ENTREPRENEURS
CARVING OUT A UNIQUE PATH Some people call them accidental entrepreneurs. Others call them forced entrepreneurs. But these are people that went on from being jobless to creating jobs.
O
ne such person is Kgahlego Rasebotsa. The Limpopo born and bred entrepreneur’s innate creative abilities is what put her in good stead to grow her business.
Talking to TransformSA, Kgahlego said she has been running her business since 2016; and has since learned valuable lessons that her degree couldn’t teach her.
FROM WASHING TENTS FOR A LIVING TO EMPLOYING 56 PEOPLE The youth unemployment rate remains at a staggering 65.5%. However, some young people are doing their part to create jobs for others.
I
saac Mbatha is the founder of Sky Tents, a business that specialises in manufacturing and supplying tents for birthday celebrations, weddings, and more.
After spending some time washing and repairing tents in KwaMashu, KwaZuluNatal, the 32-year-old entrepreneur decided to start his own business. He is today a Forbes Africa Under 30 business recipient. TransformSA caught up with Mbatha to learn more about his business journey. What challenges did you encounter? As a business, we have encountered numerous challenges, particularly during the recent Covid times. However, having a great team to work with makes waking up and growing our empire even more worthwhile. What or who inspired you to start your business? My late father was and will continue to be a true inspiration to me. He inspired me with his incredible work ethic, business acumen, and family balance. What are your future plans? We have enormous aspirations as an organisation right now. One of our plans is to expand our footprint in Africa. What makes your business unique? Our business is rooted on the foundation of family values. We recognise that our most valuable asset is our staff and stakeholders. Before we are CEOs or MDs, we are human beings, and we must lead with heart.
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www.transformsa.co.za
What is the nature of your business? We are an Interior Design and Decorating company that focuses on creating comfortable and tranquil spaces. We offer services to our clients, both in commercial and residential fields. How did you get started in your business, and what challenges did you face? After graduating, I struggled to get employment. I feared that it would cause me depression, then I decided to sell scatter cushions to keep my mind active. What are your plans and ambitions for your business? I would love to have my fabric line manufactured in SA simply because we use a lot of fabric and textiles to create most of our projects. What makes your business unique? We impact the lives of our clients positively by creating beautiful and fulfilling spaces that will ultimately reward them emotionally. How do you handle stress and pressure? By always staying calm and trying to identify the reason, we find ourselves in such a predicament. Also, understanding that when stress or pressure comes, it is another lesson to teach and help us retransform our systems.
