You probably didn’t know that these Black entrepreneurs borrowed money to start their business empires

Herman Mashaba

Herman Mashaba is a South African entrepreneur and politician. He founded the Black Like Me skincare company during the height of apartheid when it was nearly impossible for Blacks to operate a business.

He launched the Black Like Me skincare company with a loan of R30 000 (now $1,700). He repaid the loan in less than eight months and today, he has built a multi-million dollar conglomerate.

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He sold his cosmetic products on the street from his car before gradually building a multimillion enterprise. According to entrepreneurhubSA, Mashaba diversified his investments, launched other businesses, and sat on the boards of many companies while traveling the world.