Interview with the founders of sandiia®
Who is actually behind the sandiia brand? They are two friends and mothers who came together in 2018 to fulfill a big dream:
-How did you two meet?
We met in 2013 in a Düsseldorf advertising agency and immediately got on very well. It was love at first sight 😉 A few years later we got pregnant almost at the same time. This intense time really brought us closer together.
-How did the idea for sandiia® come about?
During our parental leave, we both realized that there are no fashionable and attractive baby carriers that are also ergonomic. As a result, the topic of babywearing was (unfortunately) not very attractive to either of us, which is a shame, because babywearing is the most natural way to transport and calm your child, and it is incredibly helpful for the child's development.
-And how did you put your idea into practice?
When we both returned to agency life after parental leave in 2016, it was clear to us that this work was not completely fulfilling. We became more and more preoccupied with the idea of living a life as a digital nomad. Being flexible. Working from home sometimes. Before the pandemic, that was almost never possible.
Then we looked intensively into the topic of baby carriers again and started researching. The competition, the target group and of course the procurement of goods in our case - weaving mills. It quickly became clear to us: we can do better! In 2018 we founded our company. We started with woven baby slings. We developed the designs and patterns ourselves. When we went online with our shop in 2019, we didn't expect such success. The slings were very well received and on the first day we had already generated 3 sales - one even to Hungary. Without advertising! We always stayed on the ball and eventually developed our own baby carriers from scratch. The best thing about it: we were able to implement everything that was important to both of us as mothers. That was the absolute game changer and success was inevitable. Since then, things have only gone uphill.
- Who helped you start the company?
We didn't get any help and just made a lot of decisions based on gut feeling. Everything was learning by doing. If we got stuck somewhere, we researched or asked around. But the most important thing: we just started and carried on and never gave up. The best thing: we weren't alone and could always push and support each other. Since we complement each other very well, it was just a lot of fun.
-What hurdles are there, though? Especially with small children.
To be honest, the pandemic played into our hands because it meant we could work from home a lot. We didn't have to go to the office and we could use our lunch breaks for sandiia. We were able to organize our time better ourselves. We worked for sandiia every free second we had, especially in the evenings when they were sleeping or on weekends when they were out with their dads. We loved doing it because it was our baby together!
-What fears and expectations did you have when you founded the company?
We had no fears because we always believed in our idea and started without taking any major financial risks. Because we did everything ourselves, we not only saved a lot, but also learned a lot. Even a permanent job involves risks, and the last three years have shown us that nothing in the world is certain. You have to take your life and your professional happiness into your own hands.
-What does your daily work look like?
We are currently living our dream! The great thing is that we can work very flexibly. That was always our wish and goal. We work in the mornings when the children are at school and daycare. Meetings, customer appointments, brainstorming sessions, giving training, planning social media content, etc. The most important thing we have learned is good time management and setting priorities and also handing over tasks sometimes.
-Where and how do you work?
We both work flexibly from anywhere. We have managed to become digital nomads. We have built our business in such a way that we are not tied to a specific location or time.
-What makes the carrier special? What is the concept?
We developed our baby carriers ourselves. Two mothers who put their heart and soul into a baby carrier. We have implemented everything in the carrier that would have been important to us at the time. There is a lot of love in every detail of the carrier. Our carriers are not only stylish, but also super easy to use. Our carriers are also minimalistic without a lot of frills but still ergonomic. Our carrier has been tested and certified according to EU standards and as a hip-healthy product. Our patterns and colors are of course also special. Before the customer receives our carrier, it goes through two independent quality controls.
-What are your next steps with sandiia?
Definitely expand. We are already a well-known brand in Germany and the DACH region. Our goal is to become one in other countries as well. We are also planning further products ;) We still have so many ideas and are looking forward to implementing them in the future.
