The Queen Mother herself, Dr. Catherine Masitsa, aka Dr. C, has captured the hearts of many with her appearance on The Real Housewives of Nairobi, an opportunity that she has also used to elevate her business.
Dr. Catherine Masitsa says, “The Real Housewives of Nairobi helped my wine business grow.”
In Season 2 of The Real Housewives of Nairobi, which airs its finale on Friday, July 26 on Showmax, Dr. Catherine Masitsa, popularly known as Dr. C, is showcasing a bigger and better version of herself and the business that she has built for 20 years.
“I have lived life, changed careers, built a business, created my own table, and now I’m sitting at the head of that table and thriving,” she says. “I’ve had enough of living my life according to society’s expectations.”
Binge-watch all 12 episodes of The Real Housewives of Nairobi S2 on Showmax starting Friday, July 26.
Your mantra this season is “bigger, brighter, and better.” What does that phrase mean to you?
I mean, look at me. I look good, right? But I also moved to a bigger and better house. I’m launching new products because my business has grown, and that is part of the impact of The Real Housewives of Nairobi S1.
Kenyans welcomed me, embraced my products, Samantha Wines, and opened doors I never imagined. Therefore, this season I’m growing my business by launching more products and increasing the Samantha brand SKU. As part of our brand, we now have champagne, prosecco, sparkling wine, and even Dr. C. Gin are now part of our brand. Aside from work, I’m enjoying life with my family and living the Kenyan dream.
Does it feel good to see the show help your business?
I enjoy jumping into the fire and learning as I go. Having built my brand, Samantha Bridal, for 20 years, I needed to do something to reignite the brand and attract new people, and that’s what The Real Housewives of Nairobi S1 did for me and my business.
The show provided me with an opportunity to showcase my brand at a time when people are still willing to purchase my products because they can truly understand who I am. And the show has helped me not only in Kenya but also in Africa.
I’ve received feedback from distributors in Uganda, Ghana, Nigeria, and South Africa asking to stock my wine. Thanks to The Real Housewives of Nairobi, we were able to get our brand name out there and expand it beyond Kenyan borders.
You are celebrating your anniversary this year. Since The Real Housewives of Nairobi premiered, how has your relationship with your husband and daughter been?
I’ve been with my husband for the last 28 years, so celebrating those years of friendship and marriage is a big milestone that I do not take for granted. He is my best friend and cheerleader.
Most of the time, he’s in the background, but he will observe and advise me. We actually launched my champagne brand to celebrate our relationship, but more importantly, we’re celebrating Samantha Bridal’s business, which I launched after our wedding.
Our daughter is thrilled to be on the show; she’s really enjoying the limelight. One of my favourite things to teach her is to stand up for herself. She makes her own observations, corrects me when necessary, and expresses her pride in me when it’s appropriate. That’s what you get to see when you watch Season 2.
This season, you’re also going big with your matchmaking business, despite the controversy in S1 about you being a matchmaker. Could you please clarify what it means when you say you’re a matchmaker?
During S1, my matchmaking business received unwarranted attention. I have helped bring together lots of delighted couples now, and we even have an app that is doing extremely well.
However, we remain a relatively small entity, as it’s not a venture I started for financial gain. Occasionally, a significant number of individuals on our waitlist express their desire to connect with someone, representing one of the most significant inquiries my company receives.
This indicates that there is still a strong desire for marriage. I only work with serious people, which implies that I am a matchmaker for those who truly aspire to be in a genuine, loving, long-term relationship.
