Left picture: Some of the cosmetic products made by Sugarberry Company in Dar es Salaam. Above are Ismat (top picture)and her younger brother Nawal. PHOTOS| ERICKY BONIPHACE
Dar es Salaam. Business ideas get to grow in people’s minds in varied ways.
So, one entrepreneur’s tale can be different from that of another.
Regarding Ismat Rajabali, 19, and Nawal Rajabali, 17, however, the siblings got their business idea from their ‘skin-sensitive’ challenge. They say using cosmetics made from industrial chemicals caused them unpleasant sensation, including skin rushes.
Hence, the duo have been applying home-made products from natural plants.
It was out of using these products that their company, Sugarberry - which is based in Dar es Salaam - came into existence in 2017, when they were aged 16 and 14 years respectively.
“We come from a really sensitive skin background, and this enabled us to explore naturally-made skin products. This made us to adopt something I would call ‘a generational home remedy’ for our sensitive skins which were inherited by our mother from our grandmother who used to mix multiple herbs and foods such as turmeric and honey,” Ismat recalls.
She explains that, “In finding means to better the traditional remedy we started researching and studying online on the kinds of oils and butters to help people with sensitive skins. We got assorted oils - including Shea butter, Cocoa butter, Mango butter, olive oil and coconut oil - and started experimenting with them.”
Upon their first experiment blending the oils and butter and applying the result to their skins, the two siblings did not know what to expect.
But - much to their surprise - the blended products turned out to be good for their skins!
“Having been raised by parents who are business people made us to realise the opportunity in natural body products in the country. So, we decided to grab the chance despite having little knowledge on production of natural body products.
“We started making small quantities of products whereas our package included body scrub, bio soap, body oil, shower gel and lip balm whereas we purchased raw products from supermarkets,” Nawal says.
Prior to founding Sugarberry, the two siblings were involved in graphic designing. This used to bring them some money for financing some adverts and related products.
It was from their savings from graphic designing that they secured their initial capital of Sh100,000 for the cosmetics business.
“When we announced that we were starting a cosmetics making business, our parents were impressed that we had inherited their business minds. It started with the ability to see and harness a business opportunity. However, they told us to work hard if the business was to flourish, as their only assistance to us would be coaching and mentoring.
Education
The duo were mostly home-educated. They majored in science at high school. Currently, they are focused on expanding their business of making cosmetics from natural materials.
Managing the business
“Our first store was an online platform via Instagram and Facebook because we could not afford a physical store. We started making first batches of body products and worked hard on advertising the products by using the Instagram advertising feature, pop-ups and vendor markets to expose them to the outside world. It took a while to get people to trust our products and keep purchasing them,” Nawal details.
As time passed, their parents advised them to open a physical store as this could increase their chances of growing their business more.
“Our first store in Masaki opened in early 2020. That first store led us to know and understand different customer needs in terms of products we did not have at that time. There were customers asking for deep cleansing products for skin, as well as new scents for body oils. This challenged us to expand the list of the products we were making. We also had to expand our team and plant,” Nawal explains.
They relocated their plant to Kariakoo, and added new members, bringing the team to nine.
In 2021, Nawal and Ismat opened a second Sugarberry products base in the Central Business District.
“Most of our customers are middle aged - and most are unaware that we are the ones behind the company and its products. We serve customers just like our staff do. We want our business to grow; that is our ultimate goal,” Ismat stresses.
She says they were first unsure that customers would not take their products seriously if they were to find out that the teens were the ones behind the company.
“During these three years of managing Sugarberry with Ismat, we have come to truly appreciate what it means to run a ‘business’.
“We’re grateful to our parents for their guidance, coaching and mentoring they have been giving us from their own experiences. We’ve learned a lot from them. The most notable lesson of all is that business days are not the same; there are days when we make impressive sales - and days when we barely sell our products.
“You may invest a lot of money out of enthusiasm for your business; but sales are at times disappointing. It takes time for a business to settle and the true power in the business world is when you understand that you will make profit as long as you turn all the challenges you face into lessons,” explains Nawal.
Sugarberry Company was so-named after a native tree to depict that the products they make are from natural sources.
The company currently produces 22 different products including Sugar Scrub, Night Violet Body Butter, Rose Geranium Body Oil, Lavender Lilac Body Oil, Shower Gel, White Lily Body Lotion, and Botanical Face Oil.
They also produce salt soaks made from green tea, mint and lavender, different flavours of lip balm and lip scrubs, soy wax candles, as well as hand creams and hand masks.
“We incorporate luxury into our products by making them smell heavenly, have a satisfying and a unique texture. They are also self-preserving and eco-friendly, being biodegradable by nature,” Ismat explains.
The two siblings’ company now import different raw materials for their products, including some natural oils which are imported from Kenya, India and South Africa, and some skin butter typed which they import from Ghana and the United Kingdom.
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