After graduating from high school in her hometown of Bamberg, Nikki Haley (then Randhawa) went on to study at Clemson University. According to Britannica, Haley graduated in 1994 with a bachelor's degree in accounting. Soon after graduating, she worked as an accounts manager for FCR Corporation. However, she didn't stay there long before returning to help out with the family business. The former bookkeeper — now an Clemson accounting graduate — used her skills to further help their clothing store Exotica International and eventually became its CFO.
Her parents previously downplayed any speculation that Haley had an easy way into her career, or that she was persuaded to work for the family business. "We allowed our children to follow their dreams in whatever profession they set their mind to," Haley's father, Ajit Randhawa, told journalist Lavina Melwani in 2010, "We only encouraged them to do their very best and have faith in God, and they grew up watching us working hard in our chosen passions."
This could also explain that, while Haley helped make Exotica International Gift Shop quite successful, her passion for public service led her down a different path. According to a 2008 press release published on SC Hotline, the family decided to close up shop, retiring from Exotica International after over 30 years in business. Aside from running this business, the family also gave back to various causes, including local charities, health and medical research, and disaster relief.
