Toks Aruoture, founder and senior interior designer at The Baby Cot Shop, has built a luxury brand rooted in creativity, resilience, and purpose. From career setbacks to international recognition, she has remained committed to designing not just beautiful spaces, but a new kind of leadership led by authenticity and impact.
In this interview with PREMIUM TIMES, Mrs Aruoture reflects on her journey from rejection to reinvention, how women can lead without losing themselves, and why true power lies in owning your story.
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PT: Can you tell us about your professional journey and how you became a CEO?
Mrs Aruoture: My journey to becoming a CEO wasn’t linear; it started out by accident, and I became intentional along the way. My path, like most, has been shaped by real-life experiences, setbacks, and the determination to keep moving forward.
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I actually started out in the pharmaceutical industry as a medical representative. After having my third child, I requested flexible working hours, which were denied. That was a turning point. Around that time, I came across the idea that your gift is something you do so naturally, you don’t realise how valuable it is. For me, that was interior design. I had always created beautiful spaces at home, and friends would comment on it, but I never saw it as anything special. That small moment of clarity changed everything; I enrolled in a design course, and soon after, I started my first business designing residential interiors.
A few years later, we relocated from the United Kingdom to the United States, where I acquired a baby furniture boutique. That was my introduction to luxury children’s interiors, and I fell in love with the world of luxury furniture and craftsmanship. I merged my design skills with a carefully curated selection of high-end furniture, creating magical spaces for little ones. Business was thriving… until the 2008 recession. We lost everything.
We returned to the UK with nothing, and I was pregnant with my fourth child. Starting over wasn’t a choice; it was the only option. While exploring the market here, I realised that the kind of bespoke, luxury nursery furniture I’d worked with in the States didn’t exist in the UK. That gap became my opportunity. I launched an online store after teaching myself how to build the website because I couldn’t afford a developer at the time.
As the business grew, I faced more challenges. One of the biggest was the loss of several suppliers overnight, all due to a competitor’s backdoor tactics. It was a painful moment, but it forced me to make a bold decision: to create my own furniture line so I’d never again be dependent on others to sell. That’s how The Baby Cot Shop Collection was born. It took six years of research and development, but we launched in 2021, and it has since become the heart of our brand.
We opened our first physical location on the King’s Road in Chelsea in 2017, and in April 2025, we’ll be expanding into Harrods, following their invitation to open a concession- a milestone I’m incredibly proud of. I also went on to found The Revealry, a bespoke furniture company for luxury homes, born out of my passion for craftsmanship and refined design.
Today, I run multiple businesses, speak on entrepreneurship and resilience, and host a podcast. In 2024, I gave my first TED talk, The Superpower of Authentic Storytelling, where I shared more of this journey, not just to inspire, but to let others know that it’s okay, and even incredibly powerful to tell the story you’re ashamed of. Telling my story continues to open doors for me.
If there’s one thing I’ve learnt, it’s that success isn’t just about strategy or timing, it’s about resilience, clarity, and refusing to be defined by the low points.
PT: In your opinion, how do women leaders inspire and empower others around them, especially other women?
Mrs Aruoture: Women leaders inspire and empower others not just by what they achieve but by how they lead. They do that by showing what’s possible through the way they live, lead, and speak. Having a title or a successful business is admirable, but being able to lead with empathy, strength, and authenticity is even more valuable.
When a woman owns her story, especially the parts she once wanted to hide, it gives others permission to do the same. We all face obstacles, and those challenges shape us. Knowing that setbacks are a normal part of the journey helps others to stop fearing theirs and start seeing them as part of the process.
I’ve found that the most powerful leadership doesn’t come from perfection; it comes from being real. That combination of vulnerability and vision can unlock something in another woman who’s been playing small or questioning her ability.
Women leaders also empower by creating space, whether that’s through mentorship, conversations, or simply being generous with what they’ve learned. I believe our role isn’t to climb to the top and stay there, but to reach back and say, “Here’s how I did it, and you can too.” That ripple effect is how movements start.
PT: What do you think is unique about women in leadership roles compared to men?
Mrs Aruoture: It’s the way we lead from multiple layers: head, heart, and instinct. Many of us have spent years juggling different roles- professional, career, partner, friend- and that perspective naturally shows up in how we make decisions and build teams.
There’s a high level of emotional intelligence that women bring into the room. We tend to be attuned not just to the outcome but to the people involved. That ability to see beyond the numbers, to consider how decisions affect culture, wellbeing, and connection, is a powerful leadership trait that can’t be easily taught.
Women also lead with a long view. We’re not just thinking about quick wins; we think legacy, Impact, what’s being built, and who we’re building it for. We have a different approach, one that adds depth and richness to leadership spaces that for too long were one-dimensional.
PT: What challenges did you face as a woman in your industry, and how did you overcome them?
Mrs Aruoture: I’ll be honest, I haven’t always been conscious of the challenges specific to being a woman in business. I grew up as the only girl sandwiched between boys and was fortunate to have parents who never treated me any differently because of my gender. So, I didn’t enter the business world with the idea that I’d have to fight harder because I’m a woman.
That said, running a furniture business has shown me that bias still exists. I’d often receive emails addressed to Mr Aruoture, because there’s still an assumption that a person leading a business in this space must be a man.
But I’ve chosen not to give energy to those assumptions. I treat people as people. And if I’m being treated differently because of my gender, I put that in the same category as being treated rudely, and I don’t do business with rude people.
When it comes down to it, people are far more interested in the quality of what you offer than in who’s selling it. I believe that while bias exists, and can be deeply limiting for many, one way I’ve chosen to respond to it is by focusing on creating something incomparable. When your product or service is so distinct, so thoughtful, and so difficult to replicate, people don’t have a choice but to do business with you.
That’s where I place my energy, and so far, it’s never failed me.
PT: Can you share one of the most rewarding moments in your career that solidified your passion for leadership?
Mrs Aruoture: One of the most rewarding moments in my career came disguised as a major setback. I remember receiving a string of emails in one evening from multiple suppliers, all informing me they would no longer work with me. No warning, no explanation. One of them accidentally looped me into an email chain, where I discovered that a competitor had asked them to drop me, promising to do better in sales. It was a gut punch.
That evening, I went for a run- so my kids wouldn’t see me cry. I cried out to God for an answer, and it came; I was to create my own line of furniture and accessories, and no one would be able to call the shots. That decision changed everything. It marked the start of The Baby Cot Shop Collection, which took six years to bring to life. And it taught me that true leadership is sometimes quiet; it happens when no one’s clapping, you don’t feel like a leader or success, and the only sign of progress is an increase in your ability to navigate challenges.
PT: What advice would you give to young Nigerian women aspiring to become leaders in their fields?
Mrs Aruoture: Practice being yourself. There’s a misleading narrative that competition is too fierce, especially in Nigeria, and our population is often used as proof. But the truth is, no one can compete with you. There’s only one version of you, and that makes your gift one of a kind.
That’s why self-awareness is so important. Know who you are. Honour your personality, your values, your voice, and lead from that place. When you hone your gift and truly excel in your craft, you’ll naturally stand out. And people follow authenticity.
Don’t get caught up in trying to blend in or become who you think the world wants. There’s a space with your name on it, and your job is to grow into it fully.
PT: How do you balance the demands of being a CEO with other aspects of your personal life?
Mrs Aruoture: I seem to be a permanent student in this classroom, as I’m constantly having to learn new ways to find balance.
Balance starts with defining what that actually means for you. “Work-life balance” gets thrown around a lot, but it’s not one-size-fits-all. I had to examine my own beliefs around it and create a version that fits both my values and my reality as a mother, a businesswoman, and someone who wears many hats.
Being a mum and a wife means there’s always something or someone needing your attention. That’s why I’ve had to learn to put myself at the top of the list. I recognise this is not a popular view, especially for women, but it’s necessary. When I prioritise my own wellbeing, I’m far better equipped to pour into my family, my team, and my work. You can’t pour from an empty cup.
I also build buffers into my day. As women, we often cram our schedules because we’ve mastered the art of multitasking, but just because we can doesn’t mean we should. Those moments of breathing space help me step back, notice patterns, and respond more thoughtfully instead of just reacting.
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I’ve learnt to schedule rest, proper rest, not just collapsing at the end of the day. I put it in my calendar. If it’s not scheduled, it doesn’t happen. I take solo breaks.
And I’ve had to stop entertaining guilt. Mum guilt, business guilt, all of it. It’s draining and not productive.
I am currently learning to draw boundaries around my mind so that yesterday’s emotions don’t take over today.
PT: This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is “Accelerate Action.” What does this theme mean to you and how does it reflect your leadership approach?
Mrs Aruoture: To me, “Accelerate Action” means looking beyond the surface-level steps and addressing the quiet things that hold us back; the little foxes. Most of us know what to do. We have the ideas, the resources, even the plan. But it’s not always a lack of information that stops us; it’s the silent things that slow us down: fear, comparison, self-doubt, the need for validation. You can’t run while your feet are fettered with negative thoughts.
One of the most powerful lessons I’ve learnt in leadership is that some actions, especially those driven by fear or insecurity, can feel like progress but actually limit you.
Accelerating action, for me, looks like stripping away distractions and choosing to move forward based on clarity, not comparison. It means we make decisions from a place of vision, not fear, or comparison or ego.
This interview was conducted in partnership with Women in Management, Business, and Public Service (WIMBIZ), a Nigerian non-profit organisation committed to advancing and empowering women in leadership. Mrs Aruoture is also a member of WIMBIZ.
