by Brigette Mashile, founder and ceo of Roka Roko
Roka Roko was started from passion. I simply wanted to make dresses. What an easy idea, right? No! I love making clothes, specifically dresses; hence the name Roka Roko (sew a dress in English). I am not quite sure when this obsession started, but my sister tells stories of me making dresses out of boxes for our dolls. I then managed to hone this love as the years went by, getting better each year. Then one day I decided I am going to make this business idea a reality.
Of course, before that day, I did what I believed to be great preparation. I completed a marketing degree, secured a fashion buying job, then a fashion sourcing job, and then finally completed a fashion diploma. This should have me ready right? Again, no! I did feel semi ready and strong enough to go into this industry. So, I jumped in head first and today I have a lot to say.
Roka Roko is approximately 4 years old. On a good day, I love my work and my clients. On a great week, Sizolwenkosi and I complete about 8 to 10 tailored dresses. We do this calmly, happily and well. We have a 90% happiness rate, with clients dancing and singing in front of the mirrors. Our clients pay us on time, and we go home feeling great, happy in the knowledge that we added some more smiles on that day. This is the dream, the tag line and what we want to continue to do.
But, at a time like now it feels more like work than passion. We have the lovely opportunity of serving brides and their bridal parties. This is by far the most challenging time of our work. We need to complete about 15 or more dresses a week; more detailed items and specific fabric requests. We also deal with a lot of client issues that delay and change our work process. It’s in these weeks where we realize Roka Roko is a business.
This is the toughest thing for people who are passionate about their craft - people who have converted their art into a business. The trick is to learn how to separate oneself from the business and not make clients’ dealings personal.
This is the time when targets become more important; and motivation is tough to keep up. Most of the month it feels like you are failing everyone; but then there is that one client who reminds you why you woke up that morning.
I am an optimist in life and always manage to find a silver lining in almost everything. This busy time has made me ask how else to run Roka Roko without ever being tempted to lose my passion. How else to avoid disappointing clients during our busiest times; how to keep that 90% happy rate all year round. The answers I am coming up with equal growth and also new avenues we have been thinking about but not having a good enough reason to try. Well, 2018 will be a different year.
A business has to grow; it cannot remain as the little cute idea you had growing up. It evolves, it challenges you, and demands a lot from you. This is a massive challenge for most creatives in product based businesses.
We want to hold on longer. We want to control and own. But one day you realize you are just not capable of running your dream alone; and that your original strategy will not yield that massive success the business is heading for. It is essential that as an artist, you emotionally and mentally grow with your business. This will assist the growth in your business to help it run smoothly, efficiently and grow massively.
Good Luck In Letting Go
Brigette Mashile
Brigette Mashile is the founder and creative force behind Roka Roko, a custom fashion design business based in Johannesburg, South Africa. The company passionately delivers quality tailored and trendy fashion to make their customers happy, and specializes in styling women by creating unusual combinations with fabric, culture and style. Brigette has a Bachelor of Commerce degree from the University of Witwatersrand and a Fashion Diploma from Studio5 School of Fashion. She’s a former fashion buyer for a major retailer in South Africa, and an international direct selling company. She’s been passionate about fashion since the age of 10 and gained invaluable experience in the fashion world running informal fashion creation businesses until the day her own Roka Roko brand was born. Find out more by visiting the Roka Roko website www.rokaroko.co.za