Our Story

Our Story

Abstract:

 Tà is a virtual community and digital marketplace that seeks to revolutionize the African beauty and wellness industry by helping businesses sell their products to the diaspora efficiently and easily. According to the International Trade Centre, Africa's beauty and personal care industry is valued at over $11 billion and is projected to grow at a rate of 8.5% per year, with hair care and skin care being the fastest-growing segments. However, African entrepreneurs do not have the means to develop a brand with the marketplace power to reach a global market, hindering growth in this industry.

Tà aims to address this issue by creating a platform that facilitates the exportation of African health and wellness products. Through partnerships with African beauty and wellness brands, Tà will provide a variety of products to customers in the United States and the United Kingdom. The African diaspora in the United States alone has a spending power of over $1.4 trillion, and UK's Black and minority ethnic (BME) beauty market is valued at over £3 billion. By tapping into these markets, Tà, which means to sell in Yoruba, has the potential to make a significant impact on the African beauty and wellness industry.

Section I: Company, Concept, and Products.

Part A: The Company

                                    Tà (pronounced, ‘Taa’) is an e-commerce startup that is transforming the African beauty and wellness industry by helping businesses sell their products to the diaspora easily and efficiently. Tà is operating in the health and beauty industry, by offering locally made African beauty and wellness products to African expatriates. Its mission is to address the logistical issues that African businesses face when attempting to reach a global audience by creating a platform to facilitate the export of African health and wellness products.

                                    The founder of Tà, Motolani Oladitan, is a Nigerian international student at Syracuse University studying Psychology with a minor in Innovation, Design and Startups. Growing up, she was accustomed to receiving calls from friends and family in the diaspora, asking if she knew anyone travelling from Nigeria to the United Kingdom or the United States who could bring health and beauty products, like locally made hair extensions or skincare products. When she moved to the UK at the age of nine due to her worsening Cerebral Palsy, she was able to stay connected to her Nigerian roots through an expatriate community in the UK, which allowed her to access the products she grew up with.

However, when Motolani moved to Syracuse, New York during the height of the Coronavirus pandemic to pursue higher education, she found herself facing a similar challenge. As an international student, she was already far from her tight-knit Nigerian community, and she had to wait for weeks, sometimes months, to access the products she once took for granted. Unfortunately, this struggle is all too common for many expatriate communities who struggle to access the beauty and wellness products they need in their new locations due to logistical and infrastructural challenges in Africa, as well as exorbitantly high shipping fees. This is particularly true for students who move to study abroad and later stay abroad to work. 

Similarly, African businesses face several challenges in accessing global markets, including a "lack of infrastructure, high tariffs and non-tariff barriers, and limited access to financing." These issues can make it difficult for businesses to enter new markets and compete with established players. Furthermore, a report by the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development (UNCTAD) indicates that African businesses struggle with visibility in the global marketplace due to "a lack of knowledge and understanding of international trade regulations and standards." These challenges are compounded for students who move to study abroad and later stay abroad to work, as they may not have established networks or resources to navigate these barriers.

Oladitan created Tà to support African businesses in their efforts to access global markets and grow their operations while keeping the experiences of expatriates like herself at the forefront of her mind. As for the business structure, Tà will be headquartered in Dallas, Texas after graduation as a C-Corporation with one shareholder, Motolani Oladitan. This structure will provide legal protection for the company and its shareholders while allowing for flexibility and ease of management. As Tà continues to grow and expand, the shareholders may consider forming subsidiaries and other entities to further their mission and impact.

Part B: The service

Tà is the world’s first online marketplace that offers a variety of products, including skincare, haircare, body care and makeup products, all sourced from African entrepreneurs. These products will be carefully curated and tested to ensure their authenticity and quality and to provide consumers with a premium experience. Tà will also provide consumers with an immersive experience, allowing them to learn about African culture and traditions through product information, videos, and other content.

The primary end-use for Tà’s products will be individuals in the African diaspora, who are looking to connect with their roots and access high-quality, authentic African products. However, Tà’s products will also have significant secondary applications, as the products appeal to those who value natural, ethically sourced, and unique beauty and wellness products. Tà’s product mix will consist of a diverse range of skincare, haircare, body care, and makeup products, with makeup products generating most of the revenue for the business due to the high demand for natural and organic skincare products. Tà’s unique features include its dedication to authenticity, quality, and customer education, as well as its commitment to empowering African entrepreneurs and promoting African culture. Tà will differentiate itself from other online marketplaces by offering a personalized and curated shopping experience that will help customers discover exciting and new products.

Some potential drawbacks include potential obsolescence and/or replication of services and products by others. To mitigate these risks, Tà will continuously update its product offering and establish strategic partnerships with African-owned businesses. Additionally, Tà has a significant head start in the market because of its unique focus on African beauty and wellness products, which are still relatively untapped in the global market, giving it a unique advantage.

Furthermore, its carefully curated product selection and personalized shopping experience coupled with strategic partnerships with African-owned businesses gives us a substantial advantage over the competition. There are many opportunities for the expansion of Tà’s product line and the development of related products or services. For instance, Tà can expand its product line by adding new and innovative products from African-owned businesses. Tà could also expand into other areas of African cultures, such as fashion and home decoration, or offer additional services such as personalized skincare consultations or beauty box subscriptions, to further enhance its user’s personalized shopping experience. Tà will take advantage of these opportunities by carefully analyzing market trends, identifying customer preferences, and revising its product mix to meet customers evolving needs.