Entrepreneurs By BRAD LE
Photos by Melody Rin and Mia Bratcher
T
he 20s mark one of the most diverse stages in most people’s lives. Some 20-somethings have never been in relationships, while others are getting married. Some are in college; others went straight to work. Some of us are just in the beginning of our careers and others, far more advanced. Then there are those among us that have already become their own boss, charging headfirst as young entrepreneurs. Many people choose not to pursue the entrepreneur route for a variety of reasons, among the most prominent a lack of professional experience. Despite that hurdle, two young Portland-area women decided to toss their fears out the window and embraced the challenge that comes with being a young entrepreneur. As we learn their stories, we might ask if every business is unique as some people insist – and, if there is something common that all young entrepreneurs might share. Melody Rin is the 20-yearold founder of Rin’s Resins, where she turns decorative resins into durable plastics, or durable castings applied on top Melody Rin posing next to her work area of glassware. She is most known for her floral resins, which commonly end up sold as ashtrays, earrings and heart jars. But she is perhaps most famous for her work on bongs, the latter making up most of her Instagram page. While she has a regular stock of standard orders that are her floral designs, she has made custom commissions including a sparkly green Hennessy bottle for a collaboration and a
2
Venture Magazine
Trail Blazers-themed bong which has the words “Rip City” in matching Blazers colors. “I really love being my own boss,” said Rin. “If I want to have a meeting, it’s literally just me and I don’t have to go through a lot of hoops to make that happen,” she explained with a laugh. She shares that part of being an entrepreneur is having to go through a lot of trial and error and realizing that menial logistics is part of the journey. For example, there are days that she wants to continue doing her resin work, but needs instead to dedicate time to ship boxes first. Ultimately for every moment there is pleasure doing work, there is another moment that can be a chore. Nonetheless, the result is oftentimes rewarding and you take the good with the bad, she said. Rin said one of the difficulties faced as a young owner is that older people do not take you as seriously, commenting that “it’s just a phase, or that you are doing it for fun.” However, she stresses that being an owner makes managing a business so much more personal than a job. “There’s a whole community of artists out there who also take their work seriously,” she noted. While she does lack a lot of professional experience that older business owners hold, she is lucky to have a family that supports her. That experience can always be gained, and she is always on the road to learn more about herself. “I dip my toes into a lot of jobs, which gives me experience, and (I know) that plenty of my interests such as baking and photography also give me ideas to build my business,” she said. Just as there are moments of joy that can be found in being
