Day in the life of a business owner: Jyoti Upadhyay, Kaligarh

Jyoti Upadhyay

Jyoti is the founder and director of Kaligarh, an ethical jewellery company working with artisans in Nepal. Currently based in Wales, she founded Kaligarh in 2014 while living in Kathmandu. Kaligarh means ‘artisan’ in Nepali and is a tribute to the beauty and craftsmanship of the Himalayan region. The company sells online through its website, as well as Etsy, and to boutiques and museum stores in the UK, US, and Nepal. She is also a communications professional who previously worked in international development, luxury travel, and the arts sector in London.

I set up my company because…

Everywhere I looked in Nepal, I saw an incredible heritage of craftsmanship. I was horrified that skilled artisans and artisans-to-be were leaving the country to work as migrant labourers in the Gulf, in extremely difficult and dangerous conditions, far from their families, as they were unable to make a decent living at home. Over 2000 Nepali workers died in Qatar alone since 2010 - the majority of whom worked on construction projects related to the 2022 World Cup. Through our jewellery, we aim to promote the work of Nepali artisans, and in some way, help to revive fading artistic traditions. Ultimately, we seek to create opportunities in Nepal, so people don’t have to look for them elsewhere. 

My heritage and lived experience have played a part in my career decisions…

In so many ways. I was born and raised in Wales, but my parents are from Nepal and north east India. I spent some time working in Uganda and Kenya before my Master’s and felt very much at home there. I moved to Nepal to pursue a career in international development, as I believed I would be most useful there, and had a head start, culturally and linguistically. I’ve always been conscious of the importance of being sensitive to context, and resistant to the idea of people parachuting in to ‘fix’ things. I’m more interested in deep understanding, even if it takes time. As it turned out I didn’t last long in my original field, but I remained committed to the beauty and potential of Nepal.

Sustainability is at the heart of Kaligarh because …  

I can’t imagine it any other way! The communities of the Himalayan region are especially vulnerable to climate change. From the outset, sustainability has been central to Kaligarh’s ethos and production strategy. For our packaging we use Nepali handmade paper, made from the bark of the lokta plant, along with recycled card. In all operations, we are mindful to avoid the use of materials that are not recyclable or compostable. Many of our wholesale pieces are made using recycled brass. We’d love to use recycled silver, but have been unable to find a reliable source of high-quality, recycled silver in Nepal. Hopefully this will change in the future. We believe in slow, sustainable fashion, and therefore focus on creating pieces that will last a lifetime.

A typical day for me …

Depends on whether I’m in Kathmandu or Wales, whether or not I have childcare, and whether or not I have another job (I usually do). The juggle is real! My current job is about to end and over the coming months and I’m looking forward to focusing all my professional attention on Kaligarh again for the first time in years. I’m excited about finding a new rhythm and growing the company. 

When I lived in Nepal, a typical day for me was spent shuttling between the artisans’ workshops, and our showroom. I love working on a one-to-one basis with the artisans in their studios, designing new pieces, discussing improvements and chatting to them about their lives. These days I’m more focused on managing wholesale enquiries, sending out orders and planning new collections. I spend around a month in Kathmandu every year, working with our fantastic team there.

The biggest challenge of running my business is …

Maintaining momentum and enthusiasm at all times when the buck starts and stops with me. I’d probably benefit from having a partner to share my design ideas with and to to riff off, and certainly to make big decisions with. I realised a few years in that I needed more production support in Nepal, especially once I moved away, and so brought on a partner on a limited basis, to support with some financial and logistical aspects in our place of production. The other challenge is learning to let go of certain tasks - this is something I’m still learning.

But the biggest reward is…

The kind things that people say about our jewellery. Hearing that people value the craftsmanship, the design, and the stories that are part of every piece. Sharing the art of repoussé, in particular, is gratifying. This is a speciality of metalsmiths from the Kathmandu Valley, but having observed a decline in demand for their work in recent years, they were sceptical at first that this could be popular in this day and age. I am grateful that with every reorder that we are able to make from the artisans, knowing that their work is reaching customers in different parts of the globe.

“Failure” in business isn’t always a bad thing … 

If you take the time to really work out why it occurred. I’m interested in the psychological drivers that lead us to do certain things. Especially when you’re a founder and are responsible for maintaining momentum and morale, it’s good to understand how your own personality or traits affect the business. That said, I believe that almost every ‘failure’ is temporary. There’s almost always an opportunity to learn, improve, and turn things around.

The advice I’d give to women setting up their own business is … 

Talk it through. People’s questions force you to examine and justify your decisions. Friends and family can be valuable in this, but you may find that it’s easy to avoid the hard questions with them. This is where mentors can be especially valuable. It’s a tricky balance being sure of your vision and also being open to confronting tough questions, but it’s essential. 

The three qualities I think you need for this career are …

Perseverance, a good eye, and the ability to do whatever task is required at that moment. 

What I do to switch off …

Lately, it’s play-acting and making up stories with my 2-year-old. Running was an indispensable part of my life for a decade and a half, which I am trying to get back into after a nasty bout of Covid in 2022. 

Find out more about Kaligarh here.