Natasha Moleko: a young creative with business sense

Twenty-six-year-old Natasha Moleko, a fashion designer by trade and Vaal University of Technology graduate, has a deep passion for fashion and selfexpression. A creative at heart and a “student of life”, Moleko established sustainable fashion brand, Oupa Ben.

YOUNG MOVER & SHAKER OF THE YEAR

“From a young girl I’ve always wanted to be my own boss, but I didn’t know what that looked like, I had no real example of entrepreneurship and what it entailed. My desire to be my own boss and mostly my situation pushed me into entrepreneurship. When I started my business I had just lost my job at a church factory and was one of many unemployed graduates in South Africa,” she says.

How did you start your business?

I started my business in a difficult time of my life. I had just lost my job and was now a part of the staggering youth unemployment rate in SA. My grandfather, who was the inspiration behind Oupa Ben Africa, had just passed on and all of that adversity somehow inspired me to start my business as a tribute to him, a creative outlet for me, and means to change my financial status.

How did you decide what your product would be?

I studied Fashion Design at the Vaal University of Technology and, funny enough, I thought if ever I started a fashion business

Winner

it would be a womenswear brand. But I guess God had other plans for me.

When my grandfather passed on in July of 2021, a very difficult time in my life, I somehow was inspired to pay tribute to him and start a menswear fashion brand and name it after him. My grandfather was a very special person; he was kind and always encouraged us to stand for something bigger than ourselves, so I guess my product kind of chose me. I believe I found a sweet spot, being a young female designer doing menswear.

Tell us about Oupa Ben Africa.

Oupa Ben Africa is a conscious, sustainable menswear brand that offers high quality, unique men’s clothing and accessories. We create our collections with the aim of creating awareness on social issues men face daily. Our aim is to create a safe space for men to express themselves and we do that through fashion.

How does your product add value to your clients and society at large?

Being a sustainable brand means that we make use of sustainable production methods. We produce small scale, and practice slow fashion.

Our products are ethically made in South Africa, and I believe most importantly, we make use of solar energy to produce our products. This means that our carbon footprint is significantly lower than the average fashion business.

We are also a conscious brand that aims to create awareness through fashion.

What key characteristics make you a successful entrepreneur?

I found that I thrive and I’m most inspired by adversity. I am selfmotivated, resilient and love leaning – I remain a student of life.

What motivates you?

I grew up in the township of Sebokeng in Boitumelo, one of the poorest neighbourhoods in Sebokeng. My parents tried their best to get us the best education they could afford and I will forever be grateful for that.

Life was very difficult for us growing up, and my sister and I would exchange days to go to school because there simply wasn’t enough transport money for both of us. I believe those moments in my life have left me very hungry and eager for success, so I keep going. My biggest fear is giving up.

What were some of the challenges you have faced as an entrepreneur?

When I started my business I was bootstrapping. I had borrowed money from my parents to start and it wasn’t easy. I could not afford a lot of things, such as website hosting, and graphic designing services; the list goes on and on.

How have you overcome challenges?

I searched the internet and learned how to do basic coding so that I could create my own website. I also learned how to create my own logo and other graphic products I needed for my business.

I also joined at lot of entrepreneurship development programmes, like the Future Females Business School

(FFBS), Startup School (SUS), and The Academy of Women Entrepreneurship (AWE).

I graduated from five programmes in 2022. These have helped me a lot in understanding the concept of entrepreneurship and the idea of starting with what you have and making the most of it.

What were some of the highlights of your journey as an entrepreneur?

• I managed to raise R407 000 in seed funding in 2022, and got to build a fully functional production line.

• I installed a big solar energy system to take us off-grid and support our production line.

• I also managed to get a contract with Kamers/Makers for the A/W 2023 Show.

What are the key lessons you have learned?

• It’s never easy, sometimes it’s fun, but never easy.

• Make sure you have a passion for what you do; being an entrepreneur affords you the choice to do what you want, so choose wisely.

• Never hire people you are familiar with as they will never really see you as their boss, and will always take advantage of that.

• Never give up.

• Keep learning.

• Send that email, it might be the only thing standing between you and success.

• Get out of your comfort zone, nothing valuable comes from it.

• Get ready for sleepless nights, your business is your baby, and you have to nurture it.

• Take care of yourself, physically, mentally, and emotionally. Your health is the table upon which everything is based, without the table everything is on the floor.

• And lastly to all my introverts, it gets easier with time.

How do you foresee your business growing in the next five years?

I have big plans for Oupa Ben Africa! I see the brand on international runways, Paris, London, and New York fashion week. I want two concept stores in Sandton and Cape Town; in addition to creating quality jobs in South Africa. ■

W www.oupabenafrica.com

Instagram: Oupa_Ben_Africa

Facebook: Oupa_Ben96