04 February 2024 , 18:46
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A single mum turned a simple idea into a successful sell-out business after finding strength from the pain of losing a child.
Priscilla Karsan from Farnworth in Bolton, was facing a relationship breakdown and the heartbreaking loss of a baby when she decided to launch her own baby company, Baby Bambino's. The mum was pregnant with her second daughter when she came up with the idea for Baby Bambino's. She struggled to find children's clothes she liked, so she decided to create a "unique and affordable" clothing line for babies.
She set up the company in June 2019 after finding a wholesaler and spending £800 on trendy baby clothes. After six months of developing her website, she struggled to attract customers - leading her to look into an empty unit in Bolton Market Place looking for new traders.
The 41-year-old mum applied to hold a pop-up shop in the empty space and ended up staying there for eight months, selling out all of her stock. Now, she continues to grow her business and even received a shout-out from Dragons' Den star Theo Paphitis after winning his online small business competition.
The Bolton Market Place store was very popular (Priscilla Karsan)Despite facing many challenges, including a split from her partner, a miscarriage, and the loss of her grandad and a close friend, this mum says she's "really proud" of what she's achieved. Priscilla, who started her company while working as an estate care specialist, told the Manchester Evening News: "I didn't think I could do it juggling work and the business five days a week."
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"My girls are still young, I don't have any family support in Manchester, all my family live in Leeds. I don't have anyone I can turn to, it's just me and my girls, really." she said. "It was very challenging juggling work, a toddler, a baby and running a business at the same time. Not to mention being exhausted.
"But that becomes flawless when your passion is so big and you know your brand has potential." she added. "It's been very hard; it's exhausting, tiring and very challenging. When you've got something you're so passionate about, I think you focus on that and on your goals. I try to be as positive as I can even though I had days that were very hard. I focus on my kids and where I want to go."
Priscilla is proud of everything she's achieved (Priscilla Karsan)Sadly, Priscilla had to close her unit at Bolton Market Place due to the struggle of managing the shop, her job, and her children as a single parent. However, she continues to trade online and hopes to secure funding to help build brand awareness and make her company as successful as possible.
The mum said excitedly: "I feel like it's got lots of potential," because she had many people coming back to her old shop who really liked what she sold. She shared her pride: "I am so proud of coming this far. Baby Bambino's is not just any company, but my dream.
"There have been many times where I felt like giving up. But that's not my ethos. I rise and fall but rise again. I found a purpose in life and how creative I can be. I've unlocked my true potential. I trust the process and will achieve my goals in life and thank God how far I have come. I have big dreams and big visions so watch this space."