At the tender age of 7, Naimah Venezia embarked on her journey into the world of jewelry. She began by delicately reworking her mother's broken jewelry into new creations, captivated by the sparkle of the precious stones. Her passion quickly turned into a business venture.
Naimah would spend hours meticulously reassembling her mother's old pieces. She would find a tray in her house and display her creations on it, then eagerly run to her friends' houses, knocking on their doors to invite them to sell the jewelry with her door-to-door.
Before approaching each house, Naimah rehearsed her sales pitch about 15 times. “Hello, would you like to buy my jewelry? It’s $2,” she would say. Her efforts were often successful, as few could resist handmade jewelry for such a modest price, especially from a young girl.
During the warm summer days, she set up a stand, reminiscent of a lemonade stand, but showcasing the unique bracelets and necklaces she crafted. This little stand delighted the neighborhood kids.
She named her burgeoning ‘jewelry empire’ "Snakalets," inspired by the idea that two intertwined snakes could form a bracelet.
Naimah's creativity was boundless in her youth, and her older brother contributed by helping her create a logo and vibrant purple business cards that read “Snakalets”. Filled with excitement and joy, she distributed these cards to her daycare caregivers, teachers, and school friends.
Little did she know, these modest beginnings were laying the foundation for what would eventually become Iyna Vein Jewelry.