'Didn't Want To Be The Boss's Daughter'

Born into money, she started working at age 10 to hone her skills to build companies selling luxury and opulence. Along the way, she worked on cruise liners and sold pap and stew out of a food truck.

- Ancillar Mangena

OPULENT. THERE IS NO OTHER WORD TO describe Thandi Dombo.

The red carpet to her lounge, L’Opulence, in the heart of Sandton, Africa’s richest square mile, is fit for a queen. Like its inspiration, Dubai, the city of gold known for its bling and bravado, her lounge is gilt-edged and framed in rich navy overtones.

“I was in Dubai when the idea to build L’Opulence came about. I said ‘this is what you call opulence’. It was over the top, full of glitz, glamor and it was in your face. I came back home and built a place inspired by that. People come here for an experience. It’s a destination where you put an effort to dress up and go out to eat,” says Dombo.

In just two years, L’Opulence has as its clients South Africa’s affluent. That’s not all.

Just two days before our meeting, Dombo launched Purple Orchid, a company supplying event planners luxury décor.

“There was music, dance, good food and great décor pieces that I will definitely be getting for my wedding. They are all things that are new. Things I haven’t seen at events yet,” says bride-to-be Nicole Nkala who attended the launch.

She may not be an author, but Dombo says she has a book of ideas. She says the biggest lesson in her life is that preparation meets opportunity.

“If you’re not prepared and doing the work, opportunities are going to miss you,” she says.

She has been preparing for this from the age of 10, working for her parents. At 15, she swapped the comfort of family business for the ruthless world of retail.