From Personal Vocation to Green Economy Pioneer: Fatma Midani's Journey
Fatma Midani created her platform dedicated to healthy and green products, driven by a personal vocation and the identification of a need - both for individuals and for businesses and micro-enterprises.
"It all started eight to ten years ago, when I adopted a green lifestyle and began sharing it with those around me. This led to the creation of the first community and cluster. I shared my daily journey, and the community began to awaken. They told me they loved the products I was promoting, but regretted that they could only find them in small businesses and not in large stores, and wondered how to access them. They suggested I create a marketplace, and that's exactly what I did," Midani declared during the "Ecosystems Transformed: Unlocking the Green Economy's Power to Create the Jobs of the Future" panel at the Green Growth Summit 2024, held on April 30 in Tunis and organized by Hivos - People Unlimited.
Today, she manages a team that has developed within 'Soul and Planet', which she launched in 2020 as a B2C marketplace selling healthy and eco-friendly products for everyday life: food, cosmetics, household products, and children's products.
A Need Emerging from Clients
From her vocation, Midani had to face entrepreneurial challenges: "We generated revenue, but growth was slow. Why? Because it was a niche market, and high-quality products are not cheap. However, at the same time, we noticed (in 2021 and 2022) that companies were becoming interested. They started asking for solutions to improve their impact, responding to the need emerging from clients to create a platform for finding green solutions, just like our marketplace did, for B2B."
That's what 'Soul and Planet' did, and it began selling products to save water and energy, in partnership with the government for training. And the expected development took place: "We started generating good revenue, but our cash flow wasn't healthy because companies pay in installments. We then mixed the supply chain involving individuals wanting to improve their health (at an affordable price) and the fact that companies were required - by international regulations - to improve their impact. Where healthy and eco-friendly consumption improved that impact."
In short, this means that if a company participated in healthy consumption for its employees, it would improve its impact. And 'Soul and Planet' was the platform where the company paying for premium access allowed its employees to access all the mentioned products at an affordable price. This is the first cluster where the benefit for individuals had an impact on the company. Managers seeking these solutions found in 'Soul and Planet' a cluster that allowed them to comply with international regulations.
"As for micro-enterprises, they generated so much revenue that we directed them towards more extensive lines to consumers; what's more, on a regular daily basis. This is a huge opportunity for them. And, it's worth noting that 90% of micro-enterprises are managed by women (and young women). I began to believe that this is the new world we're heading towards, where individuals, businesses, and micro-enterprises collaborate to generate healthy and green products, ensuring consistent revenue."