Building a business that bridges culture and modern innovation takes creativity and self and social awareness, traits Assetou Coulibaly, founder of Chiwara Co., has in abundance. But don’t just take my word for it.
I sat down with Coulibaly for a heart to heart on culture, consumption and community where she shared the origin story of Chiwara (spoiler: she didn’t set out to be an entrepreneur), discussed appreciating, not appropriating cultural values and gave tips on setting sustainability goals as a small business.
Assetou’s home and culture
Sharon: Can you start by telling us a little about yourself?
Assetou: So I come from Bamako, Mali. I find my home very beautiful. However, it is not the most environmentally friendly home and it has gone through a lot of changes, due to climate change and all of that. I come from two very beautiful and ostentatious tribes–the tribe up in Cai, and I also come from the Bamber tribe.
The Bamber tribe were the last bit of the monarchy that stayed after everything was done, post colonialism, and they were also a part of the revolutionaries that helped fight off the colonizers at the time.
I love fabrics. I love art. I never wanted to be a leader. I started volunteering because I didn't have friends, and that’s how I made friends.
People may tell you that your business is too niche or that it won’t appeal to a broad audience. But if you believe in your mission, keep going. Stay true to what you’re building.Assetou Coulibaly
The origin of Chiwara
Sharon: I’d say that your brand, Chiwara, is squarely at the center of culture and innovation. Can you tell us its origin story?
Assetou: I was bullied into being an entrepreneur. My business started because I wasn't seeing inclusive enough conversations when I lived in Kelowna (British Columbia, Canada). We wanted to create a space where women of color, specifically Black women, could meet each other. That turned into consulting for other companies around creating inclusive spaces. Then COVID hit, and it shifted everything.
Not only did it rock my world in the sense that I went through a really transformative journey mental health wise, but it really shifted my world business wise. Everybody at the time needed a DEI consultant. Everybody needed to create a book club to talk about why they needed to learn about privilege. Everybody all of a sudden wanted to do these minor little, low-hanging fruit things around inclusivity. And everyone needed something from me.
It really became detrimental to my mental health, and the idea of rebranding and redeveloping Chiwara came from a conversation I had with fellow black women, who also at the time, everybody needed something from them.
Everybody wanted their thoughts. Everybody wanted to hear their feelings. Everybody wanted to hear what they thought about everything. And all of us just realized how exhausted we were.
There's a saying in my culture which means if you don't know where you're going, go back to your home or go back to the place that makes you feel the safest.
Sharon: What inspired you to transition Chiwara from services to products?
Assetou: The world right now is a very dark place. It was important for me to find a business, an outlet, something. I just wanted to design things for myself. But it just escalated.
Chiwara really started as a creative outlet. I went home to Mali during a really tough time and was just trying to exist, which I realized I hadn’t been existing. I'd basically just been in survival mode and trying to take care of what everyone and everything I thought was expected of me.
I started spending time with artisans at the Artisan Center. It's one of my favorite spots to get lost in. That’s where I got inspired by their craftsmanship.
Then I started talking to my cousins, especially the female ones, who started sharing with me that it's incredibly difficult to find jobs in the creative industry. So that put more of a bug in my ear, and I started thinking about how I could support them while sharing a piece of my culture.
That’s when I decided to move into products and fashion. It just felt like a natural extension of what I had been doing.
Culturally-centered brands and appreciation, not appropriation
Sharon: Something I’ve noticed about urban or culturally-centered brands is they’re often perceived as being desirable only in certain communities. What are your thoughts on this?
Assetou: People see cultural products and think they’re only for certain communities. But that’s not the case. With Chiwara, I work hard to integrate culture in a way that’s modern and accessible to everyone. For example, our fashion line uses textiles from Mali, but we design the pieces to be stylish for anyone. It’s about creating something that celebrates culture but speaks to a global audience.
For example, our fashion line is not like we're not making African boubous for people to wear. It's a suit that's going to have textiles from Mali.
From my perspective, it's a fashion statement. Our products are always designed with an Afro-modernist vibe, so that it fits the modern-day wearer. I try to mix what you would traditionally wear with fabrics from my land.
When someone outside of a culture or heritage wants to wear it, I think it would actually be applauded. Especially if you know where you got it from, the mission of the brand, etc.
Some people sometimes get bogged down by the idea that purchasing from an artist of color would be appropriation, when it's appreciation. I think it's more of trying to talk to people about not being fearful of that. Like, don't let the fact that you wanna support an artist of color stop you because of fear.
And if you're ever questioning it, just ask. We have lost the art of conversation. If you are questioning it, ask.
Sharon: How about someone running a culture-centered business outside of their heritage or identity?
Assetou: I think that there's a weird feeling that is happening right now with EDI and DEIS. People have now shifted their fear into overcorrection (when it comes to diversity and inclusion), where they feel like they cannot support artists of color because they're appropriating, and that's where you're absolutely incorrect.
By choosing not to support them, you're creating more harm.
The key is knowing the story behind the product and understanding the artisans who created it. For example, we do sociological and economic analyses with the artisans we work with, to ensure they’re paid fairly.
We talk about the materials, the processing and the costs. It’s about building relationships, not just buying a product. If you want to wear or support these cultural pieces, ask questions, have a conversation and understand the significance. It's all about appreciation, not appropriation.
Sharon: Based on your journey with Chiwara, do you have anything you want to share with entrepreneurs building businesses that are centered in culture and heritage?
Assetou: Two things: Know your why and stick to it. There will be times when you feel challenged, but your why will keep you grounded. And second, don’t let people change your mind about your vision. People may tell you that your business is too niche or that it won’t appeal to a broad audience. But if you believe in your mission, keep going. Stay true to what you’re building.
Sustainability and conscious consumption
Sharon: Let’s talk about your commitment to sustainability and conscious consumption. I’d love for you to explain what Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are for our audience of small business owners and entrepreneurs.
Assetou: The Sustainable Development Goals are a set of 18 lenses created by the UN (United Nations), to help tackle issues like climate change, inequality and more. Each business can choose specific SDGs that align with their mission and industry. For Chiwara, we’ve chosen to focus on several goals, including economic development in Mali, in addition to supporting the economy through conscious consumerism.
It’s about backing up big words with actions—sustainable development goals help you create an action plan for that.
Sharon: Do you have to have a tool or a system in order to commit yourself to a sustainable development goal?
Assetou: No, not at all. You don't need a platform. You may not even need an expert. There are websites that are just dedicated to simplifying the meaning of a sustainable development goal, because they sound very fancy. And sometimes what you think they mean, they don't actually mean.
When you review the sustainable development goals, don't think of it as if you have to eat the whole cake. Let's start with one fight at a time.
And more importantly, let's start with what actually matters to you because oftentimes your point of interest will be your driving force. If you are not interested, you're not going to do it. Your team is not going to do it. SDGs help you find that intentional purpose.
One example was when I was back with Zed was Tofino. So Tofino mostly had issues that pertained to the last five of the sustainable development goals. And when our team was talking about sustainability, I sent these to them to start actioning, knowing they were things the team was passionate about.
They started their own beach cleanup. They started their little herb garden because part of their hotel waste is coffee and vegetable peels. They turned that into compost for their herb garden.
It's little things that you wouldn't normally think of. Focus on what makes sense to you because that is what is going to get you started.
Reflections on joy and community
Sharon: At Digital Entrepreneur, we’re big on reconnecting entrepreneurs with the joy of business. When things get hard, what helps you get back to that feeling of joy in life and business?
Assetou: My community. I’m very blessed to have people who remind me of my why when I lose sight of it. Recently, when I wanted to give up, my community was there to say, "No, take a break and come back to it." They reminded me that I’m not alone, and that’s what brings me back to joy—knowing that I have people who support me and that I’m creating something that really matters.