| The young vibrant youthful Suezanne Tusiime is the founder of the biggest online e-commerce fashion store in Uganda. She shared with us the success story of the 2-year-old online portal.
What is the background of Purple Rayn? Paple Rayn started on a Facebook platform known as “Purple Rain fashion Uganda” For the purpose of being unique, we tried to change the spelling to the now Paple Rayn but the facebook page already had beyond 200people on it and it was impossible. So we used the new spelling for the website. The name was adopted from a love song by Frank Ocean -” if am in love”. In the second verse he sings “Who the hell knows what purple rain is and am I standing in it?” Purple rain can be described as a feeling of happiness, joy, love, fashionable if you may. And that’s what we decided to create. Our own version of this feeling- this “Purple Rain” High quality fashionable apparel which is affordable, with great customer care, benefits like free and fast delivery and make it able for everyone to stand under this “Purple Rain” What inspired you to start your own brand and join this fashion business? I wouldn’t say I had a direct goal to be in fashion. But I have always been very passionate about business. What I am doing is business within fashion. Maximizing on big numbers of clients and minimal profits as opposed to the latter.
I started my own brand label known as THE PAPLE RAYN HUB because I wanted to say this is what fashion is to me. And I created something that is detail oriented for a man who wants to stand out and yet feel comfortable within a crowd. Something that can blow you away with all it’s uniquely designed details.
 Just like any business there is a starting capital,how much did u start with and from where did you get it?
Before I started Paple Rayn I was employed and earned a minimal salary of 300,000ugx. It was quite tough to save but I did raise 700,000ugx in 3 months and shipped my first items from sales in the UK and the U.S and they were all bought by friends, I shipped bigger quantities as time went by from profit accumulation.
How easy/hard was starting out, share your experience so far?
It was very hard in the beginning. When a business is in a young stage, there some losses, that teach you a lot. For my case learning quality control on the job was hard. I had very little money and every loss stung way too deep! I also didn’t have the money to travel abroad and pick these items myself so trust was really needed even after many dissapointments. I finally established some contacts and roots that know what I like in terms of quality.
There was a lot of juggling between my employees needs and the needs of my business. In the long run, I had to pick one. I spent so many hours during lunch break and after trying to make ends meet and neglected a lot of my employees requirements. Finally, I chose to go with self employment. The transition was very difficult, it was like the minute I left my job, also clients stopped making orders! I was surving on very little per day in order not to run through my profit so that I could make my next purchases.
The business later picked up momentum and we are able to have employees to handle different aspects of the business and bought a sports bike to handle deliveries.
As an online portal do you have a specific location if so, where was your 1st location and Where are you now?
We didn’t have a location before. I was working from home. Now we are in our first office location which handles the website management. We use an online platform and decided to sub-rent with our website developers in order to have easy access whenever a problem arises that we need to quickly resolve on the website. And for also ease of communication and development of new ideas to remodel the website. This is in Ntinda. Quality supermarket building, 4th floor, Room E10.
 How would you define your brand and what is your target clientele?
My brand is an urban – dapper mix of Fashion. It’s out of the ordinary and experimental yet unique because it’s something that improves the usual elements of existing fashion. I get something I see everyday and develop a concept to make it better and take it out of the norm.
For campuser’s, we have EVERYTHING!!!! Just check it out!
Paple Rayn is now 2 years old and that in itself is a celebration. However I wanted to maintain something done every year that is new and different. Last year we celebrated the launch of the website. This year, on July 18th, we will be launching the Online Shopping app for both Android and ios, we will also be launching the label The Paple Rayn Hub and also a customer loyalty campaign which will give something back to the customer’s that have the most returns to the website for shopping
What is the biggest challenge you have faced?
There are many challenges from weather especially the rain affecting the business, hiking of prices, but my biggest challenge is accidents. I am very lucky to be alive I must say! Because we use Boda Bodas a lot, the risk of accidents are high. Now that we have our own bike and a trained rider, we will be able to reduce on this risk.
What is your biggest success to date?
I also have quite a few successes like being able to have an office space, the sports bike, but my biggest is the growing appreciation of our clientele.
 What are the future plans?
My future plans would be to make a definite mark on the fashion industry both in Uganda and Internationally. I would like to begin shipping outside East Africa. We have so many requests to ship all over the world but we haven’t fully gone about certain hindrances which make it expensive to ship from Uganda to European markets. We are still in the process of working out a way.
I would want to have a show room in the future to just have each piece showcased to clients before they order who are a bit skeptical of doing things online.
What advice do you have for other aspiring business women?
I would have to say women in business still have to work twice as hard to make a mark and be taken seriously. But instead of feeling strained by it, take it as a challenge to harness character. Sometimes taking on a manly aspect and remaining the same is hard but it’s very possible to still be yourself and something else when you need to get work done. You don’t have to lose yourself. I do believe women are the best business people because of characteristics already within them like saving, living within means and the creativity. They’re natural planners and can juggle very many tasks and do them exceptionally well. We need more women in business for sure.
TIT BITS
I am currently 25 years old. I do love music and many of my dreams are created around inspiration i derive from certain types of music.
I have the most amazing supportive family in the world. They’re my best friends and confidants.
I have 2 of my closest friends from childhood called Marvis Osweri and Bagonza Tracy. They’re always there for me and we are so different from each other!
I am very hard working but I try to do little things where I can just relax and take a break. Most of the times, movies. I am a movie addict!
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| The young vibrant youthful Suezanne Tusiime is the founder of the biggest online e-commerce fashion store in Uganda. She shared with us the success story of the 2-year-old online portal.
What is the background of Purple Rayn? Paple Rayn started on a Facebook platform known as “Purple Rain fashion Uganda” For the purpose of being unique, we tried to change the spelling to the now Paple Rayn but the facebook page already had beyond 200people on it and it was impossible. So we used the new spelling for the website. The name was adopted from a love song by Frank Ocean -” if am in love”. In the second verse he sings “Who the hell knows what purple rain is and am I standing in it?” Purple rain can be described as a feeling of happiness, joy, love, fashionable if you may. And that’s what we decided to create. Our own version of this feeling- this “Purple Rain” High quality fashionable apparel which is affordable, with great customer care, benefits like free and fast delivery and make it able for everyone to stand under this “Purple Rain” What inspired you to start your own brand and join this fashion business? I wouldn’t say I had a direct goal to be in fashion. But I have always been very passionate about business. What I am doing is business within fashion. Maximizing on big numbers of clients and minimal profits as opposed to the latter.
I started my own brand label known as THE PAPLE RAYN HUB because I wanted to say this is what fashion is to me. And I created something that is detail oriented for a man who wants to stand out and yet feel comfortable within a crowd. Something that can blow you away with all it’s uniquely designed details.
Just like any business there is a starting capital,how much did u start with and from where did you get it?
Before I started Paple Rayn I was employed and earned a minimal salary of 300,000ugx. It was quite tough to save but I did raise 700,000ugx in 3 months and shipped my first items from sales in the UK and the U.S and they were all bought by friends, I shipped bigger quantities as time went by from profit accumulation.
How easy/hard was starting out, share your experience so far?
It was very hard in the beginning. When a business is in a young stage, there some losses, that teach you a lot. For my case learning quality control on the job was hard. I had very little money and every loss stung way too deep! I also didn’t have the money to travel abroad and pick these items myself so trust was really needed even after many dissapointments. I finally established some contacts and roots that know what I like in terms of quality.
There was a lot of juggling between my employees needs and the needs of my business. In the long run, I had to pick one. I spent so many hours during lunch break and after trying to make ends meet and neglected a lot of my employees requirements. Finally, I chose to go with self employment. The transition was very difficult, it was like the minute I left my job, also clients stopped making orders! I was surving on very little per day in order not to run through my profit so that I could make my next purchases.
The business later picked up momentum and we are able to have employees to handle different aspects of the business and bought a sports bike to handle deliveries.
As an online portal do you have a specific location if so, where was your 1st location and Where are you now?
We didn’t have a location before. I was working from home. Now we are in our first office location which handles the website management. We use an online platform and decided to sub-rent with our website developers in order to have easy access whenever a problem arises that we need to quickly resolve on the website. And for also ease of communication and development of new ideas to remodel the website. This is in Ntinda. Quality supermarket building, 4th floor, Room E10.
How would you define your brand and what is your target clientele?
My brand is an urban – dapper mix of Fashion. It’s out of the ordinary and experimental yet unique because it’s something that improves the usual elements of existing fashion. I get something I see everyday and develop a concept to make it better and take it out of the norm.
For campuser’s, we have EVERYTHING!!!! Just check it out!
Paple Rayn is now 2 years old and that in itself is a celebration. However I wanted to maintain something done every year that is new and different. Last year we celebrated the launch of the website. This year, on July 18th, we will be launching the Online Shopping app for both Android and ios, we will also be launching the label The Paple Rayn Hub and also a customer loyalty campaign which will give something back to the customer’s that have the most returns to the website for shopping
What is the biggest challenge you have faced?
There are many challenges from weather especially the rain affecting the business, hiking of prices, but my biggest challenge is accidents. I am very lucky to be alive I must say! Because we use Boda Bodas a lot, the risk of accidents are high. Now that we have our own bike and a trained rider, we will be able to reduce on this risk.
What is your biggest success to date?
I also have quite a few successes like being able to have an office space, the sports bike, but my biggest is the growing appreciation of our clientele.
What are the future plans?
My future plans would be to make a definite mark on the fashion industry both in Uganda and Internationally. I would like to begin shipping outside East Africa. We have so many requests to ship all over the world but we haven’t fully gone about certain hindrances which make it expensive to ship from Uganda to European markets. We are still in the process of working out a way.
I would want to have a show room in the future to just have each piece showcased to clients before they order who are a bit skeptical of doing things online.
What advice do you have for other aspiring business women?
I would have to say women in business still have to work twice as hard to make a mark and be taken seriously. But instead of feeling strained by it, take it as a challenge to harness character. Sometimes taking on a manly aspect and remaining the same is hard but it’s very possible to still be yourself and something else when you need to get work done. You don’t have to lose yourself. I do believe women are the best business people because of characteristics already within them like saving, living within means and the creativity. They’re natural planners and can juggle very many tasks and do them exceptionally well. We need more women in business for sure.
TIT BITS
I am currently 25 years old. I do love music and many of my dreams are created around inspiration i derive from certain types of music.
I have the most amazing supportive family in the world. They’re my best friends and confidants.
I have 2 of my closest friends from childhood called Marvis Osweri and Bagonza Tracy. They’re always there for me and we are so different from each other!
I am very hard working but I try to do little things where I can just relax and take a break. Most of the times, movies. I am a movie addict!
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