The Melanin House
What does your company do?
The Melanin House is an Afrocentric manufacturing powerhouse, that currently designs and manufactures luxury fragrances in all categories, i.e:
Eau De Fraiche
Eau De Toilette
Eau De Parfum
100% Essential Oils & Fragrance Oils.
The Melanin House is not just a business but a movement, we care about profits, however, we care about people more.
Our fragrances are specially crafted for our Kings and Queens with the highest level of expertise and quality controls using the SABS 9001 policies.
What is your biggest success?
My biggest success has been being able to collaborate with Soko District at Rosebank Mall, as a distribution channel for my fragrances.
We have been able to create a credible online presence through the use of digital marketing and AI-centric marketing strategies.
We have collaborated with Laugh Africa Comedy Festival as a sponsor and we are also collaborating with Standard Bank Top Women this year in September as a sponsor and panelist.
We are part of the Lionesses of Africa & National Small Business Chambers' Entrepreneurship Membership.
What has been your biggest hurdle?
Funding and Expansion has been one of the greatest challenges.
I was part of the Durban University Of Technology' Incubation program for 3 years and received seed fund and I utilized that to start-up and advance the business to where it is now. However, to expand and ensure that the business grows and gets proper brand awareness and a higher conversion rate is if we get more funding for the expansion stage to invest in advanced digital marketing strategies and sales and conversion strategies that are more viable.
I have tried to apply for grants and I have been unsuccessful. Others are non-cash funding, where contractors are paid and assigned by the e.g NYDA to create a website, which does not work because those contractors do a horrible job.
I have therefore been using my own money from a 9-5 to advance my business, as well as the profits made (retained income) is used as a re-investment.
