Startup Story

Tuduetso Kereeditse Tebape is the co-founder of Nubian Seed in Botswana, a business that produces natural and organic personal care products using indigenous African botanical and bio-derived ingredients. Tuduetso is passionate about educating on the benefits of these natural ingredients and showcasing Africa's natural wonders for personal care. Tuduetso supports holistic, sustainable living and strives to teach Nubian Seed product users that 100% natural products benefit not only the skin but also foster a connection to the Earth, promoting mindfulness about holistic well-being and a state of Oneness with Mother Earth.

LoA spoke to founder Tuduetso Tebape about her passion for natural skincare and her vision for the future of her brand.

What does your company do?

Nubian Seed manufactures personal care products such as artisan handmade soaps, body scrubs, lip balms, body creams, pregnancy care skin products, salt soaks, massage oils, oil serums, floral water toners, and more. The space Nubian Seed operates out of is partly automated, so the products are both handmade and produced with light machinery.

“Nubian Seed is an eco-friendly, green beauty brand that therefore takes care to leave as small a footprint as possible by sourcing sustainably, using natural & organic ingredients, and using minimal packaging of recycled and recyclable materials wherever possible.”

What inspired you to start your company?

Nubian Seed was founded in 2014 by myself and my sister, Gorata. For us, it was our shared enthusiasm for natural skincare products and creating them, that was our motivating force and inspiration to start Nubian Seed. Moreover, having traveled extensively as children around the globe for over 20 years due to our father’s work and upon moving back to Botswana, we were (strangely) unable to access a raw product (unrefined shea butter from Ghana) which we were accustomed to using. We sourced some in surplus from our aunt in Ghana, began selling what we didn’t need, developed more products from shea butter, and found a pop-up market where we became regulars, and that is how the company grew. It grew from a cottage industry hobby business in 2014 to a company registered in 2016.

Why should anyone use your service or product?

Aside from our strict use of ingredients that are indigenous to the African continent and that Nubian Seed products are effective and accessible (pricing) by many; the Nubian Seed brand embodies a love of Mother Earth and Africa and invites people who use the products, to do the same. Nubian Seed is an eco-friendly, green beauty brand that therefore takes care to leave as small a footprint as possible by sourcing sustainably, using natural & organic ingredients, and using minimal packaging of recycled and recyclable materials wherever possible. A developing unique aspect of Nubian Seed is the introduction of Earth 'n You Moments with Nubian Seed. These are moments in time that invite an individual or group to a holistic personal care and healing experience by giving the participant a deeper connection with Nubian Seed products. Yes, we are a cosmetic manufacturing company, but the foundation of who we are and why we created Nubian Seed skincare, is to give people an understanding that using 100% natural Nubian Seed personal care products takes care of your skin and connects you to Earth.

“Yes, we are a cosmetic manufacturing company, but the foundation of who we are and why we created Nubian Seed skincare, is to give people an understanding that using 100% natural Nubian Seed personal care products takes care of your skin and connects you to Earth.”

Tell us a little about your team:

I am the Founder and Managing Director working full-time on the business. My Nubian Seed Co-founder remains a minority shareholder. Staff is engaged part-time for the production of large orders, or routine production. My finances are mostly done by a consulting accountant, while transport of deliveries (logistics) is done by an engaged supplier. We also have a sales agent who is engaged according to the work required. I plan to hire full-time in production, marketing, sales, and finance by the end of 2024.

Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?

My entrepreneurial journey is borne out of passion and love, and is an expression of my gifts. I am a herbalist and have an intuitive understanding of plants and herbs. I had not planned to start the business with my sister, but from our shared passion for natural skincare products and the need to solve the problem of there not being reliable or quality shea butter in Botswana, I began selling excess unrefined shea butter that was sourced from Ghana. I developed more products from that, found a place to sell, and continued to grow until registering a business in 2016. To improve my business acumen and grow Nubian Seed, I applied (2017 & 2018) to acceleration programs: De Beers Standford Go-To-Market Programme and the Tony Elumelu Programme and NEPAD/SanBIO FemBioBiz. I successfully completed all three, winning $5,000 (USD) upon completing the Tony Elumelu Programme, and winning third place in FemBioBiz. I have continued to grow as an entrepreneur since.

What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?

I plan to launch Nubian Seed's e-commerce site, to all SADC countries in the fourth quarter of 2024. I also plan to export to USA (select States) and the European Union. I also plan to expand by accessing more B2B markets in the hospitality and spa. More plans are to further develop the product range, to be a merger of nature and science.

“I get the most satisfaction from being an entrepreneur when the products I make change someone's life for the better.”

What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?

I get the most satisfaction from being an entrepreneur when the products I make change someone's life for the better. I get satisfaction from creating the products. I get satisfaction from the knowledge that I was courageous and vulnerable enough- to start the company Nubian Seed.

What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?

We have to learn how to be our own cheerleaders and self-motivators; to understand that building a business is a journey with many twists and turns; and to learn who we are, separate from our business, remembering always, always be authentic, and let that show in our work.

Find out more:

Email: tuduetso@nubianseed.co.bw

Website: http://www.nubianseed.co.bw

Facebook: http://web.facebook.com/NubianSeed

Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/nubianseed

Why LoA loves it…

As more and more beauty consumers are looking for natural, eco-friendly alternatives that are both kind to the planet and kind to the skin, it is good to see a new generation of proudly African, green beauty brands emerging on the continent. In Botswana, Nubian Seed is one such brand, and founder Tuduetso Tebape is passionate about creating a sustainable product line that connects consumers to the Earth. Great to see brands like Nubian Seed embracing local and sustainable ingredients and manufacturing processes to build a brand with nature at its heart. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa