Interested in starting your own entrepreneurial journey in jewelry but unsure what to expect? Then read up on our interview with Salima Meghani, vice-president of Fashion Jewellery Outlet, located in Woodbridge, ON, Canada.
What's your business, and who are your customers?
Welcome to Fashion Jewelry Outlet (FJO) – Where you can bring your creativity to life!!
Fashion Jewellery Outlet is a women-owned jewelry store located in Woodbridge, Ontario, Canada. We're more than just a jewelry store as we offer costume and bridal jewelry as well as supplies for you to make your own jewelry. From natural gemstones, beads, charms, pendants, necklaces to jewelry-making tools, we've got it all! Our best-selling products include the latest and trending fashion necklaces, bracelets, earrings, scarves, brooches, and other fashion accessories. Apart from our Costume fine jewelry, our services include remodels, repairs, and tailoring of older pieces, pearl, and gem restringing.
Tell us about yourself
I've been very creative since childhood and absolutely loved creating small handmade jewelry. By luck, I got married to a family where my in-laws had their own jewelry business. This gave me a lot more exposure in this field. So, when my husband and I moved to Canada back in 2004, we bought our first jewelry store in Square One, and it was a success! A few years after, we decided to expand, and it was a great opportunity for me to run my own store. I launched Fashion Jewellery Outlet, and since then, I've been successfully running it!
What's your biggest accomplishment as a business owner?
We survived the pandemic! I think that's one of our biggest achievements. Being one of the non-essential businesses during the pandemic was a hard hit for us since we were closed for a long time in accordance with the local guidelines. It was not easy to cope up, so we adapted quickly and incorporated an online model, and kept going with the support of our loyal customers.
What's one of the hardest things that come with being a business owner?
The hardest thing about running your own business is working 24 x 7. You don't actually get any days off, and you have to be there ready for all kinds of everyday challenges. But I think its all worth it!
What are the top tips you'd give to anyone looking to start, run and grow a business today?
- Trust yourself! You need to believe in yourself that you can do it, no matter what they say.
- Never give up. Never! There will be times when you will not feel the best, but that's okay. Just pause thinks, why did you start in the first place? And that will give you all the answers.
- Be ready to adapt. There will be circumstances where you will have to learn and adapt to new techniques/ models/ skills. Be prepared for it, and don't just look at one way of doing things.
Where can people find you and your business?
Website: https://www.fashionjewelleryoutlet.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fashionjewelleryoutlet
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/fashionjewelleryoutlet/
If you like what you've read here and have your own story as a solopreneur that you'd like to share, then email community@subkit.com; we'd love to feature your journey on these pages.
Feel inspired to start, run or grow your own subscription business? Check out subkit.com and learn how you can turn "one day" into day one.
