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Beauty & Business: How Tara Fela‑Durotoye Created an African Empire

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Africa’s beauty queen began from a ₦15,000 kit, and built an empire that empowered 10,000 women across the continent.

Beauty & Business: How Tara Fela‑Durotoye Created an African Empire

At just 20, while studying law at Lagos State University, Tara Fela‑Durotoye planted the seeds of what would become House of Tara. Starting with a modest makeup kit worth ₦15,000, she began offering bridal services from her university dorm, her artistic touch soon in demand at high-profile weddings.

By 1999, Tara launched Nigeria’s first bridal directory, setting a new standard in the beauty space.

In 2004, she founded the country’s inaugural makeup academy, teaching not just artistry but entrepreneurship, empowering a generation to build careers in beauty.


House of Tara now spans 14 beauty schools and 23 studios across Nigeria and neighboring nations, supporting over 10,000 beauty reps with more than 270 cosmetics and fragrance offerings.

Tara’s vision extended beyond profit; she created economic pipelines enabling many women to achieve financial independence while elevating industry standards.


Her journey wasn’t without challenges. Early hurdles included limited startup capital, lack of mentors, and navigating an unstructured industry; there were no blueprints to follow. Later growth brought the complexities of scaling: attracting and retaining skilled talent, preserving cultural identity across franchises, and resisting dilution from investors seeking quick gains.

Tara’s strategic leadership and commitment to structure, such as implementing a board of directors and comprehensive policies, helped her maintain control over her vision and brand.

She further bolstered her acumen through executive programs at INSEAD, Stanford, and LBS.


Key Lessons for Aspiring Beauty Entrepreneurs:

Start lean, dream big. Begin with what you have and let excellence attract opportunity. Tara did this with ₦15,000 and innate talent.

Create enrichment ecosystems. Build adjacent services, like training schools or directories, to reinforce and grow your core business.

Formalize early. Draft vision-aligned policies, governance frameworks, and hire trusted advisors before expansion.

Invest in you. Prioritize continuous learning, global exposure builds capacity and credibility.

Lift as you rise. Empower others through mentoring, product development, and inclusion to fuel industry growth.


What’s the one beauty business idea you’ve been dreaming to launch? Share below and get inspired!

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