As any working mother knows well, balancing a day job alongside all the trials and tribulations of childcare is no mean feat.

That's why social media is in awe of Sasha Ellese Gilbert - a working mother and influencer who launched her baby skincare range with her co-parent, rapper Krept (one half of record-breaking duo Krept & Konan) - that sold out within 10 minutes of launching.

Sasha and Casyo ‘Krept’ Johnson created Nala's Baby in lockdown as a solution to their daughter's eczema. The brand is a naturally derived Black-owned skincare and haircare brand that's free from toxins, chemicals and parabens. It is also cruelty and tear free, vegan and eczema-friendly and fully recyclable, and the first British-made skincare range for babies with a perfect zero rating on product rating app Think Dirty.

The brand has since become one of the top-selling baby skincare brands in Boots in under three months, and become the first alcohol-free, naturally-derived baby skincare brand available in the Middle East.

When pregnant, Sasha became concerned about the potential harm skincare could cause her baby and downloaded Think Dirty to research the best attainable zero-rated products. The pair were shocked to uncover the amount of potentially harmful ingredients included in mother and baby products, and so Sasha began creating her own solutions at home. “I was super cautious with all products I was using on myself as I’d read that when pregnant using certain chemicals can seep into our pores and potentially affect our foetus and I just didn’t want to risk it,” Sasha explained. “I started by ordering shea butter, cocoa butter, aloe vera - all of the oils you can think of that had great benefits - and began mixing them and melting them down at home. I was kind of obsessed with it."

Once Nala was born, the pair discovered that she, like one in five children in the UK, was an eczema sufferer and wanted to do everything they could to help relieve her condition using natural, safe and effective products. This led to the concept of Nala’s Baby being cooked up in Sasha’s own kitchen.

The couple have raised a seven-figure investment in phase one of funding, adding to Krept’s own funds earned through music. Following two years of product development, Nala’s Baby is valued at approximately £17.5M and is projected to generate £2M+ in sales in year one. Impressive stuff.

So what would their advice be to other Black business founders hoping to get their product noticed in a crowded market when, between 2009 and 2019, Black founders received just 0.24% of venture funding?

“I think it is important to know and understand your surroundings and what is current at the time,” she said. “Ensure the service/business you are offering is unique and there is a need for it and remember we are an ever-changing world. KFC did well when they launched because there was a need for it back in the 50s but KFC launching now, in today’s market, would struggle. We found a gap in the market and so our USPs were very attractive to investors as we didn’t need to convince them that it was a good thing, it just was. So be sure of your product and know why it is needed and speak confidently about it and the right people will hear it and will want to invest.”

And what would Sasha's advice be to other working mums looking to juggle parenthood and a career? “Work hard and don’t ever give up. A lot of the time business is very male dominated, so we have to work harder to prove ourselves and what we know, but be resilient because you add value.” Sasha also advises ‘speaking up when the guys are talking’. “This is something I struggle with sometimes, especially when the conversation can go over my head a little. But if something springs to mind voice it. Let it be heard because it’s just as important as every other point,” she adds.

Sasha also swears by the value of a routine, explaining: A routine is something I struggled with for a while but I’m lost without a solid routine and planning out my days/weeks. Motherhood is no joke and really is full time but sometimes prioritising work over doing the laundry and hoovering the floors just has to be done. It can be easy to overwhelm ourselves with trivial everyday tasks but sometimes you need to spend the time that you need to on building your business!"

Nala’s Baby is available to purchase in Boots stores and online at www.nalasbaby.com and www.boots.com 

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