09/06/2022
Lerato Sechele is a young businesswoman all the way from Bethlehem in the Free States. She started her fragrance business, Rato Accessories two years ago and has never looked back - the business world is where she found herself.
MM Communications celebrates women like Lerato who create employment opportunities for themselves and others. Women who work tirelessly to take their businesses to greater levels. 📊🥇
Read more about her business and show your support. By doing that, you too play a role in growing other people's businesses.
1. What inspired you to start your business?
It was the lack of confidence I had with myself and perfumes made me gain back my confidence. It reminded me of who I am and my worth.
I was used to people saying mean things to me, so ever since I got my perfumes everywhere I go everyone would tell me I smell nice.
2. What services are you offering?
Rato Accessories is a fragrance company that sells rebranded fragrances inspired by people. We sell the fragrances in perfumes from different sizes as well as luxury lotions in two different sizes.
3. What have been some of the highlights and successes in your business?
Manufacturing my brand boxes, but the best highlight has to be the Imbokoto Child Project we had at the beginning of the year. We aimed to collect 200 sanitary towels for the project and we had 467 sanitary towels. The support we got from people who came was amazing.
This is a project Rato Accessories did to give back to the community.
4. What makes you different from your competitors?
The quality and luxury of our products make us stand out.
Rato Accessories currently manufacturers colognes and perfumes. Our perfumes are less thicker. We use 40% oil and 60% compound which balances the delusion process of the fragrances and gives it a setting activation, meaning when you spray it the setting activates faster because the oil is thiner.
5. How has the feedback from your customers been like?
The feedback has been great. We are proud of ourselves each time we get such positive feedback and people spreading the word about our products.
I believe in constructive criticism because it helps me grow. Most of my improvements are from my clients, my day ones who have never left my side. They also keep recruiting for me so I take every single comment, analyse it and if it can grow my company I definitely work on it.
6. Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?
I see Rato Accessories creating jobs worldwide. The picture is to create a proudly African brand to employ and train the youth in entrepreneurial skills, help them get started and mold them into big brands so that we can minimize the import goods and maximize the exports goods in South Africa.
The 25-year-old businesswoman currently employs two more young people from her community who help her with the running of the business.
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