Mina Salman

founder of Bagallery

Compiled from 1 recorded interview. Every statement below is drawn from the passage cited beside it.

Mina Salman is the founder of Bagallery, an e-commerce portal selling beauty and fashion products. She hails from Karachi. Salman is also a beauty influencer based in Dubai.

Early life and background

Salman was raised and schooled in Karachi. She describes her parents as progressive but strict. Her parents let her choose her own career. [1]

As a very small child she was entered into a declamation contest as a filler. The experience of going into a computer lab inspired her greatly. She had a strong interest in IT before college. [1]

Education

She was a top performer in her class at school. She chose matric over O levels, as her friends did, and completed her FSC after matric. She dropped biology and took physics, maths, computer science and chemistry. She later dropped chemistry to take computer science. [1]

Salman has said she was strong academically in computer science but weak at the practical side, and that her time at CBM was life changing. She held a scholarship through college and into her MBA. [1]

Her MBA convocation was in 2006. During her MBA she leaned toward advertising, media and marketing. She says her MBA gave her finance, accounting and economics that she still applies in business. [1]

Career

Salman's first two jobs were in Karachi. She was placed on the brand team at a television network. After a certain time she felt that a job was not working for her. She joined Mindshare as a media planner. [1]

She left Mindshare after she got married. Her parents advised her not to work after she married into a large family. She married in August 2007 and stopped working. [1]

Her husband took a job in Saudi Arabia. She moved to Dubai in 2011, and she has lived in Saudi Arabia and then Dubai. She took a job as a teacher and hated it. [1]

Bagallery

Salman decided that she would do something in beauty and fashion. Her husband asked what she liked to do, and she replied that she really enjoyed shopping. The name Bagallery came to her mind, and she decided to start with bags. She made a website on Wix and has said she put 10,000 dirhams into the venture. [1]

She sourced her products from the US, UK and Europe. She has said Facebook selling groups were gaining momentum at that time, and that social media has played a huge role in the business. About 10,000 rupees was meant to be given to an influencer. In 2017 her husband decided to make the business a proper one. Founding team members are still with the company. [1]

The business began with bags and later added shoes. Beauty has always been the core of the business, and it works with fashion brands on a seasonal basis. Bagallery has a private label called Vibe, which was started because the business had a lot of data. Salman has said the business is about 90% women-focused. The company pitched large companies such as Unilever and L'Oreal, which joined it for a campaign. [1]

Importing products brought many limits. The company decided it was time to introduce local products. Salman has said Bagallery has never accepted fake products since its first day, and that she sourced a Tory Burch bag that turned out to be fake. [1]

Salman has said the company was not ready when its business grew quickly, and that some orders were delivered late. She has said its problems were operational, not with the product. The website crashed during a White Friday campaign, and the company moved to Shopify Plus. The company held an event, first in Karachi and then in Lahore, and put in a lot of money. [1]

Salman has said they put their lifetime savings into the startup because they really wanted it to work. The company's first funding round came relatively easily during COVID. A second funding round was also done because somebody else saw potential in the business. The company used the money for its warehousing facility. [1]

She says that after 2022, when everyone was flying high, the company put a lot of money into marketing. Economic conditions turned sharply. The company re-evaluated its terms and conditions, such as credit days, with its vendors. The import ban had a huge impact on the business, and a large amount of its stock got stuck. [1]

Salman says Bagallery is almost profitable after cutting costs. She says the company wants to put its profit back into the business. She says she wanted to launch a skin care brand and that it was almost locked, with everything done. She says she started from her couch and became a household name. [1]

Views

Salman has said business used to be for people who have generational wealth. She says investors value the founders' vision and mission most, and that the company was transparent with its investors. She also says business comes first. She has described social media as the bridge between the business and its consumers. [1]

Salman says becoming a platform like ASOS takes a long time. She says that maybe five years down the road, or maybe very soon, the company could merge with someone who wants to. She says she believes in collaboration rather than competition, and that any merger partner's vision must align with the company's. [1]

She believes Pakistan will bounce back because it has a lot of talent. Salman says Pakistan is still a little behind in technology, and that she has good hopes for the country. [1]

Personal life

Salman has a husband and a son. She is one of six siblings. [1]

Timeline

2006
MBA convocation.[1]
2007
Married in August and stopped working.[1]
2011
Moved to Dubai.[1]
2017
Her husband decided to make the business a proper one.[1]

Appearances

DateTitleWhere
2023-12-13 Mina Salman built Bagallery from her couch — then learned how funding really works Thought Behind Things

Frequently asked questions

Who is Mina Salman?

Mina Salman is the founder of Bagallery, an e-commerce portal selling beauty and fashion products. She hails from Karachi. Salman is also a beauty influencer based in Dubai.[1]

What company did Mina Salman found?

Mina Salman is the founder of Bagallery. Bagallery is an e-commerce portal selling beauty and fashion products. The business began with bags and later added shoes, and it has a private label called Vibe.[1]

Where is Mina Salman from?

Mina Salman hails from Karachi. She was raised and schooled in Karachi. She moved to Dubai in 2011.[1]

Where did Mina Salman study?

Mina Salman was schooled in Karachi. She has said her time at CBM was life changing. She held a scholarship through college and into her MBA, and her MBA convocation was in 2006.[1]

When did Mina Salman move to Dubai?

Mina Salman moved to Dubai in 2011. Her husband had taken a job in Saudi Arabia, and she has lived in Saudi Arabia and then Dubai.[1]

How did Mina Salman start Bagallery?

Mina Salman has said the name Bagallery came to her mind, and she decided to start with bags. She made a website on Wix. In 2017 her husband decided to make the business a proper one.[1]

What did Mina Salman do before founding Bagallery?

Mina Salman joined Mindshare as a media planner. She also took a job as a teacher and hated it. She left Mindshare after she got married.[1]

References

  1. Mina Salman built Bagallery from her couch — then learned how funding really works . Thought Behind Things , 2023-12-13.
Show the source passages (87 statements)
  1. Mina Salman hails from Karachi. So basically, I hail from Karachi.
  2. She was raised and schooled in Karachi. So Karachi mein pali, badi, wahan schooling ki, wahan college ki
  3. Her first two jobs were in Karachi. even my jo meri first two jo jobs thi, woh bhi Karachi mein thi.
  4. As a very small child she was entered into a declamation contest as a filler. humein as a filler unhone declamation contest mein dala tha aur I was a little very tiny girl
  5. She was a top performer in her class at school. I was always, you know, top performer in the class
  6. She chose matric over O levels, as her friends did. O levels mein jaate jaate saare friends matric kar rahe the so I just maine bhi matric kar liya.
  7. She completed her FSC after matric. So usmein rehte rehte maine apni FSC bhi complete kar li
  8. She dropped biology and took physics, maths, computer science and chemistry. I dropped out bio, I went along with physics, maths and computer science and chem.
  9. She later dropped chemistry to take computer science. maine phir chemistry drop karke phir computer science li.
  10. She had a strong interest in IT before college. mujhe IT ka bahut shauq tha.
  11. The experience of going into a computer lab inspired her greatly. So you know that whole experience of going into computer lab usne mujhe bahut inspire kiya
  12. She says she was strong academically in computer science but weak at the practical side. So I was very good at you know academic but practical I was not very good at it.
  13. She says her time at CBM was life changing. CBM was life changing experience for me.
  14. She held a scholarship through college and into her MBA. I got scholarship also throughout my college until MBA I was on scholarship.
  15. Her MBA convocation was in 2006. MBA 2006 mein ya our convocation was in 2006, yeah.
  16. During her MBA she leaned toward advertising, media and marketing. maine jab MBA kiya toh woh mera was more I was very prone to advertising and media and uh marketing.
  17. She says her MBA gave her finance, accounting and economics that she still applies in business. usmein finance aur accounting aur economics aur different kind of marketing and advertising, I I still kind of apply those things
  18. She was placed on the brand team at a television network. Aur humein unhone brand team mein rakh liya. Us zamane mein Indus Music tha and they launched MTV also. And I was in Indus TV
  19. After a certain time she felt that a job was not working for her. Lekin after certain time uh mujhe laga ki it's not working for me.
  20. She joined Mindshare as a media planner. uh Mindshare. Right. As a media planner. GroupM. GroupM, yes. I joined there
  21. She left Mindshare after she got married. I was there for a very small time because then uh I I got married and uh I had to leave my job
  22. Her parents advised her not to work after she married into a large family. parents were like beta job nahi karo. You're going in a big family, mashallah mera susral is huge.
  23. She married in August 2007 and stopped working. August mein meri shaadi ho gayi thi 2007. So us waqt tak main sab chhod ke ghar baith gayi.
  24. Her husband took a job in Saudi Arabia. My husband, he got a job in Saudi.
  25. She moved to Dubai in 2011. But when we moved to Dubai in 2011, it was that time when things changed for me.
  26. She has lived in Saudi Arabia and then Dubai. Three, I think in Saudi and then the remaining in in in Dubai.
  27. She took a job as a teacher and hated it. I remember I got a job as a teacher. Uh I hated it.
  28. She decided that she would do something in beauty and fashion. I was like I'm going to do something in beauty and fashion.
  29. Her husband asked what she liked to do, and she replied that she really enjoyed shopping. And then my husband asked me ki ab what do you like to do? I was like I really enjoy shopping.
  30. She says business used to be for people who have generational wealth. Business used to be for people who have generational wealth.
  31. The name Bagallery came to her mind, and she decided to start with bags. Bag Gallery came into my mind and I was like okay, so let's start with bags.
  32. She made a website on Wix. Then I made a really pathetic website on Wix.
  33. She says she put 10,000 dirhams into the venture. Maine toh 10,000 dirham laga diye hain iske upar.
  34. She sourced her products from the US, UK and Europe. I was sourcing my products from US, UK, Europe.
  35. She says Facebook selling groups were gaining momentum at that time. Uh woh selling groups Facebook par us waqt uh they were gaining momentum.
  36. She says social media has played a huge role in the business. Phir social media ahista ahista uh social media kaafi it has played a huge role in our case.
  37. Her husband decided in 2017 to make the business a proper one. Then in 2017 my husband decided that ki bahut ho gaya, let's make it a proper business.
  38. Founding team members are still with the company. jo hamare founding members thay, woh Keetan, Mushwar, they're still with us.
  39. About 10,000 rupees was meant to be given to an influencer. It was like 10,000 rupees. Influencer ko dene ke liye
  40. Bagallery is an e-commerce portal selling beauty and fashion products. So basically, it's an e-commerce portal uh jisme hum beauty aur fashion ki cheezain bechte hain.
  41. The business began with bags and later added shoes. Obviously, started off with bags and we added shoes.
  42. Importing products brought many limits. Lekin obviously, imported mein there is there is a lot of limitations.
  43. The company decided it was time to introduce local products. Then we decided ki now it's high time that we start introducing local products.
  44. The company pitched large companies such as Unilever and L'Oreal, which joined it for a campaign. Then we pitched to these Unilevers and L'Oreals and you know, they got in with us uh for a campaign
  45. Beauty has always been the core of the business. For us, it has always been uh Beauty has been the core.
  46. The business works with fashion brands on a seasonal basis. we work on seasonal basis with a lot of fashion brands
  47. Bagallery has a private label called Vibe. Yeah, we have our own private label Vibe ke naam se.
  48. The private label was started because the business had a lot of data. So we started making our own uh because we had so much data.
  49. She says the business is about 90% women-focused. It's 90% women, but for men also, perfumes and shoes.
  50. She says Bagallery has never accepted fake products since its first day. from day one, fakes was never an option.
  51. She says she sourced a Tory Burch bag that turned out to be fake. I remember maine yahan pe ek Tory Burch ka bag source kiya tha and I found out that it was a fake bag
  52. She says social media was the bridge between the business and its consumers. the bridge between the consumers and us, what was that bridge? That bridge was social media.
  53. She says the company was not ready when its business grew quickly. jab humara business ekdam se badha, we were not ready for it
  54. She says some orders were delivered late. time pe orders deliver nahi ho rahe hain
  55. She says the company's problems were operational, not with the product. Uh, operational mein issues ho sakte hain but not the product.
  56. The company held an event, first in Karachi and then in Lahore, and put in a lot of money. we did this Glam Fest, pehle Karachi mein kiya, Lahore mein kiya, we put in a lot of money.
  57. The company's first funding round came relatively easily during COVID. our first funding was, uh, relatively easier, uh, us zamaane mein COVID aa gaya tha
  58. A second funding round was also done because somebody else saw potential in the business. Ah, toh achi funding first ki and then second round was also, uh, it was also done because somebody else saw the potential in the business
  59. The company used the money for its warehousing facility. we used that money to allocate aur usse humne apna jo warehousing facility thi
  60. The website crashed during a White Friday campaign. humari campaign thi White Friday ki, puri website gir gayi.
  61. She says they put their lifetime savings into the startup because they really wanted it to work. Uh, we put our lifetime savings in this startup, because we really wanted this to work.
  62. She says investors value the founders' vision and mission most. It's the founders. Founders' vision, founders' mission and how they see, uh, the business.
  63. The company moved to Shopify Plus. Shopify, Shopify Plus pe chale gaye phir hum, zyada upgrade ho gaye.
  64. She says that after 2022, when everyone was flying high, the company put a lot of money into marketing. obviously, after 2022, uh, aap, you know, when you're flying high and everybody else is flying high, so you put a lot of money in marketing and you do these, we did this Glam Fest
  65. Economic conditions turned sharply. uh, economic condition ekdam se flip side kar gayi
  66. The company re-evaluated its terms and conditions, such as credit days, with its vendors. we re-evaluated a lot of things, our terms and conditions, like credit days, uh, with the vendors
  67. She says Bagallery is almost profitable after cutting costs. so we are almost profitable. So, we cut down a lot of excess costs
  68. She says she wanted to launch a skin care brand and that it was almost locked, with everything done. I wanted to launch my skin care brand it was almost locked, everything was done
  69. She says the company was transparent with its investors. what helped in our case was we were very transparent. Uh with our VCs you know we had back to back meetings
  70. She says business comes first. And end of the day Muzamil it's always business comes first.
  71. She says the company wants to put its profit back into the business. hamara bhi yehi hai we just want ki let's just uh put in the profit in the business
  72. The import ban had a huge impact on the business. it would be very wrong to say that it didn't impact us obviously it was a huge impact on us.
  73. A large amount of its stock got stuck. hamara kafi sara stock stuck ho gaya tha.
  74. She says becoming a platform like ASOS takes a long time. So you just cannot become ASOS or something so quickly it takes a lot of time.
  75. She says that maybe five years down the road, or maybe very soon, the company could merge with someone who wants to. maybe five years down the road or maybe very soon uh you know you can merge in with someone who wants to
  76. She says she believes in collaboration rather than competition. I love the concept of collaboration. I don't believe in competition
  77. She says any merger partner's vision must align with the company's. Unke saath aapki vision align hona chahiye.
  78. She says she started from her couch and became a household name. Basically, I started from my couch to becoming a household name.
  79. She believes Pakistan will bounce back because it has a lot of talent. Pakistan will bounce back. Pakistan has always bounced back. There is because there is so much talent in Pakistan.
  80. She says Pakistan is still a little behind in technology. We are still little behind, but we are not going to be that behind.
  81. She says she has good hopes for the country. So, I have really good hopes from our country.
  82. She has a husband and a son. I have a family and I have a son and I have a husband
  83. She is one of six siblings. She we are six siblings um
  84. Her parents let her choose her own career. Matlab I was allowed to choose the career of my choice.
  85. She describes her parents as progressive but strict. my parents were very progressive but they were strict.
  86. She is also a beauty influencer based in Dubai. I am also a beauty influencer based in Dubai
  87. Mina Salman is the founder of Bagallery. Mina Salman is the Founder of Bagallery.