, PLEASE USE THIS DOCUMENT AS A GUIDE ONLY
Section 1: African-Based SMMEs Profiles
Legends Barber (Pan-African)
1.1 Type of business and sector:
Legends Barber is a barbershop franchise and men’s grooming brand operating in the personal care
and beauty sector. According to a case study published by Heavy Chef in 2023, the business has
successfully scaled to over 70 franchises across five African countries, including South Africa,
Botswana, and Namibia (Heavy Chef, 2023).
1.2 Products/services offered:
The company offers professional barbering services, including haircuts and grooming, as well as a
range of branded hair and grooming products sold through retail partners. Additionally, through its
“#legendsgiveback” initiative, the brand operates a free training academy in Johannesburg to develop
aspiring barbers (Heavy Chef, 2023).
1.3 Target market:
Legends Barber targets style-conscious male consumers, particularly younger demographics who
engage with modern, culturally relevant grooming standards. As noted in a 2024 marketing analysis
by Retailing Africa, the brand’s ambassador choices, including rappers and footballers, specifically
appeal to a youth audience across Southern Africa (Retailing Africa, 2024).
1.4 Digital platforms used:
The brand maintains a robust multi-platform digital presence. According to the company’s social
media profiles as of 2025, Legends Barber uses Instagram for visually sharing haircut styles, TikTok
for shorter, youth-oriented content, Facebook for broader community building, and LinkedIn for
business-to-business networking and corporate communications (Legends Barber, 2025).
1.5 Any visible innovation:
Legends Barber innovates primarily in its authentic and community-driven digital marketing strategy.
Rather than relying solely on paid advertising, the brand focuses on creating meaningful, organic
content that builds a loyal online community. A key innovation is its strategic use of nano and
micro-influencers. As reported by Glamour South Africa in 2024, the brand signed Botswanan
TikToker William Last KRM as an ambassador after an organic relationship was built over two years,
demonstrating a scalable model for influencer marketing that prioritises genuine connection over
expensive endorsements (Glamour South Africa, 2024).
, ILEY’COM (Tunisia/Senegal)
1.1 Type of business and sector:
ILEY’COM is a digital social enterprise operating in the e-commerce and technology sector.
According to a 2025 profile on the African Business Angels Network website, the company was
founded in 2021 and functions as an online marketplace and business incubator specifically designed
to support women entrepreneurs and artisans (African Business Angels Network, 2025).
1.2 Products/services offered:
The company offers a dual-service model. First, it provides a digital marketplace platform that
connects consumers with over 1,500 eco-friendly products. Second, as detailed in a 2025 impact
report on the ILEY’COM website, it delivers incubation, training, and digital tools—including
AI-powered solutions and logistics support—to help entrepreneurs build and manage their own
online shops, with over 100 entrepreneurs trained in 2025 alone (ILEY’COM, 2025).
1.3 Target market:
The primary target market consists of women entrepreneurs and low-income artisans who lack
access to digital commerce tools and formal markets, with a strong focus on those in economically
limited regions like southern Tunisia. The secondary market comprises local and international
consumers seeking authentic, eco-friendly products (African Business Angels Network, 2025).
1.4 Digital platforms used:
ILEY’COM strategically employs a multi-channel digital ecosystem. Beyond its proprietary website
and mobile marketplace, the company uses Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to build a combined
following of 53,000. Furthermore, according to a 2025 interview with the founder on the Digital
Africa platform, the company has expanded its sales channels to global platforms such as Amazon
and Etsy to increase market access for its sellers (Digital Africa, 2025).
1.5 Any visible innovation:
The company innovates by integrating artificial intelligence into its service delivery model for
e-commerce. As noted in a 2024 case study by the International Trade Centre, ILEY’COM
developed a hybrid revenue model, transitioning from a pure commission structure to a combination
of commissions and subscription fees, ensuring greater financial sustainability and scalability
(International Trade Centre, 2024).
Section 1: African-Based SMMEs Profiles
Legends Barber (Pan-African)
1.1 Type of business and sector:
Legends Barber is a barbershop franchise and men’s grooming brand operating in the personal care
and beauty sector. According to a case study published by Heavy Chef in 2023, the business has
successfully scaled to over 70 franchises across five African countries, including South Africa,
Botswana, and Namibia (Heavy Chef, 2023).
1.2 Products/services offered:
The company offers professional barbering services, including haircuts and grooming, as well as a
range of branded hair and grooming products sold through retail partners. Additionally, through its
“#legendsgiveback” initiative, the brand operates a free training academy in Johannesburg to develop
aspiring barbers (Heavy Chef, 2023).
1.3 Target market:
Legends Barber targets style-conscious male consumers, particularly younger demographics who
engage with modern, culturally relevant grooming standards. As noted in a 2024 marketing analysis
by Retailing Africa, the brand’s ambassador choices, including rappers and footballers, specifically
appeal to a youth audience across Southern Africa (Retailing Africa, 2024).
1.4 Digital platforms used:
The brand maintains a robust multi-platform digital presence. According to the company’s social
media profiles as of 2025, Legends Barber uses Instagram for visually sharing haircut styles, TikTok
for shorter, youth-oriented content, Facebook for broader community building, and LinkedIn for
business-to-business networking and corporate communications (Legends Barber, 2025).
1.5 Any visible innovation:
Legends Barber innovates primarily in its authentic and community-driven digital marketing strategy.
Rather than relying solely on paid advertising, the brand focuses on creating meaningful, organic
content that builds a loyal online community. A key innovation is its strategic use of nano and
micro-influencers. As reported by Glamour South Africa in 2024, the brand signed Botswanan
TikToker William Last KRM as an ambassador after an organic relationship was built over two years,
demonstrating a scalable model for influencer marketing that prioritises genuine connection over
expensive endorsements (Glamour South Africa, 2024).
, ILEY’COM (Tunisia/Senegal)
1.1 Type of business and sector:
ILEY’COM is a digital social enterprise operating in the e-commerce and technology sector.
According to a 2025 profile on the African Business Angels Network website, the company was
founded in 2021 and functions as an online marketplace and business incubator specifically designed
to support women entrepreneurs and artisans (African Business Angels Network, 2025).
1.2 Products/services offered:
The company offers a dual-service model. First, it provides a digital marketplace platform that
connects consumers with over 1,500 eco-friendly products. Second, as detailed in a 2025 impact
report on the ILEY’COM website, it delivers incubation, training, and digital tools—including
AI-powered solutions and logistics support—to help entrepreneurs build and manage their own
online shops, with over 100 entrepreneurs trained in 2025 alone (ILEY’COM, 2025).
1.3 Target market:
The primary target market consists of women entrepreneurs and low-income artisans who lack
access to digital commerce tools and formal markets, with a strong focus on those in economically
limited regions like southern Tunisia. The secondary market comprises local and international
consumers seeking authentic, eco-friendly products (African Business Angels Network, 2025).
1.4 Digital platforms used:
ILEY’COM strategically employs a multi-channel digital ecosystem. Beyond its proprietary website
and mobile marketplace, the company uses Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn to build a combined
following of 53,000. Furthermore, according to a 2025 interview with the founder on the Digital
Africa platform, the company has expanded its sales channels to global platforms such as Amazon
and Etsy to increase market access for its sellers (Digital Africa, 2025).
1.5 Any visible innovation:
The company innovates by integrating artificial intelligence into its service delivery model for
e-commerce. As noted in a 2024 case study by the International Trade Centre, ILEY’COM
developed a hybrid revenue model, transitioning from a pure commission structure to a combination
of commissions and subscription fees, ensuring greater financial sustainability and scalability
(International Trade Centre, 2024).
