Chief cook and special dress finder Rohanie Zaman does it all at juju
It was Rohanie Zaman’s aptitude for dressing others that led to the start of her store juju; now a renowned bridal outfitter that has and continues to put smiles on faces with its array of gorgeous, luxurious or simple, classy gowns.
Juju was founded in the ‘month of brides’ June, in 2012. “I did lots of research before choosing a name and shortlisted a few before finally deciding on juju, an African word that means luck and good energy,” Zaman said. “Also I did not want to limit the prospect by labelling my business juju boutique, juju fashion, juju bridal etc. As the business evolves, I can add or subtract any product line without an issue.”
Although she came from a family of entrepreneurs, it was never her intention to follow that path. Prior to opening juju, Zaman pursued a career in finance and was working in a managerial position having attained the ACCA qualification and a master’s degree in Professional Accountancy from the University of London.
According to Zaman, in the making of juju, she knew that she wanted to provide her customers with a great experience. “In addition to having superior quality merchandise, the experience should be an enjoyable one and to date we have been able to do exactly that. Our customers keep coming back. Once we serve one bride, every other member in her family who is getting married also comes to us for their dress. We go the extra mile to ensure our customers are happy,” she said.
In the runup to starting her business, Zaman recalled that she was scared about the risks involved but with them being calculated risks, she decided to go for it. She started off small and kept her day job, only opening juju on weekends and for late evening appointments. After three years with consistent growth, she quit her job to focus solely on juju.
Juju started out by selling dresses for various occasions, from wedding gowns to the casual dresses. Today its main focus is on weddings, proms, and dresses for other special occasions. Juju has had a showroom from the inception but added an online store two years ago which took business to a whole new level.
But for even a business like juju where everything seems perfect, the challenges are many. Logistics is a major one. “By offering a pre-order service, [there is] the fear of an order going missing or being late… However, prior to the COVID outbreak juju had a pristine record for delivery. We have never had the unfortunate task of telling a bride her dress won’t make it on time for her wedding, until the initial outbreak that is. However, as luck would have it, all the weddings were postponed, and we were still able to make our brides happy in the end. Logistics remains a major challenge, in an attempt to address this we ensure our brides understand the risk and we recommend accordingly,” shared the entrepreneur.
Zaman added that over the years, juju has had some close calls as it relates to shipping issues. There were instances where orders went missing during shipment. Nonetheless, in every instance she was able to save the day by reordering the gowns and expressing the new order directly to Guyana. In doing this she has sustained losses “but we know how important a bride’s wedding day is and we make every effort possible to ensure our brides are happy,” she added.
While making one’s customers happy is ideal for the success of any business, it also helps to one’s product down to the last detail and have a sense of what suits customers best. Zaman had a knack for dressing others. It was a passion of hers that began decades ago when she would sew tiny dresses by hand for her dolls. “I have learnt over the years that a bride is her most radiant, once she is happy, comfortable and confident in the style ultimately chosen,” she noted. “It does not matter what is trending or what her mom or her maid of honour likes best. Once the bride is happy with her choice, my task is to ensure she gets the best fit possible to accentuate all her curves.”
Despite the challenges, the amazing moments are countless. “Making my customers happy, seeing them smile from ear to ear when they find that perfect dress”, spell bliss for Zaman. One of her most memorable fittings was a few years ago when a bride travelled all the way from Trinidad to purchase her dress from juju by way of referral.
The launch of her website www.Jujugy.com in 2019 has opened avenues to the international market with a recent purchase being from the United Kingdom.
Zaman pointed out that there is a big misconception in Guyana as it relates to brides having to travel overseas to find high quality, luxurious wedding and evening gowns. Juju is known for its designer gowns such as Wona, Concept, Morilee (which has been featured in the HGTV show “Say Yes to the Dress”), Jovani, Andrea and Leo, and GLS apparel, among others.
Asked what makes juju unique, Zaman noted that the atmosphere is unlike many of the businesses in Guyana. It provides a comfortable and inviting space and it is normal for customers to become so relaxed while shopping that they lose track of time. Based on the smiles on their faces, Zaman said, the experience at juju is always an enjoyable one.
Though the majority of her customers are always catered for, Zaman shared that there have been a few clients over the years where she felt she would not have been able to meet their needs as such, humbly suggested alternatives.
As far as she is aware, juju is the only store in Guyana that sells particular designer dresses. It is the authorized retailer for several international brands mentioned above. With this advantage, juju is able to provide these designer gowns at the same or lower prices if they were to be purchased abroad.
Processing time for gowns depends on the brand, style and whether it would require a lot of work; for some dresses can take as long as six months to make. The store also has ready-made options that can be available within three weeks.
For now, Zaman has one employee, so the responsibilities are split between them. “As a small business, the responsibilities are endless, as we say in Guyana: ‘Chief Cook and Bottle Washer,’” she enthused.
Sharing advice to entrepreneurs, Zaman said, “In starting a business it’s imperative to be patient and committed. In the initial stages it takes everything you have to give. As they say, you eat, sleep and breathe it.” She attributes the success of her business to commitment, hard work and an excellent support structure, which is her family.
At present, juju does not cater for men but hopes to do so sometime in the future. Juju, Zaman said, has a long way to go. Every day there are calls from new customers and as such its reach is growing consistently. As a result, she anticipates a significant expansion in the years ahead. Though the store has an online presence, it is still believed to be in its infancy, which Zaman is certain allows for lots of untapped opportunities.
Juju is open Monday to Saturday from 10 am to 5 pm at 27 Third Street, Liliendaal, Greater Georgetown. It is on Facebook and on Instagram @juju_guyana. For more details juju can be reached at 603-3103.