Start Up Stories: Argan Reserve

Start Up Stories: Argan Reserve
July 18, 2016 admin

From full-time mum to Argan oil-importing entrepreneur, Jade tells us how Bloomsbury Beginnings’ course helped make her business dreams a reality

A busy mum of two young girls, aged 3 and 5, Jade wanted to decide how to take her career forward when her eldest started school. She was very active in the community, supporting many other parents informally, which was taking a lot of her time and energy. She was also very interested in starting an organic Argan oil business, but was unsure about how to market her product. Work needed to fit around her younger daughter, who she still cared for full-time.

Jade attended our start up course, which allowed her to work through some of the obstacles she faced in making her business idea a reality: identifying potential customers and the problems she wanted to help them solve; creating a compelling value proposition, learning social media marketing skills, understanding the finance management and legal requirements needed for her business. She was then able to ‘test out the market’ at our networking event, pitching her product to other attendees, which included a hair salon and local parents. All this enabled Jade to go ahead and develop the business with confidence. She is also currently training as a ‘VoiceAbility’ peer mentor, speaking up for the rights of others less able to do so, having realised that she wants to pursue her passion to help others.

Jade says: “As a mum of two, the order of priorities inevitably changes. Trying to manage a timetable in which I could blend work with the children’s everyday lives, I found myself needing an alternative way to do things.  It was then that I happened to meet Ann Nkune, the founder of Bloomsbury Beginnings. Ann mentioned the sessions she was organising and, feeling that I had nothing to lose, I decided to give them a go.  Having attended various courses over the years, I have to say that I found the Bloomsbury Beginnings’ sessions truly inspiring. They all take place in a supportive, informative and friendly environment and this, matched with the relaxed atmosphere, is empowering. It gave me the push and drive required to make change possible.  By the end of the first day I really believed that I could go ahead and start the new business I’d been imagining, bringing organic Argan oil to London.  I’m now in the early stages of setting it up. For now, production is small-scale and I deliver London Argan Oil face to face. This will change as the brand develops. I believe wholeheartedly in my product and want to bring it to others so they can benefit too. Without Bloomsbury Beginnings I wouldn’t have started this journey and I can only see it continuing in a positive way”

2020 Update: If Jade’s story inspires you, our next start up course is in January 2021

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