'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Owner of Expedition Subsahara, Sofi Seck is all set to present her handcrafted home decor collection, inspired by her culture, on Shark Tank on Friday, October 14 at 8/7c on ABC.
The owner will pitch her business to Sharks Kevin O’Leary, Lori Greiner, Robert Herjavec, Mark Cuban, and Daymond John. Sofi created the business to “retell the story of African craftsmanship through” her lens.
The synopsis of episode 4 of Shark Tank reads:
“An entrepreneur from Florissant, Missouri, presents her handmade, African-inspired home-decor line.”
Shark Tank's Sofi started Expedition Subsahara to speak about her culture
As per her business’ official website, Sofi Seck was “born in Senegal, West Africa, to the Wolof tribe. Part of the Jolof empire that dominated the 14th -16th centuries, the Wolof became a powerful force and sought after for their trade commodities, but primarily for gold.” In their tribe, weaving was passed down from generation to generation. The women handmade “useful items for their families and to sell.”
Sofi moved to the United States at 14 “in search of a higher education” but was shocked to learn that many people still thought that “Africa is so interwoven with poverty and lacking that it’s their narrative of the continent and all its people.”
After graduating from the University of Missouri in 2009, she worked as a photographer before starting her business, Expedition Subsahara, in 2017 “to create a bridge between people and cultures, to change the narrative on what it means to be African and to have African goods, and to do that in a way that’s radically respectful,” as per her Instagram post.
However, after an unsuccessful campaign, her partner stepped away and Sofi was left to work on the business by herself. Despite the hardship, Sofi continued with her art and business. Talking about her business, she mentioned on the website:
“One of my favorite proverbs is, “Until the lion can speak, the story will always glorify the hunter.” It’s a reminder of the importance of telling your own story.”
Adding:
“I founded Expedition Subsahara as a way to connect my two very different cultures in a way that is radically respectful. I want to retell the story of African craftsmanship through the lens of the lion, in a way that showcases the incredible skill and expertise of our now 120 Senegalese weavers.”
She and her small team currently weave baskets at The Foundry, an artist collective in St. Louis.
Sofi Seck Expedition Subsahara's products and cost
Sofi and her team “design and create home decor that is 90 percent from Senegal, West Africa.”
Expedition Subsahara provides hampers, woven baskets, and placemats ranging from $29 for small items to $200 for large, hamper-sized baskets, which sometimes take over 40 hours to make. Her handmade products are sold exclusively on her website. 20% of her proceeds go towards building a STEM school for girls in Senegal.
The entrepreneur is a “huge fan of the show” but when she was called for Shark Tank, she thought it was a "spam" email. Speaking about her journey to Shark Tank, she told stlmag.com:
“I just got a random email one day. I thought it might be spam or somebody trying to get in our inbox. It ended up being a producer of Shark Tank, and he had a bunch of questions about the business.”
Tune in on Friday on ABC to watch Sofi pitch her company to some of the country’s best business minds on Shark Tank.
