Tucker is undoubtedly one of the fastest-rising business destinations in the Metro Atlanta area. Each month, the Business Boom will seek to show different examples of how Tucker’s business scene is flourishing. This month's column is written by Business Outreach Coordinator, Angela Brooks.
Since 1991, March has been recognized as Women’s History Month; a month dedicated to female strength and empowerment, an opportunity to celebrate iconic women who have changed history, and a chance to also encourage new generations to continue to dream big and know that anything is possible.
One local, female entrepreneur who dreamt big and is continuing to reach new heights is Nadia Changani, founder and CEO of Noorani Trading, Inc. They are a manufacturer of oil-based air fresheners, perfume oils, diffusers, hand sanitizers and numerous other fragrant goods. In business since 2005, Noorani’s 82,000-square-foot manufacturing facility and warehouse has been tucked away in Tucker’s Mountain Industrial corridor area for over a decade, quietly etching out a multi-million-dollar product line.
“I am truly blessed,” were the first words I heard from Nadia when I began the interview by asking how she was doing. “I have no complaints,” she responded when asked about her journey to success as a female business owner of Indian descent.
Quality and Pride
Nadia speaks very passionately about the importance of providing quality products and products that are made in America. She prides herself in making the best quality items.
“Here we believe in quality over quantity,” she asserts, adding that all of their products are 100 percent concentrated and oil based. “What sets us apart is definitely our quality, as all of our scented products are comprised of luxurious oils, fragrances, and are simply the best smelling goods you’ll find.
“The quality of what I sell reflects on me as a person and that is important to me. All of our products are bottled and scented in the United States.”
She adds that putting ‘Made in America’ on a label is the easy part, but actually making it happen is more challenging than you may think. Although some of her raw goods are imported, Nadia proudly proclaims that everything she makes is made in Tucker. A sign of the times, Nadia has just gotten her hand sanitizer certified by the FDA.
“There are a lot of hand sanitizers out there that are not of great quality, and that product effectiveness is really important during this pandemic,” she explains.
When asked who’s her competition in the marketplace, she offers an interesting answer: “I am my biggest competition. I am constantly challenging myself to do more, go bigger, aim higher. I work about 80 hours a week, first because I love what I do and second because I want to do my best for my customers, most of whom have been with me since the beginning.”
Being a woman and being of Indian descent has not afforded her special treatment or opportunities either, she says. She proudly states that she has never received special women- or minority-owned funding for her business. She recalls that years ago, when her company really started to take off and sales were climbing, she went to a local branch of a well-known bank for assistance to keep up with the demand. Her loan request was denied.
“They told me I was growing too fast! I could not believe it,” she recalls.
She found another banker, who happened to be female, and got the funding she needed. “And I’ve been with them ever since. I am grateful for her faith in me.”
Calling Tucker ‘Home’
When she moved to the U.S. from India, Nadia lived with family members who resided in Tucker. When the warehouse space in Tucker came available in 2016, she says it was a great space for her growing business and offered a slightly more convenient commute from her current home in Loganville. And, ironically, before starting her company in 2005, she worked for a wholesale company that was just down the street from her current Mountain Industrial warehouse location.
“I’m ready to move back to Tucker,” she said. “It will make it even more convenient for me, and besides, I love Tucker.”
