Tara Fela Durotoye was widely regarded as one of Africa’s most influential entrepreneurial leaders. As the Founder and CEO of House of Tara, she spent nearly three decades shaping Nigeria’s beauty industry, training thousands of makeup artists, building a nationwide retail network, and creating a brand that became synonymous with professionalism, excellence, and African creativity. Yet, for Fela Durotoye, success had never been about products alone. “It had always been about building institutions that outlive their founders,” she emphasized.
She observed that Africa was not short of entrepreneurs. Across the continent, innovation had been thriving, with women playing a particularly significant role. Studies had shown that between 25 and 26 percent of women in Sub-Saharan Africa were entrepreneurs, one of the highest rates globally. However, she noted that business longevity remained a persistent challenge. Many African businesses struggled to survive beyond their founders, having been built around individuals rather than systems. “What will still exist long after your name is forgotten?” Fela Durotoye asked. “That was the question every entrepreneur should consider.”
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House of Tara began humbly, with just one makeup brush, one makeup box, and a small training school. Over time, it evolved into a chain of retail stores across Nigeria’s major cities, supported by a nationwide network of sales agents distributing Tara products. Beyond retail, the company had become a training powerhouse, producing professional makeup artists who helped position Nigeria as a continental leader in beauty and creative expression. “I did not just create a business,” she reflected. “I helped shape an entire industry.”
In March 2025, she made a decision that surprised many across Africa’s business and media landscape. House of Tara appointed its first Managing Director outside of its founder, marking a significant leadership transition. For the first time, Fela Durotoye stepped away from day-to-day operations. The announcement generated widespread attention, with both traditional and digital media highlighting the rarity of such a move, particularly by an African female founder who remained active, healthy, and visionary.
For her, the decision had been intentional and rooted in long-term thinking. “The business can thrive without me because we built systems, structures, and a culture of succession,” she explained. Equally important, she had grown beyond defining herself solely through House of Tara. While her identity had once been deeply intertwined with the business, she had expanded her purpose to include broader leadership development, institutional building, and impact-driven initiatives across Africa.
Her leadership evolution had been gradual and reflective. Early in her entrepreneurial journey, control had played a central role. Decisions flowed through one individual, visibility had been concentrated around her, and leadership had been highly centralized. Over time, that approach proved limiting. Fela Durotoye intentionally shifted her philosophy from ego to ecosystem, placing people at the center of growth. “I focused on delegation, mentorship, and empowerment,” she recalled. “I created space for others to lead, succeed, and innovate independently.”
She also transitioned from control to culture, clearly communicating the company’s vision and embedding shared values that guided behavior and decision-making. Leadership development replaced operational micromanagement, and her language evolved from “me” to “we,” reflecting a collective approach to success. “Legacy is not products. Legacy is not profit. Legacy is people,” she insisted. “It is the impact made through individuals who are trained, empowered, and trusted to build enduring institutions.”
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Her message to entrepreneurs across the continent was clear and uncompromising: “Do not build what makes you popular. Build what makes others possible.” Africa already had icons in politics, sports, music, and literature, she noted, but what it needed most were business leaders committed to building institutions that lasted, created jobs, and contributed to sustainable economic growth.
By advocating for systems over personalities, culture over control, and people over ego, Tara Fela Durotoye redefined entrepreneurial success in Africa. She described herself as a builder and a beyonder, someone committed not only to starting businesses but to ensuring they endured beyond her, empowering others to lead and carry the vision forward. “I am a builder and a beyonder,” she said simply. “That was my purpose, and that was my legacy.”
