Nadine & Ladouce’s story: from sisters to co-founders

Angela Nadine Nadabha and Elizabeth Ladouce Nadabha, known respectively as Nadine and Ladouce, went from sisters to co-founders, leveraging Ladouce’s artistic passions and Nadine’s project management expertise to develop their company, The Art Carte. Together, they created a line of beautiful stationary, home goods, and clothing items with designs inspired by the nature and culture of Kenya. Now, they’re on a mission to bring their products to new markets, gain customers, boost sales, and increase the wages of the local artisans they work with. Here, they share their entrepreneurial journeys and plans for global expansion. 

Nadine’s reflections

“What started as a passion project with my sister, who creates the designs, has grown into a business that reimagines how beauty can be part of the ordinary. Whether it’s a notebook on your desk, a bookmark in your novel, or a card you send to a friend. 

We began quite unexpectedly in 2019, experimenting with custom artwork on canvas shoes. While the designs were beautiful, scaling them was nearly impossible because all the work fell on my sister. This challenge nudged us towards digital art and collaborations with artisans, which in turn opened the door to stationery, apparel, and home goods. Our first major success was calendars; simple, everyday items that served as our gateway into the stationery market. 

At the heart of The Art Carte is a deep love for stationery and a desire to create products that are not only functional but also carry cultural and artistic value. Growing up in Kenya, most stationery was imported, leaving a gap for something homegrown, high-quality, and equally beautiful. Today, we proudly work with 21 local artisans, each with years of experience in printing, design, and craftsmanship. Supporting them through fair wages and consistent opportunities is central to our mission, every order we fulfil directly supports livelihoods and families. 

Of course, the journey has not been without challenges. Being young and female in business often means that suppliers underestimate me, especially when they are accustomed to working with large corporate clients. Proving that my company has both purpose and impact has required resilience. Accessing new markets has also been daunting. As a first-time entrepreneur, I had to teach myself everything, market segmentation, product positioning, export requirements, often with limited information and guidance.

That’s why joining the Roads to Markets programme was such a pivotal moment. One of our 2025 goals was to expand into exports, and the programme provided us with the tools to achieve this. Through training in legal compliance, procurement, and export documentation, we formalised our systems, developed supplier contracts, and streamlined procurement processes. One-to-one coaching was invaluable, as it helped us understand B2B retail, international standards, and effective negotiation strategies. 

The results have been tangible. We’ve expanded our local retail footprint, entered the hospitality sector, and recently completed our first export to Tanzania. An opportunity to export to New York is now on the horizon. With DHL as our logistics partner and e-commerce driving 60% of our orders, we are now confident in our ability to serve global customers while showcasing Kenyan artistry to the world.”

Ladouce’s reflections 

“Our sisterly bond is one of The Art Carte’s biggest strengths as it is what keeps the heart of the brand genuine and grounded. There’s a deep level of trust and understanding that comes naturally when you have grown up together. We know each other’s strengths, weaknesses and working styles, so communication flows easily. We can be honest with each other, challenge ideas and still know it’s coming from a place of love and shared vision.  

We have a very interesting dynamic which has always played out as we run the business. You know how siblings usually have designated car seats which they stick to from the time they’re young? That’s also what it’s like when we’re running a business, there are tasks that are by default either mine or hers depending on our personalities. We each bring something essential to the table, and it creates a nice balance between creativity and structure. 

I lead the artistic creation, creative direction and product design for The Art Carte. For me, art has always been about storytelling. I take inspiration from everyday life, nature and culture of Kenya, and translate those influences into meaningful visuals to use in the products we create. 

My sister, on the other hand, is brilliant at operations, problem solving and execution. She’s the one who makes sure everything runs smoothly from production and logistics to client coordination and getting things done on time.

The Road to Markets programme was such a valuable experience. I really liked how practical it was, especially the one-on sessions on compliance and navigating customs. They gave us a much clearer understanding of what it actually takes to get a product from a studio in Nairobi to retail shelves abroad. I also appreciated how the programme pushed us to think more strategically about our brand; not just in terms of creativity but also scalability and readiness for international markets.  

Looking ahead, our vision for The Art Carte is to become a globally recognised lifestyle brand. I believe that supporting women entrepreneurs is vital; not just for the businesses themselves, but for the communities they uplift. For us, every sale represents both artistry and impact: a chance to make someone’s life a little more beautiful while creating opportunities for the artisans who bring our vision to life.”