Women are meant to do house chores, that’s how our society labelled women but why? Can’t women be something they are really capable of, does her gender really matter to her potential? No, never nothing matters, if her will is strong enough she can build her own empire. We have such boss ladies, who are ruling over their own empire.
Meet Nafeesa Afnan, who owns a brand of skincare at a very young age and successfully runs her business as a woman herself. “EarthybyEllenza” is a natural skincare brand having a range of skincare products.
Nafeesa Afnan who is a native of Mangalore, but brought up in Mumbai and Bangalore is a lawyer by profession. But her passion for skincare made her an entrepreneur. Started with an experimental product using saffron given by her friend from Kashmir, now she has more than 10 products that are completely natural and organic without any chemicals or parabens.
When she got good reviews from her close ones for her experimental products, in the beginning, she thought of turning into a business using Instagram, with 2 products, saffron gel and hair oil she started the page without any label or investment. As a college student that was the only option, she had to bring out her products to the public. And it went like that along with her studies.
Later, as she started getting good responses from the public, she understood this is what something she really wanted to do, so she found a name for the brand, which nobody has taken yet ‘Earthy by Ellenza’ meaning ‘ Earthy Products Meant To Help’ in Italian which is quite interesting and unique because as an IPR [Intellectual Property Rights] student, she knew it has to be different when registering as a brand.
Gradually she started making new products along with her education, not just law but also she started researching and did courses related to it from well-known universities online. Because she knew for a fact she can only make limited products and target only limited audiences if she limited herself, she educated herself more on the subject so she could grow.
Fresh, fruits and natural extracts are her USP [Unique selling point] and the reason running in the market, So whatever they make will be in limited stock with 1 year of shelf life as it is natural preservatives, and Ecocert organic certified formulation.
“You need to have that confidence and trust to get into something risky as skincare,” Afnan told MMJ as she chose something very different from law and her values play a big role in this, she is very proud as she is a lawyer at the same time because that inculcated a lot in her business also when it comes to values, doing branding, getting IPR done etc by herself is only because of the education she pursued in the field of law.
Afnan quoted, “Education never leaves an individual, it’s just your passion that you need to find out what makes you happy”. So she is happier with what she is doing right now than a 10-5 job. But at times she gets into doing IPR or copyright trademark or other projects for the clients.
As a business, she wants to keep one step at a time like she started it as an online platform in Instagram, then created a website and now to a clinic she came a long way alone, even she had got a lot of investment opportunities she didn’t want to lose her authenticity of what she is meant for in what she is doing. Because her products are not the same as the ones you get from the shop, she follows a modest approach with concern over her clients, not just products that could change you, there are a lot of other things like diet, vitamins, holistic approach that which she looks into.
Now, as a clinic, she is getting an amazing response from the people as she has something which is not available in any other place in Mangalore, because her treatments are natural, which has no downtime, safe, authentic, effective and mild. She has trained as an aesthetician from Mumbai withholding a licence to start the clinic.
They have treatments that are completely approved by FDA like Biore peel, mango enzyme, high-frequency GG glow, ice cream mask etc using more technology, and all these treatments are for the first time in Mangalore which makes Ellenza different. Also, she customises treatments and products with the same ingredients according to the customers’ needs. As she manufactures everything on her own in a lab near the Urwa store. Every customer is her responsibility so she makes sure she gives them the best from her side, to give them a better change.
As a woman, her journey was not that easy getting into entrepreneurship, in this manly world, she stood strong and bold to come a long way and deal with the people for what she is today.
“Coming from a Beary community, I want to set an example for beary girls, everything is not about getting married but building self is more important,” Afnan mentioned while she is already an example for all the women out there, nothing is impossible just because you are a woman. Also, her mother is her business partner who is great support along with her dad and 2 brothers. Her family is her strength.
She is never satisfied with the things coming around her because she wants to build more, upgrade herself, and bring new things. Now Earthy by Ellenza is all set to introduce minimal makeup, not just skincare but organic makeup products like child-friendly lipstick, liquid lipstick, cc cream etc, which will be quite chemical less and harmless. Also planning to expand the clinic in Mangalore to accommodate more with better facilities
“You shouldn’t stop because there is a new generation which is coming, you will feel old if you use the old skills which you have learnt because time is passing by so quickly, so keep updating”-she said, as she is into that, she makes sure about everything she does is updating, from her thinking to the marketing techniques.
The best part of Earthy By Ellenza is the complete sector is led by women, that’s where Afnan is a great example, she is not just empowering herself but the whole community by giving them an opportunity. Other than skincare Afnan is also very interested in reading and writing, she is also having a blog on Instagram.
Jumping out all the hurdles of life, Afnan is now a successful woman who is seeking more to achieve. Nothing stopped her from her vision of creating a brand of her own. Looking forward to “Earthy By Ellenza” in reaching more heights and conquering the world with women’s power.
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