Meet Nergiz, founder of Magi
I'm Nergiz, the founder of Magi (pronounced may-jai) a sustainable underwear brand. I previously worked in marketing at fintech company Wise (previously TransferWise) and was running my climate activism page. I only recently quit my day job to pursue Magi full-time so I am excited to grow as a female founder and entrepreneur.
What inspired you to launch your business and what is the end goal?
It’s not very glamorous - it all started with a yeast infection. The age-old advice from doctors and gynaecologists is to try to stick to cotton underwear, but I knew from my work on @chicksforclimate that cotton was a really water-thirsty and pretty unsustainable fabric. So I tried to search for better alternatives to buy and came across hemp, which is more sustainable than cotton and even healthier for your intimate areas.
How do you set yourself apart from other businesses in your industry?
I believe that the same way we read labels on beauty or food products, we should be reading clothing labels to know what we're putting on our bodies and the effect of the materials on the planet.
Most of us wear plastic-based materials on our skin which doesn't hold up well to endless use and doesn't biodegrade at the end of its lifetime. It also poses a problem because demand for plastic only means more plastic gets produced which then pollutes our oceans and harms wildlife.
Cotton underwear has long been gynaecologist-recommended. But traditional cotton is the world’s dirtiest and thirstiest crop - it needs a lot of pesticides and water to grow, so it’s not an ideal fabric for the planet-conscious among us.
I founded Magi to offer an alternative to plastic-based and cotton underwear. There are some hemp-based brands available, but I found they compromised on style. I wanted to offer a sustainable and stylish option for women.
What’s the biggest lesson you’ve learnt so far as an entrepreneur?
That you can never stop learning and you can only learn if you try and fail and keep trying again. I think fear of failure was something that held me back a lot before, but I’ve learned through trying and failing with my business that the only way to succeed is to get your feet wet and get out of your comfort zone. It can be uncomfortable, but it’s the only way to truly grow - both as an entrepreneur and as a person.
Do you have a morning routine or ritual to get your day started on the right foot?
I can’t start my day without my cup of drip coffee and I always try to read the business newsletters that land in my inbox (I love 2pm.inc and Lean Luxe).
Do you prioritise self-care as an entrepreneur?
Absolutely - it’s so easy to get burnt out when you work for yourself and have your own company. If you’re passionate about something it can easily get to a place where you feel guilty for not working on it at all times. But I’ve learned that I need to prioritise caring for myself if I want my business to succeed. I try to do yoga every day, go for walks, do face masks and watch YouTube or TV to unwind.
If you could be in a room with 4 entrepreneurs, who would they be and why?
I really admire entrepreneurs who disrupt the industries they’re in and make them more sustainable, more inclusive and more accessible: Sarah Paiji Yoo of Blueland, Morgan DeBaun of Blavity, Olamide Olowe of Topicals and Valentina Milanova of Daye.
What plans do you have for Magi over the next two years?
I want to make hemp mainstream again, so the focus for the next two years is to expand our style offerings and go beyond underwear, even. I want hemp to be as popular or normal as cotton, so the more styles we have, the more we’re able to serve more customers and spread the word about this amazing fabric and plant.
Is it still possible to build a strong and successful business without social media. If yes or no, why?
It’s definitely possible. And in fact, it’s really risky to rely on social media for your business’ success. Social media companies are businesses themselves, and they use algorithms that are always changing. You don’t want an algorithm change to change your entire business and how many people you can reach. I think the best ways to build a successful business without social media is focusing on email marketing, PR and SEO.
What social media channel would you say has worked the best for your business and why?
TikTok has by far been the most amazing platform for us so far. It’s provided us with an easy way to get in front of more people, and the community on there is so supportive of woman-owned sustainable small businesses, especially when your product offering is unique.
