In this exclusive interview, we sit down with Ramona Gohil, founder of the feminist jewellery brand Rani & Co. From humble beginnings to TikTok-fuelled success, Ramona shares her journey, insights into storytelling and social media strategy, and what drives her brand's mission.

Tell us a bit about your career journey and how Rani & Co. came to life.

I’m Ramona, and I own Rani & Co., a feminist jewellery brand. I studied accounting and finance at university but didn’t want to go into that field. After uni, I worked in marketing for about five years. I did content marketing, SEO, social media—basically every type of marketing.

In 2017, I launched Rani & Co. as a clothing brand inspired by feminism. I’d experienced sexual harassment and assault, like so many women, and wanted to create something meaningful. Back then, brands were commercialising feminism with slogans like “Girl Gang.” That didn’t sit right with me, so I created feminist slogan clothing inspired by real feminists like Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Frida Kahlo and more.

But the business wasn’t working financially. The jewellery I was selling on the side was doing better, so in 2020, I pivoted to focus entirely on jewellery. That’s when everything changed. I launched collections inspired by feminism, goddesses, and crystals. TikTok played a massive role in our growth—within three months, I gained 10,000 followers. TikTok even placed a £2,000 order for our Queen Bee necklaces for one of their campaigns, and that money helped me reinvest into the business.

In 2021, one of my videos went viral with 1.2 million views, and we hit £100,000 in revenue. It was a huge turning point for us.

TikTok really helped grow Rani & Co. Do you feel like you were part of its small business boom?

Definitely. TikTok became popular during lockdown, and I was lucky to get in early. They were looking for small businesses to work with and featured me in several campaigns. I recently did another campaign with them where they came to my house, took photos of me working, and used those images on London taxis and billboards.

The opportunities TikTok offers are incredible—there’s no limit to what small businesses can achieve on that platform.

How do you strike the balance between converting sales and building engagement?

Ramona: It’s tricky because people go on social media to be entertained or educated—they want value. If you try to hard-sell, it doesn’t work.

What I do is focus on storytelling. For example, I’ll create a video where I tell a story about a customer while showing the product. It’s not a hard sell—it’s engaging and still highlights the jewellery. I also use TikTok trends and adapt them to my products, so it’s entertaining but still drives sales.

How do you keep your brand storytelling consistent across TikTok and Instagram while catering to different audiences?

Storytelling has always been a big part of Rani & Co. Since I started, I’ve shared customer stories—why they buy our jewellery, what it means to them. Those stories always resonate.

TikTok is great for storytelling because it’s an entertainment app. I use voiceovers to tell stories while showcasing the product. Instagram, on the other hand, is more polished, so I focus on aesthetics and schedule my posts weekly.

TikTok is more casual and fun, while Instagram feels a bit more formal. I do find that Instagram audiences can be more critical—there are definitely more “keyboard warriors” there. On TikTok, people are friendlier and will even stand up for you if someone leaves a mean comment.

How do you handle negative comments or “keyboard warriors”?

It depends on the comment. If it’s just someone being mean, I ignore it. But if it’s constructive or about something like a broken necklace, I’ll address it right away. I always try to humanise the brand—talk to customers like they’re a friend.

On TikTok, you can even use negative comments to your advantage by replying to them with a video. It creates engagement and can turn into a good piece of content.

Do you have any tips for creating engaging content?

What works on social media changes constantly, so I spend time studying what’s trending. I’ll watch content for an hour, figure out what makes me stop scrolling, and dissect every detail—how long the clips are, whether they use text, voiceovers, or trending sounds.

Another tip is repurposing content. I film lots of small jewellery clips, so I don’t have to create new footage every day. I can just piece together existing clips into new videos. I also always show the product within the first five seconds.

Tips for Engaging Content, in short:

• Spend time researching trends and studying what grabs attention.
• Show your product within the first five seconds.
• Repurpose existing footage to save time and effort.

You’re the face of your brand, especially on TikTok. How do you balance that?

Ramona: It’s hard because over 90% of my TikToks feature me. I worry about the long-term sustainability of always showing up, but at the same time, bigger brands still have founders posting regularly, so it’s doable.

There are pros and cons. Being the face of the brand makes it relatable, and people recognise me, which is nice. But if I ever sold the business, that could be a challenge. For now, I’m focusing on what works and dealing with those challenges later.

What’s been your proudest moment so far?

Ramona: Hitting £100,000 in revenue was huge for me. So many small businesses don’t make it past the first few years, so that milestone was really special.

Other proud moments include being part of TikTok’s campaigns and seeing my jewellery on EastEnders. There’ve been so many little things that remind me I’m on the right path.

What advice would you give to someone starting a small business?

Go on TikTok. Post consistently—three times a day if possible. Study what’s working for other brands, even those outside your industry. Look at what makes you stop scrolling and replicate that in your own way.

Also, focus on organic traffic. When I started, I posted twice a day on Instagram—one carousel, one Reel—and five Stories with links to my website. It’s a lot of work, but consistency pays off.

What do you love most about being a founder, and what’s the hardest part?

I love that every day is different. I get to be creative, which is a dream. Growing up, I was told art wouldn’t pay the bills, so the fact that I now have a career where I can use my skills is amazing.

The hardest part is that something always goes wrong—whether it’s shipments being delayed or customers not receiving their orders. It’s also lonely sometimes because I work from home, and my team is remote.

What advice would you give your 20-year-old self?

Don’t compare yourself to others. Experiment with different careers to figure out what you love. Follow your strengths, and don’t stress about money—it will come eventually.

Ramona’s story is a testament to resilience, creativity, and the power of authentic storytelling. Her success with Rani & Co. highlights how a strong purpose and the right tools can turn challenges into triumphs. Follow Rani & Co. on TikTok and Instagram to stay inspired by Ramona’s story and her beautiful collections.