Breann Vaughn, an African American and Native American woman with a curly afro and colorful headwrap, smiling with text overlay reading 'How I Made 10K in Sales: Streams of Revenue in My Skincare Business and More Ways to Make Money

How I Made My First $10K in My Skincare Business

When I started my skincare business, I had no idea how much I would come to rely on in-person connections and consistency to grow. Hitting my first $10,000 in revenue felt like a huge milestone and when I look back on where those sales came from, it taught me a lot about what works when you’re just starting out.

If you’re building a product-based business and wondering how to actually turn it into something profitable, here’s how I did it and what I’ve learned about each sales channel so far.

1. In-Person Markets: 75% of My Income

Most of my first $10K came from doing local in-person markets. Farmers markets, craft fairs, pop-ups; these events gave me more than just sales. They gave me confidence, customer feedback, repeat buyers, and connections I couldn’t have made otherwise.

What I love about markets is that they’re immediate and personal. People can see, smell, and test your products on the spot. They get to talk to you and feel your enthusiasm for what you’re selling. It builds trust quickly.

How you can use markets to grow:

  • Sign up for as many markets as you can realistically handle, especially when starting out.

  • Bring your bestsellers and a clean, welcoming display.

  • Collect emails or social media follows from everyone who buys or even shows interest.

  • Pay attention to what products people ask about most — it helps guide future offerings.

Even though my long-term plan is to shift more online, I never would have gotten here without showing up in person first.

2. Wholesale Orders From Market Connections: 15% of My Income

One of the most unexpected benefits of local markets was meeting business owners who wanted to carry my products in their shops. These one-off wholesale orders made up about 15% of my revenue, and they often came from someone who just happened to stop by my booth one weekend.

Wholesale is an incredible way to grow because it moves more volume at once and helps your products reach customers you may never meet yourself.

How you can use wholesale to grow:

  • Have a simple line sheet or brochure ready to show potential buyers.

  • Follow up with contacts you meet at markets.

  • Keep your minimums low enough that small stores feel comfortable ordering.

  • Look into platforms like Faire, which make wholesale accessible to more makers.

3. Direct Website Traffic: 10% of My Income

My website accounted for about 10% of my sales at first. Almost all of these customers were people who had met me at a market and wanted to reorder online. It showed me how important it is to have a place online for people to come back to after their first purchase.

How you can use your website to grow:

  • Make sure your site is easy to navigate and mobile-friendly.

  • Include links to your social media and email list sign-up.

  • Offer free local pickup or free shipping thresholds to encourage sales.

  • Share your website everywhere you can on business cards, social media, your booth, and packaging.

4. TikTok Shop & Lives: My Newest Revenue Stream

Recently, I’ve started experimenting with TikTok Shop and TikTok Lives. This is still new to me, but it’s exciting to see how much potential there is here. The reach on TikTok is huge, and live selling brings back that personal interaction I loved from markets, but on a bigger scale.

How you can use TikTok to grow:

  • Set up your TikTok Shop so customers can buy directly from your videos and Lives.

  • Go Live regularly to show your products in use, answer questions, and offer special discounts.

  • Create short, engaging content that shows off your brand’s personality and your products’ results.

  • Be consistent! TikTok rewards creators who show up often.

What’s Next for Me

Now that my foundation is solid, I plan to lean more into online and wholesale channels. My next focus areas are:

  • Attending larger expos and trade shows to meet buyers and wholesalers.

  • Growing my website traffic through email marketing, social media, and SEO.

  • Expanding on TikTok Shop and Lives to reach more customers.

  • Listing my products on Faire to grow wholesale even further.

But none of that would have been possible if I hadn’t started at my local markets, talking to real people and building my confidence one sale at a time.

If you’re in the beginning stages of your own business, don’t underestimate the power of showing up in person and putting yourself out there. The connections you make can carry you far beyond that first $10K.

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