Mathebe Molise is the dynamic South African entrepreneur behind Beauty on TApp, a ground-breaking digital platform that is revolutionising the beauty industry in South Africa.
The journey of Mathebe Molise is one that follows an entrepreneur who, after a successful career in investment banking, founded Beauty on TApp and Pastry Skincare. Qualifying as a chartered accountant in 2013, Mathebe went on to spend time honing her skillset in Boston, Massachusetts, USA followed by a period at top investment bank, Rand Merchant Bank, fulfilling various roles over 8 years.
Born and bred in the City on Gold, Mathebe has always set her goals high and over the past few years, she has achieved a great deal.
Mathebe Molise
What inspired Beauty On TApp?
I’ve always been known to have a strong interest in beauty, so after much planning, in 2015, I launched the Beauty on TApp app. What started as a service offering that connected customers with local beauty businesses, evolved into an e-commerce business that retails a range of beauty and self-care products. Despite having been in business for close to four years when COVID hit, the pandemic encouraged people to start relying to on e-commerce to shop their essentials and Beauty on TApp was well positioned as we had a range of products people were looking for complemented by outstanding customer service and efficiency.
What inspired the move to launch a physical store after having been online?
The online community really supported the brand, and we want to take it a step further by allowing them the opportunity to see, feel and touch their products of choice. Word of mouth is a powerful tool and we’ve been fortunate enough to build a community because of this. As the team and I take on this new journey, we look forward to connecting with customers, fostering stronger relationship, and encouraging the learning culture.
Entrepreneurship is no easy journey, what are some of the challenges you faced and how did you overcome them?
Funding remains an ongoing plight in South Africa, and this meant that I had to self-fund the growth of the business. In the early days, the success of the business was heavily reliant on my personal financial capacity, with me having to use my salary to fund Beauty on TApp and its ongoing expenses. My strong financial background has been the most instrumental tool in the business model and strategic planning which has also anchored the businesses’ steady growth. I feel incredibly lucky to have had previous working experience before going out on my own because that experience has been instrumental in helping me show up for this phase of my life.
Molise’s entrepreneurial spirit and dedication to empowering African beauty brands has earned her numerous accolades, including being named a future wealth creator by Forbes Africa Magazine and a place as a finalist for the Veuve Cliquot Bold Woman Awards 2022.
The faucet on African beauty innovation is wide open with pioneers like Molise leading the pack in the continent. Beauty on TApp is a must watch contender in the beauty industry from its digital footprint solidifying its mark and the much-anticipated grand unveiling of their first store in Mall of Africa.
