Entrepreneurs

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.

Isaac 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, KwaZulu- Natal, 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.

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.

One 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.

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.

MAKING READING ACCESSIBLE

According to the Progress in International Reading Literacy Study (PIRLS), at least eight out of ten Grade 4 learners cannot read.

Qhawe Bula and his friends came up with a novel idea that will make books available online. They did this by developing a unique digital library comprising a series of read-along children’s audiobooks written in South Africa’s 11 official languages.

The aim is to change the way young children view literature and language and encourage reading culture.

How did you get started? We started in 2018 offering translation services and translating educational material into South African indigenous languages. We also translated for newspapers in Queenstown for a bit.

What are your future plans? In the immediate, it is to launch our digital library on our app. We have previously released content through podcasts and other existing platforms as our distribution channels. We are excited to finally launch our prototype app. What makes your business unique? What differentiates us is that we are combining audio and written format. Secondly, it is our focus on promoting African languages and philosophies. And the desire to tell African stories.

I think just from that ethos, of wanting to celebrate Africanness we will be able to innovate around it. To ensure that we speak to Africans in a manner that excites our imagination. In a manner that feels like home. In the manner that teaches and educates. Also in a manner that ignites us to do so much more.

VENTURING INTO THE MINING SPACE

The mining industry is still male-dominated, but things are slowly changing as few women venture into the mining space.

Tebogo Anna Mosito is a dynamic and innovative business leader. If there is one thing growing up in the rural village of Maile taught Tebogo, it is that education is powerful.

After completing her matric, she went on to study Human Resource Management at Wits, graduating with a National Diploma. Her higher education opened many doors for her, including landing her first job with City Power.

Tebogo believes gender transformation is needed as women are still undermined in male-dominated industries. She shared her inspiring story with TransformSA:

How did you get started in your business? The biggest challenge was raising capital for my business, lack of access to information, market access, technical skills, and access to technology.

What (or who) inspired you to start your business? Lack of black female participation, the thought of making more money, and having flexible time. Any words of advice for up-andcoming entrepreneurs? Be resilient.

What does entrepreneurship mean

to you? It is being independent and having the ability to create opportunities.

How do you handle stress and pressure? I travel, read novels and play with my kids.

How do you balance work and personal life? Once a month, I spend quality time with my family. I have a good support structure at home.

What is your business philosophy? Always learn to ask and trust your intuition.