Toks Aruoture builds luxury nursery spaces while mentoring entrepreneurs to rise above limitations and lead with purpose.
Toks Aruoture is a British-Nigerian entrepreneur, interior designer, TEDx speaker, and founder of The Baby Cot Shop, a luxury baby furniture brand based in Chelsea, London. Known for her craftsmanship, storytelling, and resilience, Aruoture built her company from scratch after the 2008 global recession wiped out her family’s home, business, and savings.
Pregnant with her fourth child, she returned to the UK from the U.S. with almost nothing. Using just £50 and a second-hand laptop, she taught herself how to build a website and launched an online boutique that would later become one of the most trusted nursery design brands in the UK.
Building The Baby Cot Shop
Toks Aruoture’s inspiration came from her experiences. After her third child, she requested flexible working hours as a medical sales rep but was denied, which led her to reconsider her career path. She then turned to interior design, a skill she had always possessed but hadn’t pursued professionally.
She initially started a business in the UK focused on residential interiors and children’s spaces. Later, after relocating to the United States with her family, she acquired a baby furniture boutique. It was during that period in the U.S. that she fell in love with the craftsmanship and storytelling behind luxury children’s interiors.
However, when the 2008 recession hit, her family lost their business, their home, their savings – everything! Pregnant and with three children, she returned to the UK. There, she noticed a clear gap in the market for the kind of elegant, high-end nursery furniture she had seen in America. That gap sparked a bold idea and became the foundation for what would eventually become The Baby Cot Shop.
Over time, her boutique, The Baby Cot Shop, evolved into a full-service brand offering bespoke nursery furniture, personalised design consultations, and white-glove delivery and assembly. In 2018, she opened her flagship showroom on King’s Road in Chelsea, making it a destination for affluent parents. Her clients now include royals, celebrities, luxury hotels, and style-conscious families seeking exceptional nursery spaces. In 2023, her brand reached a significant milestone with an expansion into Harrods, one of the world’s most prestigious department stores.
Beyond design, Toks Aruoture is also a speaker and mindset coach. In her TEDx talk, “The Superpower of Authentic Storytelling,” she shares how personal adversity can serve as a powerful foundation for purpose. Through her podcasts Living Inside Out and The Authentic Edge, she mentors entrepreneurs on embracing authenticity, managing self-doubt, and shifting limiting beliefs. With over 20 years of business experience, she helps others grow their businesses by providing strategy and addressing mindset and identity.
Outside of work, Toks Aruoture enjoys reading, spending time in nature, and actively mentoring young people through charities. She is passionate about celebrating African excellence and inspiring others to turn setbacks into stepping stones.
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