A Conversation With LaTonia Oyeniran, Founder and CEO of Braid Miracle
Karim Adib: Finding Voice, Building
Narrative
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Founded by Kirsty Gordon, Anywhere in Africa Safaris is an independent, owner-run tour operator based in one of the most breath-taking ci es in the world, Cape Town. The company plans bespoke, luxury travel packages to Southern Africa, East Africa, North Africa, and Indian Ocean Islands. What according to you makes one a transformational leader?
Ibelievethatasatransformationalleaderyou needtogiveyouremployeestheindependence toshareandmakedecisionstosupportnew problem-solvingsolutionsandwaystogrowthe companyorhelptomakeourclientsfeelsuper special.
How do you integrate the same thought into your leadership?
Firstandforemost,asatransformationalleader inthetravelindustryyouneedtosetagood exampleoftrustandtransparency,notonlyto yourstaff,buttoyoursupplier,partners,and clients.Youdothisbybeingpassionate, enthusiastic,andenergeticwhilefocusingon helpingeverymemberintheteamtosucceed andthinkoutofthe'travelbox'.
Anexample:Ihavetwoincredibleladieswho workformeinmysocialmediaandmarketing team.Theyareyoung,energeticandhavesome
fabulousideasonhowtogrowmysocialmedia reachandimproveourmarketing.Wehave meetingstothrashoutideas,comeupwith''out ofthebox''travelmarketingsuggestions, solutionsforsocialmediathatarenotworking–butialwayslisten,encourage,trustintheir expertisesothatwecangrowthispartofthe businessinapositiveandspecializedmanner.
Talk to us about your growing up years. What is your earliest memory as a leader / entrepreneur?
Iwasveryluckytogrowuponthegardenroute inSouthAfricainasmalltowncalledGeorge. MymumboughtmeaponywhenIwasabout7 yearsold,andthistotallychangedmylife!I grewupridinghorses,exploringtheforests, mountains,andbeachesonhorsebackwithmy friends.
Mymumwoulddropmeattheridingclubat 8aminthemorningonaSaturdayanddidn'tsee meagaintillshepickedmeupat6pmafterIhad helpedfeedthehorsestheireveningmeal.My
lifewascarefree,withgreatfriends, incrediblefamily,andamazing outdoorlocations.However,my mumstruggled inanciallyasa singleparentasmydadhadpassed awaywhenIwasabout4yearsold. Oftenitwas inanciallydif icultfor mymumtopayforhorse-riding showfeesorsendmetoshows outsideofGeorge,whichrequired transport,accommodation,and entry.
WhenIwasabout14yearsold,I rememberoverhearingmymum tellingmygrandmotherthatshe wouldlovetosendmetoashowin PortElizabethbutjustcouldn't afforditthatmonth.So,thisis whenIdecidedtotakecontrolof thesituationandIputupanadvert attheridingclubtosaythatiwas makingnumnahs(whichisasaddle blanket).
Mymumhadasewingmachineat homewhichIhadlearnttouseasI hadtodoneedlework/home economicsasschool.SuddenlyI hadafewordersandthenI decidedtomake''chaps''whichare madeofsuede/softleatherto protecttheriders'legs.Imadea fullpairformyselfandthenorders startedcomingin.ThisishowIwas thenabletohelpmymumpayfor someofmyhorse-ridingcosts.It wassuchathrilltofeelthatIcould contribute!ThenIgotintoriding people'sdif iculthorseswhichthey paidmeforandthenwhenIwas18 yearsold,IdidmySANEF(South AfricanEquestrianFederation) teachinglevelinordertoteach professionally.Horseridingwasa hugepartofmylifeformanyyears andhelpedsustainmewhenIwas betweenjobsorneededextra income.
What prompted your love affair with Africa and the wilderness of the world?
AfriendofmineCarolynHartley st washavingher21 birthdayin Botswanaatacampownedbyher parents(Hartley'sSafaris).Iwas invitedtojoinher,andthiswasmy irsttasteofasafariandwhatan incredibleplacetoexperienceyour irstsafariintheOkavangodeltaof Botswana.Thatwasthestartofmy lovefortheAfricanbush!
What is the approach followed by your company – Anywhere in Africa - to ensure the most authentic travel experiences for your clients?
Iamveryspeci icwithwhich venuesorgroundhandlersthatI partnerwithandmakesurethat mostofthevenuesIrecommend formyclients,Ihavevisited personally.
Itisveryimportanttomeand AnywhereinAfricaSafaristhatwe useandrecommendvenuesthat havethesameethosaswedo.You, ourguestsaregivingbacktoAfrica byvisiting,traveling,interacting withthestaff,gettingtoknowthem aspeoplenotjustasaplacetostay andexperience.
Oneofmyphilosophiesisthatwe cannotchangeAfrica,butwecan changethecirclethatwecreate aroundus.So,bymakingsurethat AnywhereinAfricaSafarisworks withtherightvenues,lodges,tour companies,groundhandlersinall theareasofAfrica,wehelpto createtherightimpactwithinour circle.Wethenneedyou,our clients,tovisitAfricaandhelpus makethecirclebiggerasyou
becomeanambassadorforthe continent,tohelp,understandand sharethechangesandpositive impactsthatarebeingmadeto supportcommunityand conservation.
Talk to us about your idea of giving back. Why is it an important subject for you?
Atalkativebirdwillnotbuilda nest'sumsupourapproachto charityworkand'givingback'.It speakstoourethosof'deeds,not words',whichmanyofour traveler'sshare.We'reoftenasked byourclientshowtheycandirectly beneitthecommunitiesoranimals they'veencounteredontheir journey.Besidesmakingsurewe usepropertiesthatgivebacktothe community,conservation,and generalwell-beingoftheirstaff.We giveaportionofeachbooking madebyclientsbacktoElephant HavenswhichisanNGOinMaun thatwesupport.
Wealsoencourageclientstospeak tous irstiftheywanttogiveback toAfricaaswehavemanysmaller non-pro itorganizationsthatneed helpandarenotsupportedbythe biggercompanies.Clientsthen knowtheirmoneyisgoingto supporttherightcommunity, organization,school,conservation programorcharity.
What does a day in the life of Kirsty Gordon look like?
Inormallygettotheof icearound 7:30inthemorningtohavetimeto checkemailsanddosomeplanning beforewestartat8:30.Iamthen involvedwithwhatpaymentshave tobemadetosuppliers,especially theUSApaymentsaswehavea
timeframetogettheseactionedby 10amsothatthesupplierswillbe paidthefollowingday.Then invariablyIhave1zoommeeting perdayornowthatpeopleare comfortabletointeract,suppliers cometotheof iceforproduct updatesortointroducemetonew products.
Thenworkingonclientstraveling tomakesureallisrunning smoothly,answeringemailsto clientstohelpplantheirtrips. Oftenintheafternoonhavingzoom meetingwithanynewAmerican clientstodiscusstheirwishlists, budgets,ideastheyhavefortheir possibletrip(thisisgenerallyin theafternoonfromabout2pmto 6pmduetotimezonedifferences. Clientswhohavepaidtheirinal paymentswhichare2months priortotheirtrip–wethenneedto
prioritizepaymentsuppliers, inalizingtheiritinerarysetbystep. Thenbetween5pmand6pm,I headhomeeitherforawalkorrun withmypartnerorthenmake dinner.
What are you most excited about in the future, both personally and professionally?
Iamsoexcitedtoseethattravelis gettingbacktonormalcyand peoplearetravelingtoAfrica!We havelovelybookingsthisyearfor–SouthAfrica,Botswana,Namibia, Zimbabwe,Zambia,Kenya, Tanzania,Rwanda,Uganda, Mauritius,Seychelles,Zanzibar, Mozambique,andEthiopia!
Thisishowyoubecomean ambassadorofAfrica–bytraveling tothisamazingcontinent–this
formssuchapositivespinoneffect thathelpspeople,communities, conservationwhichthenassistsin preventingpoaching,helpsbuilds economies,bringsglobal opportunities,andmuchmore!
Iamexcitedforthefutureof AnywhereinAfricaSafaris. Personally,Ilovepeople,Ilove Africa,andIlovetravel,soIam excitedtoseehowAfricaiscalling!
Guided by Passion A Conversation with LaTonia Oyeniran Founder and CEO of Braid Miracle ForLaToniaOyeniran,hair carehasneverbeenjust aboutbeauty.Itisabout culture,care,andcreating somethingmeaningfulfromlived experience.AstheFounderand CEOofBraidMiracle,shehasbuilt abrandrootedintherealitiesof protectivestyling,addressingpain pointsmanypeoplequietlyaccept asnormal.
Shapedbyherupbringinginan entrepreneurialfamilyanddeeply in luencedbyherNigerian heritage,LaToniabringsintention intoeverypartofherwork.Her frequentvisitstoNigeriakeepher connectedtoabroadercommunity andafast-growingbeautyand entrepreneurshipecosystemthat continuestoinspirehervision.
ThroughBraidMiracle,sheblends cleaninnovationwithsocial responsibility,usingthebrandasa vehiclenotonlyforbetterbraid carebutalsoforreal-worldimpact thathelpssurvivorsofhuman traf ickingrebuildtheirlives throughskillandopportunity.In thisexclusiveconversationwith
ExeleonMagazine,LaToniashares aboutherjourney,BraidMiracle, andthebeautyindustry.
You grew up in Texas working in your family's hair salon. What early lessons did that environment teach you about hair care, entrepreneurship, and serving people?
Growinguparoundmyfamily's salontaughtmeearlyonthat anythingispossible.Iwatched ideasturnintorealitysimply becausesomeonewaswillingto putintheworkandtakealeapof faith.Thatstayedwithme.
Whatalsostoodoutwasthetrust thatwasexchanged.People willinglyspenttheirhard-earned moneybecausetheybelievedin theservicebeingprovided.That taughtmethevalueofexcellence, integrity,andcare.Weweren'tjust doinghair,wewereservingpeople.
AndbecauseIhadaccesstoallof theproductsandtoolsatthesalon, Ibecamecreativewithmyown
hairandlearnedtodoitmyself. Thateventuallyturnedintome braidinghairincollegeasaside hustletosupportmyself.Looking back,thatenvironmentquietly trainedmeinentrepreneurship longbeforeIevercalleditthat.
As the daughter of a Nigerian immigrant father, how did his entrepreneurial journey shape your mindset and approach to building a business of your own?
Myparentsbuilttheir irstfamily business,aconveniencestorein MissouriCity,Texas,andtheyletus bepartoftheprocess.From restockingshelvestowatching themruntheregister,and sometimesevenhelpingwith checkouts,wewereinvolved.That mattered.Mostchildrenplay pretend,actinglikeadultsina grocerystoreorof ice,butIgotto livethatreality.
Iwatchedmyparentspour
everythingtheyhadintothat business.Itwasn'tuntilmuchlater thatIfullygraspedwhatitmeant formyfathertoleaveNigeria,come toAmerica,andbuildalifeforhis familyfromthegroundup.
Becauseofhim,entrepreneurship feltasnaturaltomeasbrushingmy teetheverymorning.Henever settledforwhatwashandedtohim, andthatmindsetwaspasseddown tous.That'swheremyresilience comesfrom.It'swhyIkeeppushing forwardwhenthingsarehard,and whyIbelievethere'salways anotherleveltoreach.
Braid Miracle was born from a very real pain point you witnessed irsthand. Can you walk us through the exact moment when you realized there was a gap in braid care that needed to be solved?
Ilearnedtobraidmyownhairearly on,andbraidsbecamemygo-to
style.Now,Ilovedmybraids,butI dreadedtheprocess.Italmost guaranteedpain,tightness,and scalpirritation;itfeltlike somethingyoujusthadtoendure.
Onenight,IwaswatchingShark Tankwithmydadwhenithitme: Whydoesgettingbraidshaveto hurt?Isearchedforsolutionsand cameupempty.Nothingonthe marketaddressedpainandscalp healthinaclean,intentionalway.
ThatwasthemomentIrealized therewasagapinbraidcare.I workedwithachemisttocreate whatbecameourbestsellingBraid Spray,acleanformuladesignedto relievepainandtensionduringand afterbraiding.BraidMiraclewas bornfromthatveryrealneed.
You visit Nigeria often and maintain close ties to the culture and community there. How has staying connected to your roots in luenced the vision, values, and identity of Braid Miracle?
BraidshavedeeprootsinAfrican culture,andovertimethey've becomeapowerfulformof expressionacrossmanycultures. Becauseofmyheritage,Braid Miraclehasrootstheretoo.
VisitingNigeriakeepsme grounded.Theculture,thesenseof community,andthewaypeople lookoutforoneanotherallshape howIseetheworldandhowIlead. It'salsowhereI'mremindedthat manypeoplearestillstrugglingand simplyneedaccess,opportunity,or support.
That'swhysocialimpactisso importanttoourbrand.Braid Miraclegoesbeyondhair.Wetruly
careaboutourpeopleandbelieve thisneedhasbeenoverlookedfor fartoolong.We'refocusedon creatingpathways,especiallyfor themostvulnerable,tobuild somethingbetter.
The beauty industry is crowded, yet Braid Miracle stands out as a clean, braid focused brand. What was most challenging about launching a niche product in an already saturated market?
It'sfunnyyouaskthat,becauseI actuallybelievebeingnicheisour strength.Weknowouraudience intimatelybecausewearethe audience.Thatlevelof understandingissomethinglarger brandssimplycan'treplicate.
Therealchallengeinmyopinion comesfromcompetingwith massivecorporationsthathave largerbudgetsandmoreresources. ButIoftenthinkaboutDavidand Goliath,it'snotalwaysthebiggest thatwins.Sometimesit'sthesmall butmighty.Oursizeallowsustobe intentional,agile,anddeeply connectedtoourcustomers,and that'swhatenablesabrandlike ourstostandtallinacrowded industry.
Finally, when people think of Braid Miracle ive or ten years from now, what do you hope the brand represents beyond products on a shelf?
IhopeBraidMiracleisremembered asabrandthattransformed somethingpainfulintosomething beautiful.
Beyondproductsonashelf,Iwant peopletoseeusasaturningpoint:
abrandthatgenuinelycaredforits customersanduseditsplatformto createopportunity.Whetherthat's improvingthebraidingexperience orhelpingvulnerableindividuals buildnewlives,Iwantourlegacyto beoneofcare,empathy,andlasting impact.
Finding Voice, Building Narrative KarimAdib'sjourneyinto leadershipanddigitalPRdidnot followastraightline,butitwas shapedearlybycuriosity,initiative,and theinstincttospeakupwhenothers hesitated.RaisedasanonlychildinCairo, helearnedtonavigatesocialdynamics independently,afoundationthatquietly preparedhimforleadershiplongbefore herecognizeditassuch.Overthepast sevenyears,Karimhasbuiltacareer acrosssomeoftheUK'slargestagencies, workingattheintersectionofSEO,digital PR,andstorytelling.Today,asSenior DigitalPRManageratSearchAtlas,he focusesonshapingbrandnarrativesina rapidlyevolvingmedialandscape.Inthis conversation,Karimre lectsonhisroots, theevolutionofdigitalPR,andtherole creativityandtrustplayinbuilding lastingvisibility.
Talk to us about your journey, your roots, and what is your earliest memory as a leader?
GrowingupasanonlychildinCairo, Egypttaughtmetobesociallyproactive fromayoungage.InEgypt,mostfamilies havethreeorfourchildren,andIquickly
realizedIneededtoadapttostandoutin thosesocialdynamics.
Withoutsiblingsintroducingmetotheir friendsormakesocialsituationsless awkward,Ihadtotaketheinitiative myself.Ilearnedtospeakup irst, approachpeopledirectly,andsuggest ideasforthingstodo.
BeingproactivewastheonlywayIcould buildfriendshipsandcreatemyown socialcircle.MymainthesiswasthatifI cameupwiththemostfungamesorwas thefunniesttobearound,thenIcouldget peopletobemyfriends.AndsoIwas slowlybeingmoldedintoaleader withoutrealizingit.
AnotherleadershiptraitthatIdeveloped whenIwasveryyoung,butdidn't recognizeasleadershipatthetime,was speakingup irst.Istartedtonoticethat inclass,alotofpeoplewerescaredtoask questions,andinPEclassespeoplewere afraidtostepupandbethepersonto pickteams.IrealizedthatifIwasbrave enoughtobethe irsttospeak,Icouldget alotmoreopportunities.
Karim Adib Asaresult,Iwaspickedtolead manydifferentprojects,andpeople whodidn'twanttospeakirst wouldteamupwithmebecauseI savedthemtheembarrassmentof doingso.ButIneverthoughtofit thatway.Ijustwantedmore opportunities.
You have spent over seven years working in digital PR, including roles at some of the UK's largest agencies. What irst drew you to the PR industry?
I irststudiedcivilengineeringat universitybecauseIlikedmathand thoughtengineeringwouldmake themostsense.Butafterthreelong yearsinthedegree,thejobitself neverappealedtome.
IgraduatedduringCovid,whenjob opportunitieswereveryscarce. However,IknewIwantedtoget intomarketingbecauseitbrought twoofmyfavoritepassions together:businessandcreativity.
IwasinitiallydrawntotheSEO industrybecauseitfeltmore methodical,whichalignedwellwith myengineeringbackground.When
IappliedtoafewSEOagencies,the onethatacceptedmeofferedarole eitherintheSEOdepartmentorthe newlycreatedPRdepartment.As someonewholovesbuildingthings, enjoysachallenge,andwas intriguedbythisemergingdigital PRdiscipline,IchosedigitalPR.
ThereasonIcontinuedworkingin digitalPRisthatitintroduceda thirdpassionIdidn'tknowIhad: storytelling.Icouldnowcombine business,creativity,storytelling, andmymathskillstobring somethinguniquetoeveryPR departmentIworkedin.
Digital PR has evolved rapidly over the last few years. From your perspective, what has changed the most in how brands approach online visibility and authority?
InthedigitalPRofold,therewasa strongemphasisonlinks.Having workedacrosseverypartofthe industry,fromguaranteedlinksto in-housedigitalPRwithtraditional PRmetrics,I'veseenalotofchange, butnothinglikewhat'shappenedin thepastyear.
Overthelastyear,digitalPRhas becomeincrediblyscalabledueto AItools.Peoplecannowproduce whattheybelievearestrong campaignsatscale,butAIcanonly pattern-recognizeitswaythrough PR.Thisresultsinthesamestories beingpitchedtothesame journalistsyearafteryear,with morepeoplecompetingforthe samelimitedattention.
Atthesametime,businesseshave startedtorealizethatGoogleisnot thebe-allandend-allofsearch traf ic.Manybeganfocusingmore onsocialplatforms,andnowAI searchisemergingasasigniicant traf icsource.Asaresult, companiesareseeingthatlinksat anycost,ormundanecampaigns thatdon'tconnecttocommercial outcomes,oftenfailtodrivereal businessresults,leadingtoweaker returnsonPRinvestment.
You are currently leading PR efforts at Search Atlas. What does your role involve, and how does it differ from agency-side work?
I'mcurrentlytheSeniorDigitalPR ManageratSearchAtlas,andmy rolehasshiftedsigni icantlyfrom agencywork.Inagencies,your primaryKPIsaresetearlyon,and youmightworkwithaclientfor onemonthorsixmonths,butyou rarelygettoshapeanentire company'snarrative.
AtSearchAtlas,Igettoseehowmy PReffortsimpactthebroader brand.Ihaveinputintosocial media,websitemessaging,copy, customerservice,andmore.My rolehasevolvedfrombeingpurely aPRfunctiontoabroader communicationsrolefocusedon howthebrandisperceivedoverall.
ThequalityofworkIdeliveris higherbecauseIhavemoretime andtrustfromthebrand.Inagency settings,clientsdon'talwaysoffer thatsamelevelof lexibilityor trust.
In your opinion, how is the PR and media landscape across Africa evolving, especially in relation to global brands and digital- irst storytelling?
Ican'tspeakforeverycountryin Africa,butIcancommenton broadertrends,particularlythose I'mseeingintheMiddleEast.
Companiesarestartingtoinvest moreinSEOandPR,whereas previouslytheseareasreceivedless focus.Campaignswereoften advertising-drivenandheavily centeredonsocialmedia,butnow brandsarediversifyingtoensure they'representacrossmultiple channelsascompetitionincreases.
Intermsofcontentquality,we're seeingariseininluencer-led campaigns.Consumersnolonger trustbrandswiththebiggest budgets;theytrustpeople.Asa result,smallerTikTokcreatorswith nicheaudiencesarelandingmajor branddealsbecauseofthetrust they'vebuilt.
Thisfeelslikejustthebeginning. It'sencouragingforanyonein Africawhocanbuildanaudience andearntrust,becausebrandsare currentlylaggingbehindcreators. It'saripemomentforstorytellers andcommunitybuilderstomake theirmarkintheindustry.
What advice would you give to professionals who want to transition from traditional PR
into more performance-oriented digital PR roles?
TraditionalanddigitalPRare convergingmorethanever,andthe distinctionbetweenthetwois becominglessrelevant.Ifyoulimit yourselftoasinglechannel,you're notfullyunderstandingPRor audiences.Acarehomebusiness stillreachesitsaudiencethrough TV,radio,andnewspapers,whilean emergingfashionbrandmust leverageTikTok.
FortraditionalPRprofessionals lookingtospecializeindigitalPR, understandinghowtheirwork impactsdigitalvisibilityiskey. Learninghowtoamplifytraditional PReffortsinthedigitalspaceis oftenmorethanenough.
Ibelievethatinafewyears,thetitle willsimplybePR,andthis distinctionwillnolongerexist.
Looking ahead, how do you see your career in digital PR evolving over the next few years, and what kind of impact do you hope to
make through your work?
ThedigitalPRspaceisincredibly excitingrightnow.Whilemanytalk aboutAIreplacingpeople,digital PRhasalwaysrequiredconstant evolutionandcreativitytosucceed.
AIisexposingweaknessesinthe industrybyacceleratingashift towardauthenticity.Peoplewith realstories,creativity,andstrong journalistrelationshipswillstand out.Thosechasingquickwins withoutinvestinginstorytellingor relationshipswillstruggle.
Forme,storytellinghasalways beenaboutinspiration.It'soneof myfavoritethingstodo,andIwant tocontinuere iningmycraftwhile inspiringotherstodothesame.
AndbecauseIhadaccesstoallof theproductsandtoolsatthesalon, Ibecamecreativewithmyown
Community Before Scale CCandice Grobler on Building
Founder-Led
Ecosystems in Africa andiceGrobler,widelyknown asCands,worksatthe intersectionofcommunity, entrepreneurship,andmentorship acrossAfrica.Throughherworkat CandidCollab,shehelpsfounders buildsustainable,community-led businessesthatprioritizetrust,shared value,andlong-termresilienceover short-termgrowthmetrics.
Deeplyin luencedbylivedexperience, Ubuntuphilosophy,andon-thegroundrealitiesofAfricanmarkets, Candicechallengesconventional startupthinkingandreframes communityasaseriousbusinesslever. Inthisconversation,sherelectson whatdrewhertocommunity-driven models,whymentorshipsitsatthe coreofherwork,andthekindof founderecosystemshehopestohelp shapeacrossthecontinent.
Your work focuses on helping African founders build communityled businesses rather than chasing short-term growth. What irst pulled you toward community as a serious business lever?
WhenCovidhit,Iwasretrenchedand theeventsindustryIworkedin collapsedalmostovernight.Every event,onlineandin-person, disappeared.Itookpart-timework withafewNPOs(UbuntuBeds, KhwelaWomxn),andthat'swhereI saw,veryclearly,whatsurviveswhen everythingelseisstrippedaway: community
Theseorganizationshadnobudgetfor paidmediaorfancybranding.What theyhadwasUbuntu,“Iambecause weare”,bakedintoeverythingthey did.Theonlywaytokeeptheir missionalivewastomobilizethe peopletheyalreadyhad,togather onlineinscrappyways,andtokeep connectinghumanstohumans.
Ihadtostartaskingadifferent question.Insteadof“Whatcanwebuy togrow?”Iasked,“Whatdowe alreadyhavethatwe're underutilizing?”ThemoreI experimented,themoreobviousit becamethatcommunitywasn'ta “nice-to-have”aroundtheedges.It wastheonlyreliablegrowthengine
whenbudgetsdisappearedand certaintyevaporated.
Thatexperienceconvincedmethat communityisnotasoft, luffyaddon.It'saseriousbusinessgrowth lever,especiallyinmarketswhere moneyistight,trustisfragile,and peoplehavealwaysreliedoneach otherlongbeforetheyreliedonads.
Candid Collab is described as a mentorship- irst studio. Why was mentorship such a nonnegotiable pillar for you when designing your business model?
Ihadtheprivilegeofstudying linguisticsandphilosophy,butI'm notspecializedinbuildingstartup unicorns.Idon'thaveeveryanswer oreveryperspective,andI'mvery awareofhowfarasingleviewpoint
cantakeme,andwhereitstartsto limitmythinking.
WhatIdohaveisalongtrack recordofpeopleinvestinginme. Mentorsopeneddoorstheydidn't havetoopen.Theygavetime, insight,andnetworkswhenthere wasnothinginitforthem.Ihacked mywayintotheworkIdonow becauseothersheldthedoor,even whenIwasn'ttheobviousormost polishedchoice.
SowhenIstartedCandidCollab,I knewIdidn'twanttostandona pedestalasaguruwithaperfect blueprint.Iwantedtobuilda mentorship- irststudiothattreated knowledgeandrelationshipsas somethingwestewardcollectively, notsomethingIown.
That'swhywestartwith mentorship,notcoaching.Wedon't arrivewitharigidplaybookandtell founders“theway”.Weworkwith whattheyalreadyhave,inthe languagetheynaturallyuse,andwe co-designscrappysystemsthat makesensefortheirreality.Many ofthefoundersIworkwithhave advancedthinkingbutnotalways thesameacademicvocabulary. Mentorshipletsusmeetthem wheretheyare,insteadofasking themtoperformluencyin someoneelse'sjargon.
UnderneathitallisUbuntuagain.I amwhereIambecauseothers investedinme.CandidCollabis howIkeepthatinvestmentmoving forward.
The Founder Hivemind has become a core offering within Candid Collab. What gaps did you see in existing founder communities that inspired you to build it?
Mostfoundercommunitiesare designedforpeoplewhohave already“madeit”,highrevenue, warmnetworks,andalevelof accessthat iltersoutthevery peoplewhocouldbene itmost
Ikeptseeingmembership thresholdslike“minimumR5 millioninannualrevenue”justto apply.Thatmightmakesensefor certainmodels,butitsendsaquiet message:thereisoneacceptable waytobuildabusiness,anditlooks alotlikeWestern,venturecompatiblegrowth.
Meanwhile,Iwasmeetingfounders acrossAfricaearningunder R500,000ayearwhoweresolving realproblemsintheircommunities, oftenastheprimarybreadwinners intheirfamilies.Manyare neurodivergent,manydidn'thave reliableaccesstoeducation,food, orstudyenvironments,buttheysee opportunitywhereothersonlysee crisis.
Thesefoundersrarelyhavethetime ormoneytojoinelitecommunities, yettheyaretheonesforwhoma smallshiftininformation,theright 20percent,canunlock80percent oftheimpact.
TheFounderHivemindgrewoutof wantingtobuildforthem:aspace wherecommunity-centric,contextspeci icwaysofdoingbusinessare nottreatedasedgecasesbutasthe mainstory.I'mfarmoreinterested inhelpingafounderbecomeaself-
sustaining,trustednodeintheir communitythaninhelping someoneoptimizetheirthird investmentround.
Forme,that'salsopartofabigger conviction.Africahaseverythingit needs,resources,creativity, problemsworthsolving,tohostthe nextgreatwaveof entrepreneurship.Thatwon'tcome fromextractingmorefromworkers. Itwillcomefromequippingmore peopletobecomeowners.
How do African market dynamics shape the way community, trust, and participation need to be built compared to more mature startup ecosystems?
Vusi,thefounderfromKasiCatalyst inCapeTown,oncelaughedkindly whenIspokeabout“building” community.I'mgratefulshe remindedmethat,inmanyAfrican townships,communityisthe defaultsetting.Peoplesurvive becausetheyshare.Theyraisekids together,borrowsugarfromnext door,andinformallyredistribute whatlittletheyhave.
SoinAfrica,thechallengeisnot buildingcommunityfromscratch.It isbuildingtrustaroundnewkinds ofparticipationandeducating peopleonhowtoengagewiththe formaleconomywithoutlosingthe informalsupportsystemsthatkeep themalive.
Manypeopleherestillliveon almostnothing,andyetthey continuetoprovideforeachother. Thatisrealvalue,evenifbalance sheetsdon'tcaptureit.Whenglobal marketsvaluecompoundinterest overcollectivecare,itexposeshow
misalignedthesystemis.
Practically,thisshapeshowIthink aboutcommunity-ledbusinesses. Digitaltoolsarepowerful,butnot alwaysaccessibleorintuitive.Data isexpensive.Devicesareshared. Peopleareusedtoseeingeach otherinperson,soaskingthemto movetheirsenseofbelonginginto anappisabigleap.
WhatsApp,forexample,is ubiquitousandincrediblyeffective, andalsomessy,unregulated,and notalwayscompliant.It'swhere peoplealreadyare,butitcarries risk.Socommunityworkhere becomesanexerciseintranslation: bridgingof linetrusttoonline spaces,usingchannelspeople alreadyunderstand,anddesigning participationthatrespectsboththe constraintsandtheexistingsocial fabric.
What has been the most rewarding transformation you have witnessed from a founder you have worked with through Candid Collab?
Aboutayearago,aneurodivergent foundercametomeafterbeing pushedoutofalong-term contractingrole.Fortheirsttime inmorethan50yearsofworking, sheaskedforreasonable accommodations.Theresponsewas toendthecontract.Bythetimewe met,shewasshaken,doubting whethershecouldevercreatework thattruly itherneeds.
Shedislikedsales,hadnever freelanced,andhadnointerestin buildingormanagingaclient pipeline.Westartedsmall: clarifyingwhatshecouldtakeoff small-to-mediumenterprises'
plates,designingoffersthat matchedherstrengths,and buildingsupportstructuresaround herenergyandfocusratherthan againstthem.
Today,sherunsherconsulting businessfull-time.Shehas launchedherowncourseto generateleads,builtmarketing assetsthatfeelsustainable,even withoutlovingthecamera,and grownanetworkthatactively refersworkherway.Shehas collaboratedwithinstitutionslike INSEADandwithotherfoundersin ourcommunity,notjusttobuilda portfolio,buttoprovetoherself thatshebelongsinthoserooms.
Thebiggestshiftisn'tonlyin revenueorbrandnames.It'sinher posture.Shenowtruststhatshe canrunabusinessonherown terms,withtheaccommodations sheneeds,whileservingherclients andhercommunitywell.Watching thatlevelofself-trustrebuilditself hasbeenoneofthemostrewarding partsofmywork.
Finally, when people think of Candid Collab in the years ahead, what impact do you hope it will have had on Africa's founder landscape?
Mylong-termvisionistohelpa millionpeoplebecomeselfemployedfounderswhoare buildingcommunity-centric businesses.Notempirebuildersin thetraditionalsense,butpeople whoaredeeplyrootedintheir communitiesandabletosustain themselvesandothers.
IwouldloveCandidCollabto becomeakindofquietbadgeof honor,asignalthatsomeone
hackedtheircareerin unconventionalways,refusedto shutthedoorbehindthem,andis nowactivelyholdingitopenfor others.
If,yearsfromnow,thereisavisible waveofAfricanfounderswhotalk aboutcommunity irst,proitasa toolratherthantheonlygoal,and mentorshipasaresponsibility ratherthanafavor,Iwillbeproud tohaveplayedasmallpartinthat.
Ultimately,theimpactIcareabout issimple:morefounderswhoare self-suf icient,morecommunities thatarelessdependenton extractivesystems,andmore peoplewhocansay,“Ibuiltthis withmypeople,andnowI'm helpingthenextpersondothe same.”
Ibelievethatinafewyears,thetitle willsimplybePR,andthis distinctionwillnolongerexist.
Looking ahead, how do you see your career in digital PR evolving over the next few years, and what
kind of impact do you hope to make through your work?
ThedigitalPRspaceisincredibly excitingrightnow.Whilemanytalk aboutAIreplacingpeople,digital PRhasalwaysrequiredconstant evolutionandcreativitytosucceed.
AIisexposingweaknessesinthe industrybyacceleratingashift towardauthenticity.Peoplewith realstories,creativity,andstrong journalistrelationshipswillstand out.Thosechasingquickwins withoutinvestinginstorytellingor relationshipswillstruggle.
Forme,storytellinghasalways beenaboutinspiration.It'soneof myfavoritethingstodo,andIwant tocontinuere iningmycraftwhile inspiringotherstodothesame.
AndbecauseIhadaccesstoallof theproductsandtoolsatthesalon, Ibecamecreativewithmyown
What You Don’t Know About Women Entrepreneurs in Developing Countries Wri en By Donna Rosa
Women'sHistoryMonthushers womenacrosstheglobeinto thelimelightandadvocatesfor women'sequality.Yet,we're overlookingmillionsofwomenasif theywereinvisible: female entrepreneurs in developing countries.Theyareunseenand unheardoutsidetheinternational aidcommunity,buttheyareaquiet, hardworking,andproductiveforce.
I'vecometoknowtheirstoriesand sorrows,strugglesandsuccesses. I'mabusinesscoachfor entrepreneursinemerging economies,andbeforeIdiscovered thiscalling,Ineverknewitwasa thing.I'dspentthebulkofmy careerinthecorporateworld, wantingtogivebacktosocietybut notknowinghow.OvertimeI realizedthatI'daccumulateda measureofbusinessexperience,
andIcouldeitherdiewithitinmy headorshareitwiththosewho wouldmostbene itfromit.
Eventually,Ifoundmywayinto internationaldevelopment, supportingmicroenterprisesin low-incomecountries.Isawakey successfactorbeingoverlooked: whilesmallbusinessownerswere providedtechnicalsupportand sometimes inancing,theywerenot beingtaughtday-to-daybusiness managementorplanning.SoI steppedinto illthegap.
Ilovethisworkbecauseittakesso littletomakeamassivedifference inpeople'sbusinesses--andlives. AndIloveentrepreneursbecause theyarelikesponges,eagerto absorbeverythingtheypossibly can,andgratefulforthehelp.They areexceedinglystrongandresilient,
andtheydon'trealizeit.Theyare myheroes.
THE ENTREPRENEURIAL LANDSCAPE Whenyouthinkof entrepreneurshipinpoorcountries youmightenvisionawomanselling craftsorvegetablesinalocal market.Ofcoursethere'sthat—a lotofit.However,entrepreneursfall alongacontinuum,fromlowincomesolopreneurstosmall establishedbusinessestohigh-tech innovatorsseekingglobalventure capital.Allarefoundinthe developingworld,buthereIfocus onthoseIworkwith, microenterpriseswith1-10 employees.
WhileweintheWesttendtoglorify entrepreneurship(especially
startups)it'sjusttheoppositein manypoorcountries.Steadywagepayingfull-timejobsarerareand prestigious.Sincetherearefewjobs availableevenfortheeducated,the onlywaytomakealivingisto igureouthowtosellsomething. Suchbusinessownersarecalled “entrepreneursofnecessity.”
Iworkwithbothmaleandfemale entrepreneurs,andmanyofthe problemstheyfacetraversegender. Ifyouthinkentrepreneurshipis hard,trydoingitinadeveloping country.Theydealwith innumerableannoyingobstacles thatshouldn'tbeissues,likelackof (orintermittent)electricityorclean runningwater.Iftheyarefortunate enoughtohaveaccess,it's expensive.Everydaytheycopewith poorinfrastructure,extremely limitedresources,littleornoaccess tocapital,unpavedroads,expensive distribution,oldequipmentthat constantlyneedsrepair,and unreliablesuppliersandlabor.It's lonelyatthebottom.
Underlyingallthisisthemost insidiousproblemofall:asthey mostsimplydon'tknowhowto manageabusiness,howeversmall. Howcouldthey?TherearenoSmall BusinessAdministrationsthatgive freeassistanceandadvice. Unstable,under-resourced governmentsburdenbusinesses withregulationsandredtapeand thwartbusiness-enabling environments.Aidagencies,NGOs, andsocialbusinessesdoprovide inancial/resourceaidandtechnical training,butthere'sjustnotenough togoaround.
WOMEN’S WORK Sometimeagotheinternational
donorcommunity iguredoutthat whentheyenablewomen,they enableentirecommunities.Turns outthatthere'samultipliereffect forresourcesspentsupporting them.Whenwomenacquireskills anddevelopincomes,theyusea greaterportionofthatmoneyfor theirfamiliesandcommunities thanmendo.Thatmeansbetter educationandhealthforchildren, aswellaspovertyreduction.With thatkindofROI,aidhasfocusedon supportingwomeninmanyways, includingbusiness.
Withtheresultingattentionon women,I'vehadtheopportunityto workwithbothindividualfemale businessownersandwomen's groups.Ienjoyboth.Imarvelat howwomenseemtocometogether naturallytosupporteachother, especiallyindif icultcircumstances.
IvividlyrememberagroupI workedwithinruralKenya,where thewomentookituponthemselves toimprovetheircommunityaftera boywasfounddeadinanopen sewerpit.Theybeganreporting opensewerstothehealth department,andwiththatsuccess, initiatedallsortsofactivities. Projectsincludedsanitation improvement,protectingthelocal river,advocatingforchildren's' rights,promotinglocaldroughtresistantcrops,assistancefor youngparentsonfamily,maternal andchildissues,gender sensitization,trainingsinadjacent communities,andhelpingwomen generatesustainableincomes.
Iwasequallyimpressedbytheir businesssmarts:theyacquired somegrantfunds,andinsteadof simplydividingthemoneyamong thememberstheychosetocreatea
smallenterprisetogenerate ongoingincomeforall.
FEMININE BUSINESS BURDENS Therehasbeensigni icantprogress forworkingwomenandwomen's rightsoverthepast50years.World Bankdataindicatesthatinmost countries,womencannowsign contracts,openbankaccounts,and registerbusinesses,althoughaccess tocreditisstillaproblem.
Still,womenfaceobstaclesthat mendonot.Someareculturaland othersaresimplydiscriminatory, buteitherway,womenare systematicallyexcludedfrom economicopportunities,andit preventsthemfromdeveloping theirbusinesses.
Theunevenplayingieldstartsin theplayground:girlshaveless accesstoeducationthanboys. Whentheymarrytheirneedscan besubordinated.Ifawomandoes managetocreateasmallbusiness, sheaddsthatontopofher responsibilitiesforchild-rearing andrunningthehome.
Itcanbedif icultfor businesswomentoaccessmuchneededcreditinthedeveloping world,whichisinterestingsince womenarefarlesslikelythanmen todefaultonloans.Areportbythe WomenEntrepreneursFinance Initiative(We-Fi)statesthat “Seventypercentofformalwomen ownedSMEsindeveloping countriesareeithershutoutof inancialinstitutionsorcan'tgetthe capitaltheyneed.”Thatmakes women'sbusinessessmaller,less pro itable,andslowergrowingthan theirmalecounterparts. Understandably,theytendtobe
moreconcernedwithbusiness survivalratherthangrowth.
Legallywomenareroutinely discriminatedagainstinfamily,land rights,andlaborlaws.These regulationscanbeworsefor womenentrepreneursthanthe businesslaws:theydetermine whetherwomencanmake independenteconomicdecisions, entercontracts,orown,manage,or inheritassetsandproperty.Loans, forexample,usuallyrequire collateral.Becausemencanown landandotherassetsandwomen oftencan't,theyareimmediately excludedfromopportunitiesto borrow.
Otherfactorsplayarole,too. Womenfrequentlylackthe businessnetworks,contacts,and accesstomarketstobuild successfulbusinesses.Theyopen
businesseswithoutmanagement skills,education,training,or experience.
BUSINESSWOMEN RISING Despitetheuphillbattle,Ihavehigh hopesforwomenentrepreneursin developingnations.Theyareboth determinedandundeterred.Ifwe armthemwithskills, encouragement,andfundingthey havea ightingchance.They deservenotjustsupport,but admiration.
It'simportanttonotethat developing-countryentrepreneurs needtherightformofassistancefor theirbusinessestothrive.Iind theydobestwhentheylearnkey conceptsinthecontextoftheirown businessesratherthanlargescale, one-offgeneralizedtraining;it's dif icultforthemtogohomeand
applywhattheylearnaftera workshop.That'swhyIpreferoneoneorsmallgroupcoaching,which enablesmetolearntheinsandouts ofeachbusinessandprovidethe handholdingandencouragement theyneedtodevelopselfcon idenceandachievepro itability.
Ifyouarepartofabusinesswitha socialmission,CSRprogramorESG mandateconsiderlendingsome braintrust,inancing,or mentorshiptodeveloping-country womenentrepreneurs.Yourknowhowcanmakeabigdifferencewith evenasmallinvestment.
FormoreinformationonDonna andherworkvisit www.efourenterprises.comand www.donnamrosa.com
About the Author DonnaRosaisFounderandChiefEntrepreneurship
Of icerofEFourEnterprisesLLC.EFourstandsfor EmpoweringEntrepreneursinEmerging Economies,providingremotebusinesscoaching tailoredtothespecialneedsofentrepreneursin developingcountries.
Donnaspentmostofhercareerinthefoodindustry. Sheeventuallytransitionedintointernational development,workingwithmicroenterprisesand smallbusinessestoreducepovertyinAfrica,the Caribbean,EasternEurope,CentralAmerica,the MiddleEast,andRussia.
Inadditiontoherworkwithentrepreneurs,Donna
isheavilyinvolvedinimprovingglobalfood security.ShefoundedandmanagestheFood ScienceforReliefandDevelopment(FSRD) programundertheInternationalDivisionofthe InstituteofFoodTechnologists(IFT).In2023, DonnawastherecipientofIFT'sHumanitarian AwardforServicetotheScienceofFoodinhonorof ElizabethFlemingStier.Shehasalsowrittenabook chapteroncareersinthisemergingield.
Donnacurrentlymentorswomenentrepreneursin AfricaundertheFAO-IAFNWomenSMEs AcceleratorProgramandservesonseveral nonpro itboardsrelatedtointernational development.
Chi Illochi What according to you makes one a transformational leader? How do you integrate the same thought into your leadership?
Oneisatransformationalleaderwhen theirbeingandoverallpersoncaninspire andhelpanotherattainallthatlifehasto offerforthem.Ibelievemycommitmentto helpandinspireothersineverythingis howIintegratethatthoughtprocessinto mywayofleadership.
Talk to us about your growing up years. What is your earliest memory as a leader/entrepreneur that you can remember?
IbelieveI'vealwayshadaspiritof entrepreneurism.Myearliestmemoryas anentrepreneurwasmakingmyown comicbookandsellingitfor ivedollars.
Lookingbackonthatmemory,Irealize nowthatIwassowingseedsforwhoI grewintotoday.
What prompted your interest and subsequently your foray into the fashion industry?
Myinterestinthefashionindustrywas promptedthroughself-expression.Fashion hasalwaysbeenthewayI'veexpressed myself,subsequentlyIdecidedtomakethe decisiontobecomeafashionstylist.
What was the idea that led to the formation of Styling By Chi? What is your vision through this company?
TheideathatledtotheformationofStyling ByChiwas“payingitforward”.Irealized thetremendousimpactfashionhadonmy mentalhealthandqualityoflifeandI wantedtosharethatwithothersthrough
fashionstyling.Myvisionformy companyistoheal,help,and inspireasmanyasIcanthrough fashionandstyle.
What does a day in your life look like? How do you ensure worklife balance?
Adayinthelifeformelookspretty chaotic,somedaysI'mpullingfor upcomingphotoshoots,otherdays I'mrespondingtoemails,and hoppingonZoomcalls.Imustsay I'vegottenbetteratensuringworklifebalanceovertheyears,Idoso bygivingmyselfweekendsoffto hangwithfriendsandfamily.
What has the journey been like for Chi Ilochi over the years? Looking back, what would you have done differently when starting out?
ThejourneyforChiIlochioverthe yearshasbeenbeautiful,eye opening,andworthit.Looking back,Iwould'vemadesureto believeinmyselfabitmorewhen startingout.Lifewould'vebeena loteasierifIrealizedsoonerthatI deservedeverythingGodgaveme.
What are the challenges that you had to face during this journey?
I'vefacedmanychallengesalong thisjourneyofmine,butI'dsaythe biggestchallengewasafewofmy friendspassingawaybeforethey couldseemysuccess.This challengehasbeenmyhardest,and isoneIstrugglewithtothisday. Whatbringsmepeaceandcomfort isknowingthattheirspiritlives throughmineinallIamandallIdo.
What would be your advice for aspiring and young women leaders and entrepreneurs?
Myadviceforaspiringleadersand entrepreneursistobetonyourself everytime.Youarealreadyworthy asis.Yourpeersdon'tde ineyouor yoursuccess,youdo.
Finally, what does the future look like for you and Styling By Chi?
ThefutureformyselfandStylingBy Chilookslikehealing;abundance, stylingtheBET//GrammyAwards, andhelpingthosearoundme elevateasIdo.Forme,that'swhat thefutureisallabout.
