MASODI ORGANICS NOW YOU ARE DRESSED, APARA

The purpose of dressing up and feeling good goes beyond covering our bodies. It is the best way to convey messages, bold statementsand express love for ourselves. Ayanda More can help you achieve that. She started a fashion consultant business, APARA Global.

It was not difficult for Ayanda to choose a perfect name for her business. She just had to think about what she was passionate about. As a result, she decided to “dress up” people from a tender age of 13. APARA means “dress up” in Setswana and Sotho.

Liz Letsoalo is the founder of Masodi Organics, an online business. The inspiration for her brand was inclusivity, creativity, and a trend toward more luxurious beauty products. It is named after her mother, Masodi, who has always been an inspiration to Liz. Liz shares about her business.

What was the first product you put on the market? There have been three products that have remained with the brand since its inception: whipped shea butter, body butter, and coconut oil. We also had other natural products such as Castor Oil and African Black Soap Shampoo for hair care.

What entrepreneurial values do you attribute to your upbringing? My childhood was full of freedom and joy, which was shaped by my preschool experience with Mmane Makgoba and Mmane Mokhubidu, who celebrated our individuality and made us feel like stars. Each time I reflect on it, my heart swells with gratitude.

How have you overcome stumbling blocks as a business owner? I think the resource is top of the list for most entrepreneurs, myself included. The most important idea is that entrepreneurs must find creative ways to stay afloat and grow sustainably and that running a business is a journey of refining and growing self.

What are your thoughts on transformation? I’ve seen different types of organizations, some with an incredibly liberal and open culture and others that felt a bit tenser. I think it would be fair to think that most organizations have a lot of work to do to achieve not only a transformed work environment but one in which every person genuinely has an opportunity to participate freely, and succeed. Some organizations look transformed from a numbers perspective, but when you look at the day-to-day experiences of what it feels like to be an ‘included’ person in the space, it does not look fair or healthy. And I think that can really erode trust and hope, especially in young people.

One of the most interesting things about APARA Global is that all of its house designed active wear is made from recycled plastic bottles that would otherwise clog landfills or threaten marine life. TransformSA touched base with Ayanda to learn more about the brand.

What does APARA mean to you, and what inspired you to start it? What inspired APARA was me really trying to find my purpose in life and wanting to understand what I was born for. As a result, I learned that I am here to serve the youth.

Drawing from my entrepreneurial, engineering and management skills, my aim is to eradicate poverty in South Africa by cultivating the next generation of innovative, social-minded leaders. The APARA Global Academy, launched in April 2020 for those ages 14-25, offers digital courses aimed at boosting development, leadership and personal growth. Meanwhile, the APARA Global Foundation, provides school clothing for disadvantaged children.

The business evolved from fashion to education to a sustainable brand, we use recycled fabrics to make our active wear. Sustainability for me is about eradicating poverty and quality of life for the next generation.

Give us some tips for surviving and thriving in business. The first thing you need is selfdiscipline because it propels self-growth. Discipline helps you to be consistent in pursuing your business goals. Second, you must be decisive, that is, a decision is only a decision when you act on it. Believing in yourself wholeheartedly is essential. If you believe in yourself, other people will believe in what you’re doing as well. Embrace failure, failure creates an opportunity. Lastly, be consistent. Consistency is the key to progress in all areas of our lives.

In what ways have you implemented gender-driven development at work? No matter what industry you work in, it’s not easy to be a woman to work and thrive. Although women are generally much better than men. We are just as good in corporate as men are. Yet, it is extremely difficult for a woman to blend into the corporate environment or into the entrepreneurial one.

To address this, we have launched a mentorship program that will pave a way for young women. We are now recruiting other women graduates from outside South Africa, mentoring them, and teaching them on how to manage daily tasks using project management methodologies.