“I’ll give you one example, the woman in the Johnsons and Johnson’s case, she got cancer from using talcum powder. Talc is actually a naturally occurring ingredient. Consider the ore of talc, when you extract it, it’s difficult to remove the carcinogenic materials from the ore. As a result, some residue of the carcinogenic materials still remains in the final product,” Zara continues, “it’s not just about cancer. Why are people waiting for that one fine day for something to go wrong?”
As Zara Tahir, the 30-year-old founder of Yellow Berry explained the technicalities involved in making organic beauty products, we couldn’t help but wonder how a woman educated in accounting, who had been an accountant up until two years prior to our interview, knows so much about herbs and extracts.
Tahir, devoted to her line of organically made serums, soaps, oils and balms, did her research before she jumped into the business. She mentioned that in the beginning of her venture she sold a range of lip balms and soaps. For that particular purpose she would read up e-books that she bought online. She tried looking for pertinent books available in the market. However, no retails centers sold the books she wanted neither could they have them ordered.
It seemed as if Zara had launched her business as not only a passion but also as a service to others. “I had a hard time finding some essential oils and then I thought to myself, ‘What if other people also have this problem?’”, she continued, “Because it’s not just about beauty now rather it’s about health. People use organic products and essential oils for aroma therapy, for stress relief, pain relief and various other health benefits.”
Taking off with a business of which so many raw materials are imported is no easy feat. Zara talked about the effect the devaluation of the Pakistani currency has had on her business and customers. “When such things happen, I try to absorb the price as much as possible,” Zara continued about the recent devaluation of the currency, “I thought to myself, ‘I just raised my prices this August; I can’t do it again. It’s over.”
On top of all that, Zara has to face a fresh batch of issues as a result of being a female entrepreneur.
“I’m so glad you’re females; maybe you could relate,” Zara smiled as she began narrating her struggles. “Because my husband is so involved with me in this business, it’s naturally assumed that he’s the owner of the business.”
Zara recalled a time when she had received a wrong and delayed order for which she complained to the representative of the company. The representative told her supervisor who then called Zara’s husband instead of Zara herself.
“It was so easy for him to assume that my husband was the owner. When he finally did call me, he had the audacity to scream at me,” Zara continued, “The issue isn’t that he raised his voice at a woman but that he thought he could get away with it because I was a woman.”
Zara confessed that the love and support she receives from her parents and husband ease the process of her hectic lifestyle. When speaking about her own disturbed state of mind because of the devaluation of the rupee, she recalls her husband’s support.
“He said to me ‘Think of what you’ve achieved. In March 2017 you only had one store retailing your products; now you have 7.’ He keeps motivating me by saying, ‘Think realistically. Don’t jump to conclusions. The rupee will stabilize soon and everything will be fine.” Zara added, “People have a lot of problems pertaining to their husbands. The husbands get jealous of their wives’ success, they want a part of their money but gladly that’s not the case with me.”
As Zara showed us the art work for her new line of products, we wished her good luck and she reciprocated with wishing us luck with our work. On that positive note, we left the determined and resolute Zara Tahir to go about the rest of her day.
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