Review Central speaks to Sarah Jones, the Founder and CEO of Sprii.com about her entrepreneurial journey so far
Sarah Jones, the Founder and CEO of Sprii.com.
What is Sprii? What sort of products and solutions does it offer on the market?
Sprii.com is the Middle East’s #1 shopping destination providing everything for mums. We have evolved our shopping platform to provide everything the modern mum needs; authentic brands available at the touch of a button, a curated edit of products and a fast and fearless checkout system, all personalized for mums.
Our ethos is a simple one – to make life as easy as possible for busy mums. Our platform offers 1,000s of world renowned brands, all in one place to save time and offer convenience, plus with our price match promise, mums can ensure they are always getting the best deal.
Add into the mix our newly launched categories – “At Home” and Post Pregnancy “Get Fit” – to sit alongside our award-winning mother and baby offering and we’re confident mums will find everything they need for themselves and their little one. Whether they want to discover the latest products to help them bloom during your pregnancy, stock up on baby essentials, kit themselves out for pre-natal Yoga, or create fun family moments together in the kitchen, Sprii.com has got them covered.
What is the USP of Sprii? How does the company differentiate itself from competitors?
We offer an authentic experience from start to finish, with excellent navigation on the website, the widest product offering at competitive prices and an incredible Customer Service team who always go above and beyond. The user is always at the heart of everything we do.
Who is your target audience?
Every Mum.
Tell us about the startup story behind Sprii.
Bitten by the bug at just 14, I set up an eBay business importing items from across the globe and selling in the UK, igniting a love for e-commerce and developing a business mind in the process.
Four years later, a degree in Economics at Edinburgh University beckoned, which not only heightened my financial acumen, but also my highly competitive nature! My placement at Deloitte London in the retail M&A team led to an international secondment in the Middle East just a few years later.
Which is where the Mini Exchange story really begins. I’ve never lost the thirst for clinching a business deal first hand and am a self-confessed workaholic. My phone is never off, my mind is always active and I have such passion to drive the business forward.
I spotted a gap in the market on arrival and secured funding for Mini Exchange in a matter of months, growing from an exchange platform for parents to a successful e-commerce venture in just two years.
Never one to rest on my laurels, in 2016, I turned my attention to growing the brand portfolio to include “At Home” “Post Pregnancy Fitness”, thus paving the way for Mini Exchange to evolve from its easily days, into a destination with the widest product range of Mums & Kids products in the Middle East. Welcome Sprii.com.
Did you come across any challenges when starting up? How were the challenges handled?
Our rapid growth has presented certain challenges at times; i.e. growing a team quick enough to manage the scale of the business, or onboarding over 1,000 products weekly and 50 brands monthly to ensure our customers get the best mix. However, being an online business does allow us a certain agility, meaning we can expand at a rapid rate without losing any of our key functionalities and capabilities.
Which geographies does Sprii currently cover?
We cover the UAE, Saudi, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait and Oman.
Do you have any advice for budding entrepreneurs?
Launch With A Viable Product: Spot the gap in the market, do your research and then test, test, test. Speak to people in the same industry and conduct your own market research- there’s nothing better than getting honest feedback from real consumers. It’s easy to spend months perfecting every aspect of your business, however when it launches you will need to make changes, so get it live as soon as possible and adapt in real time.
Hire A Rockstar Team: It’s very easy when you start a business to try and do everything yourself. However, if you want a rockstar product, you need to hire a rockstar team. People who are motivated, passionate and who will believe in your vision.
Stay Agile: The market moves at such a ferocious pace, if you don’t have your finger on the pulse, then chances are you will have missed out. The nature of having an online business means we are constantly evolving; hiring, developing tech, innovating- the second you rest on your laurels, it’s over.
Enjoy it! This one is self-explanatory; however you can get so swept up in building your business and working day and night, you forget to actually enjoy the process. Savour every moment, because it goes by so quickly.
