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Tafadzwa Zimoyo Senior Lifestyle Writer

At face value, Sharon James doesn’t strike you like the consistent and highly professional businesswoman that she is.

One would be forgiven for thinking that she is some ‘sophisticated’ fun chasing socialite with no time for the demands of a functional business set up.

The sure-footed founder and managing director of Style Cabin Zimbabwe, a home decor and furniture company that specialises in exclusive lounge suites, modern sleigh beds, headboards, couches and arm chairs, among other things is a shrewd and professional business player who is changing the male dominated interior decor business in Zimbabwe.

“Style Cabin Zimbabwe is my way of celebrating who we are as a people at the same time demonstrating that women just like their male counterparts have got the pedigree to run a sustainable business venture,” said Sharon.

“We are all about bringing the beauty and style into your homes and office spaces and I am grateful that we have legislation that allows all citizens, including women to self actualise in business.”

While her growing home and office design business is fast taking over, Sharon reckons her rise was not easy and she is doing all she can to stay on top of her game.

“My story is one of defying odds and shrugging adversity,” she said. “Many had written me off at an early age given my life circumstances.

“I thank God that after all the struggles, I am running a well structured business venture that is carving a niche in the design and decor industry and our footprint is there for all to see.”

The beauty and style enthusiast was born on a farm, but her sense of class is carrying the day in her line of business.

“I was born on a small farm in Melfort and I lost my mum when I was only 11 months old,” she said.

“I then started staying with my grandmother who could barely afford taking me to school. I was only rescued by a charity organisation that then sent me to school.

“Inspite of those limiting and dehumanising circumstances, God gave me an amazing sense of beauty and this an attribute one can not miss in all we do at Style Cabin.”

Even with the educational support she received after losing her mum, life remained a challenge and Sharon had to look for employment as a housegirl at an early age.

“A saying goes, what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and I believe the woman that I am today is a direct result of my difficult life experiences,” she said.

“Somedays I would just wish to go cry on my mother’s grave, but I didn’t have the comfort and privilege for such excesses. My greatest instinct was survival against all odds.

“My uncle wanted to marry me off after my Grade 7 exams, so I ended up working for a headmaster who later asked me to go back to school. I even got scholarships, but it didn’t change a lot because I was still surrounded by people who crushed my confidence.”

One thing led to another and even through all the downs of life, Sharon kept her resolve and hope for a better tomorrow.

At one time she had a go at music after listening to a radio programme that called for talented vocalists to audition, but her love for beauty and style directed her path towards the growing business empire that Style Cabin Zimbabwe is today.

The astute businesswoman came to Harare in 2014, still doing music after the radio programme she had listened to linked her up with some producers, but the music was more as a passion and pastime than career path.

“When I came to Harare in 2014, I was still doing music but more as a passion as it was not paying,” said Sharon.

“Besides my love of music, I also loved fashion; mostly red carpet dresses. I had more than 10 of those dresses and a friend asked me to hire them out to musicians and models.

“This idea started working, but it was just for survival. Most clothing companies would hire me as a model or face of their products.

“In 2017 I was hired by a company called Danstel Fashions and I worked there for a year. The money wasn’t enough and still misfortune pursued me.”

Sharon got pregnant few months after getting the job at the fashion house and life challenges started to pile up which in a way gave birth to the Style Cabin idea, a business venture that is fast claiming its space in the local home decor and furniture business.

“Getting pregnant meant I had a whole human being coming and in need of my support,” she said.

“This is a child I didn’t want to see suffering like I did.

“It so happened that one day I got a call from someone in Marondera who was looking for a TV stand and I thought to myself maybe there is shortage of furniture, so I looked for a man who I knew from my previous job.

“He was making furniture as a start-up. I started advertising that furniture on my WhatsApp stories and I would give him the jobs, but he was very slow. My tummy was also growing so I couldn’t do much, but I was trying.

“Some days I would go for months without customers but as they came, I always felt like things would get better and it gave me the resolve to soldier on in the new found furniture venture.”

After giving birth in 2018, Sharon’s drive to go all out with Style Cabin grew and she started investing in the business, buying equipment and all.

“After giving birth I would leave my child at the nursery when she was only three weeks old,” she said.

“I started working hard and buying machines one after the other until I was able to hire two guys and set up a workshop.

“In 2019, I hired two more guys and opened a small showroom in the city centre. We added four more carpenters and with that growth my motivation was no longer coming from my past and my daughter, but I also had 10 people looking up to me. Giving up was no longer an option.”

Sharon said her brand has got amazing product support and encouraged Zimbabweans to be motivated by the downs of life to chase their dreams.

Because of her personal experiences, Sharon believes in corporate social investment and is pushing to empower fellow women through her charitable organisation called Women’s Cabin.