'Marine Natural': a hair products company founded by accident

They say that if a woman changes her hairstyle then something really big or important is happening in her life.

That moment proved to be tragic for Michelle Natalmi in 2013, when her father became seriously ill with cancer. When all of her father's hair was lost due to chemotherapy, Michelle also shaved her head in solidarity with her father.

Michelle, now 35, promised that in the future, she would spend her life in a healthier and more natural way so that she could be protected from cancer in the future.

When her hair came back, she decided that she would not apply any chemicals to her hair in the future, as most women in the Kenyan capital of Nairobi do to straighten their hair. She also decided that she would use products made from natural products for hair care.
But unfortunately these items were not available in Kenya at that time, so Michelle began shipping these products to the US and Europe.

Since imported products were expensive, they started making their own shampoo, conditioner and other products in their own bathroom. They used avocados, pears, egg yolks and aloe vera in these products.

Michelle said that she liked it when I gave her ready-to-use products to friends, and this was the time when Michelle realized that the sale of natural ingredients could be a good business.

machine Natalie accompanied by her father

Today, their Nairobi-run company 'Marine Natural' sells 50,000 bottles of these products in 12 different countries around the world every month. These 12 countries include Turkey and France in addition to ten African countries.

Michelle's father died in 2014. He was a business man himself, while Michelle's mother worked for the United Nations.

After completing her schooling, Michelle received a Bachelor of Design and Communications degree from the University of Nairobi. She then moved to Italy, where she received a master's degree in interior design.

After completing her education, she returned to Kenya and worked in an IT company. After that, he worked in an advertising company.

Michelle says her parents made her realize the importance of hard work since childhood.

After a few jobs, he started a branding agency with one of his friends, Nivi Patel. After that, the two partners together launched their company 'Marini'.

At the outset of this business, she realized that removing hair straightening chemical products for Kenyan women would not be easy. All said that the market in Africa is not yet ready for such natural products.

Marini means 'natural beauty'

But to accomplish their mission, they started posting videos on YouTube. He introduced 50 new hair styles with the help of 30 models, which were created using his company's products.

His videos were widely liked on social media; YouTube videos became an important part of his marketing. Their product sales also increased because Michelle could say that the coconut oil included in her products comes from Kenya, Shea Butter, Uganda and South Africa, all of which are natural ingredients available in various African countries. ۔

Michelle says she regrets that the bottles and tubs used in her products come from China because of the lack of good quality bottles in Africa.

Their products are already being sold in Africa and beyond in France and Turkey, and now they want to ship their products to the United States and other European countries.

Success reminds him of his father. "Marine Natural" is probably a gift from her (my father), says Michelle.