01 Feb 2018

Twenty-one-year-old Tumelo Kesolofetse is a true definition of beauty with brains and gives new meaning to a self-motivated business woman and entrepreneur.
She is an exemplary to the youth that one cannot entirely depend on government for funding of their businesses, but can also seek funding from other sources such as friends, family and other businesses.

Growing up, the Mmadinare-born had always had a passion for beauty; a passion that drove her desire to be financially stable.
It did not come as a surprise when she decided to venture into a business and open her own salon.

Trading as Eclectic Beauty and Nail Salon, the beauty parlor offers services such as facials, massages, manicures and pedicures at affordable prices using safe products from reputable brands and suppliers that have been proved to be gentle on human skin and also stimulates healthy nail growth.

When quizzed on why she decided to name her business ‘Eclectic  beauty and nail salon’ Kesolofetse said the name means making a choice from what seems to be the best from different sources, which is what she wants her customers to feel when they visit her salon.

The salon, which officially opened yesterday, operates at Fairgrounds, Gaborone at the Vivo Energy Complex.
Kesolofetse, a full-time Business Information Systems student at the University of Botswana said her parents helped fund her business.

“I realised a gap in the market for the services I’m offering and I wanted to become self-sufficient.

I also like new challenges, so by opening this salon, I wanted to see how far I could go and if I could manage the challenge.

I also grew up in a business-filled environment as both my parents own businesses, so I was bitten by the bug,” she added when asked about the inspiration behind opening the salon.
She also mentioned that her salon being youth-owned with its target market being youth, what makes it different from other beauty service providers is the youth-friendly prices to be offered to its customers.

“It is difficult to maintain a glam look, especially if you are a student like me and depend on your school allowance.

That is why I decided to offer students with student ID’s massive discounts to allow them to also look and feel beautiful even at their low budgets,” she noted.

However, she added, customers who are not students will also enjoy special discounts depending on how often they get a particular treatment.

Although the business is fairly new, Kesolofetse highlighted that she has been receiving immense support from her parents, who have helped with ordering stock and finding a space to operate from.

She also mentioned that her friends had been encouraging and receptive of her business, especially on social media networks, which is an excellent platform for marketing her business.

Going forward, she envisions her business growing into a chain of related business entities such as hair, make up and fashion. She hopes to achieve her vision to grow and expand in future with the help of government through youth grants.

“I would like to encourage everyone, especially the youth to identify their passions and use them to sustain themselves and also to utilise as much of the government schemes as possible,” she advised. Ends