Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Hayet Rida. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Hayet, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?
KHOI is a journey in duality.
From a young girl borrowing her mother’s jewelry as she discovered her personal style to evolving into a creative director designing statement pieces that help her customers express themselves…
From the inspiration of Hayet’s native Ghanaian culture and her father’s Lebanese heritage to celebrating these traditions through her designs in the United States and throughout the world…
From the audacity of size and dimension reflected in some sculptural designs to the more intentionally demure look of other pieces—empowering our KHOI babe to express her different moods as her story unfolds…
From the unmistakably luxurious look and feel of each collection and the simple elegance of our Chicago studio to the realization that we make wearable art accessible because luxury is the bare minimum you deserve…
From the struggles and failures inherent in early entrepreneurship to the triumph of a BIPOC female immigrant launching her own self-funded brand…
KHOI alludes to knowing that love will come—honoring Hayet’s journey from self-doubt to self-love as she discovers ways to tell her story, with each chapter unfolding as a limited-edition collection.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
I like to refer to myself as the “pivot queen.” My entire life story is punctuated by failures converted into dreams through the art of pivot. I am originally from Accra, Ghana, and moved here when I was 17. I studied art and communications in college and then began a 13-year career in advertising. Along the way, I documented my life and attracted a deep community of followers who have been turned into customers on my many brand adventures, starting with candles to now jewelry.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The best part of being an artist is the intentional freedom I give myself to build this brand however I want it. It is an art in itself to say I understand what consumers expect of me, I understand what they are used to…but HERE is what I want to do. Anything beyond that demotes me from being an artist.
We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?
I didn’t specifically build my audience on social. There is a saying: “You shouldn’t catch butterflies, but rather create a scenario for butterflies to want to make a home.” The beauty of my social presence is that 10 years ago when I began, it was a hobby. I wanted a diary to document my growth. That story attracted people, and they stayed because they resonated with what I was doing, sharing and experiencing. The only advice I give people now is to actually try NOT to build a community. Just share your life as it is and be okay if people show up to watch or not.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.shopkhoi.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hayet.rida/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/hayet-rida-8309022
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/HayetRida
Image Credits
Hannah Schweiss