The IMALAH Journey – A Year of Building a Handmade Jewellery Business in the UK

After launching IMALAH Jewellery in October 2024, the business was forced into an unexpected pause due to the most profound personal loss of my life 🕊️. This moment shaped everything that followed and deeply influenced the meaning behind my handmade jewellery brand.

In February, I lost my legal right to work in the UK and had to reapply for a visa — a process expected to take six months. During this time, IMALAH was legally unable to operate, placing the business completely on hold.

I regained my UK visa earlier than expected in March 2025, allowing me to work again. Despite serious financial challenges and with the help of others, I took a leap of faith and rented a jewellery studio in town. While adventurous, this decision later became one of the biggest financial mistakes in my career as a small business owner.

Throughout April I continued working from the studio and hosted Permanent Jewellery pop-ups at golf clubs and local shops. During this month, IMALAH Jewellery slowly began gaining visibility within the Manchester small business community.

In May, I introduced breastmilk charms for Permanent Jewellery — a deeply meaningful and personal jewellery option. Within the first day of announcing it, demand was overwhelming, with numerous enquiries and orders so in June I focused on creating breastmilk jewellery and ashes jewellery, including rings and necklaces. After adding these items to the IMALAH website, the response was immediate. I received two high-value custom jewellery orders in a single week, confirming strong demand for sentimental handmade jewellery in the UK.

During a July pop-up event, I made £380 in just two hours with Permanent Jewellery. It was a defining moment — one filled with gratitude and emotion — reminding me why I started this journey as a female entrepreneur and jewellery maker.

August was filled with markets, but despite the workload, sales were extremely low. With only a handful of purchases and mounting expenses — including car issues — it was one of the most financially challenging months of the year.

But Consistency changed everything. I invested my time in professional business coaching, improved my branding, and committed to posting regularly. For the first time, IMALAH Jewellery saw measurable growth on social media, stronger engagement, and clearer brand identity.

In October, I was nominated for the UK Small Business Awards – Female Entrepreneur of the Year, proudly representing Manchester, UK. This recognition marked a major milestone for my handmade jewellery business.

One month later I launched name tag connectors for Permanent Jewellery, and once again the response exceeded expectations. This product quickly became another customer favourite.

December 2024 – Top 20 Female Entrepreneurs in the UK
Although I didn’t win the award, I was named one of the UK’s Top 20 Female Entrepreneurs of the Year. An honour I never imagined — and a powerful reminder that perseverance, creativity, and purpose truly matter.