Entrepreneurship is a calling.

On image: Lerato Makhisa, owner and founder of Ribbon Collection shoe manufacturing company.

Born and bred In Mangaung in the Free State, Lerato Makhisa is the only child to Miss Winnie Makhisa. This entrepreneur is also a a single mother who has been juggling parenting and building a business for about 6years. Currently, this incredible hard-working woman lives in Bloemfontein, where she runs her shoe manufacturing business named Ribbon Collection. Her mother was a domestic worker is also a single parent who owned a tuck shop. “So I guess that is where I draw my entrepreneurial inspiration from," she said.

When did you start Ribbon Collection and what inspired you to go for it? “Ribbons collection started last year in March. I’ve been in business for a couple of years, but only ventured into manufacturing handmade products last year when the president announced our first hard lockdown. Honestly so, I used to buy goods from abroad and sell them online until I couldn’t do so anymore due to lockdown. I had to come up with a solution to continue with business and create a plan B to service customers who had already placed their orders. I couldn’t receive stock anymore as our borders were closed. So, while I was sharing this problem with a friend, he advised me on to manufacture my own goods so that I can sustain myself and the business”.

What kind of challenges did you face when trying to get your shoe business off the ground and how did you tackle those challenges? “Because I run an online store, it’s always challenging for customers who want to try the shoes before they buy. Some are still used to the traditional way of buying shoes and not yet used to buying online and getting goods delivered to their door step. However, I always make sure I have transparent communication with them and also be honest about products and whether I know if the shoe will fit or not”.

Your highlights thus far? “Every day is a highlight for me”, she smiles. “Making sales almost on a daily basis excites me along with the compliments and good reviews I always get from my my customers. I got an opportunity to make shoes for high profile people that I cannot mention yet, this is definitely the highlight of my business. Doing what you love is exciting even though there are many challenges in business, but because you’re in a space that you know better and you’re passionate about you will never complain much about the challenges and as an entrepreneur, you’ll always try to come up with solutions to all your challenges”.

Lastly, what makes your shoe stands out from other brands and what are you trying to achieve with Ribbon Collection? "We produce our own products using the best quality leather. We are not a mass production company so we can focus on each pair we make and make sure we make the best quality from comfort. In a few years’ time, I’d like to see Ribbon Collection having a physical store and a shoe plant. There’s so much in the pipeline and I would love to work more with young people, especially women, to grow our economy and create employment”.

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Website: http://www.ribbonscollection.co.za

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