Couple turns family secret into successful soap company in Williamsburg

A husband and wife were brought closer by a family member sharing a very special secret, one they turned into a successful business venture.
The happy couple, Thaka and Moha Machiousi, have been married for nine years and share a family and a business together.

They say they knew they could stand the test of time after a very special blessing.

"The idea actually came about when I was introducing my wife, at the time who is my girlfriend, to my mom,” says Moha.
They call her Dada, a native of Benin, she gave her most trusted skin care secret to her future daughter-in-law, West African shea butter.
"In my culture, when mom meets the woman for the first time and gets her gift that means she really does like her,” says Moha.

To the rest of the family, this was a huge deal.

The couple took the mother’s secret to good skin and started making soap products with shea butter in the Bronx.
Their company, Sheawa, is available to purchase online or at their stand in Williamsburg.

The proud African immigrants quit their jobs to build Sheawa full time. They've sold to thousands and have even sold to some celebrity clientele.

"I asked for his card and looked up to him and that's when I realized it was Leonardo DiCaprio. Oh my god, I was shaking,” says Thaka.

Together the couple found love, and the American dream.

"We've gone through all the struggles, the building the company, the kids at the house and everything else, so yeah, we got that a lot. The American dream,” says Moha.