Julia Zuroff, Founder of Hineni Jewelry
Names: Julia Zuroff
Founder: Hineni Jewelry
What's your elevator pitch? (Ie. In one sentence, what do you do?)
Hineni is more than jewelry—it’s a movement. Hineni (“here I am”) is a declaration of presence with intention, of showing up fully in the moments that matter. Worn as a daily reminder to oneself or gifted as a symbol of an unwavering bond, our pieces honor who we are and who we stand beside.
What's your story? Share how you got to where you are and WHY it is you do what you do.
It was only five months from meeting each other at a Columbia University Shabbat to summiting the tallest peak in Africa together. While similar interests, the gift of gab, and an equal obsession for conquering international feats made Brandy Mitnick and Julia Zuroff fast friends; it was their matched value system & core belief of showing up for the people you love, that bonded them as kindred spirits. They set out to create Hineni as a way to show up for their community - here they are. This is the debut of their first collection.
What does BEING a FoundHer mean to you?
Being a FoundHer means building something that matters—creating a brand with purpose while fostering a community around presence and connection. It’s about showing up, supporting other women, and proving that meaningful businesses can thrive when rooted in authenticity and impact.
How do you support other female founders and women in business?
We are so proud to partner with Jewish Women International, which has been helping women around the world heal and succeed for over a hundred years. In addition to the ongoing work we do with JWI, we’ve had a number of short term partnerships with women-owned brands and are always looking to do more.
What are the first five things that you did when you were starting your business?
1. Competitor research to understand the market opportunity
2. Understand how to source materials and develop the product
3. Put together a rough financial model
4. Mission statement
5. Come up with a name!
What lesson or skill did you take with you from a prior job to help you succeed in your role today?
A financial model, albeit a premature one, is an essential guide for early decision making.
Let’s talk social media—who handles it for your company (you, an internal team member, an outsourced solution?) and what is the secret to making it successful? What is the biggest challenge?
We handle all of our social media internally. We’ve found success through consistency and experimenting with new ideas. Our biggest challenge has been trying to create efficiencies in the creative process.
How did you land your first client?
Organic marketing.
What is something you do differently from the industry standard?
We are mission-focused. Our business strategy is centered around making the greatest impact for our non-profit partners.
Did you raise capital? What was the process and avenue you chose to take?
We have not. To date, Hineni is completely bootstrapped.
What would you do differently if you were starting your business today?
Negotiate with suppliers as much as possible.
What are three strategies you use to market your business, grow brand awareness and generate bottom line growth?
1. Partner with events as a vendor
2. Influencer marketing
3. Media mentions
What was an obstacle you overcame to get your business where it is today? Please share the story behind it.
The jewelry industry is old and quite opaque. Without previous experience, it was very difficult to understand the moving parts, the process, and the costs. What I found most helpful was to have as many conversations as possible with people in the industry, potential suppliers, and even competitors. There is no written guidebook that explains any of it, but through many conversations the information began to coalesce around general best practices and gave me confidence going into future negotiations.
What are three actionable tips you would give with other women who want to start a business or are just getting started?
1. Research as much as possible about the market.
2. Don’t be afraid to reach out to people in the beginning stages to learn as much as you can.
3. Negotiate with suppliers and keep everything in writing.
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