Nelly Paulser is an Events Branding Designer and the co-founder of a graphic design, printing, branding, and events business in Zimbabwe called Graphic House Zim. She is passionate about women in business and is committed to making an impact on local community schools -both urban and rural—through the use of design and print tools at her disposal in a bid to build a safer and more peaceful learning environment for all African Children in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Nelly is an award-winning entrepreneur, ImpactHer Ambassador for Zimbabwe and an Alumni of the Academy of Women Entrepreneurs, a Geneza School of Design Scholar, a recipient of a Tony Elumelu Foundation grant, one of the 503 African Women Entrepreneur Finalists selected by Women In Africa for training and mentorship, and now a UPG Biashara Candidate – Class of 2023. Recently, we recognized Nelly as one of the Top 50 Remarkable Founders and we’re happy to share some of her inspiring entrepreneurial journey with you all
What inspired you to start Graphic House Zim and focus on creative design and branding?
Honestly, when we started Graphic House Zim it was out of desperation to do something to have an income. So we started this business with what we had and that was design and printing skills. Branding was something that came along the way as we started to grow the business and I also developed an interest in branding after my exposure at the SA School of Weddings.
What motivated you to become an Entrepreneur in this space?
I believe as you grow in the space you begin to take the Entrepreneurial side a little more seriously especially if you want to grow your business in the industry. So I can safely say growth motivated me to become an Entrepreneur in this space.
You mentioned a commitment to using design tools to build a safer learning environment. What advice would you give to other entrepreneurs who want to produce more socially impactful products/services?
The advice I can give to other entrepreneurs is to identify a problem faced by your community. The problem is not identified by you but you identify it from what the community tells you. Thereafter do the necessary research to determine if it is a problem worth solving and if it is a problem that your competitors are not already solving. Then start with whatever you have in your hands. As long as your solution brings change to even a small group of people that’s still impact.
What challenges have you faced as a woman entrepreneur in Zimbabwe, and how did you overcome them?
I work in a male-dominated industry and earning respect has generally been a struggle. Everyone assumes I am living off my husband’s reputation but I have been more than willing to put in the work needed and finance needed to grow this business and to create my reputation for being a hardworking, honourable businessperson in my own right. To overcome this, I have had to build my confidence and use my experiences to teach other female entrepreneurs who are in business, whether with their husbands or male business partners, how to help grow their businesses and ensure their mark of progress is acknowledged within the business and the industry. We are building legacies and small talk cannot stop us.
How do you balance the creative and business side of running your company? What strategies help you manage your time effectively?
I have an amazing team and structure that allows me to move from the work environment to allow me to become more creative while the business continues to operate. I also pre-plan my day in advance so I know what time is allocated to creativity, what time is allocated to an analysis of market changes and what time is allocated to servicing daily orders, the key is always to stick to the plan and review the day achievements daily.
You mentioned a passion for creating a safer learning environment for African children. How is your company, Graphic House Zim, making an impact beyond just profits?
Graphic House Zim is currently running an initiative called Lerato Foundation which can be found on Facebook and Instagram @leratofoundationzw. We use these platforms to raise awareness of various forms of bullying happening around Zimbabwe and how to prevent various forms of bullying from occurring in the future. As you are aware, bullying has severe mental health implications that never honestly go away. We aim to do this not only in the digital space but in the Schools as well. We use design, print and branding tools at our disposal to speak for that children that can’t speak for themselves. This we are doing in support of SDG4, SDG10 and SDG16.
What advice would you give to other women who want to start their businesses?
I’d say just start… you can never know if it will end up a success if you don’t give your business idea a chance.
