Inspired by her hard-working mother and her love of fashion, Ellie Vail had all the necessary ingredients to become an entrepreneur.
In 2014, based in her mom’s spare bedroom, she launched Ellie Vail Jewelry, selling quality fashion jewelry at an affordable price online.
Today, the 28-year-old Delray Beach resident has four employees, and her Boca Raton-based line is in more than 500 stores, including Nordstrom and Urban Outfitters.
Vail credits her mother for much of her success: “Our dad abandoned our family a little over 20 years ago, and it has been the four of us ever since. Seeing my mom successfully overcome such a difficult situation has given us all incredible courage and an undeniable work ethic. You can’t be a successful entrepreneur without having courage or working hard.”
Although born in Los Angeles, she spent most of her youth in Boca Raton. By the time she was attending Spanish River High School, her entrepreneurial spirit was evident: She started Ellie Couture Jewelry and sold Disney-inspired charm bracelets to friends and a local boutique.
Her next stop was the University of Florida, where she majored in business. But, like so many risk-takers and creative minds, she wanted to learn by doing. So, she left UF in 2011. Working as a stylist at Saks Fifth Avenue in Palm Beach paid the bills, but jewelry was her passion.
“When I saw that I was making decent money [selling jewelry] with very little time or effort, I knew I had to take it to the next level,” she says.
Leaving her ego at the door, Vail, then 25, moved back in with her mother and committed to building her brand.
“It was scary as hell,” she says. “I failed a lot, but I learned more. My vision was to create a product that was affordable but high quality. It’s expensive to build and grow a business, but I knew I could make money with a lower unit price in comparison to our competitors.”
Vail draws inspiration from runway fashions and celebrity style for her pieces, which are hypoallergenic, water-resistant and plated in 18-karat gold.
The company’s motto, “Always push forward,” is represented by an arrow in its logo and reflects Vail’s indomitable spirit.
“Work hard, stay humble and, most importantly, always push forward,” she says. O