Zimbabwe’s Beauty Queen-Turned-Entrepreneur Builds Fragrance Brand for Global Markets
Brooke Bruk-Jackson has rapidly transitioned from beauty pageant winner to entrepreneur, using her platform to launch a fragrance brand with international ambitions. In 2023, while working in a Harare beauty salon, a stranger asked her what made Zimbabwe unique. She answered, “The people,” a response that led to a call from the director of the Miss Universe Zimbabwe pageant. Zimbabwe had not sent a representative to the global competition in 22 years, and Bruk-Jackson went on to win, becoming the first White woman to hold the title in the country. Her victory sparked conversations online, with support from locals and criticism from abroad, yet she remained focused on representing Zimbabwe at the Miss Universe competition in El Salvador a month later.
Bruk-Jackson’s entrepreneurial focus began shortly after her pageant win. By February 2024, she was in Johannesburg researching laser technology for a high-end wellness clinic she plans to open in Harare. She notes that while the beauty industry is accessible, achieving long-term success is difficult. Building a brand requires consistent quality, strong branding, and sustained investment. She emphasizes that differentiation is key and that maintaining customer loyalty is often the biggest challenge for new entrepreneurs in competitive markets. Her experience in pageantry helped her develop the discipline and strategic skills that she applies to her business ventures today.
In May 2023, Bruk-Jackson launched her fragrance line, beginning with Brooke Signature, a blend of Turkish rose, lychee, and bergamot inspired by stage presence. The brand quickly expanded to include three fragrances available in Zimbabwean retail outlets, with plans for a fourth inspired by Africa. The business has already shown profitability, and Bruk-Jackson is now working to expand distribution and enter international markets. She highlights that building a product is only part of the process; getting it into the right stores and creating global opportunities demands persistence, networking, and patience. These lessons echo the skills she honed while preparing for and competing in Miss Universe Zimbabwe.
Bruk-Jackson has also used her platform to support social initiatives, focusing on financial inclusion for women in Zimbabwe’s informal sector. Through partnerships with local trusts, she has helped develop income-generating projects, including mushroom-growing facilities, beekeeping operations, and basket-weaving enterprises. She successfully raised $10,000 for these initiatives and continues to fund them through proceeds from her fragrance line. Her ability to integrate entrepreneurship with social impact demonstrates how pageantry and business can combine to create meaningful change while sustaining a profitable brand.
Despite the visibility her crown provided, Bruk-Jackson credits tenacity and hard work as the key drivers of her success. She reflects on the demands of running a business, balancing creative development with practical problem-solving, and navigating the ups and downs of growth. Every decision requires both vision and discipline, pushing her to evolve alongside her brand. Her story shows that recognition alone is not enough; lasting success requires consistency, strategic planning, and perseverance. Brooke Bruk-Jackson’s journey from Miss Universe Zimbabwe to international entrepreneur highlights how talent, determination, and vision can transform opportunity into enduring achievement.
