Sky is the limit for Cloud By Greys

IT started as a way of trying out a TikTok trend, but soon Cloud By Greys evolved into a booming start-up haircare business. From being a simple homemade fix for wash days, it has now become an organic haircare product line.

The name derives from the products leaving your hair feeling as soft and fluffy as a cloud, and it was created by Grace Shuuya, a 22-year-old student at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (Nust), from the comfort of her own home.

The young entrepreneur grew accustomed to people asking her questions about her haircare secrets and she was more than happy to indulge those that were curious.

“Before launching this business, I’d get questions about how my hair grew so fast. When I told them the ingredients and what to do, they gave me the impression that it’s too much work. I didn’t mind the labour, so I took it upon myself to make the product for them,” says Shuuya.

This haircare line consists of four products: a hair growth butter, shea butter hair mask, avocado butter hair mask and unrefined shea butter. ‘Cloud’ is a mix of purely organic oils which are thoroughly blended into a whip.

The small business saw the gap for organic hair products that contain essential ingredients like shea butter, avocado butter, olive oil, grapeseed and castor oil.

These ingredients are a hit in the natural hair care community.

Shuuya says being a home-based business works well in her favour because she can save on costs of commuting to work, save money on ingredients and in terms of the production of the mixes, which she whips up in her very own blender.

The second-year student also enjoys the love and support she gets from friends, family and strangers. Other benefits of being her own boss include the positive reviews.

“I get to have my own source of income even though it’s not consistent. I get to be slightly independent from my parents’ pockets. I love getting creative and working with my hands, so the process of making everything and getting to choose what kind of theme and style I want for my content is fun,” she says.

However, it’s not all fun and games, as Shuuya is the sole owner, employee and distributor of her products. This means that she must sacrifice hours of her time and energy to make products that satisfy her customers.

She has faced challenges like her mixtures being too runny, wasting money on ingredients and energy, as well as the possibility of her products moulding, however, she managed to solve these issues with preservatives and emulsifiers.

Another challenge she overcame is pricing of her batches, resizing her containers from 250ml to 130ml, since her target market is mainly students.

This change hugely benefited her customers and saw many flocking to get their hands on her products.

Shuuya also faces the long-term challenges of staying consistent, balancing her studies with work and looking to hire staff to assist in the large scale production and the distribution of her products.

She says she isn’t chasing fame and fortune, but rather the gratification that comes from starting something and seeing it through. She has had many instances where she thought of closing her business. Not due to negative reviews, but because she wanted to give up, as owning a business and being a student can be quite overwhelming, but the potential she has to reach great heights keeps her going.

The computer science student does not plan to stop here. She has big aspirations for herself.

“By Greys is sort of the brand I want to create for myself. Anything that I do will fall under ‘By Greys’, whether it be clothes or other products. And yes, I’m planning on growing the brand,” she says.

Her advice to young and upcoming entrepreneurs like herself is to be patient, strategic and keep the customer’s needs and safety at the forefront of whatever they offer. If they plan to enter the hair care market like her, they should consider product mixing which includes preservatives, emulsifiers and thickeners, because they will want the best brand quality. Homemade products can go bad too, so investing in those things will help in the long run, she says.

“Lastly, always remember why you started when you feel like nothing is working. Businesses aren’t always successful from the jump. Just look at it from a motivational perspective. The more challenges you endure now, the fewer problems you face in the future,” she says.

An entrepreneur through and through, even when faced with adversity, Shuu­ya fights back and looks for a silver lining in every challenge that comes her way.

– Afterbreak Magazine

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