Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu

Bethlehem Tilahun Alemu (born 1980) is an Ethiopian businesswoman, founder, and executive director of soleRebels, Africa's "fastest growing footwear company". Bethlehem has received honors and accolades for her business acumen, as well as her efforts to shift the discourse on Africa away from poverty to the continent's entrepreneurial spirit, social capital, and economic potential. Bethlehem launched "The Republic of Leather", designing sustainable luxury leather goods, and "Garden of Coffee" retail outlets to promote Ethiopian coffees.

Early life Bethlehem was born in the Zenebework area of Addis Ababa. Her parents worked at a local hospital. Alemu attended public primary and secondary schools, and then went on to study accounting at Unity University, graduating in 2004.

Bethlehem was the first female African entrepreneur to address the Clinton Global Initiative and was named Outstanding African Business Woman by African Business Awards in 2011.

Business ventures In early 2005, Bethlehem founded soleRebels to provide ecologically and economically sustainable jobs for her community. Seeing that many skilled artisans in her small community in Zenebework were living with chronic unemployment, she wanted to showcase their skills and offer work to those in her.

The soles of the shoes are made from recycled car tyres. Today, the company has stores all over the world, including in Ethiopia, Singapore, Switzerland and Taiwan.

Bethlehem is deeply proud of having been able to create global brands like soleRebels and Garden of Coffee.

History The company began out of a workshop on a plot of land owned by Bethlehem's grandmother in Zenebework.

SoleRebels has flourished, growing to 300 employees in Ethiopia, with distribution to thirty countries worldwide, selling to market kingmakers Whole Foods, Urban Outfitters and Amazon. Franchised and company-owned stores were planned to open in Austria, Switzerland, Taiwan, and the UK. Bethlehem wanted to create well-paid jobs which could create prosperity using the artisan talents and natural resources of Ethiopia. The selection of footwear as the launch product for the company came later. Bethlehem was inspired by the seleate or barabasso, the traditional recycled tire sole shoe crafted in Ethiopia, and footwear became the locus around which she chose to build the company. Bethlehem believes Ethiopians must wrest control of their own narrative from the "people and elites with a vested interest in positioning Ethiopia as 'needing help' and specifically needing the 'help' they happen to be offering," as Bethlehem explained in an interview with The Next Woman. The global success of companies like soleRebels helps to dispel these old narratives and allows for Ethiopians to shape their own international image. Bethlehem was listed on Forbes magazine's 20 Youngest Power Women in Africa in 2011 In 2012 Bethlehem was named by Business Insider as one of "Africa's Top 5 Female Entrepreneurs." In 2012 Bethlehem was chosen as NYC Venture Fellow by Mayor Bloomberg. In 2012 Bethlehem was chosen as one of Arise Magazine's "100 Dynamic Women," who are shaping modern Africa. In 2013 Bethlehem was listed as #62 in Fast Company'''s "100 Most Creative People in Business 2013." In 2013 Bethlehem was a Counsellor at that year's One Young World Summit. In 2013 Bethlehem was listed as one of Madame Figaro's "15 Most Powerful African Women." In 2013 Bethlehem was chosen to join the advisory board of the Green Industry Platform, convened by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization and the UN Environment Program. In 2013 Bethlehem was chosen by readers of The Guardian'' as one of "Africa's Top Women Achievers." In 2014 Bethlehem was named as one of CNN's "12 Female Entrepreneurs Who Changed the Way We Do Business."