In an interview with The Point Newspaper, Mariama shared how her journey as a young mother inspired her entrepreneurial venture and the difficulties she faces in balancing motherhood with running a growing business.
Her entrepreneurial path began in early 2023, inspired by her personal experiences as a mother of triplets. "Caring for three babies sparked my passion for everything related to baby care," she said. "That passion led me to start my own business, Maryamin Baby Gifts."
Before launching her business, Mariama worked as a journalist for a local newspaper. However, becoming a mother led her to reassess her career. "Motherhood required me to pause my career, but it also gave me the chance to focus on my babies, which later inspired me to start my business," she explained.
In addition to running Maryamin Baby Gifts, Mariama is now venturing into business coaching. "I offer training for small businesses, particularly those relying on social media for sales,” she declares. “My aim is to help women, especially stay-at-home moms, realize the potential of social media to grow their businesses."
Looking to the future, Mariama has ambitious goals for her business. Over the next five years, she envisions expanding her home-based operation to reach a larger audience, offering her baby gift packages and skincare products to more customers. She hopes to have a well-established store and employ a significant number of women.
She also aims to make Maryamin Baby Gifts the leading baby brand in The Gambia. "I plan to develop my own line of baby food, clothing, and other products. My ultimate goal is to provide new moms with high-quality, trusted products," she states optimistically.
In addition to expanding her product line, Mariama is committed to growing her business coaching practice. She hopes to help more women, especially stay-at-home mothers, break through limitations and leverage social media to achieve their business objectives.
However, the road to success hasn’t been without challenges. Mariama acknowledges the unique difficulties of running a business from home. "It's not easy managing a business from home. Since I rely heavily on social media for advertising and attracting customers, I constantly have to adapt to new trends and algorithms while competing in a crowded market," she says.
Time management is another major challenge as she balances caring for her three young children with running her business. Mariama states that she usually handles packaging and other tasks when her babies are asleep or when someone can watch them, but the limited time often impacts her productivity.
Sourcing materials locally presents additional hurdles. "Finding high-quality packaging materials in The Gambia can be unpredictable, and the cost of sourcing them locally can be high,” Mariama notes, saying: “This makes it difficult to maintain affordable prices while ensuring top-tier quality for my customers."
Financial constraints also hinder her business growth, she says. "There are so many ideas I want to explore, but limited funds often prevent me from investing in these opportunities." Balancing these financial challenges while growing her business requires careful planning and prioritization.
Despite these obstacles, Mariama remains hopeful about the future. "With determination and support, I’m confident I can turn Maryamin Baby Gifts into a leading brand in The Gambia and inspire other women to pursue their business dreams," she said undauntedly.
She however advises mothers in similar situations to embrace the journey and find strength in their unique challenges.
Mariama notes that operating a business while managing family life is demanding, but it’s also incredibly rewarding.
“Utilise social media strategically to connect with your audience and leverage its potential, but also be patient with the learning curve and evolving trends,” she shares some words of advice.
