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02 January 2020
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Story Valentino Ndaba
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Photo Anja Aucamp
Refilwe Xaba, the founder and CEO of Glolooks.
Refilwe Xaba, Senior Assistant Officer in Entrepreneurship Development at the UFS Centre for Development Support, is the founder and CEO of Glolooks. This Bloemfontein-based company manufactures and supplies an organic, natural hair product range.
When she first developed the products, they were for personal use. Xaba evolved from an intrapreneur to an entrepreneur. She innovated a personal solution into a booming business idea. It was only in May 2016 that she decided to go into business, following growing interest in the way she maintained her hair. “I officially started in-depth research in October 2015, after years of making concoctions for myself.”
Business and books
Xaba reckons that a research background is beneficial for growing a business such as Glolooks that has a huge technical aspect. She is currently pursuing her PhD in Entrepreneurship with a focus on marketing and is planning to use her business as a case study.
Her undergraduate, honours, and master’s studies, which she completed at Kovsies, contributed to equipping Xaba with skills to grow her business. She believes in balancing education and business. “I have always been commerce-orientated. If there is a problem to be fixed, I fix it. However, people are at the centre of my heart.”
Growing Glolooks
In 2019, Glolooks opened a salon in Westdene, where customers can receive a holistic experience above and beyond merely purchasing the product. Xaba says this is one of the ways her business is being innovative when it comes to creating relationships with customers.
Students get a place to rag
2008-01-16
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A jol place where students from the University of the Free State (UFS) can socialise during events such as rag and intervarsity was officially handed over to the UFS by the builders this week.
The Jol place, which is situated on the Western Campus, has ten float building areas, each with its own power points (currently temporarily) and container (also temporarily). There are also outside taps and high-mast lights on the premises and a large area has been paved. The covered area includes an open stoep, kitchens, a bar, and a stage with artists’ dressing rooms as well as bathrooms for men and ladies and for persons with disabilities. The premises, that includes wooden and concrete benches, can accommodate 1 200 people.
The total project cost for this facility was R6,3 million, of which just over 50% was contributed by Absa.
Attending the hand over ceremony were, from the left: Prof. Frederick Fourie (Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS), Mr Natie Botes (from the building company Ströhfeldt Sikeye Joint Ventures), Ms Edma Pelzer
(Director: Physical Resources and Special Projects and the UFS), Dr Natie Luyt (Dean of Student Services), and Jolice Neniëls (forth-year LL.B. student).
Photo: Leonie Bolleurs
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