Gucci, Dior, Versace — most everyone has heard of the icons of fashion. Fashionistas may now add a fresh aspirant to their stylish world: an eBay store called Hauz of Findz.
Findz is the brainchild of Jessica Gotelli. Her story of reinventing her career by founding her retail brand on eBay began with a pandemic-related furlough three years ago.
Jessica was a manager at a luxury clothing boutique when business shut down in Los Angeles. Like many other retail workers, she was unemployed for a few months. While she eventually returned to work, the company ultimately went bankrupt, and she lost her job.
Unable to afford rent in the City of Angels, Jessica packed up her apartment and drove east to her parents' house in Palm Springs. Still, she was optimistic about her future.
While earning a master's degree in business from Boston University, one of her class requirements was to create a new business. She always wanted to build a company of her own and, with her extensive background in fashion, reselling classic threads was an obvious place to start.
“I always bought vintage for myself and resold certain pieces I no longer wore,” explained Jessica. “Reselling is a great way for me to recycle sustainably while affording a fashionable style.”
Now with her class assignment due, she needed to name her reselling business.
One night, while the 30-year-old chatted with her parents at the dinner table, inspiration struck: Hauz of Findz.
“The logo, how the ‘Z’ connects Hauz and Findz, popped in my brain,” she recalled. “I said, ‘Oh my God, I need a piece of paper.’”
With a few pen strokes, she sketched her masterpiece, and Hauz of Findz was born. A creative friend polished the idea and produced the final design. Like other luxury brands, Jessica wanted her store to be a “house,” so customers understand her brand is not limited to clothes but includes home furnishings and art as well.
Jessica photographs a vintage Michael Harvey vasefor her eBay store, Hauz of Findz. Credit: Jessica Gotelli.
“I wanted to do a little play on words,” Jessica said. “I didn’t expect success to happen so quickly.”
With her impeccable taste and the ability to source inventory locally in Palm Springs – through estate sales, trendy thrift stores, and word-of-mouth private sales – Jessica's Hauz of Findz has found a loyal following on eBay. She markets her store via Instagram and TikTok, and has even created a pop-up store near her parents' home, complete with sleek, minimalist branded price tags that reflect her brand's aesthetic.
A Hauz of Findz branded tag specially designed for Jessica’s pop-up store. Credit: Jessica Gotelli.
“I really like how I can sell clothes on eBay to a buyer in Florida, and then something else to a buyer in New York,” said Jessica. “It’s an advantage I could never have had selling in a brick-and-mortar store.”