ST. LOUIS — Although Sofi Seck does not watch a lot of television, she recently appeared in one of her favorite shows hoping to get a business investment from a hungry shark.
Based in St. Louis, Expedition Subsahara is a home décor company that sells authentic, handcrafted baskets and woodwork products made by women in Senegal, West Africa, —where she was born and raised until she moved to the U.S. as a teenager.
Seck started her business about five years ago with a mission to change the way people view Africa as a whole.
“When I first came to the states, I realized that so much of the African story is told through the lens of poverty,” she said. “And I grew up in a place that was so vibrant and colorful and happy, and I wanted to tell that narrative so that Africa as a continent isn’t this binary history of just poverty.”
Seck and a local artist draw out product designs and send them over to the master weavers where they create the pieces. She noted that 5% of products are made in Ghana and 95% are made in Senegal. Once completed, goods are shipped to a warehouse in Maryland Heights and customers can make purchases online.
“There’s not a lot of industry in a lot of places in Africa. To be able to bring industry and create something on a bigger scale and allow people to work and earn a respectable wage is what is needed,” Seck said.
By showcasing African-inspired pieces and having blog posts that highlight African cultures and ethnicities on her website, Seck hopes people will want to visit and explore Africa.
“I want them to feel the amount of joy and the amount of rhythm, and dance and color, and all of these things that I grew up feeling,” Seck said.
“I want them to be able to say ‘I want to go there one day and I’d like to experience that culture.’ I want them to have a positive outlook in the world so that we can all be connected in a way that is respectful.”
Expedition Subsahara’s second mission is to build a school for girls in Senegal focused on science, technology, engineering, arts and math (STEAM). About 20% of proceeds go to an education fund dedicated to building the school, Seck said.
Last week, Seck appeared on ABC’s “Shark Tank” series, season 14 episode 4, where she shared her story and showcased her company’s products.
“The opportunity came through an email and it’s always been a dream of mine to be on the show,” she said. “It was a very long process of actually getting on because they are very thorough and they make sure everything you say can be verified.”
“It was probably the most intense thing I’ve ever had to do,” Seck said with a laugh.
While the process was intense, Seck said the overall experience of being on the show was incredible.
“I was so nervous, but all of the sharks were so kind. They took their time and asked me all of the business questions,” she said.
Among the great advice given to Seck by the sharks, one notable piece was said by Daymond John, founder and CEO of FUBU.
After telling the sharks she was not going to change the way she runs her business because “the way it’s always been done isn’t working,” he said to her, “The only people in history who’s ever changed the world are the people who never have accepted somebody saying ‘That’s the way it’s always been done.’ ”
She said hearing those words from John gave her “a lot of encouragement.”
After making her pitch and listening to feedback, Seck was not able to make a deal with the sharks because much of the company’s profits pay for the weavers’ salaries, making it difficult to be investable, she said.
While Seck was disappointed that she did not get a deal, she said she received large amounts of support from people who watched the episode.
“People were just telling us how it was the sharks’ loss and everybody was just saying how excited and proud they were of the business,” Seck said. “After seeing all of the encouragement online, it’s been a really positive experience.”
When the episode aired, traffic to the company’s website significantly increased and since then, Seck said there has been an uptick in sales.
“Although we didn’t get a deal, I feel like we got exactly what was meant for us and I’m really grateful for the experience,” she said.
For more information about Expedition Subsahara, click here.