When passion, tenacity rule the beaded path

0

With her pleasant persona and creative approach, Zamida has garnered a good number of regular customers, many of whom have become her friends.

ZAMIDA Khadijah Abdul Wahid did not decide to turn her passion for jewellery-making into a side business until she saw her children growing up and realised that she needed to save money for their tertiary education.

“I did not do it to fill my time as I did not have much time then, being a working wife and mom.

“I just felt the need to start somewhere,” said the woman behind Hanicomb, the brand name for her products.

She was determined to turn her passion into a profitable endeavour, working on her craft until the wee hours of the morning because she wanted to see her children go to university.

“One of my dreams then was to see my children get a degree as I myself did not have the chance to do so.”

Being married at a very young age – she was 18 and her husband 20 when they tied the knot – Zamida missed out on pursuing tertiary education.

It was, in her own words, ‘a real struggle to raise a family at a very young age, but I would not trade it for the world’.

All daughters graduate

Today, at 50, Zamida takes pride in the fruits of her labour.

All her children have entered university – her three daughters are already graduates, while her youngest child, a boy, is still studying.

Moreover, she revels in the growth of her home-based jewellery business. Some of her accessories have become favourite possessions of celebrities and beauty queens.

“My husband and I paid for all our children’s studies without involving loans and so, we had nothing to pay back.”

Her fine workmanship reflects her passion for the craft. She recalls her first hand-assembled piece, a colourful bead headband that she made at age 17 years old.

“I got a little money and so I managed to buy beads. You’d never know what you’re good at until you started doing it.

“That was how my interest in jewellery making developed.

“My interest got deeper after I got married, when my mom-in-law asked me to do beading on her ‘tudung’ (head covering).

“It became her favourite ‘tudung’. I was working as an event executive and also baking cheese cakes for side income then. It was only years later that I decided to utilise my talent in jewellery-crafting.”

Zamida was 40 when she tried her hands at the jewellery business.

Three years later, after a thorough consideration, she quit her job with a state-owned property company having decided to go full time with her business and be a stay-at-home mom.

“I had to resign from my salaried job because I could not cope doing three jobs, including my commitment as a homemaker and a mother with young children, at the same time.”

Raising family fundamental

She had to continue believing in her business endeavour while pursuing a new career and also making sure that she raised her young family well, which she considered to be fundamental.

Even though her children had not reached college age then, she still depended on the business to support the family’s finances and also, to guarantee that her children would receive good education.

“It had taken me two years to finally decide to quit my full-time job at the company. That was when my boss wanted to transfer me to another place, which I took as an indication for me to quit the job.

“Since then, I continued to press on with my jewellery making business regardless of the challenges I had to face.”

She could still remember the long nights working on bib necklaces, earrings, brooches and other accessories for her growing customers during her working days and not having much time for her children.

Hanicomb necklaces and earrings have graced the runway of the much-acclaimed Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week.

After quitting her job, she was relieved that she was able to have more time for both her family and her new vocation.

She went further by going to Kuala Lumpur to promote her accessories at a fashion show upon invitation by a famous fashion designer, just a year after having quit her job.

“It was a big achievement for Hanicomb.”

Not without its challenges

Having a passion for something is one thing and trying to make a business out of it is another.

Zamida finds the latter very challenging.

“I wouldn’t have been able to go this far in the business had it not been for my determination, hard work and the support from my family. It is not just about good designs and fine workmanship, but equally important are how to sell the products, meet the customers’ demand and deliver on time.

“My family is the reason for me to keep going in the business. Even when I fall, I will always find a way to get up.

“After I resigned from my salaried job, I thought I would be prioritising the business more and I did, but my top priority had always been my family.

“It was for them that I pressed on with the business. As a work-at-home mom, I drove my children to school, prepared meals for the family and did all other housework.

“The saying ‘a woman’s work is never done’ is so true!”

Zamida describes Hanicomb as being more than just about good designs and fine workmanship.

Hanicomb has earned a name for its inventive custom-made statement pieces such as its bib necklaces, earrings, brooches, bracelets and mask extenders. These are mainly made from semi-precious stones, freshwater and saltwater pearls, as well as silver-plated, glass and acrylic materials.

In addition, Zamida has come up with beaded kaftan tops as her latest creation.

“This is seasonal as I have my hands full with my accessories.

“The same goes to my outerwears, which I have been selling for a number of years now.”

A growing name in jewellery fashion

All Hanicomb accessories are crafted by Zamida herself. Hers is a one-woman enterprise.

With her pleasant persona and creative approach, she has garnered a good number of regular customers, many of whom have become her friends, including celebrities.

“I used to have a blog before. As I was blogging, I also followed other bloggers and some of them have become famous artistes. I posted one of my bib necklaces to one of them (social media sites) and she (artiste) wore it in one of her television drama episodes.

“She posted it on social media and because of that, I started having thousands of followers on my Instagram. Social media is important if we want to reach to customers and build our brand.”

Zamida’s personalised handmade jewelleries have adorned many Malaysian beauty queens at the international stage, including Sarawak’s very own Dewi Seriestha (Miss World Malaysia 2014) and Larissa Ping (Miss World Malaysia 2018).

Another accomplishment that would forever be etched in her memory was when the reigning Miss World, Karolina Bielawska, wore her earrings when she was featured at a special event in Sabah last year.

Zamida with the reigning Miss World, Karolina Bielawska, seen donning Hanicomb earrings during a special event in Sabah.

“Larissa Ping, the former Miss World Malaysia had invited me to come along with her to Sabah for the event. I had brought with me extra earrings for Larissa.

“It so happened that I met Malaysia’s fashion designer from Jimmy Couture just at the right time there. He showed me the attire that he had designed for Karolina and asked if I could furnish the reigning Miss World with my handmade earrings.

“So I let him choose from the extra earrings I brought. The next thing I knew, the reigning Miss World was wearing my earrings as she made her special appearance at the event.

“I was humbled when later she wrote me a note, which I treasure until today, saying: ‘You’re very gifted and you have a great sense of style. I will proudly wear these earrings many more times’.”

Zamida is always looking for fresh ideas for her designs.

Zamida is always looking for fresh ideas for her Hanicomb designs.

“During the long MCO (Movement Control Order) period, business was quiet. Then I came up with a beaded mask extender for women who wore head covering.

“The idea came about when I had difficulty in wearing a mask with my head covering on.

“They sold like hot cakes as many working women wanted to look good while staying safe with some blinks on their mask extenders.”

Gift specially designed for Her Majesty

Zamida was further inspired when the Raja Permaisuri Agong Tunku Hajah Azizah Aminah Maimunah Iskandariah wore her mask extender during one of Her Majesty’s visits to Kuching.

“The Premier’s Office had contacted me to make an exclusive mask extender as a gift for a VVIP. It was only much later that I found it was The Queen!”

Crafted with love, some of Zamida’s handmade accessories have become favourite possessions of celebrities and beauty queens.

Having gone this far, Zamida has grown passionate about inspiring others.

However, she also believes that it all has to begin at home.

“When talking about inspiring, first I must be exemplary to my own children. They see me working hard and at the same time, not neglecting them.

“At times, I don’t have time for them, but they understand.”

Zamida occasionally receives requests to give motivational talks to young business owners.

“We always want to do something that can help society and the environment when we adopt a giving mentality.

“I want to motivate others after realising my own dreams. If I could succeed as a mother working a full-time salaried job and honing my craft at night as I did at the beginning of my business, I think an aspirant child can do much better.”

Zamida’s is a story of passion, tenacity, emancipation, and a mindset that seeks to leave the familiar in search of higher earnings and novel discoveries.

This exemplary woman entrepreneur took the risk, and while she overcame the obstacles and earned profitable returns, she was never content to sit back and relax.