Umthi - An Ode to Heritage, Strength, and Self-Worth

The Story of a Brand Show

Ramon Vela

Business, Entrepreneurship

5 • 145 Ratings

🗓️ 22 August 2025

⏱️ 71 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

I had the absolute pleasure of sitting down with Lolita Sanders, Founder of Umthi.

From the very first moment, it was clear how deeply personal her mission is—Umthi isn’t just a skincare brand, it’s rooted in family, culture, and the wisdom passed down through generations.

Lolita shared how her journey began with her grandmother’s teachings and how she’s transformed that legacy into a brand that blends tradition with modern wellness.

What struck me most about this conversation was Lolita’s commitment to creating products with integrity. She emphasized the importance of staying connected to the earth, honoring her heritage, and creating products that genuinely nurture.

It’s rare to find a founder who brings such authenticity and care into every part of their business, and listening to her, you can feel that Umthi is about more than beauty—it’s about healing and connection.

Here are a few key moments from the episode:

* How Umthi was born from her grandmother’s influence and a desire to preserve cultural wisdom.

* The meaning behind the name “Umthi” and how it reflects the brand’s roots and purpose.

* Why integrity and intentionality guide every decision, from sourcing to formulation.

* The role of nature and spirituality in her approach to skincare and wellness.

* The challenges and lessons of building a purpose-driven brand in today’s market.

Join me, Ramon Vela, as I listen to this episode and discover how Umthi is weaving heritage, authenticity, and healing into the world of skincare and beyond.

For more on Umthi, visit: https://www.umthi.co.uk/

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Transcript

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0:00.0	Growing up in South Africa, little girls like us, we grew up in the township and we, during a apartheid era, especially as a young sort of woman, it was, we weren't given the privilege, the, it's word privilege to dream because there was nothing really out there to dream about.
0:21.2	And it was all about survival from a day-to-day survival.
0:27.1	And I think, yeah, so when she was uttering those words,
0:30.6	that's when it's just like, oh, my word, we've come so far.
0:35.2	We've never would have thought that we ended up in London because as well for only up
0:40.4	until 1994, we didn't own passports. Passports weren't for black people. In our own, in our own
0:47.6	country, we were treated as foreigners as if we were the people that came, even though we were there
0:53.3	before everybody else came. So, yeah, and the people that came, even though we were there before everybody else came.
0:56.1	So, yeah, and I think that that is what literally, just seeing myself through her,
1:02.1	because to believe in ourselves as well, I find it through the years, I find it hard.
1:08.7	It was one of my challenges to have the confidence with what I can do and what my value is in life.
1:15.9	And UMT has sort of become sort of my ode to myself, to my hair, to my heritage,
1:24.8	and to just stand strong and realize that I also matter and I have something of value to
1:31.2	give.
1:41.8	Hey everyone, this is Ramon Vela and this is another episode of the story of a brand.
1:47.5	Like always, we have an amazing guest in brand that we're going to feature on today's show.
1:51.3	But before we do, scaling an e-com brand is brutal, especially when you're doing it alone.
1:58.7	While you're stuck figuring out your next move, other brands are
2:02.2	sharing what works and hitting milestones. Workspace 6 is a private community where over 950
2:11.0	of 7, 8, and 9 figure brand operators trade insights, solve problems, and shortcut growth. It's the anti-fluff
2:20.4	operators room, and for your first dirty days, it's just $1. That's it. Join the dark
2:28.5	horses of ecom at workspace6.io, get real answers, and skip the trial and error. If you're a better-for-you-C-G brand
	...

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