Why Nominal?

I think Nominal is the perfect environment for me to use my creativity and see it actually have an effect. From people wearing my poetry on their clothing, to giving people something meaningful to hold on to, there's the perfect blend of meaning and beauty in all of our work here. I think when we say "more than just jewelry", it rings true for our customers when they receive their product or donate to a certain cause, but it also rings true for us here on the Nominal Team. It's more than just designing and shipping jewelry, it's about making a difference in the world with the Nominal Family, making people feel good, and giving people something that can really resonate with the things they love.

What brings you to work everyday?

This one's easy. The ability to do better than the day before and to learn more brings me to work, and it makes every single morning exciting rather than exhausting. That includes jewelry design, setting up campaigns to donate to different causes, seeing the company grow day to day, and bringing new ideas to life. I think the ability to take things from "vision" to "reality" is the biggest blessing and that's what brings me to work every single day.

Who inspires you?

I'm not saying this for brownie points, but Akram Abdallah, the co-founder of Nominal and my best friend, is by far my biggest inspiration. To see him work late into the night, be up at the earliest hour of the morning, and constantly put in unprecedented amounts of work is truly something that has to be seen to be believed. It's one thing to hear about that one person who's "first one in, last one out", but to see that dedication in front of me, every single day at work, is genuinely nothing short of inspirational. Even before Nominal opened, it's really in this man's bones to put in any amount of work necessary, regardless of circumstances, to get things done. That makes me want to do better, and suddenly now I begin feeling inspired by my future self, the potential of somehow one day catching up to his work ethic and drive.