Bespoke Artisan Collection for Luxury Hotel VIP Clients

In collaboration with Tribe Hotel, an award-winning hospitality brand, we designed and sourced a merchandise collection specifically tailored for VIP clients, realised in partnership with artisans across Kenya. The project’s objective was simple yet meaningful: to pamper special clients while creating sustainable income opportunities for local communities.

We began by designing the collection, carefully considering products for small children to ensure it would appeal to all VIP clients. Once the designs were established, we led the sourcing process, vetting artisan groups and identifying local producers capable of creating high-quality items. We managed product development, production, and pricing to ensure every piece met the exacting standards of Tribe Hotel. Alongside this, we designed and sourced care labels that conveyed the story of each product, celebrating the artisan’s craft and the social impact behind every creation.

The resulting collection featured cotton towels hand-loomed by artisans on Lamu Island, palm baskets woven by communities in the Kitui region, cotton bathrobes designed and customised by an artisanal homeware brand in Nairobi that employs and empowers youth, personalised scented candles produced with a family-owned company, and stuffed mini elephant toys made with GOTS-certified cotton by women farmers in Nakuru. 

business plan and operational growth support

We met the founder of Michel Piza at the early stage of her Milan-based footwear company, when the brand was still in its formative phase yet driven by a clear and compelling creative vision. With production rooted in Italy, she had a strong aesthetic direction for her collections, and our role was to translate that vision into a structured and commercially viable business framework.

We supported the development of a comprehensive business plan, refined the pricing architecture, and built a detailed financial model to guide decision-making. Together, we also defined a solid distribution strategy, identifying the most suitable channels and partners to position the brand effectively within its market. 

Following this initial phase, we continued to support the company in an ongoing advisory capacity, focusing on operational growth and commercial development. This included advising on pricing optimisation, scaling strategies, and strengthening distribution by supporting the onboarding and negotiation process with key retail and distribution partners.

Design and Implementation of an Impact Reporting Framework

At the heart of The Able is a mission to help people forced to flee rebuild their lives across the Middle East and Central Asia, through the revival and celebration of their traditional crafts. To capture this impact, we partnered with the founder to design a reporting framework that could showcase both measurable outcomes and the human stories behind them, allowing clients and stakeholders to understand the tangible and personal effects of their engagement with the brand.

Together, we designed the impact reporting to cover environmental, social, and governance dimensions. On the social side, this included tracking economic empowerment, skill development, and the preservation of cultural heritage, ensuring that the stories of the artisans and communities  were fully represented. The environmental and governance sections complemented this, showing a holistic view of the organisation’s operations and commitments.

The reporting itself was carefully structured to combine quantitative data with qualitative storytelling, reflecting the essence of the brand to share people’s stories through beautiful products and the narratives that accompany them. The final framework not only informs clients and stakeholders about the impact of their purchases but also strengthens the brand’s mission by elevating the voices and experiences of the people behind it.

Strategic Business Development for an Artisan-Focused Enterprise

We supported the founder of Siamanda Collectif, a Canada-based enterprise, in refining her business concept by developing a comprehensive business plan, alongside detailed financial and operational models. While her strength lay in articulating a clear vision centred on product quality and craftsmanship, my contribution focused on structuring the business functions required to transform that vision into a scalable and sustainable enterprise. From this initial engagement, a strong collaboration emerged, ultimately leading to a formal business partnership

The process began with a series of in-depth strategic discussions to explore and challenge the original concept, ensuring alignment between creative ambition and operational feasibility. Through structured analysis and shared expertise, the idea was refined and translated into a clear and actionable framework. This included defining targets and collections, establishing pricing architecture, developing marketing and distribution strategies, and building comprehensive operational and financial models. 

As the analysis progressed, the original positioning was expanded: rather than focusing solely on East Africa, the sourcing model evolved to include artisans from around the world, broadening both production capacity and narrative positioning. Both B2B and B2C channels were integrated into the strategy, and the services component was strengthened to complement product sales.

SET UP OF a Circular Banana Value Chain, FROM RAW MATERIALS TO HOMEWARE PRODUCTS

In collaboration with Ziada Solutions, a climate-smart agri-business, we led a one-year project to develop a sustainable banana value chain in the Taita-Taveta region of Kenya. The project focused on adding value for smallholder farmers by transforming agricultural waste, specifically banana stems, into high-value products such as natural fibres and biochar soil conditioners. To further our goals and create a fully circular value chain, extending from raw materials to finished products, we also established our own workshop to produce banana-based homeware.

The workshop promoted women’s economic empowerment, providing capacity building opportunities, alternative livelihoods, and access to both local and international markets. This approach not only diversifies income sources but also helps communities adapt to the challenges of climate-change-induced droughts. We carried out careful due diligence to identify the right groups to collaborate with, delivered extensive training, and built a small internal team focused on product development.

The workshop produces a variety of products, including baskets, trays, ottomans, carpets, and tablets, designed for both domestic and international markets and distributed through B2B and B2C channels, ensuring wide reach and lasting social and environmental impact.

Purpose-Led Positioning and Operational Strengthening for a Drone Enterprise

We supported Expert Drones Africa across a range of strategic marketing, communications, and sustainability initiatives during a key phase of its growth. Our collaboration focused on refining the company’s positioning and articulating a clear narrative around its mission: leveraging drone technology as a force for environmental and social good.

We worked together on the development of a comprehensive pitch deck to support business expansion, ensuring that the value proposition, impact metrics, and commercial strategy were clearly defined. A central element of this work was sharpening the company’s positioning as a purpose-driven technology organisation, highlighting how its drone applications contribute to conservation, environmental monitoring, and responsible resource management.

In parallel, we supported the team through the B Corp application process. This involved conducting a detailed review of internal operations, governance structures, and impact measurement frameworks. The process required refining documentation, formalising internal systems, and embedding impact considerations into day-to-day decision-making to ensure readiness for auditing and long-term compliance.

TRAINING, TOOLKITS AND WORKSHOPS

We designed and implemented workshops, practical toolkits, SOPs, and QC manuals to strengthen artisan-based businesses and support companies working with artisan producers. Developed for global NGOs and UN bodies, the materials combined training, operational guidance, and quality standards to build commercially viable, efficient, and market-ready artisan enterprises.

Drawing on our economics background, we designed toolkits and training modules with a strong commercial foundation, embedding pricing strategy, margin analysis, cost structures, and operational planning to enable sustainable, independent business models. At the same time, extensive fieldwork with artisan groups and manufacturers in the United States, Europe, China, and East Africa gave me a practical understanding of product design, development timelines, production constraints, and supply chain realities. All materials were therefore structured to bridge these perspectives, combining strategic financial planning with operational realities to create a holistic framework that aligns creativity with commercial viability, enabling artisan-led enterprises to grow sustainably while maintaining quality and craftsmanship.

Brand Identity and Website Development for a Wildlife Conservation Organisation

We supported Elephant Conservation Organisation (ECO), an organisation dedicated to protecting wildlife and their habitats across Tanzania, during its project launch phase. Working closely with the founding team and Advisory Board, we defined the organisation’s brand identity and communication foundations. We developed the logo, created a cohesive communication template system, and designed and built the website. The process was highly collaborative and strategic, shaping not only the visual identity but also how the organisation would position itself and communicate its impact from the outset.

The website was conceived as a compelling digital platform to bring their mission to life, structured to communicate impact, highlight partnerships, and foster engagement with donors, institutions, and the wider conservation community. Particular care was given to visual storytelling, curating powerful imagery in collaboration with a photographer to ensure the organisation’s fieldwork and community engagement were conveyed with authenticity and emotional resonance.

2023-2026 @ Legacy Thread Consulting

Based in France, working with clients globally