Meet Yvonne Rashida Bakuri, the creator of Bayabs Enterprise
It has been quite a journey for Yvonne– it wasn’t until her maternity that she discovered she had a passion for fashion and creative designing. In our May feature Read her interview to learn more about her and her business Bayabs Enterprise.
How did you start your journey as a Mompreneur?
I was home on maternity and bored. At that time, I had made and worn an african print shoe with a matching clutch bag to a wedding and friends, family and friends of friends were texting/contacting me to make some for them so I decided to indulge them and gradually that become a business.
What inspired you to take that path in business?
Friends and Family were and still are my inspiration.
A little bit about your company and what you do?
Bayabs Enterprise is the company. The brand Bayabs is a clothing and accessories brand that makes contemporary clothing and accessories with African print. The businesses started in April 2015.
A little background about yourself?
My name is Yvonne Rashida Bakuri. I’m a wife and a mother of 3. I hold a BSc. in Development planning from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. I’m also a resettlement expert. I am the creative behind Bayabs.
How you manage your day to day activities?
Listing down what I need to do and at what time I have to do it.
How are you able to balance taking care of your family and manage the business?
For me, Family comes first. I can only concentrate on work when my family has been taken care of. The kids leave for school and then I get to work. I don’t have help. So I need to be home before they get home. I try to do what I cannot do at home quickly before it’s time to get home. I plan with my head tailor on what needs to be done before getting home. I respond to emails and Whatsapp messages, take pictures, prepare orders for shipping /posting at home. When I cannot go to the post myself, i make arrangements for them to be picked up by a delivery company/person so delegating even though it is difficult for me, I have learnt to delegate more of my responsibilities with close supervision. I also have a very great support system. When my husband is in town, he helps a lot. My mom and siblings are especially helpful when I need them.
What are the challenges you face?
Cashflow: Like most small businesses, the money won’t stay. The bulk of the money you make goes into paying bills.
Balancing quality with growth. As we grow and we employ more hands, making sure employees pay attention to detail without having to micro manage that aspect is a great challenge for me but I’m working hard towards my quality control.
Shipping/Delivery, when you do not control delivery, it is difficult especially with shipping outside the country. Delivery has not been too reliable so i have had to factor delivery periods into completing orders
Most Ghanaians not too trusting of online shops. I do not have a brick and mortar shop. I take orders via Whatsapp and through the website. Most of my clients are based outside the country. I realized Ghanaians resident in the country have issues shopping online. They do not trust the online system from my observation.
Power supply. Even though dumsor (erratic power outage) has ended, we still get occasional power outage.
What are the processes and systems that have helped you in your entrepreneurial journey?
To do lists! I try to write down the days work the previous night(Invoices i need to send out, emails and whatsapp messages I need to respond to, follow ups, fabric shopping or sorting, design and pattern cutting, shipping, calls to make, orders to fulfill on the website etc) Listing them down helps a lot.I rely on technology a lot and that has been very very helpful. Apps help a great deal. Those that help with scheduling social media posts, creating invoices on the go, having meetings through WhatsApp calls and skype videos etc.Delivery/Dispatchers are a welcome.Getting photographers for photoshoots.
Social media(social media ads) has helped with marketing my products to new customers since I do not have a brick and mortar shop.
These are processes, procedures and systems that have been very helpful to me.
9. Advise to any young one who wants to start a business.
Dream big. Don’t be shy to start small but be ready to sacrifice and WORK. HARD!!!!
To learn more about Bayabs Enterprise visit their website on www.bayabs.com. Contact them on 0208404882 or through email on bayabsgh@gmail.com. Follow them on Instagram on bayabsaccessories.
Our Mompreneur Monthly Features are open to Mothers in business who would love to share their experiences with upcoming and budding Mompreneurs. If you would love to feature on our blog contact us on 0249879525 or through email on mompreneurgh@gmail.com
