WINDHOEK - As the saying goes, team work makes the dream work, and two trailblazing entrepreneurs are harnessing this power of collaboration to add a touch of luxury and sweetness to Valentine’s Day this year.
In a world where everything seems to be a competition, it is refreshing to see two businesswomen creating empowering and creative collaborative environments to expand their business horizons by leveraging each other’s networks.
Shiwomeho Kalla and Mutindi Jacobs are two dynamic young entrepreneurs, unburdened by preconceived notions of competition. They are the owners of Shiwa The Baker and Karibu Flowers, respectively. Their alliance was an experiment in interdisciplinary collaboration as their businesses are from two different, but complimentary industries. By bringing together their unique products and expertise, they are creating something extraordinary, memorable and romantic, which perfectly encapsulates the spirit of Valentine’s Day.
“As entrepreneurs we have the unique ability to spot opportunities and create something that people don’t even realize they need. That’s why it was easy to team up with Mutindi because we have a shared vision of growing our businesses by becoming the leaders and in some way, disruptors in our respective industries,” said Kalla. “We’ve seen how every year, for Valentine’s Day, consumers are bombarded with the same gifting options, that is bouquets of flowers and cute baskets filled with chocolate, champagne and biltong treats. While there’s nothing wrong with those, this year we’d like to add more decadence and inspired gifting that makes the heart sparkle”, said Jacobs.
The pair is collaborating on an exciting project aimed at adding a touch of opulence to Valentine’s Day. They are offering a variety of luxury hampers stocked with premium delights including Shiwa The Baker’s red velvet and cheese macarons as well Karibu’s iconic flowerbox filled with the finest red roses and complimented by a bottle of sparkling wine.
“Luxury is a lifestyle and we are excited to present it as an experience especially during this month of love. Whatever hamper you choose, your loved ones are in for a treat. What a wonderful way it will be to show your loved ones how much you appreciate them,” said Kalla. The hampers will be available on pre-order from 01 February 2019.
While their luxury hampers will no doubt spread some joy and excitement during the month of love, for Kalla and Jacobs, this partnership is also an opportunity to expand their scope of success in business by offering new products to the market.
Shiwa The Baker is known for her signature decadent cakes and cupcakes. This will be the first time she is offering macarons since receiving formal training in South Africa last year. “For me macarons are like little bites of heaven - they are sweet and fluffy and a joy to eat. After my training, I spent a year perfecting my craft and now I’m finally ready to offer these French delicacies to my clients,” said Kalla.
On her part, Jacobs is ready to reopen her business after a one-year hiatus. “I couldn’t be more excited to be back. Making things beautiful has always been my gift and I can’t wait to start sharing it again with Namibia,” she said. Karibu Flowers will be offering its iconic fresh cut rose flowerboxes as well as a new line of infinity rose boxes which uses high quality preserved roses imported from Kenya that can last up to a year and require no watering.
At the core of both their businesses are the philosophies of empowerment and collective power. As entrepreneurs, they both believe in rising and winning together. By working together, they essentially created a space to learn and grow from one another. The pair believes that great things happen when women collaborate and encourage other women to celebrate each other’s beauty and success, instead of competing.
“With this initiative, we are hoping to create a movement. #CollaborationOverCompetition. We want to see more women working together and supporting one another. Through collaboration, we increase our power and access. This is the new model for advancement in business,” said Jacobs.
As a parting shot, Kalla’s words of advice to other female entrepreneurs are “Collaboration is the key to success. Let us not be fazed by the stereotypes and limitations placed upon us by society or even the current economic downturn. Instead, let us look for opportunities to build thriving and sustainable businesses that positively contribute to building our economy, but also serve as a beacon of hope for the next generation of businesswomen.”