One of the stand out baristas at the 2019 SA Barista Championships held in Ballito, KZN was a young woman from Uitenhage, Western Cape. Her name is Sibahle Ngqiva and we've got a sneaking suspicion she's headed for great things. We chatted to her about her new business venture, True Scrubs.
You are a woman of many talents, spoken word, coffee and now an entrepreneur in a new space! Can you tell us a bit about how True Scrubs came to life?
True Scrubs came as a result of me having achy feet, I know a lot of baristas can relate to this because our work require us to be on our feet for long periods of time. So after searching for possible products that I could use, I discovered that good products are actually very expensive. As a result I decided to search for homemade ingredients and remedies, that I could use for my achy feet. I found Natural recipes that worked and made my own soak. It was only when I used the product on my grandmother that I thought of packaging it and selling the product. After she gave me great feedback on how it helped her relieve stress and sleep better, I realized that there could be a market and an opportunity for the product as a lot of people experience the same problem. So I started making soaks and scrubs that are not only affordable but that actually work as well, for people who work long hours and just want to de-stress or people who Just want some TLC on a budget.
Are you still slinging shots at all? I was still working at our roastery when we started the magazine so I know the hustle to start something new :)
Hahaha Yes! I definitely am still slinging some shots. I’ve actually been getting this question a lot lately, but yes I am still a barista. True Scrubs is still a side hustle for now even though it’s doing really well, the plan is to grow the business and hopefully expand it into a huge brand, but even then I don’t think that I’d stop pursing coffee. Like I said back in 2018 while presenting my set at nationals, the plan/ my dream is to one day own my own coffee shop. So you could say I’m working/pursuing on two dreams at the same time. :)
We are of course most interested in your coffee infused products ;) Can you tell us some of the benefits of coffee in your products?
Oh definitely! Coffee is a source of nutrients and is rich in anti-oxidants that help fight skin damage, It also has a lot of great benefits like:
-Making the skin smooth while reducing dark areas and blemishes.
-It enhances blood circulation
-It retains moisture and hydrates the skin
-It has antibacterial properties
-It helps reduce puffiness
-It can help with reducing the appearance of cellulite on your skin, if it is applied regularly. The caffeine content acts as a key to cellulite reduction.
-Anti-inflammatory benefits
•The great thing about coffee is that you can apply it in a lot of ways, it can be used as a scrub,soak and paste.
Where can people find your range?
For now you can only get order the product directly from me. You can find the business page on all the social media platforms at True Scrubs. We will be introducing an online store soon, so you can look out for that. :)
What is your current favourite product and why?
I actually have two favourite products. The detox bath soak and of course our coffee scrub. I’m constantly working and I’m always on the go, so by the time that I get home my body is tired and I want to relax. So I use the detox bath soak to soak up my body, it literally helps me de-stress and relax with no effort. I love the coffee scrub because it smells amazing and it also has a lot of benefits for your body and face, I like to use it as a mask because it removes dark marks and puffy eyes.
If you could give one piece of advice to people out there wanting to start their own business what would it be?
My advice to everyone would be to start small and to start where you are and build from there, because a lot of times people always think that it takes a lot to start a business and it does, if you don’t meet your plans and dreams realistically. I am not saying it’s easy because it’s not, but it is possible. I mean I started my business with tips that I earned and saved and I started my business . Like I always say in order for you to own the candy store, you need to start by selling the candy.
