Hong Kong finance worker leaves six-figure salary to grow custom jewellery label

Koyo Song spent months balancing a custom jewellery business with a full-time corporate finance role in Hong Kong, getting by on about five hours of sleep as she worked to establish her own brand. In July 2026, at 28, she left her position as a sales associate at J.P. Morgan to devote herself to Benalor.

Song had been building the company alongside her finance work, maintaining both commitments until she decided to make the business her full-time focus. Her departure meant giving up a six-figure monthly salary, according to the account of her career change. The move marked a shift from a salaried role in finance to the uncertain demands of running a young retail business.

Benalor was founded in 2025 by Song and her boyfriend and business partner, Avi Benita. Benita also left his job this year, where he worked at a hedge fund, to work on the company with Song. Their decisions brought both partners into the business full time, rather than keeping one or both in established finance-sector roles.

The brand sells a range of jewellery, including rings, bracelets and necklaces. Its listed prices run from HK$3,000 to HK$20,000, equivalent to about US$380 to US$2,550. The range places the company’s products at a substantial price point, while giving customers several categories of jewellery to choose from.

Customisation is offered without an additional charge, and customers can also request original pieces made to order. Those options allow buyers to tailor existing designs or seek a piece created specifically for them. Benalor’s model therefore combines its collection of finished items with personalised work.

The business’s early development took place alongside Song’s corporate job, requiring her to divide time between finance work and the jewellery label. Her experience in corporate finance is part of the story of how she approached building the company, while the pressure of maintaining both roles included a demanding schedule and little sleep.

Now that Song and Benita have both left their previous jobs, Benalor is their main professional commitment. The available details give no sales figures or further information about the company’s growth, but the partners’ move into full-time operation follows its 2025 founding and Song’s decision in July 2026 to leave her finance position.