Sahira Ladha is a Saudi-born, Kuwait-raised, Pakistani mama to crazy little munky Omar and fur baby Sushi the cat. As a child, she dreamt of being many things; a fashion designer, a chef, an automotive designer, a lawyer (Ally McBeal style), a private investigator. She studied law at university because her career’s advisor recommended it when she told her that she wanted to be an investigator. Ironically, she ended up working in marketing, and right now she’s the momprenuer behind babyroo, an ethical and sustainable value-driven baby toy brand.
It was a huge leap, especially for a new parent. “Starting a business is a lot of hard work as a new parent, but my passion for bringing together products that are better for families, especially the little bubbas, is a driving force. I cannot wait until I can unveil all our plans for the brand. There is so much more to come,” she explains.
Sahira told us that the name babyroo comes from kangaroos, how they keep their little babies close to nurture them past birth. “As parents, we want to do the same – hold our little ones close and make sure that we are doing the absolute best for our babies. That was the whole concept behind babyroo. Another name that I loved was “ooh yea baby” – a little play on words,” Sahira said.
Babyroo offers a collection of products, ranging from toys, interior design pieces, to mealtime essentials and more. They want to offer parents in Kuwait better choices for their babies and children without having to pay huge mark ups; they strive to keep prices as close to their international counterparts as much as they can.
We’ve been seeing an uptick in mama-owned business in Kuwait, and so far they have all been driven by strong values that protect our babies and the planet. Sahira mirrors our sentiment and said, “ Mama-owned businesses are the best, because there is so much heart and soul that you miss in commercial businesses. I have met so many amazing mamas with their own brands recently, and it is so inspiring because love and care is always at the heart of the business, especially when the businesses are focused on the little ones.”
Babyroo is a family enterprise. Sahira has found support from her brother Sohail, who helped massively with the financials and business plan, while her husband Nimran helps with the design and tech, finally her son Omar was the inspiration and tests all the toys and products. She added that the rest of the family shares super cool ideas too.
Sahira has found a lot of support from an unexpected source too. “The mompreneur community is awesome! My advice would be to have a clear plan in place, do a lot of the work upfront, you never know what your day is going to be like as a mother. And once you do start the business, reach out to other mamas in the community for support; all of the mompreneurs are super helpful,” she told us.
Babyroo has clear values concerned with sustainability and ethical production, and Sahira insists on working with brands that have the same values as her, and most of the time, they are family-owned small businesses. “We vet everything, the inks they use, where the products are produced, if they are made in factories, whether they are certified, and if hand-made, who is producing them, the wood they use. Most of the time, I am communicating with mothers and parents that only produce small batches, to preserve the integrity of what they do. For us, it’s not just about the quick buck; our values drive us. We want to preserve the world for our littles and teach them the right values,” Sahira explained.
The toys themselves are adorable. They appeal to adults as much as they do to the little ones. “We love so many of the toys we carry, I absolutely adore the MinMin Copenhagen brand. It has such a cool aesthetic and is great for open-ended play. My favorite are the abstract blocks from this brand. We have seen a lot of orders for the Babai lacing toys, these are so great for hand eye coordination and great for keeping little hands busy. We also have a lot of games that parents have given us great feedback about, they are perfect for engaging the whole family,” Sahira gushes about her favorites.
But she would love to eventually manufacture her own line of toys, because they would be able to ensure that they are ethical, sustainable and of the highest quality. Sahira tells us that “…all of the toys we have are heritage quality, they can be passed down through generations. And we have a lovely selection of lifestyle products that we are constantly adding to. We have some exciting new products arriving soon.” To celebrate Kuwait’s National Day and Omar’s birthday, babyroo is offering a sitewide discount, we might just order a whole bunch ourselves because everything is so adorable.
TRUTH OR DARE QUESTIONNAIRE
How would your mother describe you in one word?
Persistent.
How would you describe your mother in one word?
Kind.
What is the most ridiculous question you’ve ever been asked?
If my husband would let me work long hours. There are so many things wrong with this I don’t even know where to begin!
What is the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?
I’m a planner by nature, I like to plan my spontaneity.
What is your theme song?
It wasn’t me – Shaggy (it usually is me) / Free – Emeli Sande (although I do plenty of yoga).
What word in the English or Arabic language do you wish you had invented?
“kaifi” or “wasta”.
Where would you like to live?
New York – minus the weather.
What is your dream retirement location?
Lisbon.
What is the first famous quote that comes to your mind?
“We are all in the gutters but some of us are looking at the stars” Oscar Wilde.
Which animal best describes your perfect partner, be it in business, or in life?
Ooh an owl! Calm and wise – helps balance the crazy!
Do you miss anything from your childhood and if so, what is it?
Home cooked meals and my immediate family around.
If you could change your name, to what would you change it?
Princess Consuela Banana Hammock.
How would you describe your handshake, in one word?
Oh gosh – haven’t shaken hands in so long. I would like to say confident.
What is the toughest part of your character?
My insatiable desire to be right always (although I’ve been failing recently).
Who is your favorite historical figure?
There’s quite a few but I love Katherine Hepburn, and how she supported women’s and stood strong for her beliefs, and of course what Abraham Lincoln did for slavery cannot be ignored.
What in the world do you least desire?
Conflict.
What do you think is lacking in the world, which [if there were more of it] would make the world a better place?
Definitely compassion and empathy.
Why do you think most people who do, like you?
Hmmmm, I would say my loyalty…?
Finish this sentence: “Happiness is…” cuddles from Sushi (the cat) and Omar (the baby) while sipping on a matcha latte
Follow @lovebabyroo for some cuteness overload and to stay up to date with their news and for some great tips and inspo or shop online by visiting www.babyroo.co.
