How Jeya's Tailoring Business Turned Actress Cutouts Into Real Profits

“Akka, blouse eppadi iruku?” (Sister, how’s the blouse?)

JeyaLakshmi — or Jeya Akka, as her customers fondly call her — hears this almost every day at her tailoring shop, Fullfill Ladies Tailoring Shop, in Kanyakumari. The gentle hum of sewing machines, the conversations of ladies discussing blouse patterns, and the scent of freshly brewed coffee fill the air. It’s a lively and welcoming space — much like Jeya herself, who greets everyone with a warm smile.

But behind that smile is a story of quiet strength. Jeya started her tailoring business after marriage to support her family financially. Life took an unexpected turn when she became the sole breadwinner, raising her two children by herlelf. “It wasn’t easy,” she says, “but I knew I had to keep going — for my kids.”

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Building a Business From Scratch

Over the past 10 years, Jeya built her tailoring business stitch by stitch. She started working from home and gradually gaining a loyal customer base. With her hard work and dedication, she was able to open a full-fledged tailoring shop in Kanyakumari, now with two trusted employees, Shiny and Nandhini.

“Working with them is the best part of my day. We stitch, gossip about the latest movies, and laugh over tea breaks. It doesn’t feel like work,” Jeya smiles.

Her shop is always buzzing with women bringing blouse designs inspired by movie stars. “Tamannaah cut blouses are a hot favorite!” Jeya laughs. “Some even bring pictures of Bollywood actresses and ask me to recreate the designs. It’s fun, and I love listening to their ideas.”

Her ability to patiently listen and deliver exactly what her customers want has made her a local favourite. “They say I look and smile like Nayanthara — maybe that’s why they keep coming back!” she adds, laughing.

Investing in an Embroidery Machine

Despite success with her tailoring shop, Jeya faced a major challenge. She does this intricate type of embroidery work called aari—often requested by customers on blouses. Since she didn’t have the equipment to do it herself, she had to outsource the work, which increased her costs and delivery time.

“I knew that if I could handle the aari work myself, my profits would increase and I could deliver faster,” Jeya explains. “I had some savings, but it wasn’t enough to buy the embroidery machine.”

That’s when she approached Mahila Money for a loan. Her ₹50K loan was approved, and Jeya finally purchased the embroidery machine she had been eyeing.

“Now, I can design in-house! No more outsourcing — it saves time and money.” With more control over the quality and speed of her work, Jeya’s business is flourishing. She’s even considering hiring more women from her community.

“That ₹50K loan didn’t just buy me an embroidery machine — it bought me freedom.”

A Growing Tailoring Business and a Thriving Community

Fuillfill Ladies Tailoring Shop in Kanyakumari isn’t just a place for stitching, it has become a hub of creativity and connection. With customers getting actress cutouts, Jeya never says ‘No’ to thier requests but always try to fulfill her customers demands. Her employees have become like family. They work side by side, stitching blouses, experimenting with new patterns, and sharing laughs.

She’s also thinking about promoting her business through social media to attract more local customers. “Earlier, I only knew how to stitch, but now I’ve learned how to reach people with my work“

Jeya is proud of how far she’s come — and excited about what’s next. “I feel like the heroine of my own story now,” she beams.

Designing Her Future

You’ll find Jeya watching films with her kids when she’s not working. A die-hard fan of Thalapathy Vijay and Nayanthara, her all-time favourite movie is Punnagai Mannan. “Movies give me hope—and so does my work,” she says.

From raising two children alone to expanding her tailoring business, Jeya has stitched together a life of dignity and success. And this is just the beginning—with her embroidery machine whirring away, she’s ready to design more than just blouses—she’s designing her future.

We at Mahila Money can’t wait to see what Jeya creates next!