We had the good fortune of connecting with Kaitlyn O’Neill and we’ve shared our conversation below.
Hi Kaitlyn, what do you attribute your success to?
The most important factor behind the success of my business is the authenticity. From day one, I started this company because of my love for jewelry, and dream of having my own business. Every piece I have created is based on my own style, and pieces I’d wear every day. I’ve never launched anything I don’t absolutely love. Along with that, I’m constantly creating content as my authentic self on Instagram and TikTok, and never stray from that. My TikTok blew up over night because of a video I came up with that was straight from my heart, and really genuine. Along with authenticity, I’ve had grit and never given up on anything in my life. Day after day I’ve given it my all, and as a result my dreams have come to life. My company has been growing nonstop to this day. I love that I am able to express myself every day and engage with my honeybabes, which are the amazing community we’ve built.
Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
What sets honey by kait apart is the relationship with our community. Honey by kait is more than a jewelry company. It’s a community of young girls with dreams, and it’s my hope that through honey by kait I can inspire them to take action and become successful. I’m so proud of the incredibly uplifting community we have, and I love how confident girls feel in my pieces. This was one of my goals back when I started honey by kait: I wanted them to feel inspired and even more confident when wearing my pieces. A big factor that has allowed honey by kait to grow and become what it is today is TikTok. After posting one viral video after another back in March, my account blew up overnight, and I was able to make pieces for the biggest creators on that platform. It has been so fun to see Addison Rae, Dixie D’Amelio, and Charli D’Amelio styling my pieces. On the outside it all looks easy, but it’s definitely far from that. The way that I overcome any challenges that come my way is to just keep going. It is not always going to be easy, but in order to be successful you have to push past moments where you face struggle or defeat. Success comes when you are able to keep moving forward, even when it feels incredibly difficult. I’ve learned countless lessons along the way, and I’m still learning every day. I’ve learned the significance of timeliness, and respecting other people’s time, and how quickly opportunities come and go. It’s so important to never leave anyone hanging. Additionally, I’ve learned that not every day will be a day full of yes’s, and sometimes there will be no’s along the way, but it’s all part of the journey. Lastly, I’ve learned that it’s possible to achieve your dreams and hit huge milestones even at a young age. Years ago I never could have imagined that this would be my life someday, but hard work and determination always pay off.
Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If I were to take someone around my area for a week long trip, I would definitely take them to the beach. I’d bring them to a beach in Newport Beach, possibly Laguna Beach, and definitely a day in Malibu. Half of the week would be spent exploring my favorite places in LA, and the other half would be down in Orange County. I would take them to see the sunset on the beach one of the days, and we’d have a picnic with charcuterie and dinner. I would also take them on a hike. The hike would either be down by the water in Newport Beach, or my other favorite place, Runyon Canyon. This hike is in Los Angeles and has a great panoramic view of the skyline and ocean. Runyon Canyon can be a bit strenuous, but it is a popular hike for local celebrities, and a great people watching spot. While in LA, I’d introduce them to Cha Cha Matcha, which has super tasty matcha drinks and vegan soft serve. A great togo lunch spot in LA is Sweetgreen. They have great healthy grain bowls and salads. For dinner we would dress up and go to Catch LA, where you’re sure to see at least one celebrity every time you go. This restaurant is also infamous for their desserts, including their “hit me” cake. I would take them to pressed juicery one day, and we would get juice and their soft serve freezes. Nobu Malibu is also a must. We would spend most of their trip driving around in my car, soaking up the sun, exploring, and eating amazing food. Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
There are so many people who have been a part of this journey with me, and each has played an integral role in my success. Among them, my mom definitely deserves a shout out; I don’t know what I’d do without her. From running designs and collection ideas by her, to her assistance with packing and shipping orders, she’s always there to help when I need it most. I also trust her opinion the most, because we have a similar taste when it comes to designs, and I know she always has my best interest at heart. She has always put others before herself, and I definitely would not be where I am today without everything she’s done for me and honey by kait.
Website: https://honeybykait.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/honeybykait/?hl=en
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kaitlyn-o-neill-0418a3194
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQFXJ48-2BUGq09Ws5UCXXA
Image Credits
Marc Colcer