I Started This Brand on the Benefit - Here's What Changed Everything

I'm not going to sugarcoat this, I started Lightbody Jewellery while I was on the sickness benefit. I'd left my job, was dealing with depression, and honestly had no idea what I was doing with my life. I was just trying to find my path.

The Reality

The financial pressure was real. So was the mental weight. I was depressed, uncertain, stuck in that space where you know you're capable of more but you can't see the way forward. Every day felt heavy. I didn't know what I was supposed to be doing, but I knew working for someone else wasn't it.

Then one day, I walked into a jewellery store. Just browsing. The woman who owned it looked at me and said, "You should work here. There aren't many jewellers left, you know."

I went home and sat with that. She was offering me a job. A real opportunity. But something didn't feel right.

The Shift

Instead of taking the job, I enrolled in a business course. I needed to figure out how I could build something myself, not work for someone else, but create something that was mine. I didn't know what yet, but I knew I had to try.

And then it happened.

The Ankh came to me in a vision. Clear as day. The symbol of life, of eternal existence, of something bigger than myself. That was the moment everything clicked. I wasn't just going to make jewellery, I was going to create talismans. Pieces with meaning. Pieces that carried weight.

Boom. That was it.

The First Actions

I started making pieces. I didn't have fancy tools or a proper workshop. I learned hands-on, made mistakes, kept going. The Ankh was the first. Then more symbols followed, sacred geometry, ancient meanings, things that resonated.

I signed up for my first market in New Zealand. Set up a table. Put myself out there. It was terrifying, but I did it anyway.

The Early Days (The Honest Part)

Sales were slow. Really slow. There were days I'd stand at markets for hours and barely sell anything. The doubt crept in hard. Was this even worth it? Should I have just taken that job?

But I kept reinvesting every dollar I made back into the business. I worked long hours for what felt like no reward. It was exhausting. But I couldn't stop. Something in me knew this was the path.

When Things Started to Change

Then something shifted. People started connecting with the work. Not just buying it, connecting with it. They'd pick up the Ankh, ask about the symbolism, tell me what it meant to them. That's when I realised: there was something real here.

Sales started coming in. Slowly at first, then with more momentum. It wasn't overnight success, it was just consistent effort finally paying off.

Where I Am Now

I'm selling at markets regularly now. The collection is growing, Sterling Silver, 9ct Gold, talismans with real meaning behind them. The Ankh is still at the heart of it all. I'm building a brand, a real one. It's still early. There's so much further to go. But I'm moving forward, and that's what matters.

What Actually Changed (What I Learned)

No one is coming to save you. That job offer could've been safe. But I chose to bet on myself instead.

Action beats overthinking. I could've spent years "planning", instead, I enrolled in that course and started making.

Trust the vision. When the Ankh came to me, I didn't question it. I followed it.

Reinvesting is part of growth. Every dollar went back in. That's how you build something real.

Consistency beats motivation. Motivation fades. Showing up every day doesn't.

Building something real takes time. There's no hack. Just work.

If You're Stuck Right Now

Start. You don't need everything figured out. You don't need the perfect plan or the perfect setup. You just need to take the first step.

I started this brand on the sickness benefit, depressed and lost. A vision changed everything. If I can do it, so can you.

Explore the collection. Follow the journey. Come see me at markets. This is just the beginning.