2021 Influential Businesswoman Awards

Acquisition International - Influential Businesswoman Awards 2021 Contact: Elli Kasbi Company: Elli Junior Website: ellijunior.com Best Baby Accessories eCommerce CEO (GCC): Elli Kasbi lli Junior describes itself as a “premium one-stop-shop for your parenting journey”. The company provides high-quality sustainable products for babies and toddlers. They only want to bring in and produce the best products for your children. We make children’s life’s more beautiful. Elli Junior provides parents with environmentally friendly alternatives to the high street brands from all over the world, with many exclusive brands. Based in Dubai, Elli Junior supplies goods to the entire middle east. Of Persian origin, Elli Kasbi grew up in Sweden. After completing her master’s degree in Finance, she worked as a Corporate Account Manager for a major Swedish bank for over 10 years. During this time Elli worked with SME customers. She remembers being impressed by her clients’ drive and passion, but she saw many businesses fail too. In Elli’s mind, it was clear that cash flow was a critical element to running a successful business. Seven years ago, Elli and her family moved to Dubai. She tells us she loves the year-round sunshine and especially living by the beach. The country is diverse, with many nationalities being represented. This, Elli tells us, gives rise to boundless opportunities. When Elli arrived in Dubai, her youngest, Nellie, was only 6 months old. Like many moms, Elli had difficulty finding a job that would give her the flexibility to juggle motherhood and work. She decided to switch careers to media. Having amassed 2 years of experience in media, Elli felt ready to go it alone. Being a mom to two beautiful daughters and noticing a lack in the market for premium designer baby products, and she loved the Swedish children’s brands Elodie Details, Jabadabado, Teddykompaniet, Elli decided to reach out to the brands and took the exclusivity right for the middle east market, and Elli Junior was born. Elli admits she had no experience in retail, e-commerce, or import/ export, but she knew that there was a gap in the market for stylish baby products and believed in her ability to make the business work. Four years down the line, with a flagship store inside Galeries Lafayette in Dubai Mall and a highly successful e-commerce store, Elli Junior has gone from strength to strength. The company has E been profitable from the start and has doubled its turnover year on year. Today Elli Junior sells products from over 70 different brands and also has its own brand of luxury towels, blankets and linens. From baby essentials to pregnancy must-haves, and from educational toys to furniture, Elli Junior has it all. Demonstrating her commitment to supporting women in the business community, Elli regularly hosts support groups and arranges meetings. This is a great way to share knowledge and make connections. She also offers her platform to local businesses working in the same industry. Two such companies are now bestselling brands on Elli Junior. When asked about the challenges she has faced, it’s clear that the road to success has not always been easy for Elli. She encountered opposition to her plans in the beginning and believes it is sometimes harder for women to be taken seriously in the world of e-commerce. Her biggest challenge though has been how to achieve a healthy balance between her work and personal life. She tells us that relationships, health and other interests can often get overshadowed by the demands of running a business. It’s something she’s still working on, but she’s learned a lot. Her advice to women wanting to work in a similar sector? “Don’t give up, hard work pays off. But work smart, ask for help. Find a mentor in your field to guide and support you. Surround yourself with supportive people, there’s room for us all.” When international businesswoman, Elli Kasbi, founded her company Elli Junior, she had two things in mind: children’s welfare and the environment. Now, exporting its products across the Middle East, e-commerce store Elli Junior is living up to its motto: “making big differences for small people”. Aug21737