Building Amoura: My Journey as Founder & CEO

It all started on my walk to class on a Tuesday afternoon. School was wrapping up, spring was just around the corner, and campus was buzzing with the restless energy that always comes with finals season. I was drowning in study guides, final exams, and what felt like a million assignments.

As I trudged to class with my best friend- and soon-to-be co-founder of Amoura I couldn’t shake the thought that all these projects we were doing for class were meant to prepare us for “someday.” Someday, when we’d be professionals. Someday, when we’d finally have permission to build something of our own. But why wait? I turned to Khushi and said, “You know, we’re doing all these projects and assignments to prepare us to be business professionals… why don’t we just do it? Why not now? Let’s just make something. It’s now or never.”

Haley Atallah (left) and Khushi Vyas (right) posing in their first shoot as co-founders of Amoura Jewelers.

And that was the moment Amoura was born.

We didn’t announce it. We didn’t tell our friends or families. Instead, it became our secret project. We hid away in the library and quiet study rooms, lying about “working on group projects” when in reality we were setting up calls with manufacturers, sketching jewelry designs, and reaching out to suppliers. Every late-night brainstorm was a piece of the foundation we were quietly laying.

The truth is, we had no funding. No investors. No cushion to fall back on. Both of us were working two jobs, scrambling for any amount of money to put into our new project. We learned everything from scratch. Coding tutorials in the library turned into long nights building our Shopify site ourselves. We researched packaging suppliers, tested shipping labels, and designed our own graphics on Canva. Every detail, no matter how small, passed through our hands.

But Amoura was never meant to be just another jewelry brand. It’s a symbolism of culture, energy, and story. I’m half Chinese and half Egyptian, and my co-founder Khushi is Indian. Together, we wanted to create something that reflected the beauty of where we come from, something that honored the cultures and energies that have shaped us. That’s why every piece in Amoura carries meaning. Our designs are inspired by languages, traditions, and symbols from around the world. The Asha Ring, the Rani Bangles, the Selene Necklace- each carries a name and energy that represents more than an accessory. It’s a reminder of confidence, beauty, and heritage.

Launching Amoura on July 1, 2025, was surreal. What started as a whispered idea between two college girls suddenly became a living, breathing brand. We poured our souls into that launch- assembling PR boxes by hand, counting every item of inventory, and setting up our first vendor table at the University of Miami Breezeway. I still remember lugging jewelry cases across campus, hoping even one person would stop and take a look. And they did. That day, Amoura wasn’t just real to us anymore- it was real to the people who wore our pieces and connected with our story.

Since then, we’ve hustled to grow. We’ve reached out to boutiques like Merlau, built out layered pendant collections, and experimented with everything from Instagram reels to geofencing ads to bring Amoura into the world. There have been obstacles- technical issues, financial stress, rejection- but every setback has made us hungrier. We’ve learned to be scrappy, resourceful, and fearless.

Amoura is more than jewelry to me. It’s proof that confidence and perseverance can turn a spark into something tangible. It represents long nights in the library, juggling jobs to pay for packaging, and holding onto a vision even when no one else knew about it.

Most of all, Amoura is about energy; the belief that what you put out into the world comes back to you. For us, that energy is confidence, culture, and connection. For everyone who wears Amoura, I hope it becomes a reminder that you can carry your story, your roots, and your strength with you wherever you go.

Because Amoura isn’t just jewelry. It’s a movement. It’s energy you can wear. And it’s only the beginning.