What They Don’t Tell You About Running a Handmade Business
From the outside, it looks dreamy.
Pretty packaging, glossy artwork, a lively team, and a little ego trip over creating something with your bare hands.
But inside? It’s the chaos that brings reality.
I can no longer work just as an artist but admin, chaiwali, marketer, and logistics head all in one.
I didn’t realize I wouldn’t just be creating. I’d also be replying to DMs, following up on payments, tracking shipments, managing delays, and yes - making chai for the team and myself when the stress hits (okay fine, just ordering from the cafeteria).
A lot of clients want a personal experience and while that was fun in the early stages, it slowly started to feel like I was talking to five different people in a day and carrying the weight of all their expectations.
You’re not just making a piece of art, you’re accountable to your promises.
You’re not just lagging on a delivery, you’re answering to an upset client.
While most people understand there’s a human behind the business, occasionally the diva arrives in full force ready with a full lecture on how “client is king.”
Customer happiness first. My dinner? Second.
Sometimes I wonder what life would’ve been like if I had a brand that didn’t involve my name or face. But what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, right?
Pretty much.
I’ve learned to stand up to impossible requests, work through my people-pleasing tendencies, accept compliments without squirming, and take criticism as a chance to grow.
Hyacinth is built on those improvements. And trust me we wouldn’t have a business plan without them.
Courier Tantrums
You’d think once the artwork is done, images are sent for approval, and the order is packed it’s done.
Oh no. That’s when the real tantrums begin.
Courier delays, misrouted packages, missing lids, lost parcels…
I’ve built so much emotional resilience just by dealing with delivery drama.
Honestly, it deserves its own trauma category.
Feedback: A Love-Hate Relationship
Then comes the moment the client receives their order.
In the early days, I tried to go emotionally numb before opening their message. Sometimes I’d even ask Shiji to read it first and tell me if it was “safe.”
By Allah’s grace, most reviews have been amazing. But thank you, childhood traumas - I remember the negative ones forever.
It took me time to accept that not everyone likes the same things.
Now, I try to be as transparent as possible - involving the client in every step, showing them photos before finalizing, and setting expectations clearly. That alone has helped with client retention and real trust.
Payment Delays (or None at All)
Now this one shook me to my core.
Why would a happy customer just… not pay?
My naivety cost me a lot in the early days.
We’ve had amazing humans who insisted on paying back even 1 AED transaction fees.
And then there were others who happily took unpaid products and gifted them like Santa Claus.
Initially, we didn’t take advance payments. Then we started asking for 50% upfront.
It felt awkward at first - “Hi, please pay or the courier won’t hand over the item.”
But being direct was the only way to protect what we had earned.
Corporate orders were big money - but we’d often find ourselves getting kicked around like a football across different departments just to get our payment.
My all-time favorite story?
A private courier driver collected cash from the client and then disappeared - during Ramadan, after promising repeatedly he’d never cheat anyone during such a blessed month.
And the girl who gifted an entire box of personalized items to her sister but couldn’t pay because of yet another tragic death in the family.
It’s funny how sometimes a new month and a refreshed credit card bring miraculous recovery.
Team = Family = Drama Sometimes
While I’m incredibly proud of my current team, it wasn’t always like this. Like every dysfunctional family, we’ve had our ups and downs.
The true emotional weight of leading a business hit me when I had to learn how to manage people.
These weren’t just staff - they were my team. My assets. Each person had strengths, and areas where they struggled… just like me.
Understanding each person’s capabilities, encouraging their strengths, and adjusting their shortcomings to support the team - that’s been one of my biggest personal growth moments.
It was humbling to realize that the right team can make or break a business.
Occasional mess-ups led to tension. Wins led to small celebrations.
And when letting someone go became unavoidable, it felt heavy. I had to remind myself: I am not God holding their provision. I’m just a woman trying to make something work with His help.
Their loyalty, their dedication, the care they put into every handcrafted piece - it’s what makes Hyacinth special.
I wouldn’t have it any other way.
Slow Seasons
I always joke to my partner that we have two types of stress:
Phase 1: “We don’t have enough work.”
Phase 2: “HOW are we going to finish all this in time?”
The slow seasons are no joke.
I wasn’t on my terrace anymore with a few coasters and tea.
There was rent, salaries, licenses, supplies, overheads.
The anxiety hits different when you have bills to cover.
But over time, we’ve learned: slow seasons are gold.
They give you time to reflect, rework, reset.
Some of our best decisions and changes have come during those quiet weeks.
So now, I try to welcome both the silence and the storm.
To slow days and busy nights - cheers!
But Honestly? The Joy Is Real
The satisfaction is real too.
What started as a hobby… then became a one-woman show… But now a small, scrappy, proud team.
Sometimes the little girl in me still can’t believe this is real that I’m running a business, managing people, and creating things that bring people joy.
At one point, it was just me and my best friend, pouring resin on a rooftop, praying the resin would cure right.
And somehow with Allah’s help we created something magical with our bare hands.
Still learning. Still figuring it out.
But honestly, I wouldn’t trade this journey for anything.