Ellen Muthama’s social media pages offer a glimpse into a life that blends entrepreneurship, travel, agriculture and media.
However, behind the polished posts and growing online presence is a story that also involves her husband, former K24 news anchor Joel Chacha, whose experience in media and communications has played a role in shaping how she presents herself to the public.
Muthama is the CEO and co-director of Nouvelle Blooms, an agricultural export company dealing in flowers, coffee and tea.
However, her growing visibility online has seen her become increasingly known beyond the company’s work.
She has used social media to share snippets of her entrepreneurial journey, educate young people about exports and document some of the opportunities that have come her way.
In an exclusive sit-down with TUKO.co.ke, Muthama opened up about building her personal brand, the influence of her husband, balancing family and business, and how social media has changed the way people see her work.
How Ellen Muthama and Joel Chacha got into business together Muthama and Chacha came from different professional backgrounds before finding themselves building a business together.
The idea for Nouvelle Blooms emerged when the couple was thinking about starting a family business.
“Nouvelle Blooms was born at a time when my husband and I were thinking about starting a family business, despite coming from very different professional backgrounds. My husband comes from a media and communications background, while my experience has largely been in business and the travel industry,” she said.
The shift happened almost by accident, through Chacha’s work in public relations for the Ministry of Agriculture, where he found himself surrounded by people in the sector.
What started as an idea between a husband and wife gradually developed into an agricultural export company supplying international markets. For Muthama, however, the journey has been about more than building a company.
It has also meant finding her own voice in the public space.
How has Chacha impacted Muthama’s business?
If there’s a quiet main character in Muthama’s social media rise, it’s Chacha.
Before Nouvelle Blooms existed, Chacha was already a familiar face to Kenyans as a K24 news anchor. That background didn’t stay in his old newsroom; Muthama says he brought it home and pointed it directly at her.
She’s candid that the confident, polished version of her that shows up online didn’t happen naturally: It was coached, deliberately, by someone who used to do this for a living on television.
His guidance helped Muthama understand how to communicate what she does more effectively and become more confident when speaking publicly.
The influence has also extended to how the couple approaches their public image. Rather than simply posting about their company, Muthama has increasingly used her platforms to share the person behind the business.
That has helped her build an identity separate from the corporate side of Nouvelle Blooms.
What role does Joel Chacha play in the business?
Chacha is not simply Muthama’s husband but also her business partner. The former media personality serves as her co-director at Nouvelle Blooms, meaning the couple works together on the company’s operations and decisions.
His media background has naturally influenced the way they approach communication and branding.
Muthama said Chacha’s network has also been useful, with some of his relationships eventually connecting the business to suppliers, logistics partners and buyers.
However, the couple brings different strengths to the partnership.
While Chacha contributes his media and communications experience, Muthama brings her background in business, travel and international client engagement.
“Ultimately, we bring different strengths to the company. His background is in media and communication, while I bring my experience in business, travel and international client engagement. Together, we run the business and make decisions as co-directors.”
How social media changed Muthama’s public image
Muthama said she realised early that social media could be more than a place to showcase products.
She saw an opportunity to educate people, particularly young Kenyans who were curious about exports but did not know how the industry worked.
“That influenced the kind of content I share. I don’t want social media to simply be a catalogue of what Nouvelle Blooms sells. I also want to educate people about exports and show that agriculture and international trade are spaces where young people can build meaningful careers and businesses,” she noted.
As a Gen Z, Muthama said she is also comfortable sharing some of the opportunities that come her way because she knows her audience may learn from them.
Why does Muthama mix her personal brand with her business?
Muthama does not view her personal brand and Nouvelle Blooms as completely separate. She believes the two complement each other.
Her personal pages allow people to connect with her as an individual, while the company represents the work she and Chacha are doing.
“My personal brand creates the human connection, while Nouvelle Blooms represents the company, its products and the work we are doing.”
That approach has also allowed her to talk about topics beyond flowers.
Her content touches on entrepreneurship, lifestyle, opportunities, international business, and her experiences as a young woman navigating the business world.
