FROM SHOOTING STREET DICE TO HOSTING ICONIC EVENTS

One such company that thrived during the pandemic is Empowaworx, a strategic creative marketing company that specialises in events, founded by Simphiwe Masiza. When Covid-19 hit, Masiza and his team somehow managed to not just roll with the changes, but grow.

During the lockdown Masiza’s business was part of the hardest-hit industries. Many events businesses were unable to operate at all. His innovative thinking kicked in, and together with his team pivoted the business to be more of a creative strategic marketing agency.

They offered bespoke insight-driven marketing, communication and digital solutions. Then they used technology to keep interacting with the people that would ordinarily participate in their live events. During lockdown Empowaworx successfully hosted nightly Digital Conversations speaking to numerous thought-leaders on a variety of topics.

Mazisa grew up in a poor family and they struggled to make ends meet in those days. He was born in the Eastern Cape in Pedi, a quiet town better known as Ngqushwa, 72 kilometers away from Grahamstown. From there, he moved with his mom to Mshenguville in Johannesburg.

“My hustling skills were honed in the streets of Mshenguville, and later Orange Farm. I used to shoot dice and I was given the nickname, number Knox man. At some point, I was the captain of the soccer team I used to play for. This is something that people who know me now find surprising as most can’t imagine me playing football,” says Masiza.

As the child of a single mother who worked extremely hard to keep her household together, Masiza found out he had a knack for entrepreneurship and came up with many schemes to bring in additional income to help his mother.

Without too much supervision, he got into a few scrapes and could have headed towards a far different future, thanks to a few good men that steered him in the right direction.

Despite his poverty-stricken background, Masiza had always dreamed of starting a business. As young as 8 years old, he knew what he wanted to do with his life: To start a business, accumulate wealth, and leave a legacy for his children. In order to achieve any of those goals, he didn’t need a Ph.D. or MBA, just determination.

At age 22, Masiza was already running a successful business, and he pursued his business ambitions relentlessly. Even when difficult times and rejections tested his mettle, he persevered.

Years later, he was able to get several executive qualifications from WITS and GIBS business schools, amongst other institutions. His qualifications include project management, strategy, business development, business management, event management, reputation management, business management, governance, and executive leadership.

He established himself as a leadership expert, events management guru, a sought-after energetic corporate MC and keynote speaker. To this day, he is still a sought-after speaker on branding and transformation. He attributes most of his success to his mother who inspired him to succeed despite all odds. “She was a catalyst for change, someone who could, with just her presence catapult you into new worlds,” he said.

Masiza is a born networker and has a flair for a salesperson. This explains why from a young age he was selling Tupperware in Soweto. In every person’s life, there is a catalytic moment and one of these was through motivational speaker Dr. David Molapo, who founded the I Can Leadership Institute Africa and is currently CEO of I CAN 4IR.

“It was around 1996 when I first heard about Dr. David Molapo. As students, we were invited to Standard Bank Arena. I remember him being introduced afterwards and I was inspired. Black motivational speakers were very rare and it was the first time that Masiza saw this as a potential career path. In our time, public speaking was not a career option. The most sought-after options when doctor or engineer. After David came, we realised that black people can be motivational speakers too. David said to me, young man you must have three Ds, namely desire, determination, and discipline,” recalled Masiza.

Masiza eventually worked with Dr. Molapo, as a co-ordinator and this enabled him to become a successful speaker and business leader. Masiza has worked in various different leadership roles from project management to consulting and each role led to a business that has grown into a formidable transformative enterprise.

“Empowaworx began as a consulting firm and has expanded into a strategic marketing and bespoke eventing business with a special focus on empowering youth, entrepreneurs, women and redefines modern masculinity to mitigate the impact of toxic masculinity. EmpowaYouth is also one of these properties,” adds Masiza.

The annual EmpowaYouth Week in Orange Farm is coming up in May this year, where 10,000 youth are expected to attend a week-long summit that outlines different industries and career paths, as well as offering them thousands of job, learning and funding opportunities.

Another exciting upcoming event is the Annual National Empowamen Summit on 22 April this year, with over 2,000 men in positions of leadership that are able to impact resources and policies that will ensure transformation.

Masiza also founded The Speakers Firm – a premium speakers bureau that represents some of South Africa’s best black thought leaders, entertainers, subject matter experts and everything in between.

He is a brilliant example of his own maxim – ‘don’t let where you come from determine where you are going’. He has a passion for young people and many of his employees started out in junior positions and gone on to become GMs or leaders in spaces that speak to their passion. Thanks to Masiza’s encouragement and mentorship.