Meet salma hodhod | Creative Director & Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with salma hodhod and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi salma, can you share a quote or affirmation with us?
My favorite affirmation to tell my self is, “Put your horse blinders on” and “me vs me”. These have kept me aligned for the last 2 years. Sometimes we get lost in the sauce and look at what everyone else has accomplished and what they are doing/who they are doing it with. I started to tell myself these specific affirmations to stop any comparison I was possibly feeling in that moment. I also continue to affirm that my timeline is the only one that really exists. Because it’s true! Who’s time are we on anyways? My favorite thing about these affirmations is that once you truly believe you are on your own timeline and only competing with yourself from yesterday, you not only feel free but you also have freed yourself of limitations. Social media is a crazy place and it’s here to stay, It can have you feeling you aren’t doing enough all because you are comparing yourself. Anytime I start to let my mind wander that way I just tell myself ” Put your horse blinders on” and it just takes me back.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I take my real life experiences, and lessons and pour it into this brand. I think it’s important to note that I come from a fashion photography background. I worked with other stylists and makeup artists, but for years I was curating everything myself. From the location, to finding the models, styling or creating garments for the shoot, I even did the models hair sometimes! I always had such a detailed vision for every shoot that I would create. I continue to use the same formula from my past shoots, the main difference now is that I work with other dope artists. I love to do Creative Direction for other brands, but my main focus is the growth of Sasa The Label.

To get to this point has not been easy by any means, to have your own business you really gotta be able to roll with the punches. It sounds so cliche but the biggest lesson I have learned has just been to enjoy the process and TRUST the process. These are key!! You gotta have faith. Believe in yourself and your vision enough to surrender. You will easily get caught up and burn yourself out if you don’t just do things on your own time.

I am most excited about Sasa 2.0. (which we are currently in) When I started Sasa I just wanted to start my brand. Along the way I have been tweaking and revising. I was taught by my partner and mentor a valuable lesson, “How you start won’t be how you end up.” And that really stuck with me. It’s important to see what’s working and what’s not. It’s important to tweak along the way.

I have really dope unisex items, and items curated specifically for women. I am just excited to share these items along with the shoots to everyone. Sasa The Label is made for the hustlers, the dreamers, and the deep thinkers.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
To be honest my favorite way to spend the day is in the sun!! I would probably take my friend for a cool hike, after we can have a little picnic at Lake Merritt with some speakers and a joint in hand. Later I would take her to our restaurant Sideshow Kitchen for a beer and some wings! Maybe the next day I would take her for a drive up the coast and beach hop. The bay has so much good food and there is always something to do. I actually suck at planning trips so I am more of what’s the vibe lets wing it type of girl!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Oh I would love to dedicate this shoutout to my mother, Nancy. My mom was one of those moms that would breath positive affirmations to me every single day. Growing up I had a very interesting middle school and high school education experience. I had actual teachers telling me in middle school that I wouldn’t make it to college, they claimed I was dyslexic without the proper diagnoses, and basically bullied me into leaving the school. Not sure til this day the exact reasoning of such extreme actions, but I can only assume.

The funny thing about it all is I was actually not bad in school, I just had moved back from spending a year in Egypt and year in Dubai, so I was just adjusting to life in America again. Of course hearing those things as a kid could do something to your self esteem and confidence. but my mom continued to affirm the opposite of everything they would say to the point where I really became untouchable and not once doubted myself again.

Website: sasathelabel.com

Instagram: salmahodhod

Twitter: salmahodhod

Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/sideshow-kitchen-oakland?start=60

Other: instagram @sasathelabel