Shimonah Lutchmedial-Ali finds her niche

Early in her life, her parents played pivotal roles in her drive and direction; each parent guiding her to pursue academics and sports, individually.

Shimonah credits their drive with motivating her to continuously improve on all aspects of her life.

For ten years, Shimonah swam on the National team. She was also the kids’ triathlon champion twice and placed in the top three at the national junior aerobics competition. She also took part in Math Olympiads.

“To balance academics and my sporting career was always a challenge which I managed to handle well,” she says of her natural ability to excel in both spheres. “This created the foundation for me becoming self-motivated, disciplined, and enabled me to achieve my goals and improved my time management skills.” These skills have equipped her with the ability to study, work, and manage her family and social lives to this day.

Today, she has a career in the energy sector’s supply chain field where she has been for the past five years, strictly in procurement for the last three. Her job in the Materials Department focuses on procuring both plant and non-plant items. Procurement, as she explains, is the sourcing, purchasing, and arranging of logistics from the vendor to the worksite, both locally and internationally.

Shimonah recalls watching “G.I. Jane” with her father as a child and being in awe of the lead character - the only woman in the army - also being one of the best in her field. “In particular, I remember how hard she worked for what she wanted and how she proved so many people wrong; I’ve always liked movies with strong leading women roles and an underdog story,” she says, relating this to the energy sector, a very male dominated arena. But she says her strong and diverse upbringing never taught her to view being a woman as an “obstacle”; she was not brought up to see her womanhood as a disadvantage or hindrance, and to always put her best foot forward.

Her work in the energy sector is closely linked to her father’s legacy; she reveals he himself worked in the energy sector for over 30 years. She and her family lived in Couva, and their proximity to the estate always left Shimonah dreaming of working there someday. Her first degree at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine - spurred by her father’s experience and support - was in Environmental Science and Nature Resource Management, with Minors in Biology and Entrepreneurship. Her intention at the time was to pursue a career in Health and Safety, but midway through her degree she felt a different calling.

“I discussed with my dad who worked in procurement and suggested I try to break into his field,” she says of her inspiration to follow in his footsteps. She pursued the professional procurement certification, CIPS (Certified Institute of Purchasing and Supply) and the rest, as they say, is history.

“I’ve always seen my dad as a super hero,” she shares of the bond between father and daughter.

“I wanted to be like him! He gave me the structure and framed my life as a child. He was responsible for me being more disciplined and determined, which I’ve now applied to my business life.” The “business life” she speaks of took root in September 2015 when she started her MBA in Trade Logistics and Procurement at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business. It was her enrolment here that awakened her “entrepreneurial spirit”. “Being at the school unlocked innovation and creativity to be a profitable venture,” she says of the new path her life was about to take.

“My husband had friends who were having babies and he always gave me the task of finding ‘cool and unique gifts’ for them. I always felt like it was a challenge to find something great and affordable; I’ve seen stores sell some items but it never seemed to be a one-stop-shop for babies and mummies,” she says of the other occurrences in her personal life happening around this time. It seemed to click.

“The idea came to me in June 2016. In July 2016, I started doing research and found the idea was feasible and potentially profitable,” she says coyly. “I found my niche.” That niche is her maternity store Baby & You in Mind, a boutique that offers a range of maternity and baby items for expectant or new parents, in a variety of brands for just the right fit. Shimonah says she has heard many people complain of not being able to find quality baby care items at reasonable prices locally. Even in her own experience as a shopper, she has scouted for presents for baby showers and came away with items she was not entirely satisfied with.

“When I found something, my curiosity of the online price would be piqued,” she says – possibly a relic from her career in procurement. “Sometimes when you see the mark up of items, you feel taken advantage of.”

Thus, her goal with Baby & You is to provide a one-stop space for both parents and babies with quality items that do not make the pockets weary. The store offers top brands in clothing, travel, feeding, health and hygiene systems, furniture, brain stimulation, and toys for babies. For mothers, it offers2 breast pumps, storage options, nursing covers, pads, and carriers. Baby shower registries, gift baskets and certificates, as well as baby shower planning services are also available.

With its genesis as an online store, Baby & You in Mind moved to its physical location at Gaston Street, Chaguanas in March of this year. Shimonah is proud and says business is picking up as more people get acquainted with the store and its services.

She also feels a corporate social responsibility to develop local content and manufacturing in TT. While many of Baby & You’s products are imported, the business hopes to provide a platform for local makers. “Preference will be given to crafters that can make items that are tailor-made to our local market,” she says of her goal to give local manufacturers a space to sell their creations.

“At this time, we have one local crafter who makes handmade cards that were customised for birthdays and baby showers. We are also working with joiners to make local and customised nursery furniture,” she says, adding that she hopes this will reduce the amount of imported goods while encouraging and providing more consistent work for skilled local artisans.

Her ultimate dream is of having a sustainable store that fits all parents – mothers and fathers alike – and their babies. She would also like to distribute regionally in the future. “We hope that it grows into that one-stop store to buy all premier products for our babies. To become THE baby store in TT,” she says proudly.

She also shapes her business and personal life around mindfulness, clarity, and love. “I don’t think our lives should only be hoping to gain wealth or worldly success,” she explains, giving an example of a quote by Bob Marley: “Some people feel the rain, others just get wet.”

“I’ve always felt as though the quote was very profound. Sometimes with our busy lives we get caught up and forget to enjoy those precious moments with our loved ones. It’s important to remember our time on this world is short; we ought to contribute to society in a positive way – not only with our loved ones – but society at large.”

For more information visit

“Baby & You in Mind” on Facebook.