In this episode, I am joined by Dr Aba Mortley – an Engineer and Fentrepreneur who is continuing the family business Cher – Mere, a multi-generational personal-care business whose vision is to “make natural, eco-conscious, personal care products for people of all ages and skin tones –inspired by the mosaic of Caribbean people”. I had the absolute delight of meeting her in Kingston, Jamaica, where we both were invited to UN Yemanja Collaborative: Leadership and Networking Workshop to share our respective entrepreneurial journeys.

Aba, as she introduced herself to me, wears multiple hats, and her more prominent one is that of legacy extender. Che-Mere, an ode to her grandmother, was started in Trinidad by her grandmother, who used natural products on her body and turned that into a business that her daughter, Aba’s mother, later joined. Aba, who is/was affectionately called “Little Boss” by the community, was raised in the business, from picking the aloe leaves to bottling the products. She has known and been part of the enterprise since she was in diapers and is emboldened by the immense opportunities that lay ahead for the business.

In this conversation, we talk about running a family business and the fine art of working with a parent. Balancing sheer might and gentleness Aba is evolving the business without altering its history or watering down its magic. She found her lane – and is infusing an emotive feel to the business and product design process. We speak about the journey that she took when opening a spa in Canada, in a community with folks who didn’t look like her, the detours along the path, and the wisdom in leaning on a community when starting or growing a business. Her secret lies in trading on trust and finding the right tribe of ambassadors.

You can connect with Aba: linkedin.com/in/aba-mortley-b2388a12 

You can visit Cher-Mère here: https://cher-mere.ca/ and  https://www.chermerecaribbean.com/