Recently we had the opportunity to sit down with Kaniya the founder of Koils, who has created an organic and natural ingredients hair oil to facilitate the growth of the hair line. The meticulous research and planning that has gone into making this oil is phenomenal, with early adopters already seeing results in their hairline growth. What’s more, ALL the profits are going to help build a school in Brazil. Kaniya has a firm vision to create a variety of beauty products from natural ingredients and oils, and we have no doubt these will be just as lush as the first one.
If you have thought about starting a business, take note on her great tips to help you take the final steps you need to fulfil your dreams. It’s amazing to hear a woman with passion and direction to create a better life for others, in parallel to pursuing their dreams. Have a read below of her interview with our team.
What sparked the idea to start your brand?
As comical as it sounds, the conception of Koils came to me in a dream. I suddenly woke up with a Eureka moment, and I knew if I didn’t fulfil all the ideas I had then I would live to regret it.
The dream was a past collection of memories pertaining to my childhood side-hustle which was braiding hair for my friends and local community. So, my aim was to continue providing a service for my clients but also introduce my own line of oils; to ensure their scalp remained nourished and healthy whilst in intricate braids. I am all too familiar with the consequences of manipulating our tresses such as: brittle ends, frizziness due to heat damage as well as receding hairlines from the tugging of our baby hairs. Therefore, it was pivotal to use organic and natural ingredients to rejuvenate our follicles and to have a unique but suitable applicator to have minimal wastage of product.
How long did it take from conception to launch?
So, after my vivid dream I went straight to the drawing board and mapped out names for my brand and underwent thorough research in creating the perfect blends of oils for the edges. I didn’t waste any time as the excitement was almost overwhelming; I remember writing it down in my diary, the 12th of August of 2018 was the conception and my pre-launch was the 10th of February 2019. So, it took me several months to prepare the oils, order the bottles and decals for the pre-launch all whilst studying for my final year of my undergraduate studies. But I must say, the day went down a treat as my friends and family all came to support which meant the absolute world to me. I broke even that same night and managed to raise additional funds for the charity of my choice.
How have you gone about choosing the ingredients for your product?
After careful consideration and extensive research, I decided on four blends; two essential oils and two carrier oils to promote maximum edge-growth. The research was non-stop even on my sick-days I would be browsing for hours on holistic websites to YouTube videos and even took regular visits to my local herbalist shop to enquire about natural essential oils. That’s when I came across the power behind peppermint essential oil. I came to learn it contains methanol which is a vasodilator which improves the dilation of the blood flow to your scalp that provides the nutrients our follicles require for a healthier growth.
Have your customers seen results?
Yes! I get super excited when clients return to me after a couple weeks to express their positive experience applying koils to their edges. I’ve seen the visible difference in my sisters edges and she’s a harsh critic and I’ve also had a client randomly dm me to inform me about their impressive results. Their feedback so far has done wonders to my self-confidence going forwards and I will be expanding the Koils line to include a mixture of various oils.
What proceeds will be going to your charitable cause?
Our aim here at Koils Community, is to raise £2, 000 for a small NGO in Brazil that myself and my friend had volunteered at during the summer of 2018. Thus far we have managed to raise £500 however, the marathon continues and we hope to reach our target by the end of this year.
Why do you think it’s important for all children to have an education?
I believe education is a prerequisite to emancipation. Every individual child on a global scale should have access to education and it should be a basic human right. However, the harsh reality is, those children in impoverished countries bear the brunt of corrupt governments whose expenditure to public education is reduced to a minimum. Education is the key to which children can able to transform their lives, because I know it has played a significant role in my childhood. Additionally, Nelson Mandela once said, “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world” and here at Koils community, we plan to facilitate that through one Koils at a time.
What tips could you give women who are looking to launch their own business?
Tips I would give women who are looking to launch their own business. Tip number one: take the time to thoroughly research your business proposal, are you providing a solution to somebody's problem? If yes, then you’re on the right track! Finding innovative ways to make somebody's life easier is something worth investing in.
Tip number two: take a leap of faith, having the courage to fulfil the ideas in your head into fruition requires a burning curiosity. Never let that burning passion or courage you own to burn out!
Tip number three: keep track of your finances from the beginning. Have a book dedicated to the numbers and figures so you know whether your business is making progress or not. Don’t move blindly or else you’ll end up fumbling the bag sis.
Tip number four: you gotta spend money to make money world to Young Jeezy “scared money don’t make no money” and yes I know the idea of spending your hard earned money into something you may see a return in, may seem daunting but it’s a risk you must be willing to take if you want to bring your business to new heights.
Lastly, tip number five: enjoy the journey, the good, difficult and the crazy times. Owning a business is no skate in the park, however, the journey is where the true magic lies.
What have been the highs and lows so far?
The highs are most definitely when your clients return to you to buy more and the positive feedback the oils has on growing their edges. The lows are during periods of stagnancy where there is a dry spell which can be disheartening but you shouldn’t give up. These moments should only make you find innovative ways to market your brand correctly.
What was the biggest hurdle in starting your business?
I think the biggest hurdle is having the self-belief to see through all my plans. The execution is exciting but can also be terrifying. It only takes a second for doubt to creep in and for the vision to diminish; so, it is extremely important to instill self-belief in your idea from the jump.
Will you be releasing more products?
I hope to have an empire of beauty products deriving from natural ingredients and oils. My next venture is to create my own lip gloss line which will join the family.
Muchas gracias. ?Como puedo iniciar sesion?