‘My business is to help other people’

With Spas in Joburg, Cape Town and Durban, Khanyi’s Glow is making its presence felt. The beauty and wellness parlour, which is the brainchild of Nokukhanya Ngcobo, employs 30 people.

Ngcobo, 31, who is also a practising sangoma, says she has been business-minded from an early age.

“I would sell things to my peers and colleagues when I got to the corporate space, and I can proudly say entrepreneurship is in my blood,” she reflected in an interview this week.

Ngcobo holds a marketing degree from the Mangosuthu University of Technology in KwaZulu-Natal. She said venturing into the beauty industry was ideal as it helped her heal her patients as she is also a sangoma, and this allowed her to give her clients the confidence they needed before receiving any skin treatment. She said she is able to do all that as a spiritual person, hence it makes her continue in the beauty industry.

“Our approach in the way we do our day-to-day business allows us to give people the confidence to do good for themselves in their lives. Being a sangoma means that I am a healer, and Khanyi’s Glow gives me that ability to help others heal,” said Ngcobo.

Khanyi’s Glow uses natural products only, and she comes up with most of the ingredients, with the guidance of her ancestors. As a business, they believe in a holistic approach to treatment and their products are designed around that concept.

“My journey as a sangoma has improved me as a businesswoman because the Khanyi’s Glow experience is more than just a client coming for skin treatment. As you know, some of these skin diseases are not natural, some are inflicted on you. People are faced with a lot of challenges in their lives and we end up giving consultations that have a healing significance beyond the skin,” she said.

Despite opening branches in three cities in less than five years, she said her business journey has not been easy.

“We have managed to employ over 30 young women. Running a business is not easy, and running a spa is no exception. I knew I was bound to face several challenges that undoubtedly became frustrating along the way, however, I’m blessed enough to have not faced many challenges from the beginning. That is why we are even able to open other branches, although we are only two years in the industry. It’s truly been through the grace and guidance of my ancestors,” Ngcobo said.

She said one of her greatest achievements is the capability to have uplifted several women within her business, and introduced them to sustainable living practices.

“Opening three branches across the country are just a great feeling and a sign that indeed Khanyi’s Glow is going places,” she said, adding that their clientele has grown through word of mouth, via their website and social media.

Giving advice to aspiring business people, Ngcobo said being a good entrepreneur takes courage.


“Becoming an entrepreneur and starting out on your own is scary, but it does not have to be. Many successful entrepreneurs started their own business whilst working in another job to pay the bills, there is no shame in starting slowly. Just start,” she concluded.

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