Cherie Kihato says TikTok storytelling brought real clients to her luxury furniture brand

Kenyan entrepreneur Cherie Kihato has revealed how authentic storytelling on TikTok helped grow Savannah Space, with some customers discovering the luxury furniture brand on the platform before making purchases.

Key points

• Cherie Kihato is the founder of Savannah Space, a Kenyan luxury furniture and home decor brand. 
• She said TikTok helped her connect with audiences by sharing the real journey of building a manufacturing business in Kenya. 
• According to Cherie, some customers have visited the showroom after finding the brand on TikTok and ended up buying furniture. 
• She said storytelling and authenticity perform better than overly polished marketing content. 

Luxury furniture entrepreneur Cherie Kihato, the founder of Savannah Space, has opened up about how TikTok became an unexpected growth tool for her Kenyan brand.

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In a recent interview, Cherie said the platform helped her tell the story behind her business in a way that resonated with audiences and eventually translated into real customers for her showroom. 

How did TikTok help Savannah Space grow?

According to Cherie, she did not use TikTok as a traditional marketing platform at first.

Instead, she leaned into authenticity, sharing behind-the-scenes moments about running a manufacturing business in Kenya, the challenges of entrepreneurship and the day-to-day reality of life in Nairobi. 

She said this honest approach worked better than polished sales content.

“The content that resonates the most with real clients is the content that resonates the most with people in general. It’s the content where I’m storytelling.” 

Cherie added that the impact has gone beyond views and engagement online.

“People come into our showroom, say they found us on TikTok… and they buy furniture after that.” 

What makes Savannah Space different?

Cherie described Savannah Space as a brand that creates high-quality furniture and home decor made in Kenya, while supporting local artisans from across the country. 

She said the company focuses on producing unique pieces that customers cannot easily find elsewhere, while keeping quality at the centre of the business. Some of the products are designed as functional art pieces that are both beautiful and practical. 

The founder also explained that many of the designs are developed through collaboration between her and the carpenters at the workshop, with inspiration coming from nature, travel and Kenyan craft traditions. 

What did Cherie Kihato say about African luxury?

Beyond business growth, Cherie also shared her views on the meaning of African luxury.

She said luxury should not be seen only through the lens of imported brands, arguing that Africa already has deep traditions of craftsmanship, art and storytelling that meet the standard of true luxury. 

Cherie also challenged the belief that Africans are not willing to support premium African brands.

According to her, most of Savannah Space’s clients are Africans, and in Kenya, a large number of them are Kenyans. 

Why is Cherie sharing her story online?

Cherie said one of the hardest parts of building a manufacturing brand in Kenya is the lack of visible roadmaps for young entrepreneurs.

She explained that there are not many examples for founders to study and follow, which is why she continues to share lessons from her own journey online in the hope that they will help others.