“Five People Posted”: Woman Shares How She Started Her Business and Only Her Customers Had Her Back

• A South African woman who started the beauty brand AfroCurl shared how she sent out 60 PR packages worth R1,500 each when starting her business
• The woman explained that the people who supported her weren't the friends or family she expected
• South Africans related to her story, with many sharing how they also discovered who their real supporters were
• Briefly News spoke to entrepreneur Rajesperi Naidoo regarding overcoming challenges when starting a business, and who to rely on in the beginning for exposure

A woman who runs a South African beauty brand discussed her experience launching her business, and the story hit home for a lot of people. In the video she shared on 27 September 2025, she explained that the people she thought would support her let her down.

She sent out 60 PR packages, each worth about R1,500 in products, to people she hoped would help spread the word. Out of those 60 packages, only five people actually posted about her brand. The sad part was that those five weren't the friends or family she thought would have her back. They were people outside her circle who loved what she was doing. The five who did post were unexpected, and to this day, she remembers them because they showed up when they didn't have to.

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Because of that experience, the woman made a decision. She stopped sending PR packages to influencers who don't actually support her brand. Instead, she focuses on her loyal customers, the ones she calls her "AfroCurl hunnies." She explained that her team picks people who already support the brand and sends them gifts as a thank you. It doesn't matter how many followers they have. What matters is that they genuinely love and support the products.

The woman made it clear that her business is where it is today because of her customers and the grace of God, not because of friends or family pushing it. She said she's grateful for the few friends who did post, but the real credit goes to the people who believed in her brand from the start.

Speaking to Briefly News writer, Nerissa Naidoo, entrepreneur Rajesperi Naidoo discussed how to overcome challenges when starting a business, and who to rely on in the beginning for exposure. She stated:

"Staying motivated when starting a business comes down to having a clear purpose and realistic goals. You can’t rely only on close family or friends for support; they might care about you, but they’re not always your target market. Instead, focus on building your brand through proper business practices: good customer service, consistency, and a product or service you truly believe in. If you can’t afford marketing at first, start small. Use free tools like social media, create valuable content, network in your community, and ask early customers for honest reviews. Word of mouth is powerful when you deliver quality. Most importantly, stay disciplined. Motivation comes and goes, but routine, planning, and showing up every day are what get your business noticed."

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Mzansi relates to the business owner's story

TikTok user @kaylakimkay, who is the CEO of AfroCurl, went viral with over 45,000 reactions as her honest story sounded familiar to netizens who flooded the comments with their own stories of starting businesses:

@marietjiebeukes shared:

"I am stuck at this stage now. Published my first children's book, and NO friend or family supports. Not even with a like or share. So difficult pushing through this stage with no support."

@hlehlen wrote:

"I have never bought anything from you, but I always like and comment. You really motivate me. I can't wait to support you, and I can't wait to try on AfroCurl products."

@joolz said:

"You don't need influencers. You ARE the ultimate influencer!"

@nicol_mokonyane reacted:

"5 people? 😩😭😔"

@zuket09 stated:

"Start your own business and you will see who your real friends are."

@liziwe_matloha related:

"I handed out 30 PR packages of my cookbook to food-loving friends at an exclusive PR dinner. No one posted about it online. But that taught me something important: focus on yourself and support the friends who support you. I had to learn to reciprocate – to give back to those who care about me."

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@nkhensani_maswangany added:

"I started making atchaar, and my friends were the majority of my clients. I was shocked."

Watch the TikTok clip below:

More South Africans building businesses

• Briefly News recently reported on Kaizer Chiefs legend Itumeleng Khune revealing his impressive multimillion-rand property portfolio.
• A woman shared her heartbreak after her brand-new beauty studio in Johannesburg sat empty on launch day.
• A young street makeup artist impressed Mzansi with her R200 transformations in Johannesburg.

Source: Briefly News