By: Alva Solomon
When Nickishaw Khan was on the final leg of university studies back in 2017, she completed a marketing and communication course in which she made scented candles and crafted a plan on how to market the item.
Three years later she would transform her knowledge into a hobby and subsequently, a small business. She named it Nikhan’s Organic, an entity in which she makes body oils, coconut oils, homemade natural soaps as well as body wash and face and body scrubs.
At the time the young woman pondered on her business ideas, she was searching for another job and according to her, she stepped back a bit and realised she could create her own means of an income.
“I used the knowledge from the Integrated Marketing Communication course, what we call IMC, and I decided that I needed to find a way out,” she said.
Khan, who holds a degree in Communication Studies, told Guyana Times that when she was completing the course at the University of Guyana, she thought that one day she would be able to enhance her newfound knowledge.
“For Nikhan’s Organic, I simply switched it up,” Khan said.
“I started doing this as means of earning an income because I was also depressed since I had just lost my job and I started to notice a lot of acne marks and skin issues,” she added. She said she visited a doctor and she was told that the acne was the result of stress-related issues she was experiencing.
She said she decided to create her own product to treat her skin and her family members encouraged her to pursue the initiative. Khan then contacted her university colleague Tara Smith and the two ladies decided to work on labelling for the products.
“We learnt at university that labelling is one of the ways in which a product sells,” she added.
For the products, she purchases her bottles online and she noted that she buys them in bulk since her business grew beyond what she expected. She said she utilises social media as a means of selling her products, noting that Instagram is where she finds most of her customers.
Khan recalled that after her family members greenlighted her products, she was contacted by a woman who was trying to rid her body of stretch marks related to pregnancy. She said the woman bought her African raw black soap as well as her turmeric soaks and the results were encouraging.
“So she started telling other people and so I started to get more orders,” she said, adding that a majority of her customers received referrals from others while some contacted her out of curiosity.
Khan said that she is always carrying out research to ensure that her products are safe and healthy for use. In terms of the branding, she said she chose colours which are eye-catching and which also match nature since the items are all natural.
She said that her scented candles remain her “baby”, noting that it was this product that gave her the confidence to create something and market it. She said that that the candles also go hand-in-hand with her skincare products and she explained that when one feels uplifted after using the products, the scented candles bring out an aura which strengthens that feeling.
“It sets your mood higher,” she noted. On this note, she said that persons involved in the hospitality industry such as hotels and guest houses have bought her candles for their rooms.
Khan, who is pursuing a Master’s in Digital Marketing, plans to enhance her products and she noted that she will continue to develop her products while also advancing her business. She said her university studies provided her with an ideal opportunity on how to market one’s skills. “We hope to improve the overall lifestyle of the customers so that they can regain that confidence in their skin,” she added.
Anyone who wishes to contact the young entrepreneur can call the number 676-3862 or via Instagram @nikhan’s_organic
