As a teenager, Mabel Ledwaba turned her bedroom into a beauty parlor. Today, her brand has made a mark on the local beauty industry.
AN 83KM DRIVE TO THE industrialized Vanderbijlpark in the southern parts of Johan-nesburg presents an undulating green and brown landscape. In the midst of all the dullness, we are greeted on arrival by a well-groomed beauty entrepreneur in this town in South Africa’s Highveld.
Like an Egyptian goddess, make-up artist Mabel Ledwaba glides in, in a full-length, draped black dress, and recollects her entrepreneurial journey.
“It was a long ten years of trial and error,” says Ledwaba, arching her well-shaped brows.
Ledwaba, who initially planned on opening a nail and eyelash bar, founded a make-up line that is today worth over R2.5 million ($181,000), and has a presence in all nine provinces of South Africa.
The transition from employee to employer took six months before Havillah Beauty officially launched in 2008.
In just two years, the business grew from occupying 20 square meters to a 50-square meter establishment in a commercial office space.
“You can have a business plan but you never stick to it,” Ledwaba says.
Tapping into a market at a time when international cosmetics dominated in South Africa, Ledwaba was determined to make a mark as a local brand.
With a dream and passion for business, as a teenager, the township beauty queen converted her bedroom into a beauty parlor.
Denne historien er fra March - May 2019-utgaven av Forbes Woman Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent ? Logg på
Denne historien er fra March - May 2019-utgaven av Forbes Woman Africa.
Start din 7-dagers gratis prøveperiode på Magzter GOLD for å få tilgang til tusenvis av utvalgte premiumhistorier og 9000+ magasiner og aviser.
Allerede abonnent? Logg på
Well-Grounded
Coco Cachalia, whose mother Amina was among the 20,000 in the Women’s March of August 1956, made a decision to stay away from politics – and succeed in business instead.
Art Becomes Her
A celebrated international fine artist, Mmakgabo Helen Sebidi overcame the struggles of apartheid, and her work is grounded in her past.
'Not Just Pro-Women But Pro-Progress'
South Africa’s Minister of Women Susan Shabangu on the significance of the 61st anniversary of Women’s Day, and the role men can play in ending gender violence in South Africa and creating an equal society.
Diversity And Inclusion Are Part Of Baker Mckenzie's DNA
According to Law360’s 2017 Glass Ceiling Report, women make up around one-third of the attorneys in private legal practice. Among the law firms surveyed, just below 23% of partners are female.
We, Men For Women
South Africa still has a long way to go for gender justice in business and in life, but with more men openly stepping forward to be a part of the discourse, FORBES WOMAN AFRICA speaks to two male entrepreneurs, a CEO and a social activist. They acknowledge diversity makes smart social and economic sense that will benefit all.
What, After All, Does Feminism Have To Do With Men?
According to the seminal African-American writer bell hooks (her name is not capitalized), feminism is for everybody.
Blood, Setbacks And Tears
Two sisters with common failures and a dream to eventually succeed.
Fighting To The End
In May, 82 more Chibok girls were released in exchange for Boko Haram prisoners. Oby Ezekwesili, a strong advocate in the campaign to bring them back, has vowed to never stop fighting.
Not Just Hard Work, But Heart Work
As incidents of gender-based violence increase in Africa, those like Nigeria’s Kemi Dasilva-Ibru, are trying to bring relief to stigmatized victims.
Going Down The Spice Route
Essie Bartels worked several odd jobs she hated before opening a company selling mouth-watering spices and sentiments to the world.
