From H&H Interior Design to Heeza Living: The Story of a Brand Built on Courage and Creativity

The story of a courageous woman who left her nine-to-five to build Heeza Living, proving that sometimes the biggest risk is not taking one at all.
There is a moment in every entrepreneur’s journey when the soul whispers louder than security. For one remarkable African woman, that moment came not as a gentle nudge but as a suffocating realization that her creative light was slowly fading under the routine of a corporate job.

The Awakening: When Passion Meets Purpose

Picture this: a talented professional, climbing the corporate ladder, checking all the “success” boxes society had laid out for her. Yet beneath the surface, something profound was stirring. Her creativity was not just underutilized; it was dying. The nine-to-five world, with all its stability and predictability, had become a beautiful prison. Despite having the passion to fix and decorate places from her young age, the real awakening began during a trip to the United States, where she encountered a community of interior designers who did not just work, they breathed life into spaces. Surrounded by friends who had turned their passion for beautiful environments into thriving careers, she experienced what can only be described as a creative awakening. These were not just professionals; they were artists who understood that our surroundings shape our souls.
Returning to Africa, she carried this revelation like a secret flame. But corporate life continued to demand its tribute, slowly extinguishing what that American experience had ignited.

The Leap: Courage Over Comfort

This is where her story takes a different path. There was no calculated exit strategy, no months of preparation, no safety net carefully woven in advance. There was simply a moment when her heart said “enough,” and she listened.
She quit.
Not gradually, not strategically, she just quit. In a world that preaches careful planning and risk mitigation, she chose faith over fear, potential over predictability.
This decision gave birth to H&H Interior Design in 2018, a venture that would eventually evolve into Heeza Living a name that reflects her deep connection to African authenticity and the Kinyarwanda language.

Breaking Generational Patterns: The Entrepreneur’s Paradox

Her entrepreneurial journey carries the weight of generational complexity. Her mother, an entrepreneur herself, had witnessed the grueling side of business ownership, the sleepless nights, the financial uncertainty, the relentless hustle. With love and protection in her heart, she had advised her children to choose the “safer” path: education, employment, steady paychecks.
Yet somehow, despite this well-intentioned discouragement, the entrepreneurial seed that had been planted stayed quiet during her years in a regular job, waiting for the right time to come alive.
This paradox reflects a broader African experience, where entrepreneurial spirit runs deep in our cultural DNA, yet modern education systems and family advice often steer us toward employment security.

Navigating the African Market: Challenges and Revelations

Starting an interior design business in Africa meant facing two challenges that would test her determination and creativity.
The Financial Reality: Limited startup capital could have been a death sentence for her dreams. But passion proved to be an unexpected currency. The excitement she felt for her work transformed scarcity into resourcefulness. Every small budget became a creative challenge, and every limitation sparked innovation. She learned to create magic with minimal resources, a skill that would become her competitive advantage.
The Cultural Shift: Perhaps more challenging than finances was changing mindsets. In many African communities, people are used to being practical and doing things on their own; they did not immediately see the value in professional interior design. Why pay someone else to arrange your home when you could do it yourself?
This was not just about selling a service; it was about shifting an entire cultural perspective on the value of professional creativity and the impact of thoughtfully designed spaces on daily life.

The Secret to Sustainable Growth: Customer-Centric Excellence

In an industry driven by visual appeal and creative expression, she discovered a fundamental truth that transcends cultures and continents: everything must be customer-centered.
Her philosophy is elegantly simple yet profoundly effective:
• Quality over quantity: Every project, regardless of size, receives the same meticulous attention to detail
• Client satisfaction over profit margins: The money follows naturally when clients feel truly served
This approach did not just win clients, it created advocates who became walking testimonials for the transformative power of professional interior design.

The Mindset Revolution: Just Do It

Perhaps the most powerful transformation in her journey was not in her business model or marketing strategy; it was in her relationship with the concept of perfection.
“Just do it.”
These three words became her personal manifesto, replacing years of perfectionist paralysis with action-oriented progress. Where she once waited for ideal conditions, perfect plans, and flawless execution, she now embraces the messy beauty of progress over perfection.
This mindset shift reveals a profound truth about African entrepreneurship: in environments where resources are limited and markets are emerging, the ability to act despite imperfect conditions is not just helpful, it is essential for survival and growth.

The African Renaissance: Authentic Design for African Spaces

Her evolution from H&H Interior Design to Heeza Living represents more than a rebranding; it symbolizes a broader movement across Africa toward cultural authenticity in business and creativity.
She observes a beautiful transformation happening across the continent: Africans are increasingly turning toward their own resources, aesthetics, and cultural elements in interior design. The habit of looking to the West for design ideas is fading, as more people embrace their own African styles and resources.
The digital age is changing how African entrepreneurs think about design. Now that every space can end up on social media or a video call, people want their surroundings to look amazing. And more than ever, they are proud to showcase African designs.

The Personal Brand Dilemma: Legacy vs. Visibility

Her story raises a fascinating question that many African entrepreneurs grapple with: In an era where personal branding drives business success, is it possible to build a lasting legacy without making yourself the face of the brand?
She dreams of creating something bigger than herself, a business that can thrive independently, creating opportunities for others, and serving clients long after she steps back. Yet she recognizes the modern reality: people connect with people, and trust often flows through personal relationships and individual stories.
This tension between personal visibility and institutional legacy reflects a mature understanding of business building that goes beyond immediate success to consider long-term impact and sustainability.

Lessons for Aspiring African Entrepreneurs

Her journey offers several profound insights for anyone considering the entrepreneurial path in Africa:
1. Passion is a powerful currency – When financial resources are limited, genuine excitement for your work can fuel creativity and persistence that money alone cannot buy.
2. Change does not happen overnight– But if you are patient, the first people who support you can help spread the word and shift how others see things.
3. Authenticity is increasingly valuable – African consumers are hungry for businesses that reflect their values, aesthetics, and cultural identity.
4. Progress trumps perfection – In rapidly evolving markets, the ability to act and adapt quickly often matters more than having perfect plans.
5. Customer obsession creates sustainable growth – When everything centers around client satisfaction, business growth becomes a natural byproduct rather than a constant struggle.

The Ripple Effect: Inspiring a Generation

Stories like hers matter deeply in the African entrepreneurial ecosystem. They serve as proof points that challenge the narrative of risk aversion and demonstrate that it is possible to build successful businesses by following your heart rather than just following the money.
Her transformation from corporate employee to creative entrepreneur represents thousands of similar journeys happening across Africa, stories of professionals who are choosing authentic expression over conventional security, cultural authenticity over imported models, and passion-driven work over purely profit-motivated careers.

The Future of African Entrepreneurship

As Africa continues its economic and cultural renaissance, entrepreneurs like her are not just building businesses; they are reshaping the entire industry and cultural expectations. They are proving that African businesses can be world-class while remaining authentically African, that creativity can be a viable career path, and that following your heart is not just possible, it is profitable.
The evolution from H&H Interior Design to Heeza Living is not just one woman’s rebranding story. It is a metaphor for Africa’s broader journey toward confident self-expression in the global marketplace.

This entrepreneur’s story reminds us that sometimes the biggest risk is not taking a leap of faith, it’s staying in a place where your light slowly dims. In choosing creativity over conformity, authenticity over acceptance, and passion over paycheck security, she did not just transform her own life. She became part of a generation of African entrepreneurs who are redefining what success looks like on their own terms.

For aspiring entrepreneurs across Africa: Your time is now. Your story matters. Your authentic voice is exactly what the world needs to hear.