Quote of the Day by Abai Schulze

February 7, 2020 Melanie Hawken

"…we want to be a widely recognized and sought after brand that equates “Made in Africa” with brilliance in craftsmanship, artistry, and deep cultural roots."

Abai Schulze, founder of ZAAF (Ethiopia)

Quote of the Day by Abai Schulze

January 10, 2020 Melanie Hawken

“… for the first two to three years you have to be ready to have an equal measure of pain and joy with a strong tilt towards pain for most of the first 18 months."

Abai Schulze, founder of ZAAF (Ethiopia)

100 Lionesses: ZAAF set to open new store in Washington DC on 1 December

November 25, 2018 Melanie Hawken

Award-winning Ethiopian accessory brand, ZAAF, founded by Abai Schulze, has recently announced the exciting news of its planned opening of its new store in Washington DC in the US.

Quote of the Day by Abai Schulze

October 4, 2017 Melanie Hawken

"Execution is the stuff of success – passion is just one of the ingredients."

- Abai Schulze is founder of the creative, new Afro-luxe brand ZAAF who create handcrafted luxury leather handbags and accessories produced by artisans in Ethiopia. Abai, born in a remote village in Ethiopia, has had a truly remarkable life journey. Her journey has taken her from an orphanage in Addis Ababa to the United States where she was raised, and back to Ethiopia. Today, she passionately uses her background in economics and fine arts to create unique and practical expressions of beauty, and to open avenues of opportunity for talented artisans in Ethiopia and the rest of Africa. Her designs draw upon precious cultural relics and allow them renewed expression through fresh, uplifting and modern designs.

Entrepreneur Advice from Abai Schulze: Done is better than perfect

August 9, 2017 Melanie Hawken

It was social media expert and author Scott Allen who quipped: “Done is better than perfect”....

"This was my first learning curve. Being a perfectionist is well regarded in many creative industry work environments. It shows you are dedicated and passionate about your work. I tend to be this way. However, I came to understand that in the context of decision-making, this quality could be a disadvantage for an entrepreneur. Getting wrapped up in minute details of my work can mean I miss the big picture."

Entrepreneur Advice from Abai Schulze: Stay focused on the bigger picture

August 1, 2017 Melanie Hawken

Remember to stay focused on the bigger picture....

"Getting wrapped up in minute details of my work can mean I miss the big picture. When running a start-up business, you wear dozens of different hats, so you have to be prudent in how you allocate your time and focus. This doesn’t mean settling for a mediocre product or strategy but rather determining which details has an impact and which are insignificant."

- Abai Schulze is founder of the creative, new Afro-luxe brand ZAAF who create handcrafted luxury leather handbags and accessories produced by artisans in Ethiopia. Abai, born in a remote village in Ethiopia, has had a truly remarkable life journey. Her journey has taken her from an orphanage in Addis Ababa to the United States where she was raised, and back to Ethiopia. Today, she passionately uses her background in economics and fine arts to create unique and practical expressions of beauty, and to open avenues of opportunity for talented artisans in Ethiopia and the rest of Africa. Her designs draw upon precious cultural relics and allow them renewed expression through fresh, uplifting and modern designs.

Quote of the Day by Abai Schulze

December 21, 2016 Melanie Hawken

"Real economic development is about producing top quality products using unique cultural, natural and human resources that can find a place at the highest levels in the global marketplace,"

Quote of the Day by Abai Schulze

November 23, 2016 Melanie Hawken

“I don’t think business school was going to teach me how to run a business in Ethiopia. You don’t go by the book when you are running a business here. You just have to jump into it and learn as you go.”

- Abai Schulze is an Ethiopian-American entrepreneur and the founder of the creative, new Afro-luxe brand ZAAF who create handcrafted luxury leather handbags and accessories produced by artisans in Ethiopia. Abai spent her formative years in an orphanage in Addis Ababa before being adopted at age 11 by an American family. During her schooling in the US, she travelled back to Ethiopia for summer holidays to volunteer in hospitals and orphanages. Today, she passionately uses her background in economics and fine arts to create unique and practical expressions of beauty, and to open avenues of opportunity for talented artisans in Ethiopia and the rest of Africa. Her designs draw upon precious cultural relics and allow them renewed expression through fresh, uplifting and modern designs.