Namibian Sun

Entrepreneurs Shiwomeho Kalla of Shiwa | The Baker, and Mutindi Jacobs of Karibu Flowers, are using the power of collaboration as a business-building strategy this Valentine’s Day. No stranger to the phrase, “there is strength in numbers”, these trailblazers have shown that there is great power in women from different niches, at different stages of their careers, working together to move forward as a united front.

“We launched our first Valentine’s Day campaign in 2019, and after overwhelming success with it, we decided to do it again, only this time, bigger and better!” says Kalla.

The duo is collaborating on an exciting project aimed at diversifying the products available on Valentine’s Day. On offer is a selection of luxury hampers stocked with premium delights including, Shiwa | The Baker’s "red velvet cheesecake jar”, as well as Karibu Flowers’ famous “flowerbox”. Included in the collaboration are Karibu Flowers’ recently launched “Pandora’s Box”, made up of long-stemmed roses and a classic box of chocolates.

Shiwa | The Baker is known for their signature decadent confectionary treats. This will be the second time the cake jar is offered to the public, but the first the jars are personalised.

“We found a way to maintain brand relevance, all the while providing customers with the individuality and personalised experience they desire. The ultimate goal is to create a premium experience for our customers during the month of love and romance”, says Kalla.

Jacobs, who introduced preserved flower boxes last year, challenged herself once again to bring something new to Namibia.

“We are excited to be at the forefront of floral innovation and trendsetting, and this time around, we are introducing the “Pandora’s Box”. Pandora means “the one who bears all gifts” in Greek and is used as a metaphor for curiosity and fascination. Our Pandora’s Box is presented sealed. Inside is a bed of a dozen long-stemmed premium roses, sealed in water tubes to keep the roses hydrated throughout the day”, says Jacobs.

The hampers are available on pre-order until 10th February 2020. 2

Collaborate, evolve and reinvent.

The collaboration last year between the two started the movement, #collaborationovercompetition. The mission was to encourage more women to work together and support one another to increase power and access to their networks.

“What we have witnessed in the entrepreneurial sphere are numerous collaborative efforts mushrooming, particularly between and by women. We are so proud to be pioneers of the #collaborationovercompetition movement, and look forward to reinventing ourselves with every collaboration”, says Kalla.

“Our objective is to continuously improve our product and service delivery, evolve, and reinvent ourselves. This is primarily why we keep introducing new products to the market. There is so much inspiration out there and our goal is to draw from it, “Namibian-ise” it, and make it our own”, says Jacobs.

At the core of both their enterprises are the philosophies of empowerment and collective power. As entrepreneurs, Kalla and Jacobs believe in rising and winning together, and it is this similarity that attracted the one to the other.

The pair shared some tips on how to establish and maintain business collaborations:

For information regarding their Valentine’s Day special, visit @shiwathebaker and @karibuflowersnamibia on Instagram.