AUGUST 2018 ISSUE
www.startupafrica.co.za
startupAFRICA Busi Mkhumbuzi
TWENTY THREE | VOICE VALIDATED | BODY CENTRED
All Women Issue
Table of contents BUSI MKHUMBUZI Cover story
MMAPULE MOTSAPI Mogul in the making
DR. NANDIPHA MAGUDUMANA Doctor-turned entrepreneur
MAHLATSE MATLAKANE 20-year old farmer
SIKU DLANGA Amacebo Alusizi
EDITOR'S LOVE LETTER The month of August is significant in South Africa because it commemorates the 1956 march of approximately 20 000 women, who took to the Union Buildings in Pretoria to petition against the country's pass laws that required South Africans defined as "Black" under The Population Registration Act, to carry an internal passport known as the “dompas”. And over the years, the month of August has taken an even more unique shape by becoming significant to women of all races. What makes the memorable march ever so significant is the fact that WOMEN did it. The significance was heightened this year as SA’s women came together again to march against gender based violence. And the more I think about these events, the more I realise that although we have still got a way to go as women, our baby steps are getting us somewhere. I have to add to this; my recollection of the celebration of Mama Winnie Madikizela Mandela's life (during the news of her passing) and how it has also been a reflection of the steps towards a new era, irrespective of how small they are.
Nothing echoes in the back of my mind like Lebo Mashile’s interview with Jeremy Maggs on eNCA. “Let the mainstream depiction of Winnie Mandela be a lesson to black women everywhere to be the custodians of our memory because through racist and sexist eyes we will either be monsters or invisible.” I happen to believe that this powerful statement also echoes the struggle of not only black women but women in general. During the time of her death, we watched on social
many other trailblazers and hardworking
media as well as various media
female entrepreneurs who wake up in
platforms just how relentless
the morning and rattle the status quo.
sexism is.
There really is hope, even though most days prove to be difficult.
Lebo argues that the same forces that sort to trample her while she was alive were trying to trample her memory and berate her even in her absence. It was painful to watch the world undermine a woman who risked everything that she had. Basically, her flaws prevailed her heroism because women are not allowed to be flawed. Although this year has been a painful reminder of how women are dangling at the bottom of the food chain, I found so much solace in to speaking to women like Busi Mkhumbuzi as well as
I’ve written this note on the heels of optimism and confidence. Even in my worry – nothing can eradicate the beauty of being a woman. And so, to all of the women who wore red and black on the first of August, women who fearlessly took to the streets to be heard, and even those who couldn’t be there but availed their spirits. More importantly – to women whose lives were taken away simply by virtue of being a woman, this All Women Issue is for you.
Baradi Moletsane
BEÂ INSPIRED
Taking the Centre Stage
BUSI MKHUMBUZI
By Baradi Moletsane If you were 21 and you were told that at 23, you’d be sharing a stage with the likes of Barack Obama, Cyril Ramaphosa, and Graca Machel – how would that make you feel? Busi Mkhumbuzi would be the best person to take you through how it really feels. The 23 year old Soweto-born entrepreneur and activist took centre stage as the programme director of the annual Nelson Mandela Lecture that was headlined by Barack Obama in celebration of Nelson Mandela’s legacy. After a good two hour chat about the beauty and beast of being a woman, social injustices that seem to hold the country’s potential captive as well as the thrill of being Young, Gifted and Black – I some how managed to effortlessly awaken the spirit of humble woman, whose greatest aspiration is to rid South Africa’s youth of all social injustices. There was never a time the encounter felt like an interview. Her wisdom was on time, she was poised yet comfortable in her skin, her laughter was contagious and it echoed throughout the room.
Our conversation was a really hopeful reminder that if South Africa is breeding a generation of women of this caliber – there’s hope for our country. You were afforded the privilege of introducing and being the host to the former US President – Barack Obama at the Nelson Mandela Annual Lecture, with the audience of about 15 000 people and millions more watching at home, take me through how that felt… Just you saying it again gives me goosebumps. Every time someone mentions it, I get to psychologically relive that “out of body” experience and it just feels astounding.
"WE’RE WORKING TOWARDS CONSULTING THE DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION DIRECTLY"
I am a big planner. I’m the kind of woman who keeps a detailed vision board. Basically, my top level aspirations are recorded and I can promise you that this experience wasn’t part of my plan. Apart from all the excitement, I was very nervous because of how I look up to Barack Obama. I have visited the US a couple of times and have actively participated in being a supporter of Obama’s campaign narrative and what he stands for as well as his presidency. So, when I was told that he’s coming to South Africa, all I wanted was to be in that audience, but as (my) fate would have it, we shared a stage, shook hands and he told me a joke in an effort to ease me into my moment of glory. I can’t wait to share this story with my unborn child… At what point were you informed of this? It was eight weeks before the actual lecture, but honestly, it only sunk in two weeks prior to the event when I was contacted to do my dress fitting with David Tlale. It was in that moment when I really took it all in and I thought “this is actually a reality, wow!” The three words that best describe you? I always struggle with these “describe yourself” questions. Well, in no particular order – tenacious, critical and compassionate.
At startupAFRICA, we believe that “entrepreneur” is a state of mind not a job title. What does entrepreneurship mean to you? It’s funny that you ask because I thought about how I never really used to be an entrepreneurial kind of person. I was more of a career woman gravitating towards the traditional 9 – 5 setup. Think of an Accountant. It was only when I got to varsity that I felt I could create something. I remember when I was doing vac work in my first year, I met a partner from one of the big accounting firms. I can recall seeing him and thinking – I want to be that. I want to be at the forefront of new business development, I’d like to meet clients and be able to ...
influence the procedures of a company. I’d love to be in charge, I don’t want to sit and stare and my computer screen the whole day. Entrepreneurship is about innovating and creating. Creating solutions to problems. It was really when I left varsity that I had full comprehension of entrepreneurship and how it requires us to be brave by taking calculated risks. I partnered with colleagues – Thami Pooe and Bongani Masilela and we managed to turn around and organisation that they had founded and been running as a passion project. After a period of hard work and planning, we managed to turn TshimongSA into a fully operational PTY (LTD). So tell us about TshimongSA… TshimongSA is an organisation that was started by my two partners (mentioned earlier) Thami Pooe and Bongani Masilela back when they were undergrads at Wits University. Both of whom are debating and public speaking extraordinaires. Thami and Bongani used to do outreach programmes where they would go into schools and teach young people about debating and how to acquire the skill. When I stepped into the scene and decided to join forces with them in 2016, they were already in talks with big corporates (Absa being one of them) about the possibilities of partnering with them in order to run debating programmes in the Westrand. I came at a time when the conversations were changing, and so we decided that it’s high time we shift our thinking from focusing on outreach work and seeing TshimongSA as a company that consults big corporates on how they can go to communities and run debating programmes. Essentially, we went from specialising in outreach programmes to becoming a full on organisation that consults various companies, the government and education institutions on how to create debating, public speaking and
leadership training programmes that are immersive, ones that allow previously disadvantaged children to shine. Before you were an entrepreneur, you did a lot of work as an activist in your tertiary career at UCT, take us through that… [Sighs] University counsel at UCT is extremely untransformed. I look at Prof. Mamokgethi Phakheng (whom I have great respect for) and I know that her role there isn’t a walk in the park. What many people may not know is that my entrepreneurship is heavily influenced by my activism. I really am a hardcore activist. I arrived at tertiary fueled with optimism.
"ALL WE HAD TO DO IS CHANGE THE WAY IN WHICH CHILDREN LEARN" The optimism to learn and to shape my way of thinking as a pivotal prerequisite to my career, however, I was exposed to a different kind of world that I didn’t know existed. Tertiary institutions have rigid systems in place, systems that are designed to preserve the methods of the old South Africa. UCT, and probably many other institutions have managed to fool us into thinking that they have transformed in academia, when in actual fact they have not. I was heavily involved in Rhodes Must fall movement, along with many other student activists who saw the importance of dismantling this rigid racial system that was designed to deliberately exclude black people from financial, political and economic growth. I found it bizarre that people had a say in whether this statue, that was a painful and solid reminder of the unjust apartheid regime, should fall or not. The statue in itself was symbolic of apartheid and its legacy. I am not sure if you’re aware but the statue overlooks Khayelitsha and some of Cape Town’s townships. The design, as well as its positioning, was very deliberate and well thought out, and I say this because I want people to understand just how deep rooted racism is.
It’s not something you can eradicate overnight. I decided to actively participate in both the Rhodes Must Fall and Fees Must Fall movement. If you were afforded the luxury to design your life from a career perspective, basically, you’re allowed to do anything in your career. What would you choose? [Laughs] I always used to say that I want to be the MEC of Transport because the inner CBD transport infrastructure is really holding the economy back. But jokes aside, I am extremely passionate about TshimongSA – I am so passionate about it that I don’t see myself anywhere else. If I was afforded the opportunity to accelerate Tshimong I would do exactly that. I know where we are headed and I have a clear idea of what we will be doing in our three to five year plan. We’re working towards consulting the Department of Education directly. We don’t only consult organisations that want to create programmes in certain communities as part of their CSI initiatives, we have also been developing a new education model and style of teaching.
If for instance you are teaching a class of 50 and your work guide requires you to get through the module within four days, you can’t always guarantee that more than 50% of your class will have full comprehension of the learnings. Instead of the government fixing this matter, they keep lowering the standard – the percentages just keep dropping and this is not a constructive way of solving issues within the education system. Working for Tshimong has made me realise that learners who are recognised as “unteachable” or “academically incapable”, tend to perform a lot better and often even well in a Tshimong programme. The way in which we teach is using debating as the tool. I am really passionate about using debating as a learning tool because it allows us to listen to everyone in the room, and it opens up a platform where we can all have open conversations and interrogate one another’s way of thinking in an effort to learn. When we allow students to partake in debating exercises before writing a test, I can guarantee you that they will pass – and the marks have proven so. And this just goes to show how powerful engaging in debate is. We didn’t have to alter the entire curriculum or the fundamental dynamics of the education system. All we had to do is change the way in which children learn.
Doctorpreneur Nandipha Magudumana By Cue Sibiya
Since the age of six, Dr. Nandipha Magudumana, 29, always knew that she was going to become a medical doctor. Dreams do come true because she now holds a Bachelor of Health Sciences degree (BHSc) in Biomedical Sciences, and a Bachelor of Medicine as well as a Bachelor of Surgery (MBChB), both from Wits University. startupAFRICA sat with her and this is how she shared her illustrious journey. When did you decide that you want to become an entrepreneur? Back in varsity, I would mix products and also sell fashion items to fellow students. I made quite a lot of money, and it is that experience that motivated me to pursue entrepreneurship. Fast forward to 2017, I started Optimum Medical Solutions a year after I resigned from the Far East Rand Hospital. Why leave your job? I wanted to enter a market (aesthetics) that is young and leave a legacy. There aren’t many Black women in this industry, I thought it was important that we start entering this market in order to educate our people.
EXCLUSIVE
"IT'S ALL IN YOUR HANDS" What sort of challenges have you faced and how did
Where did you get the funding to start your
you overcome them?
business?
Understanding your target market. Our business was
I didn't receive any funding when I started. I just used
initially in Bedfordview, but our clients found travelling
my savings. Now that I need to grow the business, the
to be challenging. So we decided to move to Sandton,
need to get funding is growing on a daily basis.
which came with its own high bill challenges. Nevertheless, we are now closer to our target
Any advice for entrepreneurs out there?
audience. Another challenge is that people don't know about the aesthetics industry. Many of the times we
You need to understand that it's all in your hands. You
have to do quite a lot of marketing and public relations
have to be disciplined. Staying focused and motivated
so that we can educate people about this booming
even during difficult times is one of the biggest
industry.
challenges that entrepreneurs tend to face. Whenever you are feeling overwhelmed or you need an extra
What are your future plans?
boost of motivation to stay on task, it is important that you always remember why you started as an
We want to venture into Durban, Cape Town and SADC
entrepreneur in the first place. I also jog every day.
regions because the number of requests is growing on
Being in business is physically demanding, so exercise
a weekly basis. However, I want us to cement our
is an incredible way to release stress and find
Johannesburg footprint first before exploring other
motivation.
opportunities.
Siku Dlanga
Issue 27 | 234
a brief introduction to...
AMACEBO ALUSIZI
I'm Sikulo Dlanga, but people know me as Siku Dlanga. Amacebo Alusizi is a hobby that I have transformed into a business. It is really my addiction. I live a good quality life, and want to share that with people. My biggest challenge is capital and reaching my market. One day I would like to own an actual boutique. A place where my clients can come through and experience what the store has to offer. My biggest achievement was being on 702 and being part of the absa "Game Changers" campaign. Being on these media platforms really helped launch my business and made me realise that ultimately, people understand my vision. Being a female entrepreneur allows me to and to take calculated risks. You can find me on all social media @sikudlanga and @amaceboalusizi.Â
higher purpose
MMAPULE MOTSAPI
A MOTHER AND MOGUL IN THE MAKING By Baradi Moletsane startupAFRICA’s team managed to catch up with
“I am here to pave the way for the young women in
Mmapule Motsapi – a mother and mogul in the
my town. I want them to know that life is not without
making, who has effortlessly dedicated her time
its challenges. The trick is to take adversity with a
towards being a prime example of an
pinch of salt, and tackle the challenges head on!”
entrepreneur as well as a voice of reason for
Mmapule Motsapi.
women in the Vaal Triangle. What do you do for a living? With this month’s edition focusing on women that
I am the Events Manager at THOHO GROUP. I am also
aren’t afraid to share their tales of adversity in
the Founding member of Jolenti Group. Events are my
their journey of cracking it in business, conversing
specialty. I could go on and on…
with Mapule was refreshingly necessary and inspiring.
What is your definition of an entrepreneur? Someone who has the courage to follow their dreams, believe in them and make them happen. 3 words that best describe you? Brave, ambitious and driven. What is your opinion on the youth unemployment issue in South Africa? It is certainly worrying. I feel that more initiatives and programmes in the skills development and business development sector should be initiated and supported by both the private and public sector. SA’s youth is immensely talented and many young people have ideas that just require direction, support and guidance. It’s important to remember that not everyone was born to be a nurse, accountant or doctor. Give us a sketch of the role you play in Jolenti Events and tell us about what it took to get there? Jolenti Events is an events company that offers tailor-made events. These events are all conceptualised with the sole mission to ensure that every guest/attendee leaves our event feeling better than they did upon arrival. I host themed events on an annual basis – Single Mom’s Retreat is an event that allows single mothers to get together and share their experiences and to witness women who are thriving in their careers, businesses and marriages, despite the hardships they have experienced. I also host Meat & Network, an event where young entrepreneurs bring a fun and a relaxed culture into networking. A Seat At The Table (another one of my events) has been established to create togetherness and sisterhood amongst young aspiring businesswomen. It has become a platform where women can share information on their businesses, source clients, get recommendations and share opportunities available to all women in business.
Jolenti Style is an apparel brand that makes custom made skirts and pants for women of all sizes and age. Believing in my dreams is what got me here. Making sure that every obstacle or challenge does not derail you is a very difficult skill but can be learnt with time, we tend to be too hard on ourselves at times, forgetting that we are human beings who need to go through certain things and emotions to figure out what our purpose in life is. My journey hasn’t been easy, it still isn’t but giving up isn’t on my checklist! What’s the one painful thing that you have experienced in this career that want to share with people? After I left The Creative Counsel, a male friend of mine whom I trust and think highly of said “I have seen women try this business thing, it never works for them.” It was disappointing to hear him say that, however, I do not blame him. There are men who still undermine women in the pursuit of their dreams. I am just grateful that I have access to male friends and acquaintances who strongly disagree with these old fashioned and ridiculous notions. Would you say you’re a hunter or a gatherer? A hunter, when I want something, nothing can stop me and I always make sure I get it. What’s the one thing that makes your blood boil? Women who do not believe in themselves, their beauty and their magic!
What is this chapter in your life called? ‘Facing Goliath!’ If you were afforded the luxury to design your professional career or to become whatever it is you want to be, what would you be doing right now? The CEO of one of the biggest events companies globally, Jolenti Events and Head Designer at Jolenti Style. What’s the advice to the 13 year old version of you about her future career? Please stop saying you’re going to be a lawyer because you’re going to study it for three years and realise that you weren’t made for it! Pray for wisdom and chase your dreams. Fear is an illusion. You’re beautiful in that dark skin of yours, ebile re fasheneng nou in 2018.They call us Melanin Queens! [Laughs]. Your confidence is a powerful weapon in running a business. You need it. Don’t lose it!
13 FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS RISING TO THE TOP IN SA Women all over the world are the powerhouses behind some of the newest, innovative startups. South African businesswomen are gaining momentum in this global arena as well. Female-led business growth is happening in South Africa, despite the latest Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) statistics showing that only 6.2% of South African females take the leap into entrepreneurship. The following 13 black female businesswomen are going against statistical trends and represent some of the rising stars in South Africa’s entrepreneurial landscape.
1) Boitumelo Ntsoane
6) Sonia Booth
11) Bonang Matheba
2) Phuti Mahanyele
7) Basetsana Kumalo
12) Matsi Modise
3) DJ Zinhle
8) Sibongile Sambo
13) Khanyi Dhlomo
4) Polo Leteka Radebe
9) Molemo Kgomo
5) Michelle Okafor
10) Nkhensani Nkosi
CHATS
in conversation with nomahlubi nazo Above Text about the article photo would fit perfectly here.
by Mbali Sibiya
Please tell us about yourself. I am a bit of nerd because I love Polymer Chemistry and Cosmetic Science. I have always had an entrepreneurial spirit and I recognised that there is a great need to create small enterprises for unemployed youth as well as graduates. I then decided to create  something that  would I be passionate about and love working on even when it gets hard. It just made sense to me that I use science to create my startup because that's where my passion lies.
What has been your biggest achievement so far? Getting the chance to develop a men's grooming range and a soap range for rapper and actor, Zuluboy. What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur? I am single mother to two boys aged nine and two. Being an entrepreneur affords me the financial freedom to build the kind of life I desire. I am also very grateful to do something that I love even though it can be challenging at times.
What are your future plans? I am currently developing Biopolymer prototype by converting fish scales into Collagen and  formulating the Collagen to make burn wound dressings, films/sheets as well as C-Section scar strips. The hydrogels will sit on the wound bed and assist with the healing process and help flatten and diminish the appearance of scars by giving the wound a restorative environment and also protect from infection and itchiness.
Meet
THIRSTY TIPS
KELLE OYOGOA Catering and hosting people has always been part Kelle's life. It’s something she enjoys doing. Growing up, Kelle always found herself handling and catering for events on behalf of family and friends. It came naturally to her, she says. "When I realised that I could do it on a larger scale, make money and create a sustainable business from it, I decided to do it professionally, acquire skills and knowledge to help me excel," says Kelle.
Aarez Deliz & Drinks
Kelle then took it upon herslef to go for training, seminars and workshops in catering. "The key value at Aarez Deliz and Drinks is to afford customers with premium services and timely delivery. We always strive to give you value for money and create an experience that would linger with you beyond the event. In addition, we build mutually profitable relationships that make us your first preference when there is a need for our service."
Issue 27 | 234
On achievements, she says, "achievement is relative, for every time I get positive feedback from clients and they are happy, they become my cheerleaders by affording me words of encouragement, I also have clients who insist on praying for me." With reference to challenges, Kelle explains, "challenges have helped me to grow. Every time I am faced with a challenge, I always look at the bigger picture. Business is tough, the trick is to never think small. Being an entrepreneur has taught me to stay focused. My client base has grown exceedingly, this is all thanks to referrals. I see challenges as a stepping stone towards achieving excellence, for every challenge, there is a lesson.
"My utmost satisfaction as an entrepreneur is that limits do not exist and that learnings are endless. "Being an entrepreneur has opened my horizons to a lot of possibilities. I am currently looking into producing cocktail syrups and liqueur," says Kelle. "My advice to entrepreneurs: analyse your business idea before you launch. It is important to ensure that you are providing a solution to a problem and that you have a strategy to gain profitability. Challenges will always be there. Many a times I have wanted to throw in the towel, however, doing what I love most kept me grounded." Over and and above running Aarez Deliz and Drinks, Kelle also own a perfume business.
DECKING YOU IN STYLE AND ELEGANCE LaGrandLooks is a developing business that offers remarkable services and always leaves its clients with a great impression. It is the magic and glamour that serves as inspiration for fashionistas. The boutique was established in April 2017 by Philadelphia Lerato Mabotja (24). The apparel extraordinaire is breaking free from the chains of fear and is passionate about meeting people's style desires. LaGrandLooks caters for all
Written by Ndileka Swakamisa.
fashionistas.
THE UNSUNG STRUGGLES OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP By Tsholo Mokone
It’s 2:55 AM and I’m up trying to get this site up and running. I remember 19-year-old Tsholo saying, “I want to be my own boss, I don’t want to have to work for someone else”. Shame sis, you had no idea what you were getting yourself into. It’s been said that starting your own business will solve your financial problems. That becoming an entrepreneur will give you more flexibility, more time to do things you are actually passionate about, more freedom and ultimately more money, right? Wrong-ish. We don’t often talk about the other side of entrepreneurship, the dark side of this game. It’s not all Gucci and Champagne darliiiing. There are no pictures of friends sharing bachelor apartments, sleeping in offices or those last coins that you’ll use to buy your last meal before that client eventually pays you (Only God knows when that’s going to be). Look there’s nothing wrong with showing off your best life. My only issue here is the false idea we sell to aspiring
entrepreneurs; this sh** is not easy sis. There will be days where you are literally hungry, days when taking an Uber or even a Taxify is an unnecessary expanse. You will go through depressive episodes, moments where you feel like the world is suffocating you. You will chase people to pay you. Blessed be the clients that actually pay you on time. You will make mistakes, even worse ones if you are not fluent in financial literacy. You will need to learn all the skills that your company requires cause you won’t be able to afford to pay someone to do it for you. You might even lose some friends because you are so consumed by your business. I’m not saying that entrepreneurship is this horrible thing that no one should attempt. All I’m saying is that the climb is hard and no one can prepare you for it. You can read all the books and attend all the seminars but there is no blueprint for success. We all just have to figure it out ourselves but here are a few lessons that I’ve learned on my journey.
SPOONFUL | ISSUE 08
Vanessa Guilherme Nhabete
What does your company do? I have two businesses, each one distinctive but complementary in their service and product offerings. Firstly, my company Dali Banga Eventos creates special events, decorative lounge seating and rustic cake table decorations and occasions. My second business, Mulandi, creates beautiful floral arrangements and gifts. We use imported and local material to create our products, which are focused on marketing to servicing our middle class and lower class customers. In addition, we seek to offer a range of decorative event services, combined with floral arrangements gifts both of which are good quality, and affordable in equal measure. What inspired you to start your company? The desire to make people smile! Whenever we receive an order we get anxious, and I have realised that this takes away the beauty of enjoying what we do. We often forget that our customers appreciate our products and services. Our biggest inspiration is love. We have a saying in our business, “We don’t deliver gifts, we deliver smiles.”
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background? When the company was born, both myself and Edson were just students. In 2015, we decided to embark on the dream of having our own business and from there came our brand, Dali Banga Eventos, which consists of event furniture rental and special event lounge decoration services. Due to the economic crisis in the country at the time, the demand for this type of event furnishing and associated decorative services drastically reduced and to overcome this situation in February 2016, we looked to create other sources of revenue. This culminated in the creation of a range of branded floral and other gifts in December of the same year. What originally seemed to be a practical strategy to escape the economic crisis, ultimately became a dream business opportunity. Thereafter, we decided to register Mulandi. The name Mulandi (Black in Portuguese) arises from the need to recognise the black race and union between peoples. The chosen colours (black and white), have the purpose of making people aware of not relating colours to races, because we are one human race.
events & decoration
FARMER: MAHLATSE MATLAKANE (20)
Mahlatse began volunteering at a local green pepper farm over weekends and school holidays at the age of 15 to help her unemployed mother put food on the table. Matlakane is based in GaMoisimane in Buchum just outside Polokwane in Limpopo. “Growing up was very hard for my siblings and I. My peers used to mock me when I started working on the farm and said that farming was for illiterate people, this hurt my feelings but I wanted to gain knowledge in farming so that I could pursue it as a career,” she said.
When Matlakane had gained some experience she approached the owner of the farm where she was volunteering Johan Nel about planting her own seeds and growing peppers. Nel gave her two hectares of land on his farm. “I was amazed by how small seeds could turn into plants that produced big green peppers. Seeing how the plants were taken care of by using fertilisers to control bugs made me fall in love with farming even more. I knew right there that this is what I wanted to do,” said Matlakane.
After completing matric Matlakane took a gap year despite having been accepted at the University of Johannesburg to study law. She went back to Nel to ask him for more farming assistance and he suggested that she speak to a chief in the area about the possibility of giving her land. After seeing her progress on Nel’s farm the local chief gave her 40 hectares of land on the Babirwa Ba Tau Ya Tswala farm from where she now runs her business. She has employed four young people to work on the developing farm business.
FEMALE FARMER WORKS TIRELESSLY TO SUPPLY SA’S HONEY DEMAND
Mokgadi Mabela is a thirdgeneration beekeeper who learned beekeeping from her father. She is busy as a bee supplying South Africans and local businesses with her organic raw honey. While honey has many benefits (it contains antibiotics, good enzymes and is anti-bacterial), most honey in SA is imported. Mokgadi warns that imported honey is not always best. "It’s as good as syrup or sugar, but local honey has all the nutrients. We are best suited to be consuming local honey,” the 31-yearold says. Mokgadi is, however, now working on solving this problem to help ensure local demand is met. She currently has over 400 beehives but plans on increasing the number to 5000 within the next 10 years.
HIKE MAGAZINE
Entrepreneurship for Superwomen
By Rose Marie Ray No matter how much you plan, you cannot account for unforeseen events that have a negative impact on your business through no fault of your own. Believe in yourself. Be cautious but do not be afraid to go all-in for your business. If you do your homework, you will make decisions that sometimes may be wrong, but they result will be a valuable experience. Know your competition. Everything has to be sold and your product will have competitors. They will share your markets. Know who they are and what they offer and, if they are really great, find out why. If you have a great business, others will emulate it. Welcome it!
Spending money on advertising even before you open your business. As you grow, continue to add an increase in your budget for advertising every year. Do not let up when you think things are great. Nothing will help you grow your business more than advertising. Research and know your target audience. This is essential for any business. Even if you feel the pinch, continue to put the money in media that provides customers. Know where your business is coming from. Track your business clients through a software application that is applicable. This data is the company jewels used to target marketing where you get the most return for your dollars. The bigger the market, the more you need to spend.
Support your local tourism bureau or other organization that supports your industry. Volunteer to work shows and booths and provide support for projects that benefit the community. Computerize all of your business activities through an application program; i.e., we had a property management application that kept track of all our guests and everything associated with that guest: income, visits, company, referrals, particulars, and all reservations for all years. When I sold the business, I could show our average daily rate and all income (including cash) and expenses per guest/property for the entire length of our business. This is essential for you to have to sell your business and to put together the plan you will need to sell it.
"Learn from your mistakes and successes" Build your community
These donations led to guests
Have policies and procedures in
relationships. Through
visiting our city for special
place on how you run your
partnerships with companies
exhibits or fundraisers. Once, it
business. Have insurance and
such as Off-shore Sailing School,
resulted in a visit by the
legal documents in place before
NOAA, Bank of America, The
photographer Clyde Butcher;
you open your doors. Make sure
Piper Clinic, and other local and
another time, the chairman of
that your customers know what
national businesses and hotels,
the board of one of the largest
is expected of them when they
we were able to build
stock brokerage firms in the U.S.
give you their business, as well
substantial weekday business by
came.
as what they can expect from
setting aside rooms on a weekly
you. It is essential for your
basis at special rates for
Hire help and train them to be
company’s future to have
corporate clients and have the
great at what they do. I used to
professionals work with you on
ability to provide the large hotel
pay my housekeepers several
legal and insurance matters.
neighbors with rooms at any
dollars more than the local
One mistake can result in a loss
time day or night when they had
hotels. They worked from 8 a.m.
from which you cannot recover.
overbooked.
until 2 p.m. or so and had to be there seven days per week.
Support your local non-profits.
You do not need anyone to tell you what to do and how to do it
We would provide rooms for
They were given commissions
if you get a good start and have
visiting judges for the local art
when they answered the door or
done your research. You must
festival, paid musicians for
phone and booked a guest. Give
love what you are doing every
special concerts, and we
them health insurance even if
day and have confidence in
provided rooms to be auctioned
you can only pay a portion of it.
yourself that you know what you
off at fundraisers.
can or cannot do.
C H R I S T E L L A K I R E Z I
A MOZAMBICAN ENTREPRENEUR WITH A PASSION FOR NATURAL HAIRCARE
MANY WOMEN IN MOZAMBIQUE FIND IT A CHALLENGE TO CARE FOR THEIR NATURALLY CURLY HAIR AND KEEP IT IN GOOD CONDITION. BUT CHRISTELLA KIREZI, FOUNDER OF MOZ CRESPAS, HAS THE NATURAL SOLUTION AND IS BUILDING UP A BUSINESS WITH A REPUTATION FOR PROVIDING NATURAL HAIR PRODUCTS FOR HER CUSTOMERS.
What does your company do? At Moz Crespas, we treat our customers’ natural hair. Why should anyone use your service or product? Basically we are a full package. We provide haircare tips, take care of our clients’ hair, and value as well as maintain strong relationships with our clients. What are your future plans and aspirations for your company? We would like to have at least one salon in each province to further expand our services. What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur? My greatest satisfaction is being able to fulfill my dreams and also to create jobs.
take some time off
By Koketso Seloane
Developing woman leaders in Africa A board of influential African women business leaders has been appointed to strategically position and launch the first regional circles of influence to develop woman leaders in Africa. In Africa today, only 5% of CEOs running large companies are women. Yet, the positive impact of women executives on a company's financial performance has been proven: African companies with the most women on their executive committees achieve 20% higher profit margins than the average for their sector of activity. Following on the success of the Africa CEO Forum's Women in Business initiative, the first Women in Business Annual Leadership Meeting, organised in partnership with ESSEC Business School and the International Organisation of La Francophonie, aims to tangibly strengthen African women leadership.
Building and maintaining an influential network; how to manage your image; and how to assert leadership in an era marked by social networks; and successfully growing a business internationally, as the African Continental Free Trade Area comes into effect, are some of the topics that will be covered at the meeting. These are all themes that will be developed during high-level panels, testimonials from inspiring women leaders and interactive workshops run by experts from McKinsey & Company and ESSEC Business School. The Women in Business Annual Leadership Meeting will close with a session devoted to creating the first circles of influence for African women leaders. Each circle will be headed by a member of the Women in Business initiative board, which will also be introduced at the meeting. For six years now, the Africa CEO Forum has been the foremost annual meeting of Africa's private sector and brings together public-decision makers, business leaders and investors from around the world. It is organised by Jeune Afrique Media Group, publisher of Jeune Afrique and The Africa Report, and by Rainbow Unlimited, a Swiss company specialising in organizing events that promote business. The 2018 edition was co-hosted by the International Finance Corporation (IFC, World Bank Group).
PAGE 27
Meet Nneile Nkholise BY DANIEL MPALA
It's lonely being a black woman in this sector
Despite running running an awardwinning medtech startup, Nneile Nkholise still finds it hard and often lonely being a black woman in the sector. “You always have to try and prove the narrative wrong that women, especially black, cannot run a successful company,” says Nkholise, 27, who is the founder and CEO of Johannesburg-based medtech startup, iMed Tech. “You find out (about the doubt) in the questions that they (investors) ask you, they want you to prove your worth and work,” she says.
Nkholise — who was one of the speakers at French tech summit VivaTech — founded iMed Tech in 2015. The company produces and supplies medical specialists with medical prosthesis, bio-implants, dental aligners and custom made surgical planning models. Apart from winning the SAB Foundation Social Innovation Awards in 2015, iMed Tech is a finalist of the 2016 Gauteng Accelerator Programme, Nkholise also participated in the 2016 Discovery Entrepreneurs Medtech Silicon Valley Programme.
Keen To Launch SA's First & contemporary Black exclusive! FemaleOwned Bank BY QUEENIN MASUABI
Nthabeleng Likotsi failed her Certificate in Theory of Accounting (CTAs) several times, but now she is on the verge of opening the first black women-owned bank in South Africa. She was born and bred in Botshabelo, Free State, and her family had a big interest in entrepreneurship. "My parents have been in business for over 33 years. They have a school-uniform factory and shops in Free State. All my siblings are in business," she told HuffPost. After accepting that she had no future as an accountant, she decided to join the rest of her family and start a business. "I started Young Women in Business Network (YMBN), but somewhere halfway through I decided to do my master's in entrepreneurship," the 33-year-old said. Her passion for entrepreneurship came "naturally" — she says her family has always been an inspiration. "My family played a huge role in terms of business and the person that I am, particularly because my parents are leaders in their own right, so I saw how to work with people, how they gave themselves to the community, so for me, that comes [naturally]." She plans to call it Young Women in Business Network (YMBN) Mutual, because of the symbolism the name has.
Likotsi says the bank will be the perfect platform for black people to thrive, as it will be focused on assisting stokvels, hawkers and other small businesses that are usually not able to work with other banks. "We are going to work with our people, because we believe black people can actually work together — it's just a matter of what instrument you use to activate that," she said. "You can't talk economic freedom if you do not have a financial institution — you need a bank that will support black entrepreneurs, which currently we don't have." Likotsi and her business partners met with the governor of the Reserve Bank, Lesetja Kganyago, to officially tell him their plans, and to speak about issues facing financial institutions and the barriers to entry. "The first time we tried contacting the Reserve Bank, it was difficult. We were discussing transformation in the financial services sector." Despite this, she is confident that the bank will be fully operational by next year. 'We are very confident that we will have the first womenowned bank by 2019; it sounds very good."
STEPPING OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE Let’s face it, there will always be things we fear in life. Some of us fear the obvious “biggies” like heights, spiders, fires or flying. However, many of us develop fears around things that shouldn’t hinder us, but often do. Do you fear rejection? Taking risks? Failure? Success? All of us have the tendency to form “comfort zones” around ourselves: boundaries between what makes us feel comfortable, and uncomfortable. Comfort zones are not always bad. Sometimes they can prevent us from doing something stupid or reckless. Most often, however, our comfort zones are built on a belief that may or may not be true. If you’ve experienced a particularly painful rejection in the past, you might create a comfort zone that will prevent you from “sticking your neck out there” and being rejected again. In this case, the comfort zone itself isn’t the problem. The underlying belief that you will be rejected again is the problem.
Just because you’ve been rejected in the past does not mean you will be rejected again in the future. That particular comfort zone will cause you to act in ways that are counterproductive to your own success in life. You will dread meeting new people, getting involved in relationships or even applying for new jobs. Deep inside, part of you will be expecting to be rejected again, and you will do whatever you can to limit the possibility of that happening. Pain isn’t fun to experience, and it’s amazing how our minds will avoid it at all costs! The point is to stop letting fear make your decisions, and start making them yourself. It will take some time to get used to this new way of thinking, but before long you’ll automatically begin questioning your fear and stop letting it control you. Once that happens, there is no telling the levels of success and happiness you can reach!
HLOBISILE SHOBA HELPING BUSINESS OWNERS TO MANAGE THEIR FINANCES What inspired you to start your company? I have seen many small businesses struggle to grow even though the business is ready for growth. Through engaging entrepreneurs on the topic of growth, I noticed that they normally struggle with funding and that is because they do not keep financial records to show the numbers. In addition to that, many entrepreneurs do not know their numbers so when they pitch their businesses the part where investors ask about numbers is always badly answered because they are not accountants. I want to enable them to be in control of their finances such gross margins, turnover, profit, cash fixed costs, variable costs, what each number means and how it affects the business. I started Mafisa to help other business owners with bookkeeping
Why should anyone use your service or product? Mafisa will not only provide you with the accounting and tax services, we will also help you understand the dynamics of the accountancy need in your business. When we give you your monthly management accounts, we ensure that you have a clear understanding of where your business is going financially. Tell us a little about your team My team consist of two accountants and a tax consultant. The accountants, both of whom are females, have completed SAIPA and SAICA programmes. The tax specialist was previously employed by SARS for a period of 15 years in different areas of the institution.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur? Adding value to my clients’ businesses is the satisfying part of the journey. What are your future plans and aspirations for your company? I plan to focus on consulting on issues of governance for SMEs, financial management and working with businesses to help them scale up. This, I intend to do by using the financial information I would have helped them put together and produce. I always say that mastering your finances, whether in business or in your personal life, is the secret tool for growth.
MASTERCARD AND JASA INVESTS IN SOUTH AFRICA’S YOUNG FEMALE ENTREPRENEURS More than 120 young South African women graduated from a Mastercard-funded initiative that empowers women to pursue entrepreneurial ventures of their own. The programme – the Junior Achievement South Africa (JA South Africa) Youth Enterprise Development Programme 2017 – targets out-of-school, unemployed or self-employed women aged 18 to 35. “Empowering young women to rise above systemic challenges they face and to participate in the economy through entrepreneurship is a key way of helping to develop self-sufficient communities,” says Nelly Mofokeng, managing director at JA South Africa. According to the 2018 Mastercard Index of Women Entrepreneurs, women account for only 18.8 percent of business owners in South Africa, and have a low rate of entrepreneurial activity, with only 5.9 percent of working age women in the labour force engaged in early-stage entrepreneurial activities compared to 8.4 percent for men.
working moms Women entrepreneurs face special challenges. Rather than dwell on how you're not with your child, think about how your role in the company is benefitting the family. Perhaps you can afford certain classes or educational opportunities for your children or you're able to put away savings for college. "The most successful career moms have found ways to be efficient in both worlds—and that requires being able to come to terms with choices and focus on the priorities that are in the moment," says Lisa Pierson Weinberger Accept that there will be good and bad days. Mothers should know they are not alone and they should discuss their feelings with partners or support groups.
Find Quality Childcare. Ask your network of friends and family for references to nannies, babysitters, and daycare centers. Create a list of criteria that are important and then schedule time to interview qualified childcare providers or to tour local daycares. Sharon Tepper, the president of Brownstone Nannies, Inc., recommends hiring nannies with a history of long-term commitments to families. This shows they have excellent experience and are adaptable to various age groups, caring for newborns and older children who need homework help. A good childcare provider should have extensive experience, excellent references, and a record to prove it. A good daycare facility should have flexible hours, a low teacher-to-student ratio, outdoor space, up-to-date licenses, and employees who have had their backgrounds checked.
happy women's month
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