I turned my failed Etsy shop into a business that made $1 million in its first year. Here's how I did it by 21.

• Keida Dervishi, 21, chose to start an embroidery business with her mom instead of going to college.
• She started selling embroidered products on her Etsy shop at 17 but orders dried up. 
• Consistently posting on TikTok and customization led to her business finally taking off. 

This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Keida Dervishi, the 21-year-old founder of Soulmate Customs. The revenue has been verified by Business Insider. The following has been edited for length and clarity.

As a young girl, I never thought I'd follow in my parents' footsteps. They moved from Albania to the US before I was born and owned a fashion line. I grew up traveling to trade shows all over Europe.