I recently had the honour of sitting down with the Kasi Business Podcast as part of the Small Business Legend Campaign, an initiative by TEA and Nedbank Small Business Services that celebrates entrepreneurs who are turning indigenous knowledge into scalable, world-class businesses.

It was a conversation close to my heart, because it touched on the very reason Toca Essentials exists.

Indigenous Knowledge Is Not Just Heritage — It’s Opportunity

For too long, African indigenous knowledge has been treated as something to look back on. Something we preserve in museums and memory. But I believe it’s so much more than that.

Our traditional knowledge — the botanicals our grandmothers trusted, the rituals of care passed down through generations, the wisdom of healing rooted in African soil — is a foundation for building globally competitive businesses. Businesses rooted in authenticity, innovation and sustainability.

That’s the story I shared on the podcast: how we can honour where we come from while developing products that stand confidently on any shelf, anywhere in the world.

The Toca Essentials Story

Toca Essentials was born in Ekurhuleni in 2021 with a simple conviction: township wellness is not a compromise — it’s a standard. Our beard oils, beard butter and foot butter are crafted with botanical ingredients and formulated to world-class quality, but they carry something no imported product can: our story, our roots, our knowledge.

We call this the Township Wellness Economy. It’s the idea that wellness businesses built in and by our communities can create real economic opportunity — through products, through our foot spa network, and through skills training that turns care work into careers, especially for women.

When we combine our heritage with modern entrepreneurship, we don’t just make products. We build an economy that celebrates African innovation and serves both local and international markets.

Grateful for the Platform

Thank you to the Kasi Business Podcast, TEA and Nedbank Small Business Services for creating a platform that shines a light on kasi entrepreneurs. Campaigns like Small Business Legend remind us that the future of African wellness is being built right here, right now — in our townships, by our people.

Listen to the Full Conversation

🎥 Watch on YouTube: https://youtu.be/VlKBkKjbCX4?si=bGRvxR_SjqhjFB17

🎧 Listen on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/3nBLPp5Tj4wUHyB7xp8oAQ?si=A2XC4WUmRR-myF2vJ6Jjjg

I’d love to hear your thoughts after you listen. What does indigenous knowledge mean to you — and how do you think we can carry it into the future?

— Lebohang Skhosana, Founder of Toca Essentials

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