Jessica Holiday has been living in her closet while building her business out of her studio apartment
NEED TO KNOW
- Jessica Holiday transformed her closet into a sleeping space to maximize her studio apartment for her jewelry business
- She started her business with $400 and reinvests profits, sharing her journey and tips on TikTok
- Holiday previously lived in a van while building her business and says her success has been years in the making
Jessica Holiday has been sleeping in her closet for over two years to save space in her studio apartment while building her business.
The 25-year-old Minnesota resident tells PEOPLE she has grown to “love" sleeping in the cozy nook and even shares that, as a kid, she often asked her mom if she could sleep in her closet.
“She would tell me no, so it’s fun using my free will as an adult to make a little fort in there. It’s actually really comfortable,” Holiday shares.
Holiday uses the main living space in her studio apartment to work on her jewelry business, crafting pieces and storing items.
Credit: Jessica Holiday
Holiday has been working on her business for over six years. After graduating from high school, she started selling rings online. When that didn’t work, she pivoted to selling clothes.
Now, she’s back to making and selling jewelry online, and says her business is finally “really taking off," but she admits “it’s been years in the making.”
@jessica_holliday
my entry into the #standaretodream26 #daretodream contest! the last few months i’ve felt pretty scattered. i’m excited to be traveling again, but it’s definitely just the next step, not the end goal. not that there is an “end goal,” but i have bigger dreams that feel daunting at times. after sitting in the desert for the past week, i’ve been able to recenter my focus for 2026. i’m blessed and excited to get to pursue my dreams, and thankful for all of the continued support 🤍 @Stan #daretodream26 #daretodream
♬ original sound – jess
She was first inspired to start her business after watching YouTube videos of women making clay items and running print businesses.
“It looked so fun to me, and since I was living alone, I thought it would be something I could do during my free time,” Holiday shares.
One of the things she’s learned along the way is that “baby steps compound.”
“There have been so many times that I felt like what I’ve been doing hasn’t been working, but looking back, it’s the little mundane days that really add up and ultimately are the reason things work out," she says.
In the early stages of building her business, Holiday sold everything and lived in her van while making jewelry. She then returned to her construction job, sold her van and moved into her current apartment.
“Making big investments can be scary, especially when you’re not sure what it will look like when you get the return. When I didn’t have as much money, I would question any purchase I made, but I knew if I continued to work, things would work out,” Holiday shares.
She’s been very transparent about her business process on her TikTok account, where she shares glimpses of her life and the pieces she makes.
“I started my business with a budget of $400. Everything I’ve purchased for my business up until this point has been reinvested from the original $400," she tells PEOPLE. "I didn’t want to dip into my normal spending money or savings because I wanted to make sure I had my necessities taken care of."
"It’s okay to start small. Use what you have and try to make the most of it before spending a ton of money," she adds.
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