Founder Spotlight: Fadwa Hilili (Fadwa Masala)

Meet Fadwa Hilili:

Fadwa Masala

Fadwa Masala is dedicated to providing all-natural masala blends and single spices that make cooking Pakistani & Indian food at home flavorful and healthy without sacrificing convenience.

Location:

Tampa, Florida, USA

When did you launch the business?

March 2025

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Startup Stage?

Bootstrapped

What led you to where you are today?

I started my journey as a part-time recipe content creator on TikTok. After hearing concerns from my followers and viewers about the premade masala (spice blends) that were already on the market being unhealthy due to high sodium content and also being extremely spicy, I decided to create a more versatile product. Our masala blends contain no salt or red chili, allowing the home cook full control over the final flavor of their dish.

What do you wish you knew before embarking on your entrepreneurial journey?

I know this sounds naive, but I wish I knew just how much time being an entrepreneur takes. I still also have my full-time job in Finance and these days I am working a lot of hours! But honestly, I am loving every minute of it.

What is the most difficult decision you've had to make regarding your business so far?

Raising prices 3 months after our launch. I wish I had listened to the advice to price my products higher from the beginning, to account for future costs. When we launched on Amazon, we had to raise prices due to their fulfillment fees. Otherwise, we would not have been able to maintain a healthy profit margin. Luckily, our community believes in the brand and has taken kindly to the increase.

What can you help the VEGPRENEUR community with?

I am here for anyone who wants to hear about starting a brand while still maintaining their full-time job, is interested in the ethnic food space, or has any other questions. Always open to a chat and helping others on their entrepreneurial journey.