Vintage jewelry saw a sudden increase in its attraction within the fashion industry. As I scroll through social media, I always see someone give a jewelry haul of their new sets, with the caption being “timeless”, “classy”, or “old money. Flashy gold chains embellished with colorful pearls and stones, create a unique statement piece.
I also see a unique variety of watches through photos and videos. Some are labeled as “peek-a-boo” watches, in which the watch is in the form of a locket. Floral designs are engrained on the lid, covering the clock, while creating a chic and trendy look. This is not to say that if you favor a classic but elegant accessory to level up an outfit, there are also timeless pieces with simple gold and silver accents. The woman behind these stunning pieces is none other than The Kismet Reserve founder, Mina Hasan. I was fortunate enough to interview her about the start of her entrepreneurship journey and how she hopes to inspire the future through her jewelry brand.
A Journey through Social Media
Maimuna: What got you into content creation?
Hasan: It was an accident. I was 17, and my friend who I was sitting in calculus with was pretty big on TikTok before it got popular. She told me to hop on it because I'm funny and would do well, and then it popped off from there.
Maimuna: What advice would you give others if they’re hesitant to pursue content creation?
Hasan: I would say that there's nothing to lose in starting content creation. You see the opportunities other people have gotten from content creation. You’re the only person holding yourself back.
Maimuna: I know you’re also a college student, how do you balance creating content and your coursework? Any tips?
Hasan: I would say allocate days for content creation and allocate days for homework, rather than trying to do a little bit every day. I felt that every time I would do that, I'd get burnt out. So plan what you want to make ahead of time. That way when the day comes to make content, you're not frazzled.
Battling Cultural Stigmas
Maimuna: In South Asian culture, a lot of people frown upon jobs on the creative side. How do you break away from the cultural norms?
Hasan: Make a lot of money. Otherwise, they're always going to doubt you. Even if you do make a lot of money, they’re always going to put you down. Now I'm getting called Easy Money. It's a never-ending thing. The only thing you can do is shut out the noises, and prove everyone else wrong.
Business Insights
Maimuna: You're the founder of The Kismet Reserve. Can you talk about your journey with your company, the most difficult part as a business owner, and what's the most rewarding?
Hasan: The most rewarding part is the pop-ups. It's also rewarding when I see how many people come for them because most of my audience base is Muslim. My journey with the company has been, Alhamdulillah, a good journey. It started pretty grim because my brother passed away, and then a week later, I was sitting in a cafe, and the idea popped up in my head. But being on your own, being fully self-funded, and starting something new that no one else in your family or community has done before is very scary. It's kind of just trying not to fail, so that both the South Asian and the Muslim community in Boston, also my community online, don't see the failure.
Maimuna: What’s the goal you have for your brand in the upcoming year?
Hasan: I want to expand into more avenues. I'm going to continue with watches, but add more products, such as clothing, and maybe import goods from Pakistan. Those are things I want to get into. And now that I've hit the one-year mark of having the watches I'm exploring other avenues to add to the business as the following is going up. Being more of a well-rounded door front with vintage goods and manufactured goods.
Check out her Instagram below!
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