In conversation with Meloney Niblett
“Impact starts where you are and with what you have.”
- Meloney Niblett
Image: Meloney Niblett
Mel is a London-based key worker and small business owner. With an academic background in science and a NHS career spanning 10 years, her entrepreneurial spirit and love of gift giving are some of the many reasons her side hustle, Soronko Box London, was born!
Can you tell us a bit about yourself?
I love encouraging and empowering others to be their best selves and you’ll often find me having a ‘D&M’ (aka a deep and meaningful) with one of the many people I come across. No matter the topic – faith, relationships, food, financial freedom, business and more – my natural passion to create memorable conversations and experiences with and for others is also what drives me when I make each Soronko gift box.
There’s nothing better than putting a smile on someone’s face, making them feel appreciated or letting them know you’re thinking of them. So, I’d like to think that each gift box exudes this kind of emotion every time a customer opens theirs.
I’m a massive foodie and love trying new cuisines, restaurants and recipes – your girl loves to cook, but a cheeky little takeaway is needed now and again. Exploring new places locally and internationally is also a big enjoyment of mine and I absolutely loooove a spa day – you can’t beat some good R&R! To all those whose love language is receiving gifts, Soronko’s got you. To all those who love giving gifts, we’ve got you too. I’m definitely in both categories!
Tell us about your business, how did you come up with the idea or concept? What were your first steps to bringing the business to life?
After the death of George Floyd, people kept asking me how they could show support for the Black community in more tangible ways. I remember having one conversation where a good friend of mine said she would love to find out more about Black businesses but didn’t know where to start looking. As with most things, my entrepreneurial head lit up and I thought, what if I created something…? A platform that could provide a way for people to be exposed to and therefore be given the opportunity to purchase from predominantly Black-owned brands. The brainstorming began!
What was your overarching mission/aim at the outset?
At the outset, my aim was to contribute in one way, shape or form to the disparity seen amongst BAME-owned businesses when it comes to exposure and support. Following the introduction of Black Pound Day and after various conversations, I wanted to create something that would increase awareness of BAME-owned brands, with an emphasis on promoting Black-owned businesses.
I’ve also always been passionate about creating a sense of community and togetherness, whilst appreciating the importance of allyship as it pertains to the BAME experience – microaggressions, gaslighting, disparities etc. So, my ‘brainstorm’ eventually led to incorporating luxury, eco-conscious brands curated by multi-ethnic small business founders.
Inspired by my Ghanaian heritage and British upbringing, Soronko (Saw - ron - ko), means distinct/diverse in Twi, one of the main Akan languages in Ghana. Birthed from a desire to pay homage to #blackpoundday whilst increasing awareness of a range of independent brands curated by multi-ethnic founders, Soronko aims to celebrate diversity in a gift box.
What is the main inspiration for your business?
I’d say the events of 2020 were a big inspiration for me, especially #blackpoundday, the murder of George Floyd and the realisation that I too could play a part in helping to change the narrative. But further than that, I could also be a part of building legacy, particularly as a young, Black woman.
Seeing the hard work and dedication of my parents, grandmother and other family members is inspiring to me in more ways than one. Their richness in character and purpose set a blueprint I wish to carry on and it was time to celebrate all parts of my heritage and culture, the Ghanaian and English parts. Impact starts where you are and with what you have.
Were there any initial challenges that you came up against, if so, how did you overcome them?
I think the main thing for me was feeling slightly overwhelmed, especially once the ‘idea’ became a reality. And negative self-talk was also a challenge. I remember thinking when the pre-orders came in, “how am I actually going to do this?” … “What if it doesn’t work out?” and “What if people don’t like it?”. And then I thought, but “what if people do like it?!”
Slowly but surely, as one gift box order became two, three, four and more… the penny dropped that in actually doing this, I was already crushing my own negativity.
Click here to order your Soronko Box
What’s been the biggest lesson – about yourself, your abilities or just general life lessons – you’ve learnt since starting your business?
Balance is essential. I remember in the lead up to launch, I literally had an emotional breakdown due to lack of sleep. In the three days leading up to launch day, I think I only slept like six hours. That took a huge toll on me to the point where I almost threw in the towel on launch day. I was so close to putting out on social media that the website launch would be pushed back – but then I thought of all the hard work myself and my team (aka family hehe), had put in to get Soronko to this point. Looking back, I wish I paced myself a bit more and didn’t sacrifice my sleep.
I’d say, don’t allow your emotions and irritability to get in the way of achieving your goals. And don’t make rash decisions when you’re tired either! And having a support network is so key – we were not created to be an ‘island’ and I’m so grateful and thankful for my loved ones who encouraged me, helped me and gave me the necessary TLC during this time.
We are a sum total of the people we have in our lives and one thing I’ve learnt is never shun help from others. But more than that, don’t be afraid to reach out to others who may also be going through the same process as you. I sent so many emails to people for advice and collaborations, and though most didn’t respond, there were some that did; so I’d also say, don’t be put off by a lack of response. Not everyone is going to get back to you, be for you, or be interested and that’s okay.
And finally, constructive criticism is a must. Whether that be in business or life, we all need people who can speak about the ‘blind spots’ of our life and business. Again, sift out the pure trash talking comments and use the constructive ones to improve. Life is a journey and no one/no business is perfect, so don’t be afraid to embrace the uncomfortable comments in order to become a better version of yourself – we should never stop growing and learning.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever received?
I think I’m continuously receiving great advice… But if I had to sum it up: love your neighbour as yourself. It’s one of my favourite scriptures as it transcends every area of our lives. How we see and treat others is a reflection of how we see ourselves.
So, putting that advice into context with regards to Soronko, I feel like it really drives home the attention to detail that’s put into every gift box. Putting it together as if I was receiving it myself helps to maintain a certain standard which I’m told from customers, makes a Soronko gift box worth receiving and opening.
How do you find the work-life balance? What strategies and routines do you have in place to cope with the work-life balance? If you worked for someone else previously, how does it compare?
To be honest, I’m figuring it out as I go along. Balancing a full-time job along with running a small business, alongside maintaining the important relationships in my life, as well as incorporating ‘me-time’ is a challenge. But one thing I do find is treating myself and factoring in some ‘Mel time’ is essential and extremely helpful.
Scheduling helps too as it breaks up the calendar and provides some sort of structure. And most importantly, letting go of control I’d say. Life is unpredictable and sometimes our well-intentioned plans don’t always materialise and for me, getting to a place where I say “it’s okay if I didn’t complete xyz” has helped take some of the unnecessary pressure I can put on myself.
Balance is key practically, emotionally, spiritually, relationally and mentally. The more rounded you are in each of these areas, the more attainable it is to achieve work-life balance. Life is short and as much as I’m a stickler for excellence and getting things done, it should never be at the expense of what’s most important – for me that’s faith, family, friends, creating memories and enjoying new experiences – so I ensure these are all factored into my life as much as possible. A healthy me leads to a healthy business.
I think the main comparison to working for someone else is that there is a lot more autonomy over managing your time when you work for yourself. During my short career break, having complete control on what my day looked like made such a big difference.
Would you recommend any resources that have been useful for you when starting/running your business?
Enterprise Nation – they hold really good webinars which are free!
Facebook business groups (Black-Owned Economy and Support UK Black Owned Businesses)
Instagram is great for connecting with like minded business owners. Most people are very good at getting back to you if you reach out to them via their provided email which I’d recommend.
I also listened to some podcasts on subscription boxes to begin with (though that’s not the business model I’m adhering to), it still gave me a lot of insight into how to go about starting. One of them is called Subscription Box Basics with Julie Bell.
What would be your advice to anyone wanting to start their own business?
Just start! As daunting as it may seem, don’t allow what may not happen to stop you from giving it a go for what may happen. I think we, including me, can sometimes allow fear of failure or even comparison to stop us from even giving ideas a go. Most people, if they’re honest, are winging it.
I have literally had about 7 or 8 different ideas, tried them out and they’ve all fizzled out. But, I’m a firm believer that nothing in life is wasted! So even if on paper, it may have ‘failed’, use the lessons learnt to build on for the next idea, and repeat until one idea sticks. That’s all it takes.
Is it hard work…? Yes. Does it take commitment and dedication….? Yes! And when those discouraging times come, which they will, or even you may be struggling to stay motivated, which also happens, always remember your WHY.
Don’t compare yourself or your venture to another person’s. Everyone’s journey is different and unique. Also, don’t be put off if your idea may be in a ‘saturated’ market either. Whatever your USP is, use it as a launching pad and your foundation – if it’s already out there, it means it’s been tried and tested and there’s a market for it. You’ve just got to find your niche in that market.
How can we support your business? Share any links or information that will be useful to our readers!
Give us a shout out on socials!
Website: www.soronkobox.co.uk
Instagram: @soronkobox
Twitter: @soronkobox
Facebook: @soronkoboxlondon
