From Day One, when Nejla Matam-Finn started pre-loved luxury website The Fifth Collection, her goal was to make luxury shopping accessible and fun, while providing top-notch service to her customers.
“I think we have succeeded,” she remarks candidly. Since she and her husband Michael Finn launched the business online in early 2014, it has grown exponentially. They even secured around $2 million in seed funding from a group of investors.
But then, Covid hit. People might think that online businesses would be unaffected, but according to Nejla, that’s not entirely true, but she remains optimistic. “I still think we are in our infancy, and we are going to see more brands and businesses embracing this business model,” she says.
The best way to stick to New Year’s resolutions…
“I’ve given up on making resolutions. Instead, I put a list of intentions in a few areas of my life for the new year. I keep the list short, and I refer to it often over the year, especially when I feel overwhelmed. It helps me get back on track.”
Lessons learnt from 2021…
It is not enough to be resilient in the middle of the chaos, you still have to be strategic and level-headed (easier said than done!). That’s why I want to give myself some time off to reflect on the roller coaster that the two last years have been.
Her advice for someone starting a business in 2022…
“Starting a business from scratch is hard work. It takes much longer and more money than you think. Write a concise plan, do your research, and keep this with you at all times. Expect a lot of uncertainties until this pandemic is fully under control.”
Here, Nejla shares some fashion tips and trends to watch in 2022.