For new parents-to-be in Nigeria, planning for the new arrival can be a little daunting, particularly if it is a first baby. So, entrepreneur Rainat Komolafe has created a startup business, Babies Essence, taking all the guess work and effort out of the process, providing a genuinely one-stop shop for everything needed to welcome the new member of the family into the world.
LoA spoke to Rainat about her new venture and what inspired her to create this wonderful niche business to appeal to Nigeria’s design and time conscious new parents….
What does your company do?
BabiesEssence offers a range of specialist baby-planning services such as personal shopping, baby registry, baby shower planning, and consulting services.
"At a young age I started doing business projects, which made me evaluate my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. I also took some courses in school to widen my business and entrepreneurial knowledge."
What inspired you to start your company?
I’m going to start by saying I love babies. Sometimes I see mothers that have extremely busy schedules and they don’t know where and what to buy for their kids, especially all those first-time mothers. Some of them need help shipping essential items and design conscious specialist baby products and accessories or baby home decor items, back home to Nigeria. So, this gap in the market and all those parents-to-be with baby planning services needs, inspired me to start my own business.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
Most parents are working full-time and don’t have much time to shop, however there are so many new services and products being introduced into the world of pregnancy and parent’s to be. At BabiesEssence, we’ll make shopping easy for you and we’ll empower you to make the best decisions in preparation for your precious new arrival.
"At BabiesEssence, we’ll make shopping easy for you and we’ll empower you to make the best decisions in preparation for your precious new arrival."
Tell us a little about your team
BabiesEssence is currently a one-woman business.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
I officially launched BabiesEssence in March 2015, so this is a real new business start-up. However, my parents are both entrepreneurs so I learnt a lot from them. At a young age I started doing business projects, which made me evaluate my strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats. I also took some courses in school to widen my business and entrepreneurial knowledge.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
I want to be able to provide employment opportunities for local people, so I’m working on creating a talented team of professionals going forward for the company. I also want to provide the best baby planning service in Nigeria and in other countries by God’s grace.
"This gap in the market and all those parents-to-be with baby planning services needs, inspired me to start my own business."
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
Seeing the smiling faces and positive testimonials from my happy clients.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
Don’t wait for the right time because there’ll never be a right time. Be patient, dedicated and work hard. With the help of God nothing is impossible.
Contact or follow Rainat at BabiesEssence:
WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | INSTAGRAM
Email Address: Babiesessence@gmail.com
Why LoA Loves It….
For young business startups, the trick is to find your passion, find a niche in the marketplace, do your homework, and then get out there and realise your entrepreneurial dreams. In the growing business of specialist babies and children’s services and products supply, Rainat Komolafe is one young woman entrepreneur that has found her passion and is now building a business that can grow and thrive. She also has a great eye for what appeals to young parents-to-be and understands their challenges in those early planning days. --- Melanie Hawken, founder and editor-in-chief of Lionesses of Africa