Expedition Subsahara is an organization that sells woven baskets and different hand-crafted residence decorations impressed by her homeland of Africa. Sofi Seck pitched her enterprise on season 14 of Shark Tank. As of 2024, Expedition Subsahara is price an estimated $1 million.
About the Founder
Sofi Seck is initially from Senegal, West Africa, and moved to the United States at 14 years previous to get an schooling. She settled in Florissant, Missouri, and attended the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
Even whereas within the US, she was pleased with her roots. Sofi was born into the Wolof Tribe, which was very dominant within the 14th to sixteenth centuries due to its commodity commerce. The tribe was most well-known for its weaving.
Mothers and grandmothers handed down the artwork kind to their kids, so Sofi discovered about it at a younger age. But earlier than utilizing the talent for her eventual enterprise, she labored as a photographer.
Founding the Company
The Senegalese girl had to cease understanding due to a extreme again harm she obtained whereas powerlifting. It left her bedridden for a number of months, which was the time she considered beginning Expedition Subsahara.
When she obtained again on her ft, she launched the enterprise in 2017. Sofi employs over 120 skilled weavers from Senegal to make lovely baskets, vases, and different decors.
The firm is extra about making a living. When Sofi began the enterprise she pledged to donate 20% of her income to constructing a STEAM (science, expertise, engineering, arts, and math) college for women in her homeland.
Getting on Shark Tank
The international marketplace for hand-crafted ornaments is price round $680 billion, and Expedition Subsahara is making regular progress however Sofi needed to convey on a brand new accomplice to fund future development.
Sofi initially didn’t have any plans to go on tv, however someday she randomly obtained an e mail from a Shark Tank producer asking for extra particulars about her firm. She’s a giant fan of the present and couldn’t flip down the chance. After some interviews and boring paperwork, she obtained authorized to be within the collection.
After Shark Tank
Shark Tank followers cherished Sofi’s authenticity and are eager to help her mission. The enterprise is prospering and producing robust gross sales by its on-line retailer. Their vary of merchandise is growing and so they at present promote baskets, vases, coasters, trays and vases. The costs vary from $39 to $135.
In the previous, Sofi hasn’t had any hassle getting publicity and this received’t change after the present. Expedition Subsahara already has a robust following on social media and has been featured on main retailers resembling Huffington Post, Forbes, and Yahoo News.
The solely place to buy their merchandise is on their official web site, ExpeditionSubsahara.com. One of Expedition Subsahara’s bestsellers is the Yata Basket, which is rated 5 stars from 20 critiques on their web site. Currently, Expedition Subsahara is price an estimated $1 million.
