Meet Akin Onal, founder and CEO of MORI
I’m Akin Onal and I am the CEO and founder of MORI. We’re a London based D2C retailer and create products that help to welcome a baby into the world and beyond, with a gentle touch from sustainable materials.
I have lived or worked in ten different countries around the world as a management consultant. When I was doing my MBA in the US, I caught the entrepreneurship bug but still went into pursuing an investment banking career to pay off my student loan and moved to London.
It was 2014 and I was working at JPMorgan when I became an uncle for the first time, I was searching for the perfect gift for my niece and I realised there was a gap in the market for high-quality baby gifts at an accessible price.
I come from a region of Turkey that is very well known for its high-quality textiles, so I grew up with textiles and knew that it was an area I could innovate in. In fact, my close family and friends have become our partners and trusted manufacturers as we started. We launched MORI (meaning “forest” Japanese), and our first collection, in Spring 2015. Japan is a country that I love and continue to draw a lot of inspiration from as we develop new collections.
Outside of work, I love doing adventure travels. I have visited Antarctica, climbed a glacier in Alaska, and hiked through the world’s largest cave in central Vietnam.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?
There is rarely a day in entrepreneurship that everything feels great and rosy. It is always full of ups and downs and you have to juggle lots of different balls at any given time.
If everything seems under control, you’re either not seeing a big problem, or just not going fast enough.
Therefore, defining the strategic priorities within the business and not solving only the urgent but not-so-important problems is really important to be successful and keep the team focused.
With all the success stories around entrepreneurship and how innovative people have to be to take the leap. How do you think you’ve innovated your sector and why?
To be able to have long-lasting success, you need to be a maker and creator, not a follower. We are in a very competitive market, so we had to carve our niche clearly and then scale.
For example, nature and sustainability are incredibly important to me and are at the heart of our brand, MORI. This led us to develop our signature fabric which really sets us apart from other baby clothing brands.
We wanted to create a fabric that was exceptionally soft, safer than commonly used materials and kind to the planet. The end result was a fabric made from a unique blend of organic cotton and bamboo, as well as being naturally breathable, thermoregulating, and moisture-wicking. These are all very important qualities when touching a baby’s delicate skin. We also wanted our fabrics to have a very low environmental footprint so we had to develop processes that minimised the use of chemicals and increased the fabric’s durability so that the garments can be passed on to other newborns.
We passed the innovation to our products too. For example, our Clever Sleeping Bag, which is a must-have for new parents, grows with your baby through adjustable sizing and has a travel seat-belt pocket so they can snooze undisturbed on the move.
Do you have a morning routine or ritual to get your day started on the right foot?
Yes, and I am very adamant about following it. The first thing I do every morning is to drink a very large glass of water, wash my face, and then meditate for about half an hour. It really allows me to start my day with a clear mind. I then have my protein shake with seeds, check my emails and messages, shower and get ready. If I wake up early, I make sure to squeeze in a work out and by 9 am latest, I am in front of my computer.
I read a book last year about the morning routines of successful people and made some useful improvements to mine. A good morning routine starts with a before-bed routine. For example, I prepare my breakfast and often what I am going to wear the next day from the night before. I also try not to use any alarm clocks, which means that I go to bed at 11 pm at the latest.
What are your top tips for entrepreneurs wanting to get their business out there?
Nobody learns to run by following rules. You learn by doing (testing) and falling over (learning). It is totally OK to make mistakes, just make sure you learn from them and fix them quickly.
Do not give up. It is a long road, and never easy. You need to work very hard, keep going despite frequent disapprovals or rejections.
What plans do you have for MORI over the next two years?
We have several large projects planned. Our US website has been growing really fast, so we want to invest more behind it.
We are rapidly expanding our product range by adding new designs and prints. We grew the age of our pyjamas to 6 years old and are expanding our range of family pyjamas.
Over the last couple of months we have launched some partnerships as well to sell complementary products from other brands.
How important is company culture and what is your top tip to get it right?
Company culture is often overlooked, but it will make or break your business. It is that vital. Even the best people won’t perform if the culture is not right.
A founder’s role in defining the culture in a start-up is to set the tone and be as authentic as possible. This will breed trust and create a safe place for the team members to grow and thrive.
Once you learn to be authentic with your team, everything becomes more fun anyway.
Any new product launches we should know about?
Talking about the importance of continuous innovation after a year’s development we are getting ready to launch a new Clever Sleeping Bag. Making parenting a little simpler is at the heart of what we do at MORI, so not only does this product grow with your baby it ensures that little ones will sleep at the correct temperature all-year round.
Over the course of the last year we have been focusing on expanding our range of materials as our categories have grown in response to customer feedback. Sourcing sustainable fabrics is always our starting point. This summer we launched our first swimwear collection made from recycled nylon, and then our first pyjamas collection for the whole family made from modal our most sustainable fabric yet.
We recently launched sustainably sourced reusable face masks for children and adults in our signature fabric as an alternative to disposable masks. They are exceptionally soft on the skin and naturally breathable. Customers loved them and they sold out within hours demonstrating the importance of pivoting to meet customer demand, production continues and they will be back in stock again soon.
How did you conquer those moments of doubt that so often affect entrepreneurs or stop many with great ideas – what pushes you through?
I am a patient and stubborn person. Day in, day out I focused on the problem at hand and worked hard at it.
The key is to break down the big project into smaller and more manageable projects and tasks. Then even during the darkest times, you will be able to achieve some goals.
Last year, my stress levels really increased and I understood that I had to take better care of my mental and physical health. I started meditating, going to the gym more regularly, and made major changes to my diet.
What social media channel would you say has worked the best for your business and why?
Over the last few years, we have built a digital community for parents and expectant parents and our social channels have become much-loved destinations for valuable advice and motherhood empowerment. Our instagram @babymoriuk offers an honest and inspiring insight into all aspects of parenting, it allows us to connect deeply with our customers. It is often the way that new customers discover our brand for the first time and then once they receive their first order they love sharing their #MORImoments (pictures of their little ones wearing their new outfits) with us.
What do you think gives a brand longevity?
In 2020 we are all living in unprecedented times and these times have changed consumer shopping behaviour forever. Consumers are fast-forwarding their adoption of digital platforms and services by several years and are more drawn to brands that are authentic and stand by their values.
There is also a much stronger shift towards sustainability than ever before with consumers choosing brands that offer longevity over fashion trend-led products. I believe that brands that are built on conscious consumerism, offering quality products and excellent online services, while remaining agile will have longevity as the future of retail is defined.
This interview was previously published in our 4th Print Magazine Issue .
