day job or primary occupation when you started your side hustle?
I was a stay-at-home mom with a baby and a toddler, both boys. My husband also left his career and closed his insurance agency to work at Kole Jax full-time for five years. His old insurance agency office is actually the space we now use for Kole Jax Designs HQ!

Related: This 20-Year-Old Student Started a Side Hustle With $400 — and It Earned $150,000 Over the Summer

When did you start your side hustle, and where did you find the inspiration for it?
I started Kole Jax Designs in January 2012. I have always loved jewelry and the way it makes me feel. I was inspired by that and my need to create. My goal was to establish a fulfilling, home-based career that would allow me to monetize my passions and be present for my children. The name Kole Jax comes from my sons' middle names: Grayson Kole and Tucker Jax.

What were some of the first steps you took to get your side hustle off the ground?
I ordered supplies and taught myself to cut glass and solder by watching YouTube videos. I opened an Etsy shop and took custom orders. I published my business page on Facebook, posted every new design I created and offered giveaways. The Kole Jax Designs Facebook page really took off. I remember getting to 10,000 followers fairly quickly using Meta's advertising to promote page likes. At the time, promoting page likes was a key part of growth. A lot has changed since then.

Related: She Started a Creative Side Hustle That Made $100,000 in 10 Months — Now It Earns Up to $10 Million a Year: 'Find Your Niche'

Image Credit: Courtesy of Kole Jax Designs

What were some of the biggest challenges you faced while building your side hustle, and how did you navigate them?
The plan was always to be an ecommerce business, and finding a constant flow of customers online can be challenging when first starting out. When Meta first created the business manager platform in 2014, I didn't know what I was doing, but I knew social media marketing would be key to the longevity of my business. I dove in and did what I could to run campaigns. Shortly after, I got a call from Facebook and was assigned a Meta Pro. We had monthly calls, which helped me navigate my ads strategy for Facebook.

How long did it take you to see consistent monthly revenue? How much did the side hustle earn?
It didn't take much more than a year to see consistent revenue. It took about three years to hit the six-figure mark in yearly revenue.

Related: The Side Hustle She Started in a High School Locker Room Hit Multimillion-Dollar Revenue — and Taylor Swift Is a Fan: 'Invest in Yourself'

You've since turned the side hustle into a full-time business. What does growth and revenue look like now?
We hit our first seven-figure year in 2018, and since then, we have been very consistent with steady growth year over year. We have generated over $10 million in revenue since joining the "million dollar" club.

The majority of our growth stems from advertising on Meta. Meta's advancements in AI have fostered our growth and enabled me to spend less time on marketing and more time on other aspects of the business.

More specifically, a key component that helped me drive growth and sales has been leveraging Meta's lead gen ads, advantage+ shopping and static creative, as well as organic posting and reels to attract new customers. As a result, Kole Jax Designs has seen tremendous growth within the past year. Here are some topline stats:

  • 70% year-over-year (YoY) sales growth from July 2023 to July 2024
  • 665% YoY growth on Facebook and Instagram
  • 302% year-to-date (YTD) growth on FB and IG
  • 129% orders increase YoY

Image Credit: Courtesy of Kole Jax Designs

What do you enjoy most about running this business?
I enjoy being able to keep the creative spirit that I have had since I was a young girl alive and strong. I enjoy hearing stories of how my designs have touched others' hearts. I love that my boys are learning about business and cultivating a desire to be involved in it. That makes my mama heart happy! I started all of this so I could work and be with them.

Related: She Started a T-Shirt Side Hustle as a Recent Grad Working at 'People' Magazine. It Led to a DM From Levi's and $400 Million.

What's your advice for others hoping to start successful side hustles or full-time businesses of their own?
Just start. Don't overthink it. There is no perfect time to start a business. If you can, put your earnings back into the company in the beginning. Embrace change and failures. After running a business for almost 13 years, I firmly believe that failure is an opportunity to learn, and change is the passage for innovation and growth. Invest in yourself — and not "if," but when the going gets tough, remember why you started.

Looking for your next side hustle? Subscribe to Entrepreneur+ and get access to the most profitable ways to earn extra cash today.

Side Hustles Ideas & More
Amanda Breen

Entrepreneur Staff

Senior Features Writer

Amanda Breen is a senior features writer at Entrepreneur.com. She is a graduate of Barnard College and received an MFA in writing at Columbia University, where she was a news fellow for the School of the Arts.

Want to be an Entrepreneur Leadership Network contributor? Apply now to join.

Editor's Pick

Science & Technology

Why Businesses Are Relying on Automation to Survive the Labor Crisis

Robots are revolutionizing industries by addressing labor shortages and enhancing efficiency, while businesses navigate challenges like workforce adaptation and high implementation costs.

Green Entrepreneur®

How Global Business Leaders Can Build a Sustainable Supply Chain

Businesses can build sustainable supply chains by leveraging technology to reduce environmental impact, optimize resources and track emissions while balancing operational efficiency and sustainability goals.

Side Hustle

'Hustling Every Day': These Friends Started a Side Hustle With $2,500 Each — It 'Snowballed' to Over $500,000 and Became a Multimillion-Dollar Brand

Paris Emily Nicholson and Saskia Teje Jenkins had a 2020 brainstorm session that led to a lucrative business.

Productivity

6 Habits That Help Successful People Maximize Their Time

There aren't enough hours in the day, but these tips will make them feel slightly more productive.

Celebrity Entrepreneurs

The Pep Talk From Mickey Mouse We All Need to Hear, Compliments of Chris Diamantopoulos

Chris Diamantopoulos, the star of "The Sticky," "Red Notice" and the voice of Mickey Mouse, gets real about resilience, chasing dreams, and his desperate wish for a normal hobby.