👛 OUR FOUNDER OF THE WEEK- Every Tuesday, Founder of the Week looks at how a successful member of Egypt’s business or startup community got their big break, asks about their experiences running a company, and gets their advice for budding entrepreneurs. Speaking to us this week is Marina Abdel Shahid (LinkedIn), founder and creative director of Nebet.

My name is Marina Abdel Shahid, and I’m the founder and creative director of Nebet, an Egyptian fashion brand inspired by and rooted in Ancient Egyptian history and heritage.

My academic experience was incredibly enriching. I graduated from the American University in Cairo, majoring in management of information and communication technology — essentially a bridge between business and computer science. A lot of what I learned, like how businesses are structured with interconnecting divisions, helped me a lot in my career, both with Nebet and prior to its launch.

I started my career off in business consultancy, in Egypt and abroad. Those trips abroad were actually the reason why Nebet came to be. Whenever I would travel and meet new people, they would assume I was Italian. I realized that no one recognized that I was Egyptian, and I wanted my ethnicity to be known. I started looking for a high-quality statement accessory that screamed “Egyptian!” — I realized there were none.

When I first thought of starting a brand, I, quite honestly, knew nothing. I started researching, then I went to look around Khan El Khalili. I tried looking for a high quality genuine leather bag that drew inspiration from Ancient Egypt, and I couldn’t find one. I then realized that there indeed weren’t any brands championing that heritage, and so Nebet came to be in 2020.

What sets Nebet apart isn’t just that it draws from Ancient Egypt, it’s that storytelling is interwoven with every handmade product we offer. From the Ankh to the Eye of Horus collections, every product we make comes accompanied by a papyrus detailing the lore, significance, and history behind its muse. It’s not just about the products we sell, it’s about drawing attention to our heritage, telling our story to the world. We consult Egyptologists and we ensure each element utilized is honored to the best of our ability.

The first time I felt successful, and that I had crafted something worthwhile, was on the streets of London. I was carrying one of the very first Nebet prototype handbags. On every corner, I was being stopped by a different person, complimented on the bag and asked about its origins. I was so taken aback I simply responded “it’s mine,” only realizing later that I had failed to explain that I was the one who designed it. I never realized that so many people would be interested in what Nebet had to offer — sure, I knew there was a gap, but not to this extent.

The second time I truly felt successful was when my first paying client waited a year-and-a-half to get her bag after seeing the prototype on Twitter. She finally got the bag right before heading to the US, where I ended up receiving lots of international orders. Soon enough, there would be so many moments in which I felt I had accomplished something that mattered. The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization had contacted me and proposed displaying my bags at the museum gift shop. To my surprise — and theirs — the UNESCO director general purchased one of them. Today, five years later, Nebet’s collections are proudly showcased at museums all over Egypt, including NMEC, the GEM, the Egyptian Museum, and even at the Nile-Ritz Carlton.

In five years, I want Nebet to have more international exposure, but I’m mindful of what that means: an expansion in production, which I currently do not have, but am working towards. Having more exposure would be meaningless if I’m not able to keep up with the potential demand that would come with it, so I’ve been working towards perfecting my production cycle. In fact, the most difficult aspect of running Nebet is managing the production. Everything we sell is handcrafted, and I’m not managing machines, I’m managing people — artists.

There have certainly been lots of economic challenges since I launched Nebet, yet it’s pivotal to understand that economic instability isn’t exclusive to Egypt, it’s worldwide. The key is that you need to be agile. All the time. If prices are on the rise and they’re getting too high for your consumers, then you should get creative and craft a new product line with a lower ticket price. If the market’s falling off, find a new one. If people are gravitating towards e-commerce, invest in a better website. It’s all about having the ability to course correct.

There are negative connotations to the phrase “Made in Egypt” — that needs to change. What Egypt has to offer has always been of high quality, and the world should know that, that’s what I’d like to change about the Egyptian fashion industry: the world’s perception of it. Another thing I’d like to see is craftsmanship education. Back in the day, technical skills were cherished and taught, today we’re seeing less and less of that. Handcrafts were a prestigious skill to have, right now they’re not. I would also like to see integrated platforms catering to up-and-coming designers, aiding them in reaching manufacturers or other resources needed in establishing their own brand.

If I hadn’t founded Nebet, I believe I would have still been in business consulting. I find fulfillment in helping businesses grow, reach their vision, and create a sustainable business model. While it was time consuming and often very stressful, it was still an enjoyable experience.

Nothing comes easy, and that’s what I would tell my younger self. Perfection is a hindrance to progress, and you should always embrace making mistakes. To up-and-coming entrepreneurs, don’t focus on the success stories we often see on social media. Know that behind every success story are strenuous days of research and bumps along the way. Be ready to face some challenges, and remember why you started.

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