1. Can you please tell us more about your business?
My business is called Gadat House, a fashion house aimed not only at creating good quality garments but also at using the power of fashion to unite communities and tell our local stories. Through this brand, I hope to build an environment rooted in equality, justice, and fair pay, and challenge the unfair practices usually found in the fashion industry.
2. When, how, and why did you start your business?
I have always dreamt of being a fashion designer and fully decided to create my brand at the tender age of 12. However, I realized the brand in 2020 during COVID. Before that, I was working a retail job that paid me between R4,000 and R5,000 depending on the hours I worked. I would use half of my salary for transport and save the rest little by little. During the lockdown, I finally had the time to start building the brand, creating social media pages, designing, and working towards the first collection. The reason I started is because I felt that if I didn’t finally decide to do it, I would find many reasons not to.
3. What is your role in the business?
I am the founder and creative director of Gadat House. In a smaller business, this role entails the day-to-day running of the business, including paying invoices, creating designs, planning marketing campaigns, conceptualizing shoots, budgeting, sourcing fabrics, and overseeing production. Additionally, I handle business strategy, team management, brand development, customer relations, networking, and ensuring the overall vision and mission of the brand are maintained.
4. Where did you study and what did you study?
Due to financial strain, I immediately went into the workforce and took a short course on weekends in garment construction.
5. How did you finance your business?
To be upfront and honest, even though my mom worked as a nanny and was a single mother, she assisted me with getting fabrics, and second-hand sewing machines, and the various jobs I found helped me finance the business. I also asked for or bartered my skills for free shoots for my brand.
6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.
I think I represent the entrepreneur with a 9-5 job because my typical day when I follow my routine, consists of waking up early and checking my business emails. Since I work in the fashion industry as a booker and am passionate about connecting with talent and models, my 9-5 job feels aligned with the work Gadat is doing. I make my way to work and then, as I return, I unwind and begin my Gadat work from around 6 to 10 or 11. Weekdays are admin days for the business, and weekends are creative days when I buy fabric, finalize designs, pick up garments, plan shoots, and so forth.
7. How do you balance your home life and your work life?
I am still figuring out how to find a balance, but as someone who takes my mental health seriously, I make sure to have practices on a day-to-day basis to keep me uplifted. I text my mom every morning and evening and make sure to keep my space relatively clean. My friends are very understanding, and we tend to catch up as time allows. My brand feels like it is a part of me, and having it as a part of my life feels as natural as breathing, so I think I am always balancing it into my life in a way.
8. What drives you and inspires you?
I am quite a driven person by nature, even in sports, dance, and other practices. But I think what drives me most in entrepreneurship is knowing that I can change parts of ‘my’ world—things I felt were not fair or right move me to be better and do better. I am also constantly inspired by art, music, and movies, but what inspires me most is people—their ability to grow and change, to create, to realize their potential, to love, to connect, and to see the power in coming together.
So yes people, that’s what moves me and inspires me most.
9. Where and when do you have your best ideas?
I get most of my ideas at night. There is something about feeling like the rest of the world is asleep that connects me to myself and my ideas the most. Usually, I will have little ideas building up during the day, but it is at night when I can see them.
10. Where and how do you market/advertise your business for sales leads?
I mostly use social media for marketing and advertising.
11. What is next for your business?
The next chapter for my business is finally having an e-commerce store, a full collection with a lookback and a showcase. I hope to expand my team artistically and also in terms of production. I plan to collaborate with many different artists to bring their stories and ideas to light.
12. What advice would you give to female entrepreneurs hoping to start their own business?
I would say the reasons to start outweigh the reasons not to. Utilize the power of the internet and remember, whether you start now or in the next two years, time will pass. Make it worthwhile by researching and asking questions, even if that’s all you do for two years. Time will pass regardless, so make sure to spend it wisely
To learn more about Nompumelelo Nhlapo, a Woolworths Youth Maker, click here.