Kanessa Muluneh of MULU: The Principle That Happiness Is Not Connected To Money At All And How It Built A Multimillion-Dollar Plus-Size Lifestyle Brand

Some people were born with the proverbial silver spoon in their mouth. Even then, becoming a millionaire is still quite an accomplishment. But people who start from nothing, and especially women who start from nothing, who make it to the top to become millionaires, despite the pay inequalities based on gender, the confidence gap, with nothing but grit, hustle, resilience, and “stick-to-itness”, are on a whole new level. We want to share those stories and inspire other women. In this interview series, we’re talking to “Self-Made” women leaders who started with nothing (i.e. started without investors or trust fund or capital or even people believing in them) and went on to create a highly lucrative business

As a part of our series, we had the pleasure of interviewing Kanessa Muluneh.

Kanessa Muluneh, the force behind MULU, a multimillion-dollar Plus-Size Lifestyle Brand, is a trailblazer from Ethiopia. Her achievements span industries — from reshaping fashion with MULU to launching Europe’s first Female American Football League.

She’s not just an entrepreneur; Kanessa empowers global communities through platforms like The Founders Mentality and Sporthy. With an unyielding commitment to education, she’s creating impact beyond business, fostering learning in underserved regions, and inspiring a new generation of entrepreneurs worldwide.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Before we dig in, our readers would like to get to know you a bit more. Can you tell us a bit about your “backstory” and how you grew up?

I am probably the luckiest immigrant on this planet. I was born in Ethiopia and at the age of three my parents made the brave decision to leave a country that had no future for our family at the time. They fled to The Netherlands (Holland) and that’s basically where I lived the majority of my life.

I call both places ‘home’. My parents did the best they could to raise me with both Western and African standards although it wasn’t easy at all since the cultural differences were like day and night.

My childhood was overall ‘typical’. I never fully understood how different I was from my classmates until I got older. Most parents usually teach you to fit in but that was impossible in my case. I mean, I was wearing braids in a sea of blondes. I was never ‘one of them’ and I will never be. That’s something I had to learn as I got older which was not easy, especially as a teenager.

Growing up, what were your early experiences and perspectives about money? Or we could say, what was the “money consciousness” in which you were raised? Can you please give an example of what you mean?

Money was not important at all. Don’t ask how but my father always managed to live a decent life with humble income and I admire him for that. He managed to sustain himself, dress respectively, raised a child, AND stashed away savings. Most people would just complain but he was just very smart. He once shared with me that he was living his dream life. He never wanted the stress of managing a lot of money. He wanted a cozy life where all his basic needs were covered and that’s what made him happy. He felt richer & contented, especially looking back at where he came from.

This experience taught me that happiness is not connected to money AT ALL. I learned that you take care of your & your family’s happiness & mental well-being first. Then money will follow and it will only add comfort to your existing happiness. And there is no amount tied to that!

Awesome! Let’s now jump to the primary focus of our interview. Let’s talk about what you are doing now, and how you achieved the success that you currently enjoy. Can you tell our readers about the business you’ve created?

It all started when I went to medical school and I had to finish my paper for that given year. They told me to find a ‘problem’ on the work floor (internship) and come up with a solution for it. The ‘problem’ I stumbled upon back then was the fact that most women were struggling with balancing work life with home life. These women mostly did administrative jobs that could easily be done from home, which was not common back then.

I came up with a software that allows people to access medical files and phone calls from home. As simple as it sounds now, it was truly groundbreaking 10+ years ago. I turned my paper into a company and sold it to a major healthcare company later on.

That moment ignited my entrepreneurial spirit. My entrepreneurial journey began by solving problems and turning them into a company. I started the first female American Football League for women in Europe simply because I dreamed of playing American Football as a woman and there were no teams for women. The same thing I did with MULU, my plus size sportswear brand because women were struggling to find proper gym wear above size XL.

Today, my brand MULU thrives across 10 countries with Africa as its crown jewel. My compass shifted to guiding companies and mentoring mothers in making decent global careers from home without missing too much time with their children –as I am a mother of three myself.

What was your vision when you started this business? What’s the WHY behind the work that you do? (Please share a story about this if you can.)

The purpose behind every concept I conceive is… Making life easier for people. Especially in the world that we live in, we are all in need of things that make life a little easier or more comfortable. That is the ‘WHY’ in everything I do.

Take motherhood, for instance, I understood the importance of spending time with my kids. Disappearing into an office and not seeing your kids the majority of the week is just not healthy, even though society makes us believe that this is the only way. I looked and found ways to run my business from home and make diverse income streams.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began leading your company?

The most interesting ones are always when you learn something about yourself. Doing things you said you would never do but end up doing for some reason.

Growing up, I always saw how my mom loved to please others. I thought (and still think) that was an admirable trait but, that’s just not who I am. I initially imitated her but it did more damage to me by people crossing my boundaries. I learned that happiness wasn’t tied to gaining approval. My goal shifted to making myself happy and sharing it with others along the way.

When I realized that, I wiped out toxic people and negativity out of my life. It was like ripping off a band-aid but I have never been so happier in my life. And that contentment now reflects in all business and personal choices!

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

The ‘fake it till you make’ saying is a strategy and it works! Most people just forget the ‘make it’ part.

One memorable experience that I recall was when I expanded to Africa. The sales pitches that I read were hilarious and lifted the ‘fake it till you make’ concept to a whole new level. I read all kinds of funny things like “I can arrange anything you like, I can even ask Apple to launch iPhone 18 just for you.” or simply “I don’t have experience or knowledge but I know I can do this.”.

Once I realized that this was a cultural trend, I started to enjoy the ingenuity actually and I always wondered if others would believe them.

We’d love to explore the traits that help you achieve your success. What were the mindset obstacles that you had to overcome in order to reach the place of earning a six or seven-figure income? Can you tell us what you did to overcome them?

I cannot emphasize enough… FEAR IS JUST AN EMOTION! Fear comes in many forms– insecurity, doubt, anxiety, and many more and it will do anything to stop you from reaching your goals to keep you in your comfort zone. If you want to break free, you must confront and challenge your fears head-on.

An invaluable tip: Block all negative influences, even if they come from within your family! But also acknowledge your fears and always know it’s going to take time to overcome them. No success happens overnight. It is a gradual process.

And when it comes to matters beyond your control, like the so-called myth of ‘balancing parenthood with work’ or “work-life balance”, don’t focus on it too much. Learn to let go and take it day by day. Focus on achieving balance in the areas that you can influence.

What were the external obstacles that you had to overcome in reaching these milestones? And how specifically did you overcome them? (Please share a story or example.)

I mentioned this already– eliminate ALL negativity including people. If something or someone drains more than they energize you, cut ties ASAP! You owe no one an explanation for doing this. Initially, it might ruffle some feathers but that is part of your growth as a person. Embrace that!

Was there ever a point where you wanted to give up on your journey to creating a highly lucrative business? How did you work through that panic point? Please share a story.

Every month, without fail, I have this hilarious “Should I just quit?” moment. Honestly, quitting wouldn’t bother me much but I know myself too well. I would be up and running with something new again within a few weeks of boredom.

It’s all about finding the right balance. Extremes aren’t the goal. We need the soaring highs and the grounding lows to maintain our balance. So embrace the lows as much as you embrace the highs, it’s necessary for your growth and progress!

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Hands down, my husband. I married him for his intelligence and that was the game-changer. He is 18 years senior to me and people automatically assumed that he must be rich and I got everything on a silver platter. That’s not the reality. He was richer in wisdom & life know-how and I took great advantage of that!

I think that there’s zero shame in marrying someone with a deeper pocket. Frankly, it would be a smart move despite what society wants to make you believe based on jealousy and envious whispers. Be even smarter by investing smartly for your family and your future.

What were the most important resources, tools, affirmations, mindset strategies or practices that you used to build your business to where it is today?

With a refugee background, you don’t need much of them to succeed. The only thing that keeps me motivated is the fact that I’m determined to avoid returning to our starting point and I want to repay my parents for all their sacrifices to make me happy.

Observing my husband, who had a cozy upbringing in a Dutch family household, I notice that his source of motivation is different. He always needs to find reasons to motivate himself to reach a goal because he is unfamiliar with the discomforts life can throw our way. Both are ‘struggles’ but just from a different point of view.

What do you think is the greatest challenge for women and creating wealth/abundance? What advice would you have for someone that is feeling blocked by that obstacle?

Societal pressure! As long as you choose to listen to external factors — be it government, news, family, or tradition– you will never discover yourself and your full potential!

Great! Here is the main question of our interview. What are your “5 Things I Wish Someone Told Me Before I Started” and why? (Please share a story or example for each.)

1 . Start promoting your products & services before you launch sales

2 . Fear is just an emotion, you can ignore it!

3 . Happiness is not tied to money, but money can be tied to happiness.

4 . Working until you are burned out is not a flex, prioritize and take care of your mental health.

5 . Your friends & family WILL get jealous of your growth and this will affect how they treat you.

We are sure that you are not done. What comes next? What’s your next big goal and why? What plan have you put in place to achieve it? Why is it a stretch for you? What will achieving it represent for you and for others?

I reached my dreams at age 32, now it’s time to give back. I believe the growth of developing countries (African & Asian countries) is underrated. Their economies are growing rapidly and I want people to see that. I want people to broaden their horizons, recognizing the potential beyond their borders. It sounds scary due to distance but it’s very easy if you understand the process.

My goal is to guide companies and individuals in the process of expanding their presence abroad, tapping into new opportunities.

How can our readers further follow your work online?

It’s best to follow me on social media. I’m mostly active on Instagram @kanessamuluneh

Thank you so much for taking the time to share with us and our readers. We know that it will make a tremendous difference and impact thousands of lives. We are excited to connect further and we wish you so much joy in your next success.