Leadership & Building Enduring Businesses: Lessons from Tara Fela-Durotoye's Legacy at House of Tara

When we talk about female entrepreneurs who have changed the landscape of business in Africa, Tara Fela-Durotoye stands tall as a pioneer, visionary, and builder of legacies. For many women in business, she is more than a role model; she is living proof that you can build with purpose, scale with integrity, and eventually hand over the reins without fear.

Tara recently officially announced her transition from Founder & CEO of House of Tara to welcome a new Managing Director, marking a significant moment in the story of the brand she founded over 20 years ago. For us at SkillHer, this isn’t just a headline, it’s a masterclass in building businesses that outlast their founders.

At SkillHer, we celebrate stories like this, not just because they spotlight successful women, but because they leave us with actionable lessons on growth, leadership, and legacy-building.

The House of Tara Journey

From starting her business as a law student to becoming a leading name in Africa’s beauty industry, Tara Fela-Durotoye built House of Tara on values that many entrepreneurs overlook: discipline, structure, and vision. She didn’t just sell beauty products—she created a movement, empowering women through training, job creation, and confidence-building.

Over the years, House of Tara became a training ground for thousands of makeup artists across Nigeria, inspiring a generation of women to build, own, and scale their businesses.

Here are a few timeless lessons from Tara’s journey that every woman building anything: whether it's a startup, side hustle, scalable venture or even a career -should take to heart: 

1. Build with Vision, Not Just Vibes

House of Tara wasn’t just another beauty brand, it was the blueprint. Tara saw makeup as more than aesthetics. She built a business around empowerment, self-worth, and career creation for women. That clarity of vision attracted not just customers but loyal ambassadors, employees, and global partners.

Takeaway: What vision are you building towards? Let it be so clear that others can run with it, even after you step away.

2. Don’t Just Lead—Develop Leaders

Tara’s handover to a new MD didn’t happen by accident. It was the result of years of intentional leadership development within the business. She created room for others to grow, contribute meaningfully, and eventually lead. That’s not just good HR, that’s legacy thinking.

Takeaway: An enduring business is not one that depends on your hustle forever. It’s one that runs on systems, values, and a strong leadership pipeline.

3. Let Go at the Right Time

One of the hardest parts of building something deeply personal is knowing when to step back. Yet, Tara shows us that real strength lies in letting go when the time is right - without guilt, without fear. Her graceful transition is a reminder that moving on doesn’t mean abandoning purpose. It means creating space for something new to bloom; both for you and the business.

Takeaway: Prepare to let go. Create structures that don’t need your daily input. That’s how businesses outlive founders.

4. Build with Women in Mind—and Watch It Scale

From makeup parties to full-blown studios across Nigeria, Tara built with women at the center. House of Tara became not just a brand, but a movement. Thousands of beauty reps, makeup artists, and entrepreneurs have passed through its doors and flourished because of it.

Takeaway: Your business can be a platform for others. When you build with others in mind, you’re not just creating a product, you’re shaping lives.

5. Keep Evolving

Tara’s own evolution: from law school graduate to beauty entrepreneur to leadership coach is proof that you can grow beyond your first business or hustle. She shows that identity isn’t tied to one role; rather, it’s tied to purpose. The baton has been passed, but the race is far from over.

Takeaway: Don’t be afraid to grow beyond your business. You are more than your brand name, you’re the builder of many possibilities.

Tara Fela-Durotoye’s handover is a celebration of what’s possible when women build with purpose and strategy. As we cheer on the new Managing Director of House of Tara, we also reflect on what it means for the rest of us: to build, to sustain, to step aside, and to keep evolving.

For the SkillHer Community
As we celebrate Tara Fela-Durotoye’s remarkable legacy, we invite every woman in our community to think bigger:

What kind of legacy are you building?
If you’re in business, can your business thrive without you?
Are you setting systems in place for sustainability?

At SkillHer, we’re cheering you on and supporting strategically as you build too, not just for today, but for the long haul. Because legacy isn’t something that happens by chance, it’s what we create through intentional action, continuous learning/upskilling, bold decisions, and unwavering purpose.