Build Up CSS & Script
Build Up: Breadcrumb
Pivot Stories
How one entrepreneur turned a side hustle into
a full-time career

The COVID-19 pandemic has turned our world upside down, with small businesses being hit especially hard. This is a pivotal time for SMBs and entrepreneurs, and the way they respond to the pressure will determine how their businesses run for years to come. Many took a difficult situation and turned it into an opportunity. In our Positive Pivots series, we’re diving deeper into what these innovative businesses and individuals have done, and what lies beneath the surface to produce this kind of creativity and resilience.

This week we spoke with Twinkle Gupta to discuss how she pivoted successfully to online retail during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tell us about yourself. Who is Twinkle Gupta?

I've always been interested in business and wanted to start my own. I'm a firm believer in having multiple streams of income. I always told this to all my friends, but I really didn't know where or how to start. They knew I wanted to do something on my own, and one day a friend mentioned Amazon FBA to me, but I brushed it off. It wasn't until the pandemic hit that I started to become serious about selling on Amazon.

How did COVID-19 impact your operations?

Once COVID-19 hit I had all this free time and I thought to myself, “What should I use all this free time to learn about?” and that's when Amazon FBA popped back into my mind. I figured I'd take this opportunity to learn about the Amazon FBA business model. I took a course and it seemed pretty viable and practical, like something I could implement, and something that wasn't too complex. I really enjoyed learning about it, and it really pushed me to start my Amazon journey.

How did you respond to those changes?

The COVID-19 restrictions caused me to spend more time at home, which in turn motivated me to start my first business selling products on Amazon. With all the free time, I launched my first product on Amazon: fashion masks. My first product launch wasn't as successful as I would've liked. The category was way too competitive and I didn't have a full understanding of all the aspects of managing my own business. I had a lot to learn about advertising, PPC, SEO, and optimizing campaigns to ensure I was profiting and not burning money.

What is the lasting impact those changes will have on your business?

My first launch was definitely a huge learning lesson and exposed me to Amazon FBA in depth. It taught me how to find the right product and launch in a low-competition, high-demand category. It paved the path for my second product launch to be more successful. My second product was a customized scrunchie holder. I used Alibaba.com to get samples and find the right seller for my needs. I’ve been working mainly with just one seller and they’ve been very supportive — helping me add customizations and unique features to my product. I'm planning to scale by developing additional variations and launching more products. I think COVID-19 restrictions caused customers to stay at home and shop online more, in turn increasing sales for my product and motivating me to further pursue my dreams.

Has there been a silver lining for your business throughout the COVID-19 pandemic?

I learned so much about marketing strategies, advertising, budgeting, Amazon's SEO algorithm, and how to optimize campaigns that I actually accepted a full-time job as an ecommerce content specialist for an established company. I help my company with Amazon listings, SEO, and getting more traffic and conversions on their listings. These are all skills I learned and grew a passion for after COVID-19 restrictions motivated me to spend my extra time learning about selling on Amazon.

Do you have any advice for fellow entrepreneurs?

If I could tell anybody who is just starting on Amazon FBA, I'd tell them to go into it with determination and passion. And at the same time understand it's a learning process. Oftentimes you have to learn a lot about marketing, SEO, profit margins, and more, but if you have determination and a passion for it, this could be the right journey for you.

Build Up: Pivot Stories
Latest Pivot Stories articles
Footer