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Q&A with Nafy Flatley

Tell us about your company, Teranga.

Teranga is a food, beverage, snack, grab-and-go company. We pretty much do it all! It is African, but specifically Senegalese cuisine. We started by making juices and energy bars using imported African superfoods, but during the pandemic, we pivoted a little bit and started focusing more on hot food and prepared meals. We continued using African superfoods and began working with local farmers to incorporate more fresh ingredients into our meals.

What are some challenges you’ve faced while starting and growing your business?

I’ve faced a lot of different challenges, one of which was related to getting funding for the business. It was hard to go through normal financial institutions to get any loans. Every time I tried to do that, I found myself only getting approved for high-interest loans which was difficult for me to understand because I had a very good credit score and a clear business plan. It was odd that when I compared my experience to other business owners who went to the same institutions but were able to get a lot better rates. So the main challenge has been getting funding, just so that I can keep the business running. I’ve had to recycle any money we make and put it back into the business so we can keep it going. Another challenge I've been facing as a woman entrepreneur, as an immigrant, and also as a woman of color, is just to be trusted. There are people asking and wondering whether I can do it or not and I’ve had to prove it to them. I do this by doing demos and where I have them try what I make. I need to convince people. Another challenge I’ve faced when trying to build Teranga is finding the right people to work with, especially during the pandemic it’s been challenging. People are scared to go back to work, and many people do not have childcare. We’ve been very lucky here at the Municipal Market because we can bring our kids some days, but that will change once the economy reopens. Being able to get good workers who can leave their kids and not worry about childcare is a very big challenge.

What does the future look like for Teranga?

The next thing on the horizon is how to expand Teranga. The word “Teranga” means hospitality, friendship, camaraderie, and I want to take it to the next level. How do I incorporate this spirit of Teranga into the American culture and way of life? I want to do that through all of the different products that Teranga has. The next thing will be expanding more in California, but I also want to grow around the country. I already ship nationwide, but I hope to open physical locations in different states too. We also want to focus on becoming more involved and support everybody in the community here, in the Tenderloin District where our brick and mortar location is at 101 Hyde Ave. We want to spread the word– to spread the Teranga spirit beyond California.

How can GlobalSF support you moving forward?

GlobaSF can do things like this! Make us talk about ourselves and our business, and feature us on their platform to be shared with their followers. I almost had the opportunity to travel the year before last year with GlobalSF. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to make it that trip, but those kinds of things, like the networking they do. The platform they’ve created and use is great for supporting businesses like mine.

What advice do you have for other women entrepreneurs?

Go for it! Don’t be scared. Don’t be nervous. Know that there are other people and organizations out there who are willing to help you, like GobalSF. If you’re lost and don’t know how to figure something out— email, call, talk to them, and they can help guide you through it. For example, during the pandemic, I received emails with information about loans and different opportunities because I am part of the GlobalSF network. Don’t think you’re alone. There are people who are willing to help support and guide your business. Trust yourself, trust what you have, and know that it is going to work.