From Jaipur to Edinburgh - the story behind ZEENAT Living

The seed of an idea

After leaving school, I worked long hours in a hotel kitchen to raise money, then set off to travel round Asia with two fellow HelKats, beginning with ten weeks off-the-beaten track in India. I adored India, in all its madness and beauty, and was struck by the intricate designs of Jaipur’s block printing trade.

A seed of an idea kept growing - I could design products using these wonderful patterns and sell them at home. On my return to the UK, I contacted Avijit, an entrepreneurial Indian guide, to help me find a reliable producer. It was a leap of faith – the producer had never exported before, and my parents kindly lent me the money for my first stock and import costs.

Launching my business

ZEENAT Living launched one year ago during my first term at the University of Edinburgh. After the fun of designing, things got gritty as I negotiated wholesale prices, arranged transport, navigated import complexities and worked out my strategy. Then suddenly the stock arrived, and my shoebox-sized uni room was stacked with boxes.

I launched a website with just four products: tote bags, duffel bags, washbags and little pouches. I dragged lovely friends around Edinburgh every weekend to model and photograph my products, and wherever they travelled, they took a bag, so the Instagram showed ZEENAT on ski slopes, at the beach, on a Japanese bullet train, in Paris etc.

Learnings from my first year

I have been to all manner of places to sell – from a gazebo at horse events to market stalls, Christmas fairs and pop-ups in London offices. On rainy days I hardly broke even after paying ‘table rent’, but on sunny days, when people were in a spending mood, sales were fantastic. I have learnt to accept both sides of the coin.

The biggest lesson, without a doubt, is doing uncomfortable things in the knowledge that nothing comes without asking - I’ve really put the motto ‘Shy bairns get nowt’ to the test this year. Sometimes I get knocked back or get no reply, but at other times lovely things happen – it turns out strangers quite like being asked to model on the spot! Engaging in conversation with people from every walk of life at markets has allowed some incredible and unexpected opportunities to open up - this is one of the things I have come to value most from my experience.

Growing ZEENAT

I was proud to repay my parents’ loan after six months and reinvest the profits.  Over the summer I designed cushion covers, baby quilts, fabric napkins, and hot water bottle covers, which go on sale in the run-up to Christmas and I’m excited to see how they sell.

Advice for HelKat entrepreneurs

If you have an entrepreneurial idea, don’t leave it unexplored. Talk to people you trust and think about how to manage the risk. One advantage of my products is that they don’t perish, so I have time to get the sales right, and regular ‘board meetings’ keep me disciplined, as I have to explain what I’m doing to someone else! Success is as much about your drive as your idea, and the life lessons are invaluable.

What’s next?

Juggling a business, studies, sport and a social life in Edinburgh means I don’t waste a minute. Next year, I will be doing a year abroad for my studies, and I am looking for a gap year or keen student to potentially manage the business for 12 months whilst I’m gone. It’s primed and ready for its next entrepreneur – please DM/email and let me know if you think that’s you!

Josie Huepfl

Website link: zeenat-living.com      Instagram: @zeenatliving