Starting her business from the ground up, Brenda Thambe turned MUD Makeup Products into a huge success in Sub-Saharan Africa. She single-handedly managed to make the brand renowned in South Africa.
With her persistence and consistency, Brenda has managed to not only become the sole importer of MUD Makeup Products, but she is also the only distributor in Sub-Saharan Africa. Brenda owns three MUD studios in Bloemfontein, Sandton and Mbombela. “You just can’t beat a person who never gives up,” she says.
Brenda says opening the first MUD certified makeup schools in Africa, as well as opening her first franchise outlet, MUD Studio Bloemfontein in 2018, have been the biggest career defining moments for her.
She attributes her success to being a perfectionist and always paying close attention to details. It is important to her to always try to please her clients by utilizing the four senses that have worked for her.
“I’m always thinking about what the client feels, hears, smells and sees when they interact with me.” This is a core lesson she says she learnt from her years of being an employee for another company, before she started MUD in South Africa.
Brenda says that their brand stands out the most because of their honesty, integrity and authenticity. “With MUD we believe that you should ‘Enhance the beauty that already exists’. So if you see all our work, it all comes from a place of incorporating those three qualities.”
Brenda continues to work hard, hosting MUD Masterclasses and interactive Makeup Workshops all over South Africa, Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, with the occasional day off. “I love spa treatments, I’m a foodie and love beautiful food, and on a lazy day I love to binge on my favourite series.”
She expressed her joy, on a business level, looking back at 2022. “I have partnered with four other dynamic and Godly woman, and together we will be building a beautiful business together. A new season, so to say,” she adds.
TEXT: BONOLO MOLOI
