She’s no stranger to setting a target profit, identifying a market and selling a product.
The first time she did that was when she was in high school. The target was to raise R10 000 for netball trip. She became the school tuckshop’s fiercest computer and made the money for the trip.
Now, she’s the owner of GloLooks, haircare products that contain no chemicals and are all hand made.
“This is very intentional,” Refiloe tells Drum.
“We could have automated our production but I have been more concerned with job creation. I believe what sets GloLooks apart from the competition is our ingredients. While other players in the market make use of synthetic ingredients for a host of reasons, I have been determined to keep my products as organic and natural as possible. This makes our prices a little higher but I believe our clients appreciate our approach.”
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“My business GloLooks started as a personal journey,” she reflects.
“I wanted to keep my hair in its natural state but the products available just didn’t suit me. I asked myself if there was something I could do in my personal capacity and started reading and experimenting to make my own haircare products using all natural and botanical ingredients. You would not believe how much academic literature there is about hair!
“What really helped with the product development is that I am my own target market so it was easy to find out what worked and what didn’t.”
Like many other entrepreneurs who have walked this route, Refiloe has faced some challenges.
“One of the big ones was figuring out how to market it with a very limited budget. It was helpful that I had relationships I could leverage and I also approached influencers. Another problem always seems to be time; I am my own marketer, researcher and salesperson!”
In 2017, she entered the ENGEN Pitch & Polish competition programme.
“The workshops with Justin Cohen were incredible. He got us to think about things that many entrepreneurs don’t even consider. We did a great deal of introspection about how to find yourself in your business. I found that while you may have the power to influence people, it’s how you use that power that is so important. Standing in front of so many people and pitching my business gave me power. I also took away conviction that my business really could succeed.
ENGEN Pitch & Polish also taught me a great deal about finances. It gave her a lot of confidence.
“With every step you take in your business journey, you need to know exactly where your finances stand. You have to be absolutely clear about your costs and your margin otherwise you may see money coming in and think you’re succeeding only to find out that you’re running at a loss. We also learned to talk about finances in a way that makes people want to buy into your business. Just rattling out a lot of numbers doesn’t tell a story. You have to know what investors want to hear.”
GloLooks has grown a lot in recent years and she now have 12 employees, the proud mom tells us.
“We also have a website so we have a bigger reach and are getting more orders. Recently, we started moving from an exclusively ethnic market and are targeting people of all demographics. Our products are multicultural and work across the board. I am very pleased at how well they are being received. I think the fact that our products are all natural really speaks to people.”
“As well as our treatment products, we are also selling haircare products for everyday use and have opened a new studio which I hope will be just one of many.”
Entries are currently open and close on 10 April 2023 for entrepreneurs from all over South Africa to enter the Engen Pitch and Polish competition online at www.pitchandpolish.com.
Any entrepreneurs who own a registered business or are a sole proprietor are invited to enter. You could stand a chance to pitch your way to success.
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