Africa-Press – Lesotho. AT only 16, Relebohile Tapole is confident to discuss the dos and don’ts of running a business. Tapole, a Grade 12 student at New Millennium High School in Maseru, is starting small, but the baby steps have seen her already setting up an enterprise as a beautician.
With Lesotho struggling to create enough jobs for school leavers, Tapole is already securing a path for herself. “I am aware of the high unemployment rate so after graduation I will have a secure income that will help me,” Tapole says.
She advises people who want to be entrepreneurs to “step out of their comfort zones as there will always be fear”. “Move regardless of how fearful you are,” says the native of Mafeteng, Matholeng, adding emphatically: “Don’t let fear numb you.
Move against the odds. ” She is the founder of Epiphany Nail Bar and Cosmetics, which has a large following on Facebook and other social media platforms where she advertises her services.
She is also a poet who published her first book in her tender years. Born and raised in Mafeteng, Matholeng, she launched her poetry book titled “Pride Before a Fall” in March this year.
“The sky has always been the limit for me,” says Tapole.
“I really didn’t plan to be in production and to be an author at the age of 16 but it is not really a shocker because with me anything has literally been possible,” she says.
“I have been in business my entire life, I have always sold something,” says Tapole, who took from her mother who is also a beautician.
“I started researching on beauty but at some point I had to put the dream aside because I didn’t have money to run with it,” she says.
“I began doing nails in October last year to generate capital I needed to manufacture Epiphany products (hand cream and lip balms),” says Tapole, who used her experience selling snacks to market her beauty business.
She says she has a bit of sales experience as she has always been selling. She says she uses her mother’s Facebook account to market her business. “She has a big platform so it works to my advantage.
” She says her mother also taught her consistency in advertising.
“It’s necessary to spend money in advertising.
” She described her family support system as strong and “very influential” in her decision-making processes.
“My mother has been running a beauty spa for years and she has the knowledge I need on anything.
Every time I have to make a big decision or even a small one, I ask her for some pointers and she is always there for me,” says Tapole, who works alone. About her being a poet, Tapole says it came as a coping mechanism when she was down.
“I didn’t think the work had potential to be published all those times that I had been penning down my poems on a piece of paper,” she says, adding: “At some point when I was compiling all my drafts in one book and then someone told me that I could publish them and it happened.
” She says she penned most of her poems when she was at her lowest point.
“But I believe it could be a motivation to other people, especially my peers.
” She says writing fascinates her.
“This could open so many doors for me at a very young age and nothing fascinates me more than not knowing what is coming next.
” She says her major challenge is lack of finances because her business is still new. Another hurdle is balancing her personal life, well-being, school and businesses.
“It’s hard but somehow God has been coming through for me and I am able to balance it.
It’s all about balance and faith in myself because there was a time I didn’t believe I could do it and it definitely affected my self-esteem,” she says.
“I am more confident and positive nowadays,” says the young entrepreneur who also dreams of becoming a fashion designer.
“I am very proud of myself. I want to own a boutique selling my own designer clothes and range of products in three years’ time,” she says.
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