From Keychains to Custom Sneakers: The Start of My Entrepreneurial Journey

I’m often asked about my entrepreneurial journey, and it honestly all started when I was in second grade. I had no idea at the time, but my passion for entrepreneurship all began with making keychains out of boondoggle string. I’d sit at the kitchen table for hours, crafting keychains, like the kid I was, for fun. One day, my dad, who owns Save A Lot grocery stores, asked me if I wanted to try selling my keychains at his store and I obviously said why not. My dad started to come home from work with customers on the phone leaving special requests —people wanted custom keychains, and TA DAAAA, my little side hustle was born.

I started to sell flip-flops with balloons tied on them (don’t ask why, but they sold!), bracelets made from pop bottle tabs and shoe laces, etc.. As an elementary schooler, I managed to make a couple thousand dollars solely from making these creations. I even made breast cancer awareness keychains every October and donated $1,000 to various cancer foundations, all at such a young age. That’s when I first realized that business wasn’t just about making money—it was about making an impact.

The Moment of Doubt: Not Knowing What to Do with My Life

As I got older, like everyone, I had no clue what I wanted to do with my life. It was that time of my high school career where you start touring schools, and I was thinking about going into engineering (I even picked the school I thought I was going to end up at, at the time) and I also thought about getting into law because in my family, I was the queen of arguing (talk about two totally different directions)! I really had no clear path—and then one day, my mom said something that completely changed my perspective.

We were talking about my future when she said, “I don’t know, Juliana, I really see you doing art.” I stared at her dead in her eyes with a stank face and  replied, “art? What do you mean?? How can I make a career out of art?” FORESHADOW: I was WRONG.

I didn’t fully understand it then, but her words stuck with me. We ended up touring my third school, College for Creative Studies, in Detroit, and the second I saw an art store inside of the school I looked at my mom with the smirk of trying to not admit that she was right, and said, “yeah, I have to go here.”

The Catalyst: COVID, Art School, and a Viral Video

Fast forward to the COVID-19 lockdown in 2020, my senior year in high school got cut short and I was stuck at home, bored out of my mind. I’ve always been very go, go go, being a student and a competitive dancer, and now it was just stop, stop, stop.

While the world was paused, my creative energy was building up, and I needed to create something. That’s when I posted a video of myself painting a pair of my brother’s old Air Force 1 sneakers with his favorite superhero—Spiderman (keep in mind this was my first pair I ever painted). The video went viral, with over 2.8 million views. 

https://www.tiktok.com/@julianarabban/video/6809799959823617285?lang=en

That moment was the catalyst for everything. I was getting hundreds of messages from strangers to get their shoes painted and I thought to myself, I think it’s time to finally start a business. Just by Juliana was officially born! But here’s the thing—I was also starting art school at the same time.

The Struggle: Balancing College, Business, and a Love for Hard Work

I started at College for Creative Studies with a major in Advertising, a minor in Communication Design, and another in Creative Entrepreneurship. To say it was demanding would be an understatement. There was a point where I had class from 8:30am to 10:00pm.. YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT–14 HOURS. My days were packed with intense coursework, and on top of that, I was running a growing business, while running both instagram and tiktok. I was juggling art projects, client orders, and the constant stress of school deadlines. I wasn’t able to dedicate myself fully to either, and I’ll be honest—it was one of the hardest periods of my life. But it also nourished the workaholic inside of me, and confirmed that I was riding along on the right path.

From Custom Sneakers to Murals: Growing My Business

Today, my business has evolved into gigantic mural projects on walls, clothing with my art, custom sneakers, live painting and custom canvases. I often vend at events such as Eastern Market, Sneaker Con, etc. and I’ve built such an amazing local community that I am so blessed to have. Connecting with people who appreciate my art and hearing their stories fuels my passion and reminds me why I started this journey in the first place.

I’ve had the honor of working with incredible organizations, such as the NFL Draft, Detroit Tigers, and Detroit Pistons. Each project has been a stepping stone to growing my brand, Just by Juliana LLC, and has helped me expand my creative horizons.

One of the most surreal full-circle moments of my career was designing a custom cleat for the 2024 NFL Draft with City Walls Detroit. Not only was I featured on many news channels and newspapers, but more importantly, my piece sold for $10,000, with all proceeds donated to Kids Without Cancer. As a child, I had donated that money from my keychain sales to various cancer foundations, and now seeing my art support the same cause—obviously on a much bigger scale—felt like proof I was on the right path.

The Future: Continuing the Journey and Staying True to My Roots

As I continue my journey, I’m committed to building a business that not only reflects my creativity but also allows me to work with incredible people and teams that share my passion for art and innovation. Whether it’s creating custom pieces for individuals or collaborating with major brands, I’m focused on staying true to my roots—quality, passion, and authenticity in everything I do.

I’m continuously pushing myself to learn and grow, and I’m excited for what the future holds—especially the opportunity to work with even bigger brands and teams in the future.

Closing Thoughts: The Importance of Listening to Your Inner Voice (And Your Mom)

Looking back on my journey, from making keychains at 8 years old to running a full-time art business at the age of 18, I’ve learned that success isn’t just about your end goal. It’s about putting the work in and showing up every day. It’s about building relationships and forming your own community, pushing through all the hardships and struggles, and never losing sight of your passion, regardless of the haters who are quite literally doing nothing. I want to inspire others to follow their passion—whether it’s art, entrepreneurship, or quite literally, anything else.

Let me keep it simple and reemphasize…. PUT THE WORK IN and don’t be afraid to take risks. Every day is far from glorious, but there's nothing more rewarding than seeing your dreams turn into reality. Remember, no dream is too big, and no age is too young to start and sometimes, the best advice comes from the people who believe in you most—even if they’re your mom ;)