One of the things I love most about being alive is coming across incredible humans who are doing something awesome with their lives.
Like Carrie Green says “Seeing people play big and go for their dreams, despite the challenges and obstacles is the most inspiring thing.. ”
I write stories of these amazing humans with the hope that the message of their stories find a place somewhere in your heart, and that their stories can talk with certainty of great possibilities that exist for all of us.
I recently had a lovely chat with the incredible entrepreneur Maite Makgoba, founder of the company Childish Trading and Manufacturing.
The young South African, born and bred in Soweto who later relocated to Vosloorus in Ekurhuleni, has a great story to tell.
Maite has walked into the unexplored territory of black dolls business.
She has created her line of black dolls that go by the name “Momppy Mpoppy”. Such ideas can only be birthed from a deep place.
Maite tells us, “The idea came about in 2013 when I could not find anything for my niece as a birthday present.I was looking for a present or a doll that can be relevant to my niece; a doll that my niece could identify with.”
Photo Credit Childish Trading and Manufacturing (Logo)
Maite like the rest of us, had doubts and fear when she started.
She was starting a business which she knew nothing about. The only thing she knew was that there was a need and she wanted to meet that need.
“I had a few sleepless nights like most people when they start a company. The big question was whether it would work or not.”
But because of Maite’s determination, she pushed against all odds; financial odds, against all of that, she decided she would rather try and fail, than not to try at all.
Most of us when faced with uncertainty we give up before we even start.
Maite knew better, she knew that what you don’t know you can possibly learn.
The first step she took to kick start her dream of creating Momppy Mpoppy was to conduct research.
“I found out as much as possible about what I wanted to do. One should not start any business without doing research about the product, manufacturing, the market as well as the costs that will be involved” she says.
Maite’s business is about creating a difference in the lives of children. She wants children to appreciate that black is just as fabulous. She says what fulfills her is the priceless joy on children’s faces when they receive Momppy Mpoppy.
“More than once we have been told that when the children get the doll, the first thing they say is” Look mommy, she looks just like me” and essentially that’s what our brand is about.”
Maite inspire many of us, but who inspires her;
She is inspired by a lot of people she has since meet along her journey.
“There is my team, each person brings a different set of skills and expertise, my friends and family who have supported me from day one and some of the people I went to the Brenson Academy with last, who also have businesses that inspire their communities. And of course Richard Branson himself…lol…”
In another interview with Elle magazine, Maite said, “I want little girls that do not look like Momppy to play with a Momppy Mpoppy because this will open their mind to the real world, which doesn’t have one human race or one standard type of beauty, and such things enhance tolerance.” You go Maite.
Maite is growing in leaps and bounds. Momppy Mpoppy has been given an exceptional reception among different cultures. “Because there are parents of different races that have adopted black children, we have seen them support us a lot. Even people from different ethnic groups across the globe have shown support and interest in purchasing our doll,” she says.
What dissatisfaction can teach us
What I find truly amazing is that Maite in her moment of dissatisfaction she understood that she is the solution “herself”.
We have all found bits of this life that annoy us or dissatisfy us.
We are often dissatisfied by
- answers we cannot find,
- products we need so bad that are not available in the market
- mentors we wish we had but cannot find
All of us have found gaps around us.
Most of us would cuss and say “someone has to do this”.
Ironically that someone just might be you.
Maite’ story reminds me of Walt Disney.
His idea to build Disney land was born out of dissatisfaction. He was dissatisfied by typical merry go rounds amusement parks with chipped paints. He needed a place where the magic of the thrill did not stop, where all the horse go up and down and where cartoon characters would interact with visitors.
So what he wanted he built.
He build a place that carried the enchantment he wanted.
Does it ever cross your minds that the solution is you.
Just may be in the place where you are unfulfilled where your needs are not met is the place where your big ideas, your life’s passions can be found.
Without being at a place of dissatisfaction would Maite have achieved what she has?
If she had pushed that aside thinking “why doesn’t somebody create the dolls I want?” her business would never have seen the light of the day.
May be dissatisfaction can teach us the same way it taught Maite to create the answers we are looking for.
Instead of fighting the dissatisfaction you could flip the script and make it work for you.