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Born in 1984, in Nairobi, Michelle Ntalami is the daughter of Edward Haggai Ntalami and Maria Ntalami.
Her father, who passed away in 2014, was a senior executive in several institutions.
The businesswoman who grew up in Nairobi has three siblings. Her family has always been very supportive of her ventures, helping her to raise funds to start her business.
Michelle Ntalami's education
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Michelle attended Loreto Convent Valley Road and Consolata Primary School for her primary education.
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She then moved to Loreto School in Limuru and later joined the University of Nairobi, where she graduated with a degree in Design and Communication.
She furthered her education in Italy, where she pursued a Master's in Design.
Michelle Ntalami's early career and business success
After graduating, Michelle sought employment and worked as a corporate brand executive at Access Kenya.
She then served as the account director at Squad Digital. In 2011, she joined Scanad Africa, a top advertising firm, while also working on branding projects through her firm, Brandvine Group, in partnership with Niyati Patel.
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Michelle's journey into the business world took a significant turn after about three or four years when her father was diagnosed with cancer.
This led her to adopt a natural lifestyle and eventually inspired the creation of her company, Marini Naturals.
Launched in 2015, Marini Naturals specializes in hair products and is now spread across 12 countries.
Michelle Ntalami's personal life: Relationship rumours & heartbreak
Michelle Ntalami's personal life has seen its share of public interest. She was in a relationship with Chris Murithi popularly known as Makena Njeri, until 2021 when they broke up due to infidelity.
Michelle announced their separation on Instagram without revealing the identity of her partner.
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In 2019 and 2022, she faced rumours of dating Fena Gitu, which she denied, maintaining that Fena is a long-term friend.
Michelle Ntalami's stance on LGBTQ
For years, netizens believed Michelle only preferred women to men. In 2022, she openly identified as androsexual. Michelle revealed she was once in a relationship with LGBTQ+ activist Chris Murithi (who now identifies as they/them), and expressed her support for the community.
“So many people have been wondering if I am a lesbian, the answer is I am not. I am androsexual. This is a person who is strictly attracted to masculine energy irrespective of gender. And because of this, I am part of the LGBTQ community as a supporter and someone who is a member of the community,” she says.
Michelle Ntalami's achievements
Michelle Ntalami is highly regarded for her knowledge of marketing and brand strategies.
She was featured in Okay Africa's list of the top 100 women in Africa in 2018 and has also been recognized in the Top 40 Under 40.
Michelle has received accolades from leading institutions and brands such as Safaricom Blaze and CNN Africa.
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Michelle Ntalami gives her life to Christ after a one-on-one encounter with God
In May 2024, after a period of absence from social media, Michelle Ntalami returned with a powerful testimony of her spiritual awakening.
She deleted all her previous social media posts and dedicated her life to Jesus Christ. Michelle shared that she now uses her influence on social media to glorify God, transforming her past life into a testimony of her salvation through the blood of Jesus