Meet Tinevimbo Chimwaza | Entrepreneur & Financial Services Professional

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tinevimbo Chimwaza and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tinevimbo, we’d love to hear about how you approach risk and risk-taking
I view risk-taking as a calculated effort toward a goal. Risk can be rewarding, it can be hedged, or it can be detrimental. I have been in banking for over a decade and my career was all about taking risks and hoping for the best. I left someone else’s dream job to pursue entrepreneurship and started my company, Bantu Coils. In regards to my business, I made the decision to build the company debt free so I’ve had to make some tough decisions along the way. This meant having to forego certain things and taking on additional roles/responsibilities that could otherwise have been outsourced. I feel as though in your life journey you chart your own path and it is best not to compare your journey to other people’s life journey. Risk has taught me to “chew the meat and leave the bones” but never allow indecisiveness to stop you from reaching your potential or goals.

What should our readers know about your business?
My business is Bantu Coils which is a vegan beauty brand with the tag line “from the soil to the coil”. I started this company as a love letter to my ancestors. I wanted to use indigenous African plants in my products to answer the age old question, “what did our ancestors use for hair and personal care?” I loved hearing the stories about the Bantu Migration and how information was passed from tribe to tribe starting in western Africa all the way down to southern Africa. It is said that Bantu people shared stories, recipes, weaponry and more. In that spirit, I wanted to do the same and share all that I know with my customers and those who engage our brand. I am most excited about scaling our brand reputation, collaborating with content creators to add additional value to our customers, and continuing to drive equity. The entrepreneur road reminds me of Robert Frost’s famous poem, “The Road Not Taken”. I always say it’s not for the faint hearted but if you persevere on the road through failures and successes you will either succeed or learn. Find the teachable moments while building your brand and you will learn to trust and then enjoy the process.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I love the city of Roanoke, Texas. It is known as the “unique dining capital of Texas.” As a foodie, I would include a stroll through downtown Roanoke for some Thai food, then there is a lovely formal dining experience at The Classic, which is located in repurposed house turned restaurant and boasts its own fresh vegetable garden. My top favorite barbeque spot would be Hard Eight (I think the Patriots offensive line can agree with me). The smokers are right in front of the restaurant and you can smell the delicious smoked meats from outside the building. I would make sure we eat at all the local town favorites including Craft and Vine which features a large wine selection. We cannot miss desert so my favorite candy shop Hey Sugar has great treats for you to indulge in. There are many bespoke finds in downtown Roanoke, not just food but shopping too. Let’s all do our best to support local small businesses as they are the backbone of our economy.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I would not be where I am today without my family and friends. They are my cheerleaders and offer encouragement whenever I need it. They are my cheer group and everyone needs a cheer group. I would also like to shoutout the organization SCORE which has plenty resources to help entrepreneurs including mentorships and courses. I kept motivated by reading Soar by T.D. Jakes and #Girlboss by Sophia Amoruso. I am forever grateful for everyone’s contribution to my success.

Website: www.bantucoils.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bantucoils/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/bantucoils

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bantucoils

Image Credits
Tyler Short Marcus Laws