30 July 2021
Established in 2012, MamaSia was created out of the need to share ancient African beauty and well being ingredients with a wider audience. MamaSia emphasises the raw elements of Shea Butter, Coco Butter, Moringa, Baobab and more, as well as various exotic oils.
www.mama-sia.com
CEW is very important to me because, it’s a way to connect to like-minded individuals which enables us as a small business to share ideas and learn from one another or garner some wisdom from those that have more experience. It’s also the best place for industry insights and market trends. Not to mention that it has served as an institution for women for thirty plus years, so it was only natural for us to gravitate to an organisation like the CEW, that constantly serves and caters to its members.
The things that excite me at work are varied, as one day is never the same as another and this gives me the chance to explore my independence. I love that as a brand we are able to carry out socially responsible projects which benefit all different types of people, this is one area of my role that I honestly find really fulfilling. At work my role has enabled me to envision an idea, see it materialise into a reality, which always stimulates the creative in me. I also love the other side to the business, where I get to engage with our customers and find out what their needs are and how we can best serve them.
The health crisis has highlighted that self-care practices are just as important than any other lifestyle choice and that we should make self-care a priority and not just a trend that evolves along with society. When we started MamaSia some people could not understand why we categorised ourselves as a Beauty and Wellness brand, through our product range and community work we were able to explain that in Africa, beauty is expressed from the inside out and not the reverse. At the height of the pandemic, we were called upon by colleges and businesses to deliver our Journey to Wellness workshop, where we provided an online interactive course where people are able to learn and eventually practice ancient African self-care techniques in the comfort of their home, during lockdown. As most of our ingredients are sourced from our family lands in Ghana and Senegal. Our aim is to always share our ingredients and knowledge with whoever we can, inspire their journey towards nature and healthier lifestyle and Assist (SIA) them by providing education, products and support. We do this through our wellness coaching sessions which we deliver to one-to-one clients, as well as teaching the next generation of entrepreneurs in schools and colleges, how Africans continue to look after themselves using nature in this modern world. Therefore, the pandemic reassured me to continue on my path towards natural beauty and wellness, whilst assisting others to do the same.
Having a mentor has helped me and my business grow, by gaining visibility, guidance as well as helping me pivot my career and journey in confidence towards business and Entrepreneurship. I believe no matter how much experience or how wise we perceive ourselves to be, we all need guidance and at times another perspective. Mentoring definitely provided all of that and more.
I believe that in order to have longevity in the beauty industry or in another market, integrity goes along way. Not only does it make you feel good, it can only produce positive results because in order to get people to endorse your brand they have to see your authenticity and that comes with having integrity. I also believe that another good value for success is to have passion for the work and be passionate about those that you serve, which includes all stakeholders from customers, team members, to brand ambassadors and mentors to name a few.