💎 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 Nashwa Mostafa (LinkedIn), founder and creative director of Nashwa Jewelry.

I’m Nashwa Mostafa, I’m the founder and creative director of Nashwa Jewelry, an Egyptian jewelry brand that is young, bold, brave, and chaotic — yet structured. We work with pure gold, sterling silver, and diamonds to tell our stories. We cater to the “alphette,” a woman who knows what she wants, and where she stands.

I graduated with high honors from the American University in Cairo, majoring in business with a concentration in marketing, minoring in psychology. To give credit where it's due, I owe a lot to my academic background. My studies shaped who I am as a businesswoman; I’ve always had the passion and the ideas, but it was through university that I learned how to run a business, how to craft a brand, and how to foster communities and meet their needs.

I feel like how my career unintentionally progressed is very interesting, and made me who I am today. When I first graduated, I started out as an account handler at a marketing agency, where I was taught everything I know about advertising, creating and editing content, maintaining client relationships, and using photo-editing tools. My next job saw me working in digital services. I experienced first-hand the inner workings of everything from celebrity marketing and influencer relations, to UI design and customer experience management. I later started working as a media buyer, and I kept learning and learning — the job taught me all the social media jargon you would need to run a business, and that’s when it clicked and the final piece of the puzzle went into place: I was going to go for it — start my own business.

I launched Nashwa Jewelry in 2021. I didn’t have a budget nor a team — it was a one-woman show. I didn’t have a plan at all, but I had my passion. I’d been making and selling jewelry for as long as I could remember — even at the sports club when I was younger, because even then I knew I loved it. I took an HRD diamond grading course, and I got to work designing pieces that spoke to me and testing the market.

We’re not in the business of trade, we offer our customers a story and an experience. Our pieces stand out, whether it’s because of color, cut, or design. From the moment a customer enters our store, we cater to their every need. We don’t just design and sell, we customize regardless of material. Our customers are welcomed into our designers’ hub, and they’re part of the process.

Since all of our pieces are handcrafted, and personally drawn and designed by myself, I always seek to provide what is new, relevant, and unique to us. There are lots of jewelry brands in Egypt, but most are sales-oriented. We aspire to go beyond that. We have a soul and a concept, and we try to cater to each personality — so long as they want to stand out.

The first time I truly felt successful was when Egyptian actress Huda El Mufti was featured in Vogue Arabia wearing our jewelry. When that happened I thought to myself, “This is getting serious.” With every milestone achieved, I realize that this dream I’ve long had has become reality — and so my dreams keep getting bigger. In five years, I hope to see Nashwa Jewelry among the top jewelry brands considered and sought after by both celebrities and individuals. I want to be the brand people think of when they want to treat themselves, or when they’re looking to gift a loved one.

We currently operate in West Cairo, but the majority of our customer base is in East Cairo — our next milestone would be opening our doors there. We’re also working on promoting the brand across the GCC. We’ve got a solid customer base throughout the Gulf, and we ship worldwide. Down the line, I want the brand to have a physical presence there.

When looking back at all the economic challenges faced by the market in recent years, I come to the realization that they were in my favor. Covid brought a considerable surge in online sales — people were on their phones all day with nothing to do, so they would shop. And that carried over post-Covid too. The rise in gold prices saw consumers veer towards sterling silver, which we offer alongside gold. Given the nature of the business, and our unique designs, the tides turned in our favor.

I’d like to see more originality throughout the industry. People tend to copy, and it’s very frustrating. That said, you know what they say: imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. But customers are smart, and they’re able to identify what is genuine from what isn’t. I’d love to see more creativity and effort in the market.

I am genuinely in love with what I do. Whenever a campaign is successful, whenever I hear from a friend of a friend that they bought a piece and fell in love with it, or whenever I’m told that a celebrity we had been styling asked to keep the pieces, I feel incredibly self-fulfilled and rewarded. The most difficult part is making sure everyone plays their part, alongside managing the business day-to-day, handling operations, and ensuring customers are satisfied — all of that can get very challenging very quickly. But I love it, so it doesn’t drain me.

…Perhaps that’s because I’m a work-a-holic. When it comes to work-life balance, I’d honestly say I try my best. I’m recently wed, and I always try to find time for my family, my husband, and — most importantly — myself. It’s important to be surrounded by people who are understanding, and I’m thankful to be. Professional success isn’t enough. If you’ve sacrificed yourself, then that’s not success. I’ve come to learn that delegation is incredibly important. In fact, If I could go back and give my younger self some advice, it would be this: learn to delegate sooner, start building a team faster, and have faith in them.

If I hadn’t brought Nashwa Jewelry to life, I would, with utmost certainty, still be working with jewelry. It truly is my passion, and I don’t see myself doing anything else. On that note, here’s my advice to anyone starting their business today: if you set your mind to something, you’ll make it happen. Laziness is a common pitfall, and so is giving up. Trust the process, and trust the timing. Don’t give up a year in — what’s a year in the grand scheme of things?