Drip is forever, says Lekau Sehoana as he ventures into the fitness industry

While Drip founder Lekau Sehoana is associated with renowned personalities and has opened 25 retail shops in the country, his climb up the ladder of success was not as appealing. 

Sehoana, wearing local brands, sat down with TimesLIVE to recount his 16-year journey in the industry which has been laced with trials and tribulations, failures, and tears.

“I built a beautiful brand in those times. One of the things that made Drip what it is today is the story. My story and the relatability that people find in it. Even with me failing for 16 years in other small businesses that I had started,” he said.

“When I started Drip I was still living in a shack. After building drip I didn't have to do any other thing. Drip was successful, I was able to build my mom a beautiful house. I wanted to get my family out of a shack, and I did that.”

His tenacity has seen him go from creating a sneaker out of recycled material to later launching different ranges, including collaborating with rapper Cassper Nyovest on the Root Of Fame range and even establishing a children's clothing shop under the Drip group umbrella.

In June 2023, the businessman announced his first kiddies store, which he had opened at the Mall of the North in Polokwane, Limpopo, was closing down and would undergo a liquidation process.

“Entrepreneurs tend to be scared, especially when you come from where we come from. I still had the fear of waking up and no one buying the shoe and everything collapsing. So that fear drives you to make smaller mistakes of putting money everywhere. 

“I think we diversified way too quickly and also it was from a point of fear — thinking if we build so fast and so many things we won't go down.”

In early 2024 reports of Drip Footwear facing liquidation circulated on the web again, but he said it's all been a learning curve for him.

And while it may have left a stain on the brand, he said he gained a lot from making a 'wrong' business move which saw him have 90 billboards across the country 

“If there's a bad deal on the table. I don't wake up in the morning being anxious. I wake up thinking how can I tackle this? What's the solution? Do we have deals that we make that go south? Yes, we do. Do we work on making them come alive and better?”

'I'm in high spirits. There's nothing that's going to happen to Drip, that's one thing for sure. We will continue selling, we will continue pushing, inspiring. Whatever happens, happens because we are in business and we will learn as we go.”

This year marks five years of Drip Group being in business. 

The brand has been listed at 65 on Africa’s Top 100 most admired brands and is number two in South Africa. Marking this milestone, he plans to cement his brand in the fitness industry this year.

His brand has certified a collaboration with Moroka Swallows FC with their home and away kits.

“One of the things that guided us was the gap in South Africa. There's no one making soccer boots in South Africa or running shoes who is as big as us.”

With this new fitness venture, Sehoana and his team have launched running clubs across the country to capture the market ahead of them launching their running shoes.

“It almost took us two years to build our running shoe. For you to understand running itself, the most important thing is you have to protect your feet. We did our research.”

This is just the beginning said Sehoana.

“I don't think Drip is at 2% of where it's supposed to be. I think we haven't even started. Us launching the running clubs doesn't end there. We want to position ourselves among the best in the world who do what you want to do, what you do. Our dreams are not just here. We see ourselves beyond borders and working with the best of the best. 

“Where we are right now in trials and tribulations, we are just trialing out how we are going to do things with the best of the best in the world. Drip is exactly where it's supposed to be I don't have any limitations. I'm the craziest person you've ever met. If, God forbid, someone wants to close my brand in South Africa, they don't close the door for the rest of the world. You can only limit me here. I am fearless.”