Back in 2003 while Young entrepreneur Lekau Sehoana was doing Grade 8, He was given an old torn Pair of Sneakers because he didn’t have any Shoes to wear to a School Function. Young entrepreneur Lekau Sehoana removed the torn part and redesigned the Sneaker using Denim and Polyurethane. The Sneaker became a hit and people liked it.
Fast forward 16 Years later, He Launched his own Brand called Drip. They launched the Company with 600 Pairs that they managed to sell for 6 weeks. His story starts with him not having Shoes, but it doesn’t end with him Building a Brand, it goes beyond designing School Shoes and Giving Hundreds of them to those in need who are like him 16 Years ago.
Young entrepreneur Lekau Sehoana hails from Ivory Park outside Tembisa, a community that has shaped the business savvy mind that he is today.
Growing up, Sehoana struggled with receiving new shoes in his harsh upbringing.
While growing up with his grandmother he was taught how to sew, which became a useful skill when he started pimping out the soles of his shoes.
Sixteen years later, Sehoana’s interest in creating sneakers became the springboard to pursue a job as a sneaker creator.
“It was a torn Adidas sneaker and I took that torn part off and redesigned it using denim,” says Sehoana.
Although Sehoana essentially recreated the shoe for himself, there was a huge interest in his ability to remodel sneakers which quickly became a business venture for the youngster which he pursued for eight years in his youth.
However, a number of hurdles stood in the way, which halted his business and cost him his matriculation; but 16 years later his love for creating sneakers was re-birthed through Drip SA.
Noting the creative and unique styles that often dominate Braamfontein in Johannesburg, Sehoana wished to create Drip SA as a shoe brand that would resonate with a specific market who typically enjoy hip-hop culture.
No stranger to business as a poultry farmer through his successful venture, Egg Seh Chickens, Sehoana took his time to launch a sneaker brand – especially in finding the right material and prices to launch the now unisex brand made from rubber soles and stretch cotton.
In just under a year, Sehoana has opened opportunities not only for himself but for his family as well.
“My brother now runs Egg Seh Chickens,” Sehoana says.
“My cousin just joined us at Drip SA and my sister currently runs our social media. We are planning on employing more people from our community in our different stores that we will be launching soon.”
Drip SA is currently available at Menlyn Park Shopping Centre, with plans to launch flagship stores nationwide as well.
Sehoana also hopes to use the business as a means of creating opportunities, especially in Ivory Park where he recently launched his restaurant, Huku Dust.
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