Interview with Armin Jamula, Founder and CEO  | ITSHERWAY

Seamless Xtra’s Alia AlHussein interviews Armin Jamula, Founder and CEO at ITSHERWAY

 

With 17 years of experience in entrepreneurship in marketing, digital transformation, and sales, Armin specialises in crafting disruptive strategies that deliver big results on small budgets. Her journey as a marketing strategist has earned her multiple awards for creative effectiveness, best strategy, and success in startup-driven competitions, alongside recognition for mentoring businesses and consulting on innovative projects.

Since 2017, Armin has spearheaded the business strategy and brand expansion of ITSHERWAY, the MENA region’s first and only e-commerce marketplace and community platform empowering women’s financial independence through commerce, collaboration, careers, and capital building. This award-winning platform is dedicated to positively impacting every woman’s journey, whether advancing her entrepreneurial ventures or career progression.

 

How ITSHERWAY Is Building a Commerce-Driven Future for Women Entrepreneurs in MENA

1. ITSHERWAY is a pioneering platform for women’s financial independence in MENA. What inspired you to launch this initiative, and what impact has it had on women entrepreneurs in the region?

ITSHERWAY was born from a deeply personal journey. As a woman navigating leadership roles and entrepreneurship in the region, I encountered numerous roadblocks—access to funding, visibility, and community being among the most glaring. I realized these weren’t just my challenges; they were systemic. I launched ITSHERWAY in 2017 to create a platform that doesn’t just support women entrepreneurs—it actively builds a commerce-enabled ecosystem around them. Today, we’ve empowered thousands of women-led businesses across the MENA region by providing them with the tools, marketplace access, mentorship, and community they need to scale sustainably. The most powerful impact? Watching women transition from side hustlers to full-time business owners and job creators. 

 

 2. E-commerce in the Middle East is growing rapidly, yet female entrepreneurs still face unique challenges. What are the biggest barriers women-led businesses encounter, and how can digital platforms help bridge these gaps?

Women entrepreneurs in the region often struggle with access—access to capital, access to networks, and access to market-ready platforms. Cultural expectations can also limit time and mobility, making traditional business models less feasible. Digital platforms like ITSHERWAY help close these gaps by offering a ready-to-use infrastructure for launching and managing businesses online. From streamlined e-commerce solutions to mentorship circles and partner collaborations, platforms can give women what they often lack—scalability without overheads, credibility through community, and visibility in a crowded market. 

 

3. With your background in disruptive marketing strategies, what are the key elements that make an e-commerce brand stand out in the MENA region’s competitive market?

In this region, authenticity and cultural context are everything. To truly stand out, an e-commerce brand needs to lead with purpose and position itself around values—not just products. The key elements I focus on are: a compelling brand story, visual consistency across platforms, strong community engagement, and localized content that resonates with diverse yet deeply rooted audiences. Brands that humanize their presence, listen actively, and build emotional connections consistently outperform those that rely solely on paid ads or seasonal offers. 

 

4. Many startups struggle with achieving big results on small budgets. What are some of the most effective low-cost strategies you’ve implemented that have driven significant business growth?

At ITSHERWAY, we’ve mastered the art of high-impact, low-cost growth by focusing on community-powered marketing. Our referral networks, ambassador programs, and content collaborations have allowed us to grow organically while staying lean. One powerful strategy was hosting micro-events and pop-ups with community partners—this not only reduced costs but created high-touch brand experiences. Additionally, leveraging AI-driven content tools and automating email marketing journeys have helped us scale communication without increasing headcount. It’s about being resourceful, not just resource-heavy. 

 

5. You’ve won multiple awards for marketing creativity and brand strategy. Can you share a campaign or initiative that had a particularly strong impact and what made it successful?

One initiative that is deeply personal to me is TheLeaveOfAbsence.com. It was created to advocate for formal bereavement leave policies for parents who have experienced miscarriages—a topic often overlooked in professional environments. Having lived through this pain myself while holding a high-pressure leadership role, I knew that silence wasn’t an option anymore. While this initiative hasn’t yet won formal awards, it has already garnered global recognition for shedding light on miscarriage-related grief and inspiring HR leaders and companies to take action. It’s about giving space to heal and the right to grieve with dignity—something I believe every parent deserves. 

Another campaign that earned wide acclaim was #MakeUpForThePayGap, launched under our ItsHerCareer initiative. We used jaw-dropping visual content and viral camera filters to reveal the harsh reality that women are still paid significantly less than men for the same work. The campaign sparked powerful conversations across social media and drove record engagement, proving that creativity and advocacy can go hand in hand when backed by a strong message and community momentum. 

 

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