How Michelle Mokone's entrepreneurial vision became the homeware brand Mo's Crib

Imagine starting a successful academic career in law, and then you decide you actually have other dreams you want to pursue.

That's exactly what happened to Michelle Mokone, the co-founder of the South African homeware brand Mo’s Crib.

But before making it big in the homeware space, Mokone earned her living as an agricultural economist, specialising in research within the grain and oilseed industry.

But it's her passion for entrepreneurship that shines brightest, showcasing her skills and talent as a in the business of  homeware design in South Africa.

She gave up on her career as an agricultural economist, finding a niche space to thrive in the entrepreneurial world. 

Mokone currently holds the position of Marketing & Operations Director at The Alice Group (Mo’s Crib), where she coordinates and supervises various business activities, with a particular emphasis on digital marketing, supply chain management, and accounting operations.

Speaking to Stephen Grootes on The Money Show, Michelle Mokone, co-founder of Mo's Crib says her career has by no means been easy.

"We really struggled a lot. Having to go from, having a comfortable job, to now having to sustain your personal life and also grow the business, when you know nothing about investment and funding," says Mokone.

She says the business grew slowly, which required them to remain dedicated and passionate about seeing it succeed.

"We survived in friends for a very long time, until the business got to grow way faster than the cashflow, to a point where we really had to start Googling and searching. We ended up learning more about funding. So for a very long time we were very self-funded," added Mokone.

Mo's Crib products can be found in a number of retail stores, including Woolworths, Mr. Price Home, @Home in South Africa, as well as Target stores and Crate and Barrel in the USA.

Listen to the full interview in the audio player below.