Local woman turns hobby into a business, selling products in more than 250 stores across the country

CAPE COD — A hobby turned handcrafted business. A local woman makes personal—and affordable jewelry and gifts—all out of the basement of her home.

Ever since Laurel Ryan was a little girl, she always wanted to start her own business. Laurel just didn’t know what type of business she wanted to create---until she moved out to Cape Cod and saw a beautiful bracelet.

“I didn’t want to spend $60, $80 on a bracelet,” said Laurel Ryan, owner of Nautically Northern. “So I was like, oh, I can just make it and see, see what I can do from there.”

Laurel hammered out her own, putting her dog’s name on a copper cuff. Laurel proved to herself, and her friends and family, she could make personalized bracelets. So she started Nautically Northern and posted her products on social media.

“A store down in Dennis, Mermaids on Cape Cod, she reached out to me and said, hey, I saw your stuff on Instagram,” said Laurel. “She said I love your stuff. I was wondering if you wholesale. So from there, I started wholesaling to her, then reaching out to the other shops.”

Since then, not only has Nautically Northern grown quickly over the last few years. You can find Laurel’s products in more than 250 stores across the country and in Canada and the Virgin Islands.

“The pieces that I make people wear every day,” said Laurel. “It’s a part of their story, a part of their journey that they get to wear every day and wear as a reminder of some important memories saying or a mantra or something like that to them. I think that’s really special to create something like that.”

Through her sales, Laurel gives back, donating 10% of her profits every quarter to a charity of her choice.

Starting Nautically Northern in her 20s, Laurel’s handcrafting hobby has helped her earn awards, including the Small Business Association’s Young Entrepreneur of the Year for Massachusetts.

“I’m not just a kid making jewelry anymore at my dining room table,” said Laurel. “This is a business. This is real.”

And the reality is the long hours don’t bother Laurel--because she is constantly reminded of why she takes the time to create each piece.

“I don’t mind doing the work because this is something that I love to do,” said Laurel.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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