Startup of the Week: Jewelry designer adds charm to people’s lives through creativity

Photo/Supplied

• The idea of creating her jewelry came to her some time ago, when she failed to find affordable and unique items for herself

The e-commerce industry in Saudi Arabia is flourishing at an unprecedented rate. Tech-savvy Saudi youth are making the most of the technology by launching innovative business ideas.
One of them is 26-year-old Huda Foudah, who chose to showcase her creativity through her online jewelry store Salam Charm.
According to Foudah, all her creations carry meaning.
“My jewelry mostly targets people who want to be unique and buy things that are light on their wallets without compromising on the quality.”
Foudah designs all the jewelry pieces herself. The idea of creating her jewelry came to her some time ago, when she failed to find affordable and unique items for herself.
“Most of the items were gold, which was too expensive for my income. The less expensive pieces were average-looking and common. That’s when I decided to start making my own,” she told Arab News.
When she ordered samples of her designs and started wearing them, it caught the eyes of those around her. Seeing how different her pieces were, her friends and family suggested that she should get into the business.
Like all businesses, Foudah faced initial challenges. She described the beginning as frustrating because of the underlying fear that she might not succeed. Marketing the products was a huge task.
“I also had a full-time job that was very time-consuming. However, I quit my day job to focus on Salam Charm full-time.”
Foudah explained the meaning behind some of her jewelry: “Each design means something. For instance, I have this choker that says ‘La,’ which in Arabic means ‘No,’ and that was meant as a reminder for myself of when to say no in life.”
Foudah described her journey as life-changing, saying that she has made genuine friends and that the community she found herself in was “unbelievably overwhelming with love.”
“People choose Salam Charm to brighten up someone else’s day. So I have a lot of men who buy my jewelry for their wives or their moms, and it’s a very humbling feeling to know that a piece of Salam Charm is going to have this effect,” she said.
Foudah expressed concern over the lack of exposure small enterprises receive. She said that she has worked hard to make a name for her brand and feels that there should be a platform for small businesses to showcase their products and market their goods to a larger audience.
“Local businesses not only make a name for themselves, but they also help boost the economy. So, we need more support from the government and people alike.”
For her future, the jeweler said that she wants her brand to grow bigger and that she would like to carry on creating unique, meaningful designs. While she does not have a certain plan, she is finding happiness living in the moment for now.