From rags to riches: Meet the CEO of Omorphia, LLC
by Destiny Taylor
Business owner, entrepreneur, and single mother, Francisca Makela is incredibly motivated when it comes to her future. Born in the Congos of Africa, Makela moved to America in July 2005. In 2019, Makela followed her heart and decided to launch her business, Omorphia, LLC. Omorphia is known for their variety of homemade yoni bars and yoni oils.
Originally starting off as a hair extensions line, Makela revamped her entire brand just shortly after launching. Having natural hair herself, Makela struggled to find a decent product that worked for her hair. This eventually gave Makela the idea to start creating her own products. “The process was very stressful. There’s a lot of costs associated with starting a business. I had to pay for all the ingredients, book a photographer for my promotional photoshoot, pay for my logo and packaging -- and the list goes on,” she said.
A little over a year into launching Omorphia, Makela took a leap of faith and decided to quit her job and become a full-time business owner. When asked how she feels about other non-U.S. citizens moving to America wanting to make a name for themselves, the 26-year-old mom replied with three simple words: It’s a must. “We all still have family back home, so it’s necessary to leave in order to build a better life for you and your family,” she added.
The yoni products Omorphia currently has are the yoni bar, yoni wash, yoni oil, yoni scrub and the turmeric bar--all of which have a special purpose. The yoni bar aims to balance pH levels, eliminate odor, and relieve irritation and itching. The yoni wash helps the same way as the yoni bar. However, the bodywash has more of a refreshing, chilling, and icy effect when used. The yoni oil helps produce moisture and prevent ingrown hairs. And lastly, the turmeric bar targets acne and reduces dark spots.
Some of the key benefits from Omorphia’s products is that there are no added chemicals or artificial supplements. Everything is 100% natural, using organic and vegan ingredients only. An Omorphia customer once told Makela: “I bought the yoni bar after reading the reviews. I’ve used the soap for two weeks now and this product has really changed my life. It has really given me my confidence back. Please don’t stop making this!” Makela mentioned the yoni bar is definitely her best-selling product and her personal favorite as well.
Compared to when she first launched her business, Makela shared she has seen a dramatic increase in sales. “In the beginning I used to get like one or two orders a week. Now I’m getting over 500 orders a week and my products sell out super fast,” said Makela. The business is growing fast and so is the audience. To consistently get her brand out there, Omorphia acquired promos with several blogs on social media that have a high following. Notable Instagram collabs for Omorphia include The Shade Room, Spiritual Word, Boss Chicks, Melanin.Dept and more.
Just recently, Omorphia celebrated their first $100,000 in sales – and surpassed a goal of 10,000 followers on Instagram. Currently operating out of her own home, Makela is making plans to establish a warehouse before the new year arrives. She wants to grow her current staff of three so she can mass produce her products – because they’re so high in demand!
As for the near future, Omorphia is focused on expanding -- a new warehouse and more pick-up options are soon to come. Also, stay tuned for the upcoming holiday kit, limited edition items, travel-size products and sales.
Omorphia is a Black-owned business founded by a woman just like you. If Makela can do it, so can you! Products out of stock? It costs nothing to support! Like, share and tag us on Instagram @ShopOmorphia