Shark Tank season 13 was filled with amazing pitches each trying to get that financing for their startups. But among them, Christina Funke Tegbe and her resolve to launch her African beauty butter business 54 Thrones (after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer), caught many viewers’ hearts.
So, what was going on in her life? Stay with this Christina Funke Tegbe Wiki to find out.
Christina Funke Tegbe On Shark Tank
Christina Funke Tegbe appeared on Shark Tank with a story of how she launched the brand and its effectiveness. She shared that her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. So, her aunt from Nigeria would send her mother shea butter for her mastectomy scar.
Considering its healing properties, Christina immediately got the idea to turn it into a business. She then quit her job and began her journey through Africa, where she built the infrastructure for her business.
Her product used ingredients sourced directly from Ghana. “Our shea butter is picked from a tree. The fruit is picked, the outside is eaten, and the nuts are then processed into oil,” she mentioned.
But, after the COVID-19 pandemic, the company went to a pause due to the decreased demand for shea butter. Thus, she had to turn to the sharks, to save her business.
After the deal, Christina’s products were featured by popular magazines like Forbes, Elle, and Vogue. Also, a few of her products went into discount under the label “Shark Tank Deals.”
Sharing her experience on Shark Tank, Christina took it to her IG to write, “Wow so that was fun! Thank you all for your kind messages and support and for tuning in to @sharktankabc last night! So many new faces on @54thrones. I am so excited for what’s to come!”
Christina Funke Tegbe Net Worth
Christina Funke Tegbe garnered a net worth of over $1 million by 2021.
Her brand, 54 Thrones was officially launched in June 2016. Though she realized it late, Christina confessed that her aunt only wanted to share their culture and heritage with them. That was why whenever they’d visit Nigeria, she would always persuade that family to pack tubs of shea butter to bring back to the States.
“As a kid, none of that resonated with me,” she remarked.
Initially, Christina started her business with $401 thousand and vowed to figure it out. And not soon after, she fell in love with the intricate production process of shea butter and coconut oil. Also, she was charmed by her employee’s work ethics — they all worked together, lived together, and a lot of them were family.
Their products ranged anywhere from $14 to $80.
But 54 Thrones wasn’t her first business. Preovuslty, she owned ZiggyVA, AvailVA, and COT Industries.
Before her entrepreneurial career, Christina worked as a management consultant for Cumberland Consulting Group. Reportedly, she joined that company in July 2012 and left in June 2015.
Also, she has worked as a project intern at Memorial Hermann Healthcare System-Six Sigma Department and a program assistant intern at Prevent Blindness Texas.
When Christina wasn’t working, she loved to travel.
Her biggest challenge during her entrepreneurship journey was figuring out the best way to reach the target market. “It was something that just took trial and error and sometimes just flat-out asking,” she shared.
According to Forbes, 54 Thrones was a clean beauty brand that was inspired by all of Africa’s countries and their vast range of natural ingredients.
Trivia: 54 Thrones celebrated their 5th birthday on June 22, 2021.
How Old Is Christina Funke Tegbe?
Christina Funke Tegbe was born on January 20, 2000. That made her 21 years of age in 2021 when she first appeared on Shark Tank.
As per her birthday, she is of the Aquarius zodiac.
Christina Funke Tegbe Parents
Christina was born to a Nigerian father and an American mother. Her parents were often featured over her IG and she always spoke highly of them. On father’s day 2021, Christina posted a childhood picture with her dad and shared how he used to call her “little miss Funke”, “miss chievous” or “Porkchop”.
Also, Christina’s father often told her that she was “too smart for her good.”
Talking about Christina’s childhood, she grew up in a competitive household. She has three siblings, and “everything was always a competition.”My parents instilled in us that effort was nice but results got the trophy,” she said.
As for Christina’s grandparents, her paternal grandfather was a photographer while her maternal grandmother owned a restaurant.
Is Christina Funke Tegbe Dating Anyone?
Christina was dedicated to taking 54 Thrones up to the billboards. So, relationships weren’t her top priority then. But then again, she could have been dating someone secretly and not letting the world know about it.
As of 2021, there wasn’t any information about Christina’s love life.
Related FAQs
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What Is Christina Funke Tegbe Nationality?
Christina is of American nationality. She was born and raised in Austin, Texas.
But Christina also holds Nigerian roots. She grew up exposed to West African beauty customs, and she more deviates towards it. Besides starting a company, another reason why she took off to Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco was to learn more about her culture as well. “I felt like I needed to go and learn about my heritage. I needed to be around my family,” Tegbe shared.
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How Tall Is Christina Funke Tegbe?
Christina stands tall at a height of 5 feet 8 inches (172 cm).
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Where Did Christina Funke Tegbe Recieve Her Education?
Christina received her bachelor’s degree from Tulane University – A.B. Freeman School of Business. She then went on to get her master’s in science degree from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.
Here’s her Instagram @funke_tegbe.
