Founded by Sarah Jones in 2014, Sprii.com is an award-winning online shopping destination in the GCC providing ‘Everything for Mums’. The venture has evolved from an online exchange to one of the most dominant forces within the regional e-commerce mum and baby market. The site has a following of over 1 million parents across the GCC and is known for its wide assortment of quality products, price-match guarantee, hassle-free shipping and exceptional customer experience. The technology platform offers a ‘one-stop shop’ for consumer convenience.
With a degree in Economics from Edinburgh University, Sarah’s strong financial acumen has helped her successfully close three rounds of funding, attracting global investors from the world of retail, finance and logistics, securing over USD15 million to date. Her ambition to grow the business into a ‘one-stop shop’ for consumer convenience has seen Sprii.com evolve from a one- person team to a multi-million-dollar business with over 120 people working across the globe, consistently delivering an exceptional online experience.
A self-confessed workaholic or ‘mumpreneur’ as she is known to her family and friends, Sarah is a passionate advocate of women in technology, and serves as a partner to homegrown businesses and brands looking to take their first steps into the online world. Her favourite quote: “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life” serves as a reminder of why she started her entrepreneurial journey, and it’s a passion she instills within her team every day.
In an exclusive email interaction with StartUp Terminal; Sarah Jones, CEO & Founder of Sprii.com shares her entrepreneurial journey and future goals.
 |
| Sarah Jones |
Excerpts:
ST: When did you start your venture Sprii.com? What motivated you to become an entrepreneur?
Sarah Jones: I was bitten by the bug at just 14 when I set up an eBay business importing items from across the globe and selling in the UK, really igniting my love for e-commerce and developing a love for business in the process. After four years undertaking a degree in Economics at Edinburgh University, I secured a position at Deloitte London in the retail M&A team and then seconded out to the Middle East a few years later. When working in Mergers & Acquisitions I came across a lot of businesses in the e-commerce space, however in the “Mums” vertical there were limited options and a lack of availability of international products in the Middle East online. We launched offering an authentic experience from start to finish- excellent navigation on the website, the widest product offering at competitive prices and an incredible Customer Service team who always go above and beyond. This wasn’t being done by anyone else.
I think deep down if you end up being an entrepreneur, you were born with it in your DNA. From a very young age I loved the thrill of buying and selling and eBay gave me that initial platform to start.
ST: Can you briefly tell us more about your venture?
Sarah Jones: Sprii.com is an award-winning online shopping destination in the GCC providing ‘Everything for Mums’. Known throughout the region for its wide assortment of quality products, price-match guarantee, hassle-free shipping, and exceptional customer experience, the technology platform offers a ‘one-stop shop’ for consumer convenience.
ST: Did you get any funding for your startup?
Sarah Jones: The business has raised over USD15m in funding to date and is scaling quickly!
 |
| Sprii.com UAE site |
ST: How has been your entrepreneurship journey so far?
Sarah Jones: Starting Sprii was the best decision that I made in my professional career- do a job you love and you never need to work a day in your life is a mantra I live by and it’s incredibly true. The life of an entrepreneur is tough, exhilarating, challenging, and incredibly rewarding. There have been many challenges along the way but one thing I have learnt on my journey is build a great team around you, build a culture that encourages your teams to take risks in everyday tasks, learn, adapt and grow. I’m super excited by the future of Sprii- we’re well on our way to establishing ourselves as a household name across the GCC, and as the go to destination for every mum in the region.
ST: What business opportunities do you see particularly in your e-commerce vertical?
Sarah Jones: Consumers will always enjoy going to the physical shops- they can see and feel the products and enjoy the experience too. However, the main question is where the consumer wants to transact. More and more consumers are using online to compare prices live as well and enabling them to have the convenience of items being delivered.
It’s also a challenge for the malls to maintain the prices that the online world can deliver with their heavy rents and, in a vertical like ours where mums are stretched for time, online is going to be a game-changer as it’s never a fun experience dragging kids around the malls to scour out daily essentials!
I massively believe that the e-commerce space has incredible potential in the coming years across the GCC. As well as solidifying our UAE teams, we are scaling up our KSA operations with dedicated local teams that will give us the impetus in our next phase of our growth trajectory. Apart from this, I firmly believe localization of content and services is extremely important for any company’s success in this region.
ST: How do you see yourself in the next 2 years from now?
Sarah Jones: On the same growth trajectory, with an organisation that has a great culture, operational across three local markets and striving everyday to solve the needs of mums across the region.
Send us your feedback at startupterminal@gmail.com
