Meet Oageng Manana and Tshegofatso Ramothibe. Tshegofatso is the passionate entrepreneur, finance whizz and one half of the duo behind Meetlo by Citybirds, a design studio creating African-inspired, quality furniture design and interior planning.
Tshegofatso attended the University of Pretoria where she studied for a Bachelor of Commerce in Financial Sciences. After graduating with a distinction in 2016, she pursued a postgraduate Honours in Financial Management. Her partner Oageng graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Physics and Chemistry from North-West University. He also has an Honours in Physics from the University of Johannesburg and an Honours in Medical Physics from the University of Pretoria. In 2021, Tshegofatsho and Oageng decided to combine Oageng’s talent as a designer and Tshegofatso’s business acumen to create a strong and sustainable business.
Today, Meetlo by Citybirds has grown in its craftmanship and design ability with the brand striving to stray from conventional thought to challenge the norms regarding shape and form in the world of design. Instead, Tshegofatso and Oageng are creating a product range that articulates African culture and tells the African story.
In reflecting on their time with the Woolies mentors, an opportunity offered through the Youth Makers Competition, Tshegofatso and Oageng shared their takeaways from the experience. Namely the importance of strong brand packaging, consistent brand positioning and developing a clear and well-executed content strategy,
In the future, Tshegofatsho and Oageng would like to see the business become one of the top design brands in the country. They hope to gain full control of their manufacturing capacity with a fully equipped facility that can deliver at a large scale. Equally, the duo wants to support emerging designers, create jobs for young people and build a business that benefits South Africa’s economy.
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