South African entrepreneur and Native Child founder Sonto Pooe has advised aspiring entrepreneurs to pursue businesses driven by passion and purpose rather than making money their primary motivation.
Pooe, who built the natural haircare and body care brand from small-scale beginnings, said financial returns should be viewed as a by-product of creating something meaningful for customers.
According to her, entrepreneurs who genuinely love what they do are more likely to remain committed through the difficulties that come with building a business.
“Money should never be the motivation. It is a by-product of a service of love,” Pooe said.
She said her entrepreneurial journey was driven largely by her personal experiences with her hair and skin, as well as her desire to create products that addressed the needs of people of colour.
Native Child was launched in 2015 after Pooe left her previous professional career and acquired the skills and knowledge needed to establish a formal hair and body care business.
What began with a single product, hair growth castor oil, has since developed into a recognised African beauty brand with products distributed beyond South Africa.
The company’s products are available in markets including Eswatini, Namibia, Botswana, Lesotho, the United States and Ghana, while international customers can also purchase them online.
Pooe said the brand was established with a broader purpose than simply selling beauty products.
She wanted to create a proudly African brand that would encourage people, particularly those of African descent, to embrace their identity and feel confident in their natural appearance.
Native Child focuses on plant-based haircare and body care products, with Pooe stressing the importance of safe ingredients, ethical production and accessibility.
The entrepreneur also believes African brands can compete with established international companies by understanding the needs of their target customers.
Pooe said she never allowed major beauty companies such as L’Oréal and Revlon to intimidate her because she understood the experiences and needs of the consumers she wanted to serve.
“I am my target customer. I know the needs of our target market from experience,” she said.
Beyond building the company, Pooe has placed emphasis on educating women about natural hair and skin care while using the Native Child platform to support youth empowerment initiatives.
Her entrepreneurial achievements have earned industry recognition, including the Clicks Supplier of the Year Awards Best Small Enterprise Development Award in 2021 and 2023. The brand has also received two Gold honours at the Gold Pack Awards.
Pooe, however, said the journey has not been without challenges.
She identified managing the demands of business and family, meeting unexpected customer demand, finding the right employees and educating customers about online shopping as some of the difficulties she has faced.
Her experience as a quantity surveyor also provided skills she considers important to her business, particularly professionalism, accountability, budgeting and project management.
For women looking to establish businesses, Pooe urged them to focus on their passion, remain disciplined and surround themselves with people who believe in their vision.
She also cautioned entrepreneurs against taking on unnecessary debt and encouraged new business owners to start small and grow organically.
Pooe said entrepreneurs should also develop a deep understanding of their businesses rather than depending entirely on others to drive their companies.
“Everything done in love is done well,” she said, stressing that genuine passion should remain at the centre of entrepreneurship.
For Pooe, the long-term ambition is to see Native Child become a major global beauty brand while remaining committed to African identity, environmentally conscious production and accessible natural haircare.
