Meet Hannah Delisi, creator of accessory boutique DelisiCo

Hannah Delisi had no idea what was in store when she started selling handmade, ocean-inspired jewelry in 2020. 

Back in May of 2021, 18-year-old Delisi made a TikTok video about her new handmade, ocean-inspired jewelry collection. It shows her painting smiley faces and curling waves on beads. At the end, she showcases colorful, layered necklaces including her hand-painted beads, pearls, heishi beads and gold chains. That video amassed over 300,000 views and 50,000 likes. 

Delisi recalls it as the craziest thing that’s ever happened to her; a life-changing moment that she’ll remember forever.

“Suddenly my account starts getting hundreds of followers and within three days I got over 400 orders through Messenger and Instagram,” said Delisi, 21. “I had to make a website that week to get a grip on how I took my orders. My family was helping me. I had my parents and my grandma making necklaces at the dinner table.”

From beach-inspired shark tooth jewelry to puka-shell-adorned coastal cowgirl hats, DelisiCo is the accessory boutique of any beach bum’s tropical dream. These days, she doesn’t want to disclose her sales figures, but she notes that the Instagram of her company, DelisiCo, has over 10,000 Instagram followers and more than 12,000 TikTok followers. She is sold out of several items and has shipped orders to all 50 states, Canada, Australia, Italy, Israel, Germany, and Spain to name a few.

Delisi started her business in 2020 because she loves to be crafty and creative. Since they can be tailored to any particular style, accessories seemed like the ideal items to sell.

“Everyone loves accessories,” said Delisi. “I know I don’t feel put together without a pair of earrings or a necklace on.”

One thing that makes jewelry from DelisiCo so unique is that she and her family have found all the shark teeth used in her pieces on Venice beach and Manasota Key. They visit twice a year. She compares finding shark teeth to a treasure hunt.

“We look for hours on end, until the sun goes down and then at the end of the day we compare the teeth and pick our favorites,” said Delisi. “We probably have over a thousand in our jar,”

Gold-plated necklaces, bracelets, rings and earrings are all available for purchase on DelisiCo’s website. Her jewelry ranges from $8 to $35 in price when purchased individually, but necklace sets are also available. One of the best-selling items is the Alani choker which retails for $25, and includes pearls and a gold chain. Shark tooth jewelry is also very popular and ranges from $18 to $35 in price. Jewelry is available in a wide range of color combinations and styles.

Hannah Delisi posing with orders before shipping them out. (Photo provided by Hannah Delisi)

In August 2022, Delisi decided to put her creativity to the test by making her own version of today’s hottest TikTok trend: coastal cowgirl hats. The hashtags for the trend have garnered over 100 million views on the popular video-making app, and the coastal cowgirl tags have been trending every day for the last few months. 

Although DelisiCo is all sold out at the moment, three colored coastal cowgirl hats as well as customizable game day hats can be ordered. Known as the Layla (pink), the Lola (white), and the Luana (blue), these cowgirl inspired rattan beach hats are decorated with ribbons, gold accents and puka-shells. They will be restocked on today, May 26, and range from $62 to $64 in price. Delisi plans on releasing two new coastal cowgirl hats in new colors, the Lav (light purple) and the Lily (light green), but a release date for those has yet to be determined. 

As her business keeps growing, so does the demand for her products. But Delisi admits she’s made mistakes along the way and gets overwhelmed with orders at times. 

“Over the last three years I’ve learned so much about running a business and about myself as a person,” says Delisi. “I do feel overwhelmed sometimes when I get a wave of orders because at the end of the day, the pressure is all on me. My family and boyfriend help me a lot and I couldn’t do it without them.”

Her cousin, Carolina Gomez, helps her prepare orders and make accessories for some leverage. She also receives a lot of help from her boyfriend and his mom, Matthew and Ana Porry, who Delisi believes played a big role in starting her business.

“My boyfriend’s mom is super crafty just like me and she is how I got started making jewelry,” said Delisi. “She’s one of my biggest supporters.”

Delisi has struggled in the past with giving herself time off from making jewelry and hats, but as time has gone on she’s learned that taking time for herself is also important.

Delisi says she has lost track of how many jewelry pieces and hats she’s sold between her website and pop-up shops that she’s done at Westminster Christian School, Florida Christian School, and farmers markets. But one thing is certain: she has many happy customers. Emma Barberena, 20, an avid beach-goer who loves everything about the ocean, bought necklaces around the time Delisi first started selling jewelry.

“I think it’s super cool that I purchased from her in the beginning because I’ve witnessed her business grow first-hand,” said Barberena. “I’ve bought a couple necklaces and I wore them for long periods of time without taking them off.”

Delisi hopes to continue expanding her business for years to come.

“I wish I could elaborate on what’s next for DelisiCo, but it’s a secret for now,” said Delisi. “It’s something I’ve wanted to do since the day I started this business and I’m putting so much love and work into this next endeavor.”

Keilyn Quintero is a senior majoring in digital communications and media with a track in digital journalism. After she graduates, she wishes to pursue a career as a music journalist.