Beyond our collective imaginations.
This is the only way to describe the last year.
A hobby that started in a 9sqm kitchen, on a 45yr old Defy 424 stove & oven, with the most basic Kenwood mixer we could afford, has baked into a business with so much of, blessing joy & even more potential. Alhamdulillah – All praise and gratitude to Allah.
365 days ago we received our first order. It was from our children’s school principal for Cherry Nut Biscotti.
We remember the excitement at receiving that 1st order & being grateful that 1 person took a liking to our product.
Memories are still fresh of the conversation we had before starting this business, the fear of failure, the “what if nobody likes it” anxiety.
Memories of Sadiyah and Yusuf from Mesmerizing Mixes – our hajj buddies – (themselves a successful small business) advising us, coaching us, & pushing us to take the leap into the unknown. Thank You for the mesmerizing encouragement.
Memories of 90 minute phone calls, numerous WhatsApps and DM’s with Muhammad, Zakeeya and Mansoor from Sugarlicious taking time out from their extremely busy days to share invaluable industry guidance. Thank You for the superb-as-your-products input.
Memories of Muhammad and Naseera from The Happiness Factory who tasted our products and helped us with developing a cookie we named in their honour – The Happiness Cookie. Thank You for sharing some Happiness.
Our first public outing at SMarket, total newbies to the scene. Yet the friendly faces of the patrons and ever helpful fellow stall holders who stopped by for complimentary tea or coffee made for such pleasant memories. Thank You. We smaaked it!
We recall family, close friends, numerous influencers and well wishers who tried our products and gave us constructive feedback and criticisms. Thank You for being a part of the journey.
We remember our first stockists who took a chance on us, a completely unknown home industry brand from Stanger. Thank You for taking a chance on us.
We not so fondly remember the emphatic “No’s” that broke our hearts in the initial stages, but we resigned ourselves to the will of the Almighty. Thank You for the valuable character building.
We remember the sleepless nights spent in front of that stove, the busy days frantically scurrying for depleted ingredients, the phone calls & enquiries sourcing elements at the best prices without compromising on quality.
Memories as fresh as a cookie about our first online order and the floodgates that opened after the review of that delivery. Thank You
We remember the stolen items from the hijacked courier truck with customer’s orders on board. Thank You for your patience.
If you’re thinking about starting a business, ANY BUSINESS, even if its your hobby, we urge you to TRY, JUST TRY!
Put aside the doubts and go for it, without regrets.
The biggest thank you to Mummy, Aisha Koya, for your guidance, advice, & many hours spent helping us in every way possible. Thank you to our sons, Muhammad, Umar and Yusuf, who tasted EVERYTHING, and gave us their smiles of approval
Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for supporting our dream.
Azhar & Humeira Koya – Stanger
Daily Dippers – 21 July 2020
