JHB North - Nov 2020

is her name backwards, so I also
used my name Allegro backwards
to name my company.’
Her goal is for the Orgella Group
to be one of the biggest 100
per cent black female-owned
companies in Africa. ‘We’re
going to achieve this by being
consistent in the work we do and
always showing up.’
Already within this first decade
of running her company, Allegro
has been ‘showing up’ in business
circles for her efforts. In 2017, she
was named as a Forbes Africa 30
Under 30 honouree. ‘It’s one of
my great business accolades and
it all happened when I was 27!
It goes to show that sometimes
all you really have to do is put
in the work, and the accolades
will follow. The right people are
always watching.’
Entrepreneurship runs in Allegro’s
veins as she says she was raised
by a family of entrepreneurs.
Her uncles and aunts ran
supermarkets, and her mother,
who is a teacher, also
started her own
business on the side.
‘It was encouraging
and I knew back
then that one
day I would
also like
to create
a legacy of
my own in the
business world.’
Building a legacy and
creating jobs for youth
are the best parts of being an
entrepreneur for Allegro. These
are also what feed the Orgella
Group’s ethos, as Allegro says the
group aims to be informative,
empowering and entertaining.
‘It always comes back to leaving
a great impact, changing the
people around us for the better
and empowering not just the
consumers or audience but also
ourselves as a team.’
Yet, Allegro admits it’s a journey that
isn’t for the fainthearted and can be
lonely. She says her team, family and
small circle of friends are a great
support system, while her biggest
motivator on those tough days is
her 22-month-old son, Elohim.
One of the advantages of
lockdown due to the Covid-19
pandemic for Allegro has been
that she’s been able to spend
more time with Elohim inbetween
working from home
and, being a ‘foodie by nature’,
she has enjoyed spending time in
the kitchen. ‘I love food, cooking
and trying new recipes. And
now that I have a little human
being to share my food with, I
love creating different dishes for
him to try. My favourite things
to make include pasta, seafood
dishes, healthy treats or snacks
and baked goodies.’
In fact, Allegro enjoys cooking so
much she has an Insta account
dedicated to showcasing the
mouth-watering treats she whips
up in her kitchen.
Beyond the boardroom, Allegro
says she’s actually ‘quite the
introvert’ and she maintains her
positive mindset by praying,
meditating and spending time
with loved ones, and, at the
end of a long day, she loves
to soak in a bubble bath. She
finds journaling therapeutic,
and, to cope with the pressure
of running her business, she
takes time to rest every so often.
‘I unplug, travel to somewhere
with a beach, spend a few days
there just relaxing and praying
and recentring myself then come
back to tick more goals off my
vision board.’
This really characterises Allegro:
She’s a dynamic businesswoman
who’s focused on growing her
company to greater heights, yet
she’s humble and genuine which
makes her so relatable.
‘I just want to be the best version
of myself in this new decade of
life and be the best mother my
son could ever ask for.’
Details: Follow Allegro on
@allegro_d as well as her foodie
delights @allegroskitchen and find
out more about the Orgella Group
on orgellagroup.com
Text: DANIELLA GRAHAM. Photograph: KATLEGO MOKUBYANE. Make-up artist: @MAKEUPBYZODWA
November 20 Get It Magazine 11