Sesima Kamara
is
a queer Liberian troublemaker entrepreneur that has made it a point to strive
for her goals by making her imagination become her reality. Sesima is the Founder
& Creative Director of Cecret Candles & Accessories. A Contemporary Pan African Inspired Line of Home
Fragrances & Accessories Spotlighting African, Caribbean & American Cultures Worldwide, While Using All
Natural Based Ingredients & Invoking Memories to Last a Lifetime. She has an Associate in Fashion Design &
Merchandising and is currently working as a
Career Advisor, helping young adults to find the right college and while also
helping to seek employment in their career. What is important to also mention is that prior to the interview Sesima reached out and wanted to know more about our organization! This was simply fantastic that she took the time to not only learn more about Women Change Africa but also to provide positivity and encouragement to the work that we do! At the end of our introductory conversation I was so drawn into her and wanted to learn more about this phenomenal lady. This interview was so empowering because I could tell Sesima is a woman that doesn't take no for an answer and finds light even in the darkest of places and makes something out of anything. This is what creativity and innovation is about. Her light exuded throughout the interview and I enjoyed chatting with her. I hope you enjoy as much as I enjoy telling her story, and I encourage you to share it with as many people that you know.
ON SESIMA THE WOMAN
Q: Describe yourself in 1 word and tell
us why you chose that word?
A: Ambitious
Q: Tell
us a bit about yourself, your cultural heritage and background, where you grew
up and what brings you to this work?
A: I was born in Staten Island NY and grew up in Liberia as a child!
When the civil war started I had to evacuate the country because I was born in
the US. My mother Mamie made a point to impose Liberian culture and heritage on
my siblings and me at a very early age so we
wouldn’t forget it. Growing up in the states helped me discover my creative
talents. At an early age I discovered I had a love for expressing myself
creatively and artistically. I’m inspired by women and more importantly my mom.
She is someone that inspires me just by being herself. She takes great pride in
herself but most importantly in her home (that’s her baby); she wants
everything nice, neat and clean. She’s always burning candles after cooking
or cleaning in our house and remembering that is what
triggered pleasant memories and is what inspired my candle company and has
brought me to where I am now.
Q: How do you take
care of yourself and what to you enjoy doing to take time for yourself outside
of work?
A: I’m catching up more up on my reading and
educating myself on various topics that I am inspired by. I love hanging out
with my family and friends when I’m not busy making
candles or sewing accessories.
ON CANDLES AND ACCESSORIES
Q: So tell us
about your brand Cecret Candles. What made you start your company at what
moment did you decide you wanted to launch?
A: I started the company because I saw a need in the market,
every candle that I picked up in various departments stores did not resonate
with me. So I decided to change it and launch my company
Cecret
Candles & Accessories is a Pan African Inspired Line of Home Fragrances
& Accessories Spotlighting African Cultures Worldwide, Using All Natural Based
Ingredients. While Invoking Memories to Last a Lifetime.
The
candles are homemade soy lotion candles that have been handcrafted with the
finest ingredients in eco-soy vegetable base wax, GRADE A unrefined shea butter
and high quality premium fragrances infused with essential oils. Cecret Candles
can be used as a massage candle; it is designed to keep the skin feeling soft
and moisturized with all natural ingredients.
The
Cecret Accessories line
are handmade Ankara tote bags, infinity scarves,
make up bags and pillowcases all designed to keep you in mind and make a
statement.
Cecret
Candles & Accessories aims to create awareness to various languages, expressions and
lifestyles worldwide while connecting cultures to invoke memories
that will last a lifetime.
Take for instance “DASH” is a common slang that’s used in
West African English from Sierra Leone to Cameroon. The meaning is Pigeon Talk,
a slang used by vendors to wholesale customers to give a bonus or
discount.
Q: What problem
are you trying to solve with your company? Tell us about what are the types of
services you provide what would an ideal client receive from you?
A: some of the
problems my company is trying to solve is how to create job opportunities for
people in Liberia. I am one of the lucky few that got the
opportunity to escape the war in Liberia and every time I travel back home, I
see how the war has affected the people and the country economically. I
honestly hope and pray to be well established so that I can go back to Liberia
to help those in need.
Some of the services my company provides is working with
various clients by helping them to enhance their home décor or creating a
signature or personalize candle for them and helping them by making their
vision come true. I try to do it all. For me it’s important that I treat my client’s like family and give them high
quality services and products.
Q: What is an
interesting project/item you are currently working that you don’t mind sharing
with us?
A: I am introducing 3 new
scents for the upcoming holiday season. I’m super excited and cannot wait to
share it with you all…YAY.
Q: As the Founder of your company tell us the 3
most important things you have learnt in your work that you want to share with
others who are interested in starting their own business in this industry?
A:
1. Let Go of the Fear
of Failure
2. Have Lots of Patience “it’s not going to be walk in park”,
3. Perfect you’re Craft.
Q: Tell us about a
personal challenge you overcame as a leader in this capacity and how did you
overcome it?
A: One of
the challenges that I have over came was re-branding my candle company. In the
beginning when I decided to start my company. I took it more as a hobby, than a
business. The first design concept packaging was a black chalkboard inspired
glass jar and used neon markers to write on the jars. When friends and family
started to take notice in my business and asked me to really think about my brand
of candles, its then that I had to put on my thinking cap and ask myself where
do I see this brand and also ask myself as a consumer what do I look for in my
products? The light shine so bright and I went back to the drawing board and
repackaged the brand into a more marketable product that I feel people are going love. Its one of those stories
that’s going to be told forever and its Africa’s #CecretCandles
Q:
What advice do you provide to young women who may be interested in this
field and are looking for how to actually start their businesses?
A: There’s going to
be a lot of obstacles in life and its going to get very uncomfortable but you have to trust GOD and believe in
yourself, believe in what you stand for and have patience but most importantly
WHATEVER YOU DO, DO NOT GIVE UP.
Q: 10 years from now where do you see
yourself?
A: I see my brand in every “Home
Goods” Department Stores Internationally!
Q: Finish the
sentence “Women Change Africa because…..?”
A: we
enrich each other
