A Melbourne woman who had ‘no job prospects’ is now making millions with a simple idea.
As she was about to graduate from college, Serene Lim thought she would have a successful career in nutritional science after studying the subject for years.
However, a few months before graduating, her university professors told her that she would probably have to move overseas to succeed, as there were “no job opportunities” in Australia.
Discouraged, the now 28-year-old completed her studies, but instead decided to pursue her business development.
Serene has started a few small “side businesses”, but she never imagined that this could be her full-time career.
A Melbourne woman earns $150,000 a month with her very simple idea.
She began to fall in love with this type of work and aspired to succeed in it. However, his family thought the move was “risky” and were hesitant about their decisions.
But soon after, she came across an amazing nail sticker product overseas and knew she had to bring it to the Australian market.
After testing a few samples and investing $5,000 in cash, Serene finally launched her business “Gellae” in November 2022.
Her efforts have paid off as nine months later she is now earning $1.8 million a year, or $5,000 a day.
“When I was fresh out of high school I loved food and was a real foodie,” Serene told news.com.au.
Her family was unsure of the decision, but supported her throughout the process. Photo: provided
“I then studied Nutritional Science at Monash University and thought that would be my career.
“But a few months before graduating I was told there were no job opportunities in Australia and that I would have to go overseas if I wanted to succeed.
“I ended up working in business development, but my family never really valued that kind of thing. They saw it as risky and as something that could lead you into debt.
Serene had previously dabbled in the business of entrepreneurship, dealing in pet supplies and DIY bubble tea kits.
But her ‘big break’ came when she discovered a new type of adhesive nail being used overseas and knew she had to introduce it to the Australian market.
Nails are a good alternative to a salon visit. Photo: provided
Gellae has been hugely successful, despite launching just nine months ago. Photo: provided
“I had SNS nails done at the salon and loved the look of them, but I hated sitting for hours and the damage that comes with removal,” she explained.
“I’ve always struggled to grow my nails because they tend to break.
“So when I saw the idea of self-adhesive gel nails spreading overseas, I knew I had to bring it to Australia because it truly is a problem-solving product. .”
Gellae nails are semi-cured self-adhesive nails, which are peeled, glued and “hardened” with a UV/LED lamp for 60 seconds.
They allow users to make their own gel nails at home, with the final product lasting two weeks.
Her simple idea quickly turned into reality, with Serene researching samples and testing products, before finally launching Gellae in November 2022.
Serene first studied nutritional science in college before changing careers. Photo: provided
“I had to come up with a business name, register my business and set up social media accounts so we could get started,” she explained.
“I documented my journey on social media and wanted to get people excited. I invested around $5,000 to get started, and it took us around 2-3 months of preparation before we finally got going.
Serene’s business achieved five-figure sales in the few months since its launch, thanks to its hard work promoting the brand on social media.
Today, monthly revenue averages six figures – usually around $150,000 – and the business is only 9 months old.
His best advice to anyone looking to start their own business is simple: just start.
“We definitely saw an increase in sales and traction when our videos started going viral on TikTok, Facebook and YouTube,” she said.
His business now brings in $150,000 a month. Photo: provided
“I love what I do, I find it exciting. It was rewarding to see the impact our product had on the community, with people telling me how the product was helping them grow and protecting their nails.
“My best advice to anyone studying this stuff is to do it. Take the first steps.
“You will learn on the job. I’m a good example because I didn’t study trading or anything really related so I learned along the way.
“Also, don’t be afraid to reach out to successful entrepreneurs, you’d be surprised how many of them are willing to chat or help.
“They’ve spent years excelling at what they do, and having access to them can be very helpful.”