From a Small Idea to a Thriving Business: The Story of Coolny
Oumayma Hajjej, 29, founder of Coolny, shares with authenticity how her personalized biscuits conquered the hearts and taste buds of Tunisians.
Oumayma Hajjej has always dreamed of becoming an entrepreneur. "Since I was a little girl, I wanted to be a businesswoman and start my own business, but I didn't know exactly what," she confides. The spark came from an online search, where she discovered a blog about personalized biscuits. The idea of creating unique biscuits with personalized messages instantly seduced her.
With the support of her father, she embarked on the adventure. The early days were marked by learning and experimentation. "I wasn't passionate about cooking. The attraction was building the brand and growing the project step by step," explains Oumayma. The first orders were taken at the university, and production was done at home, under sometimes difficult conditions, but customer satisfaction and financial independence were powerful motivators.
The launch on Instagram and Facebook was an immediate success. "I started by posting photos, and I got my first order from a girl at my university," she remembers. Soon, orders flooded in, and production quantities increased.
The B2B Turning Point
The real turning point for Coolny was a proposal for B2B (Business to Business) collaborations. Companies began to solicit Coolny for customized orders. This growing demand required a more formal structure. "I had to create an invoice, get a patent, and leave my home for a workshop," Oumayma recounts. It was in 2020 that Coolny moved into a dedicated workshop, marking the beginning of a new era.
The evolution didn't stop there. Initially focused on personalized biscuits, Coolny diversified its offer with tart bases, which became a flagship product. This diversification was an unexpected consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. "Thanks to COVID, I was able to start making tart bases," says Oumayma. The lockdown pushed the company to innovate and find new solutions to survive, including collaborating with grocery stores to sell their products.
Today, Coolny offers personalized biscuits, tart bases, and "cookie cups." The company delivers to almost all cities in Tunisia, collaborating with fine grocery stores and businesses.
A Growing Team and Organized Daily Management
What started as a solo venture, with the precious help of Oumayma's father, has become a team of eight full-time employees. Oumayma, now fully dedicated to Coolny, supervises daily operations.
Her day starts early at the workshop, where she checks orders, prepares invoices, and ensures delivery tracking. Customer communication is paramount: "I prefer proximity with the client," she insists. She confirms orders herself and collects feedback.
Production is managed by a workshop manager, Lamia, who joined Coolny from the beginning. Lamia, experienced in traditional pastry-making, brought valuable expertise to adapt recipes to large-scale production and overcome technical challenges, such as the "cookie cups" that required numerous trials to achieve the perfect recipe.
Challenges and Future Vision
Coolny has overcome many challenges, from raw material shortages to daily surprises related to managing a business. But "the real challenge is perseverance," she affirms.
After four years of existence, Coolny is more than just a small business. Oumayma sees a promising future for her brand. The main objective is to export, targeting first the North African markets (Libya, Algeria, Morocco), where a strong demand has been identified through social media. She doesn't plan to rush and prefers gradual and solid growth.
Beyond Coolny, Oumayma has other projects in mind. Her passion for learning and taking on new challenges drives her. "As long as I learn new things, meet new people, and have the desire, I'll continue," Oumayma declares.
The story of Coolny is an inspiration to all those who dream of becoming entrepreneurs. Oumayma believes that her experience in university clubs and associations forged essential skills in leadership and project management.
