Belle Sisters: Hello everyone, and welcome to the Belles Beyond Podcast by Belle Sisters.

My name is Nmasichi, and I am your host on the Belles Beyond Podcast.

Belle Sisters is a community-driven social enterprise building a support system for Black and Brown female founders. Our community fosters a safe space where these women can form meaningful connections and grow together. It’s a community where they can be vulnerable about their business journey without fear of judgment.

Today, we have Hannah Adriaan, the founder of Gifted, a customized gifting service built on thoughtfulness and creativity.

Hannah is currently in a season of working on herself and growing into a better version of who she is meant to be. She is learning to be more intentional in how she builds her business.

Welcome to the show, Hannah.

Hannah Adriaan: Thank you so much for having me.

Being a Black woman in the business world, especially with the type of business that I have, isn’t always easy because it’s not something you see all the time. It’s quite a niche business. As Black women in business, there’s often more pressure because we have to exceed expectations in the projects we’re involved in. People don’t always believe that we can do it. Most people believe that we need to be behind a male figure in order to achieve our dreams, I suppose.

Belle Sisters: Thank you so much, Hannah. Thank you for sharing that. Can you tell us a little more about yourself?

Hannah Adriaan: I’ll start with how my business was created and how it all interlinks with who I am.

My business started from a very young age. When it came to showing affection to the people in my life, I would always create gifts for my mother. If she gave me spending money, the first thing I would do was start saving. Then, when occasions like Mother’s Day or her birthday came around, I would go to the shop to buy chocolates, flowers, and little gifts for her.

As I got older, other things began to capture my attention. My creativity shifted to baking, and I kind of forgot about gifting. Like many young people, my career goals changed over time. During my teenage years, I wanted to become a chef because that was how my creativity came through, especially with pastries and baking.

When you finish school, life happens. Sometimes we’re not able to attend university, so we step into the working world and take on responsibilities. I felt like my creativity slowly took a step back because I was focused on earning a stable income and meeting those responsibilities.

Then, about three years ago, I felt that creative side of me wanting to come back. I’m a very faith-based person, so I prayed and said, “God, if there’s a way You can help me bring this creative side back or refresh it in me, please show me.”

One of my colleagues said, “Why don’t you start making gifts?” Immediately, everything came back to me. I remembered how I used to do this when I was younger and how gifting is actually my love language. I used to make gifts for my mother, my siblings, and my friends. I would stay up making handmade cards and drawings for people. She said, “You know this can actually make money.”

The first thing I did was invest in my own business. I started from zero. All I had was an idea. It was around Valentine’s Day, so I bought a mug, added sweets, arranged everything nicely, took some pictures, and that’s really how it all began.

Belle Sisters: Wow, that’s amazing. There are a couple of things you said that I want to touch on. But first, can you tell us why you actually got into entrepreneurship?

I know you mentioned that you were interested in becoming a chef before, and then, as time went on, that changed. Of course, you’ve shared the process of what got you into entrepreneurship, but what exactly was the why behind it?

Hannah Adriaan: The “why” for me came when I had a stable job and a stable income, but it wasn’t enough.

My business started developing, and sales started increasing. That’s when I began to realize that I could actually do this on my own. I could take the risk and work for myself.

Yes, a stable income gives you security, but there’s no growth. When unexpected responsibilities come up, if all you have is your salary, you often end up borrowing money because it’s not enough. Eventually, your stable income starts becoming more of a restriction than an opportunity. It becomes a comfort zone.

I remember saying to my sister, who has always been so supportive of my business, “Would you be okay with me taking the risk, resigning from my job, and pursuing self-employment? I’ve spent eight years investing my skills, abilities, and passion into someone else’s business. Why not invest those same things into my own?”

So, for me, what really pushed me to become an entrepreneur was having faith in myself and believing that I could do it on my own.

Belle Sisters: Yes. As an entrepreneur, you definitely have to have faith in yourself because, when you look around, a lot of people won’t necessarily have faith in you. They’ll tell you, “Maybe you should just stay at your job,” or, “Maybe you don’t really need to start a business.”

So you have to be firm and have a deep belief in yourself before you can move forward.

One of the other things you mentioned was that you gave up in 2024 and then came back in 2025. What made you give up in 2024? And what made you decide, “I’ve got this,” and push forward again?

Hannah Adriaan: In 2024, I allowed the fear and unbelief of other people to affect me, even before my business had fully developed.

When you start a business, you don’t expect that even your friends or family might not support your idea. You don’t expect people to discourage you. But I allowed their unbelief and fear to affect my heart and my belief in myself. That’s why I always say I failed myself. I knew I was capable. I knew I could do it because I had already started. I was getting customers and beginning to establish myself as an entrepreneur.

But people kept saying, “You need a stable job.” “Are you even making a profit?” “Is this business really going to succeed?” Then, in 2025, I looked at my sales because sometimes you have to pay attention to what your books are telling you. I had kept records of everything, and when I looked at them, I realized something.

This business was profitable. I just couldn’t see it because I had allowed people’s negative voices to distract me from the dream I had for myself. I could see it on paper. It wasn’t just in my mind anymore. The numbers showed me that the business was profitable. I simply had to push past my own boundaries and overcome the fear that had taken hold of me.

Once I took that step and started again, the amount of growth I’ve experienced, not only in my business but also within myself, has been incredible.

I became brave enough to join LinkedIn and create a profile. I realized there were other business platforms and communities. I realized I wasn’t alone. There are other women, other Black women, and other young Black women building businesses.

We’re succeeding. We’re breaking generational curses. We’re becoming the first legacy builders in our families, the first millionaires, and the first brand owners. If we don’t do it first, who will?

People will always become comfortable with the version of you that suits them. They’ll never fully appreciate the version of you that’s growing into something bigger because growth sometimes means leaving people behind.

That was my journey between 2024 and 2025. I had to let go of the people whose words were feeding my fears. What’s funny is that now, in 2026, many of those same people believe in my business because they’ve seen that it’s profitable. But what they also tend to do is try to take advantage of it.

I’ll give you a short example. The other day, I was relaxing on a Sunday evening when one of my friends called me. Long story short, they wanted me to create a customized gift for them on credit.

Belle Sisters: How did you deal with that?

Hannah Adriaan: I had to be honest with them. I said, “Unfortunately, I can’t.”

I have to spend money to create your gift, and you wanted it the very next day. It was Sunday, and you wanted it on Monday. I didn’t have the funds or all the materials I needed. More importantly, I didn’t want to give you something rushed.

You know that I like to plan every gift I create. I like to be intentional, and every gift represents both my business and myself. I can’t just throw something together. At the end of the day, people need to understand that, regardless of the type of business you own, you’re still running a business. There have to be boundaries.

Just because we have a relationship doesn’t mean business rules disappear. It’s like going to a big brand like Gucci and asking for a customized pair of shoes on credit. You wouldn’t do that.

So why don’t people show that same level of respect to a growing entrepreneur? My business may not be on the same scale, but it still matters. There are rules and boundaries in my business. Just as I respect my customers, my customers also need to respect me.

Belle Sisters: I love that you said that because boundaries are one of the things we really have to establish as business owners.

I think it can be very difficult because these are your friends or family, and naturally, you want to help them. But you also know it’s going to take your time and money. Even though they say they’ll pay you back, most times they really don’t.

I don’t know if you’ve heard the saying that you should only lend money to family or friends if you’re willing to let go of that money. Because sometimes, when you ask for it back, they get upset, and the friendship or relationship suffers.

I think that’s something many business owners have experienced. I’ve experienced it myself in some capacity, so I don’t think your story is unique. I think it’s something a lot of entrepreneurs can relate to.

Now, in terms of the negative advice and the voices that made you stop your business in 2024, I’m sure there are still negative voices today. Maybe not as many, but I’m sure they’re still around.

So, how do you deal with them now?

Hannah Adriaan: I deal with them by looking at my progress, seeing what I’ve created, seeing how many corporate deals I’ve done, and looking at what I’ve achieved. That’s what helps me keep going and come back even stronger.

That’s also one of the reasons I decided to take a business course, so that when I launch my next promotion, I’ll be coming back with something fresh.

When you’re a creative business owner, you have to keep coming up with fresh ideas because the market changes. Maybe you had a cup hamper last year, but this year you want to come back with something different and add something new. The only way you can do that is by continuously working on yourself.

Watch YouTube. Use Pinterest. When you have free time, don’t just get distracted by social media. Watch videos that feed you as a person.

Network, network, network. It doesn’t have to be people in your specific industry. There’s always someone who knows someone. There’s always someone who can connect you to the next opportunity.

Belle Sisters: I love that.

Oh my goodness, I really love what you said about networking because that’s exactly what helped me when I started my business. I started my business in mid-2024. I didn’t know anything. I’d never run a business before.

But networking, seeing how other people were doing things, putting myself out there, and trying different opportunities taught me so much. I think networking is one of the most underrated ways of meeting people you probably would never have connected with otherwise.

For example, last year I was speaking every single month at different organizations. Before then, I had never spoken publicly in my life. How did that happen? Through networking.

I saw what other people were doing, and I said, “I’d love to stretch myself and try that.”

Not only that, I’ve met people I know I would never have been able to approach if I had stayed in the corporate world.

So, what you said about networking, I completely agree with it because I’ve seen what networking can do. I’ve seen the doors it can open.

For instance, our first in-person, three-day Belle Sisters conference happened through networking. I really love that you shared that advice.

You also mentioned social media, marketing, and taking a business course to come up with fresh ideas and improve your promotions.

Can you tell our listeners how they can navigate their first, second, or third marketing campaign, especially with limited funds?

I know a lot of business owners want to try social media marketing, but they’re short on money. They don’t even know what works, so they’re afraid to spend the little money they have and end up with no results.

Hannah Adriaan: There’s a quote I really love:

“Stop saying you’re waiting for a bigger opportunity. Start small. Start now.”

For example, if your dream is to open a perfume shop but you don’t have the funds or a physical store yet, start with what you have. In South Africa, for instance, you could start with R200.

Do your research. Find suppliers who are willing to sell in small quantities, maybe three bottles at a time. Buy those three bottles, go home, and take good pictures.

Don’t overbuy stock when you’re just starting. Work out your costing properly. For example, if you buy three bottles for R135 and each bottle costs you R45, make sure you’re pricing them in a way that allows you to make a profit. Don’t wait until you have a large amount of money before you begin. Start small.

Learn as you go. Go on YouTube and learn how to run advertisements. There are many resources available, even ChatGPT. But don’t rely on it too much. Take your own ideas and your own vision, put them on paper, and don’t give up on them. Set small goals for yourself. For example, tell yourself, “By the end of May, I want to make my first sale.”

When it comes to social media, don’t pressure yourself to be on every platform. Start with one.

In South Africa, WhatsApp is a very powerful marketing tool. Start there. Share your products with your family and friends. Tell them, “Hi everyone, I’m selling perfumes. These are my prices.” Build from there.

Eventually, you’ll have enough capital to invest in what you really want to do. You can buy more stock, and then maybe you can expand to platforms like TikTok. Before you do that, research. I had to spend time on Google learning how TikTok works, what to put in my bio, and what kind of content to create.

For example, if you own a bakery, should you post behind-the-scenes videos? What type of clips should you create?

Research first.

Start with learning.

But most importantly, start small.

Start now. Don’t wait.

Belle Sisters: Exactly. Don’t wait until you’re “ready,” because you may never feel completely ready.

If you keep postponing, another year will pass, and someone who started with very little will have already built something amazing. So yes, just start.

Hannah Adriaan: I also want to add something.

Sometimes you won’t be able to start with your dream business, and that’s okay. You can start with something else. Maybe you begin by selling clothes. Maybe you sell perfumes.

Do your research. Visit your local town or shopping centre and see what’s selling well. Some suppliers even have WhatsApp groups where they share product photos. You can use those pictures to market the products without buying the stock upfront. Once your customer pays, you can purchase the item.

That business can become the stepping stone to your dream business.

When my gifting business was growing slowly, I started selling clothes and perfumes. That gave me the capital I needed to buy materials for Gifted and keep trying new ideas for my promotions.

At one point, I was running three businesses at the same time. I had Gifted, I was selling clothes, and I was selling perfumes.

Belle Sisters: Well, I really like what you said about that. It might not be your dream business, but just start it. I think that’s something many entrepreneurs struggle with. They say, “This isn’t the business I really want, so I’m not going to put my energy into it.”

But if you do that business and do it well, you can even sell it later. And even if you don’t, like you said, it can give you the capital to build your dream business. I really like that perspective.

What advice would you give to a woman who is stepping into business for the first time?

Hannah Adriaan: What I would say to her is, first of all, you can do it.

If you can play so many different roles in your life, as a mother, a wife, a sister, a cook, an advisor, or even a nurse to your family, you can do this for yourself too.

I feel like a lot of women, especially mothers, get caught up in their titles and responsibilities, and they forget themselves. They push their husbands’ dreams. They push their children’s dreams. But when it comes to their own dreams, they put themselves last.

I would also say that many young people stay focused on responsibilities because we’re providers for our families, our siblings, and our parents. We feel like they’ve looked after us, so now we have to look after them. But don’t forget yourself. Don’t forget your dreams.

You don’t want to reach a point in your life where you’re filled with regret because you spent all your time helping everyone else achieve their dreams while forgetting your own. There’s no age limit for starting a business. You can start at any stage of life. But I don’t think anyone wants to begin their journey from a place of resentment or brokenness.

I also remember you mentioning that some entrepreneurs aren’t happy with the business they’re currently running because it isn’t their dream business.

Remember, this is your first business.

Treat it like your dream business.

Treat it like your first baby.

It might not be the one you always imagined, but it still deserves your care, your attention, and your commitment. The same way you would treat your dream business, treat this one with the same level of excellence. So, to every woman who wants to become an entrepreneur, become self-employed, or pursue her dreams, I would say: do it, and give it your very best.

The same way you pour into other people, encourage others, and believe in other people’s potential, believe in yourself too. Because you can do it. I also remember what you said earlier about networking. You said that once you started networking, you grew and found yourself speaking at events. That’s another side of growth.

Even when I was in school, I didn’t like giving presentations. But today, I can stand in front of people and present confidently. Networking broadens your horizons.

You hear other people’s stories, you learn from their experiences, and it helps you become more confident in yourself. The more you tell your story, the more passionate you become, and the easier it becomes to express yourself.

Belle Sisters: Thank you. Thank you so much, Hannah.

You all heard it.

If you’re thinking about starting a business, know that you can do it. Don’t get caught up in trying to figure everything out before you begin. Don’t let all the responsibilities overwhelm you. Just start, and take it one step at a time. I think, as business owners, we sometimes become overwhelmed because we feel like we have to do everything at once.

But if you take it one step at a time, you’ll begin to see results. Again, this is exactly what we’re all about at Belle Sisters.

We’re a community for female founders and women in business, created as a safe and intentional space for women navigating both life and entrepreneurship.

Growth happens through connection.

So, if you’re listening and you’ve been craving genuine sisterhood, honest conversations like this, and a place where you don’t have to figure everything out on your own, Belle Sisters is here for you.

Hannah Adriaan: Thank you so much for the opportunity and for allowing me to share my story.

This conversation has also encouraged me to be proud of myself, to recognize that I’ve taken that first step, and to keep going.

As I said earlier, do it, and keep doing it.

Belle Sisters: Thank you. Thank you so much, Hannah, for joining us today. I truly enjoyed this conversation with you.

Hannah Adriaan:
I enjoyed it as well. Thank you so much once again.

Belle Sisters: thank you for joining us on today’s episode of the Belles Beyond Podcast. We’ll see you in the next episode.