From university sweethearts to fashion entrepreneurs
From spare bedroom to boutique fashion outlet
P&H Boutique founders Papa and Hetti Boachi-Yiadom started selling African print designer clothing and accessories online from their spare room in 2012. Soon they needed to extend storage and shipment to their garage. Since then they have established two stores in prime locations, Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, Pretoria, and Maboneng Precinct, Johannesburg. And the business has grown to “South Africa’s home of modern African print fashion”. Hetti says they initially imported Egyptian cocktail shirts for men and exhibited at expos, then started selling online. But as the business grew, they needed something more. “In order to succeed you need to do something authentic to who you are. Papa and I have always loved wearing African print and people would always ask us ‘where did you get that?’ So I see myself almost as a template of who our ideal target market is.”
Starting out
Papa says they didn’t have a lot of capital and were still in their corporate jobs when they started trading. Things changed after reading the book, Unfair Advantage by Robert Kiyosaki. Papa recalls Kiyosoki writing about the importance of investing in yourself and in education. They decided to invest R25 000 in an international Facebook business course. Although a big risk at the time, Papa says they had a return on that money from the business within a reasonable time and turnover increased dramatically.
Business focus
They decided to focus on African print, which they regard as very traditional. “We add a modern and chic twist to it. We are really at the cutting edge of African print designs and that’s why most people come to us. They come to us for the P&H difference that is great quality, excellent service at affordable prices.” P&H targets the young African market who is proud to be African, looking for proudly African products they can wear to special occasions, the office or as day-to-day wear. Hetti says: “Quality, attention to detail and the unique designs we bring to the market set us apart. “Many people out there copy designs and that’s why it is important for us to be trailblazers in our industry and ensure that we are the ones who are copied, because we are ahead of the trend.” All clothing and accessories are hand-made from scratch with careful attention to detail, using the highest quality African wax print fabrics and 100% dashiki material. Subsequently, P&H Boutique has become one of South Africa’s biggest online websites dedicated to African print fashion and facilitates nationwide delivery across the country.
Utilising social media in the retail industry
Papa says they utilise social media to grow their business community, rather than getting sales. “Social media has helped us a lot in terms of our business being our community. Instead of looking at social media in terms of getting sales, we look at it in terms of building a community and in that community provides useful advice about our designs, for instance.” He says interaction on social media enables them to measure appeal or dislike of their products. Within a year they had 30 000 Facebook followers and 250 000 after a year and a half. “They ‘like’ us on Facebook, ‘share’ with their friends when they think something is amazing and tell us if it is not.”
Keeping customers happy
Hetti regards their customers as their business partners. “We engage with our customers daily. They are truly the lifeblood of our business. We don’t see them as customers, they have become part of the community we all belong to. “When we plan new designs, we engage with customers to find out what they think of the designs and how we can improve on them.”
Business approach
“I think what is important is to dream big, to dream really big but at the same time start small,” says Papa. “The important thing is just to start because you will learn along the way. And be prepared to learn, because you won’t know everything from the beginning. Stay focused on the dream and the goals in order to achieve those dreams and hang out with great-minded people. It makes a world of difference.” Papa reads a lot and says he has learnt so much from successes and failures shared by other entrepreneurs. He quotes Miles Kubheka, owner of Vuyos, who resonates the importance of location, location, location. “If I could have read that book before we started the business, I would have made different decisions.” Hetti says they build on small stepping stones of success to keep on growing. “I don’t think there is a point where you feel like you have made it. We are constantly dreaming. That is the life of an entrepreneur, constantly envisioning what we want for the future and we are really living from small success to small success.” Papa says the DNA of an entrepreneur revolves around winning. “No matter what happens I am going to win this. If it means getting out of my comfort zone, reading all these books and doing courses. We know no one else is going to make it happen for you. You are the only one who is going to make it happen.”
It all started on honeymoon
Hetti recalls, while at university, she and Papa were regularly dreaming about their own business. She wanted to have her own business before the age of 35. “Through the support of our customers, through the support of South Africans coming to shop with us daily, I’ve been able to realise that dream. This for me isn’t something that’s radically different; it’s actually me living my best life,” says Hetti.
