what skills do you think the new generation of black leaders are going to need? To have strong knowledge about governance Tech skills and knowledge Innovative ways of thinking with regards to our economy Authenticity, optimism, and confidence Network of mentors in specified industries
what do you see as the key challenge for transformation in your sector? MCH's core business is recruitment, we find employment opportunities for persons with dis-abilities (PWD) and youth. Our country's unemployment rate reached 32.6% in the first three months of 2021, as reported by Stats SA. The unemployment rate of PWD is likely to be double that of the general population. In fact, it is estimated that the unemployment rate of PWD in South Africa is between 90%, 100% in rural areas. We cannot then speak of transformation if the numbers reflecting South Africa’s unemployment rate reached 32.6% in the first three months of 2021, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said is not part of the movement, if we as a society, as Corporate continue to leave PWD's out and slap them with a grant to shut them up
how do you retain personnel in your company and stop key staff from jumping ship? Firstly I do not work with 'employees', I work with entrepreneurs! Entrepreneurs push with me, they hustle with me, they are more self-managed than employees. I do not believe in the construct of a formal interview because you do not necessarily get the best out of a candidate. I conducted all my colleague's interviews very informally, all of them were not aware they were actually being interviewed. It could be coffee in a café, or while running CSI projects, or while staying at a hotel and I bump into interesting characters. This has given me the best team I have ever had in the 20 years I have been in this industry, and look what we have achieved together in the past 2 years alone. There is more growth and transformation in the pipeline. I have also noticed that my team enjoys this model, they run their departments as though it were their business, it gives them a sense of belonging, and the trust I have in them gives them the confidence to run with their ideas with very little interference from my side.
how has your B-BBEE rating brought you business or expanded your business? Modern Centric Holdings is a Level-1 B-BBEE contributor. If I am honest though, I would say for us, what has helped with our growth is the innovative solutions that we sell to our clients more than our scorecard. I do believe though that we have made great progress with B-BBBEE, it is, however, clear that we need to bring greater correctness and integrity to BEE stats and practices and ensure that claims are made by organizations in their B-BBEE reports are verified. This may require amendments to the reporting conditions. There are great misunderstandings on this subject among black business owners. Blackowned businesses need to also learn how to work together, as we believe that collaboration is the new innovation. There is enough pie for all of us to enjoy out there.
industrial revolution. Partnering with telecommunications giants in Africa to achieve this. We have ran a re-skilling development program that assisted 216 retrenched employees for our client with 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) & 5th Industrial Revolution (5IR) skills. Our client was giving much-required skills to people that have served in their company for decades but simply could no longer keep them on their payroll due to the effects of COVID-19 and the job market. This is huge for us as a growing company, it was a new product that we presented to them and they bought into it. Now the 216 skills recipients are skilled in Digital Marketing and Technopreneurship development programs and are able to find new opportunities in this digital age.
Founded in 2013 Modern Centric Holdings (MCH), our by Dylan Mgobhozi goal is to become a meaningful enabler of both theby private public sector service delivery Magdaline Nair please giveand a brief summary of the company, and itsthrough current products and services , and which markets it caters to. relationship building and exceeding Holdings is a 100% Black Owned, Level-1 B-BBEE ourModern client’scentric expectations with practical sustainable company, specializing in recruitment across the board including solutions. in MCH committed to offering Founded 2013is Modern Centric Holdingshigh-quality (MCH), our recruitment of persons with dis-Abilities. and exceptional service that will deliver and goal is to become a meaningful enabler of both We offer value to strategic partnerships through ourreal focus on recruiting sustainable value and are confident that our approach and empowering disabled candidates, women, and other the private and public sector servicegraduates, delivery through communities South Africa. We achieve willunderrepresented meet client requirements. relationship buildingin corporate and exceeding by working closely and identifying challenges that corporates are ourthis client’s expectations with practical sustainable facing in real time, innovating towards talent solutions that emphasise Activities and isOperations – toMCH symbolizes an solutions. MCH committed offering high-quality on high impact and a return-on-investment. amalgamation of various successful black-owned and exceptional service thatonwill deliver real and through Overall, we have an emphasis building human capital enterprises to create aconfident reliable, energetic continued learning, which believe supplements skills and development sustainable value and arewe that our approach beyond learning and/or entrepreneurial player in work the experience. skills and recruitment will meetprior client requirements. services industry. Our core business is positioned to deliver the and following scope of –work: Skills and Training Activities Operations MCH symbolizes what are your company's key transformation milestones? an Advisory, Recruitment Consulting, Youth closed amalgamation of various successful black-owned In the last two years, the height of COVID when many companies Recruitment, Development, Persons down, whereto many had toWith let of their workforce - Modern Centric has enterprises create a godis-Abilities reliable, energetic and been fortunate enough to keep its doors open. We have empowered 55 Management, and B-BBEE Advisory. entrepreneurial player in the skills and recruitment Persons with dis-Abilities with key skills needed in the 4th & 5th services industry. Our core business is positioned to industrial revolution. Partnering with telecommunications giants in deliver following Africathe to achieve this. scope of work: Skills and Training Advisory, Consulting, Youth We have ran Recruitment a re-skilling development program that assisted 216 retrenched employees forWith our client with 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) & dis-Abilities Recruitment, Development, Persons 5th Industrial Revolution (5IR) skills. Our client was giving much-required Management, and B-BBEE Advisory.
Clients will always see through a pitch that has been reworked from an old one. To grab their attention, you need to show them that you care about their business and have done the research to tailor the pitch to them.
This is quite a challenge for me as an entrepreneur in this space and as a member of a community where I see firsthand that PWD's are not given the same opportunities as able-bodied people. MCH has a new acquisition called DeafCentric (DC), a company that is aimed to make the lives of PWD's a little easier. DC is a call center management company that will assist PWD's with emergencies and link them with a person who understands their dis-Ability and is able to offer assistance/ send help as quickly as possible. Ask yourself, what does a deaf person do when they are in an emergency, left stranded on the road, and need emergency care - can you answer today and say that our 112 emergency line is able to assist them efficiently and in a timely manner?
what tips or advice do you have for pitching business contracts? The most important part of the pitch is getting to know the client’s business, their needs, get to know what their challenges are and find a solution that fulfils all their requirements. Only then can you present a pitch to close the deal. The first thing that you need to do is to make sure that you are pitching to the right people or person that are decision makers. It is a waste of your time if you are speaking to the wrong people! Full research around the company and their industry is crucial. Find out who they are. How long they have been in the industry? What does the company do? What challenges do they face? And who their competitors are? Remember that you are trying to find out what the client’s specific business needs are and how this will link with what you are selling, so ask yourself all the time what they will gain by working with you.
together in the past 2 years alone. There is more growth and transformation in the pipeline. I have also noticed that my team enjoys this model, they run their departments as though it were their business, it gives them a sense of belonging, and the trust I have in them gives them the confidence to run with their ideas with very little interference from my side.
company Q&A With Zakhele our growing by Magdaline Nair Mgobhozi company
skills to people that have served in their company for decades but simply could no longer keep them on their payroll due to the effects of COVID-19 and the job market. This is huge for us as a growing company, it Exciting was a highlights for the year – 2021 has been a big year for MCH, we new product that we presented to them and they bought into it. are Now tips or advice do youto have forbeen pitching business incrediblywhat grateful and honoured have named as finalists the 216 skills recipients are skilled in Digital Marketingforandthree Top contracts? Empowerment Awards and taking home Top Technopreneurship development programs and are able to findEmpowered new The most important partone of the is gettinghonours to know on the Entrepreneur of 2021, ofpitch the biggest opportunities in this digital age. client’sevent business, their get to know what theirleading night at thean thatneeds, showcases companies challenges are and find a solution that fulfils all their in transformation over the past 20 years. TopCo acts as a beacon of requirements. present a pitch Exciting highlights forAfrica’s the Only year –then 2021can hasyou been a big year for to MCH, we inspiration for South fast-growing SMME’s and business elite. how has your B-BBEE rating brought you business or expanded your close the deal. first thing that need to do isastofinalists are incredibly grateful and The honoured toAfrican haveyou been named We were also certified by The Professional Staffing business? make Empowerment sure that you are pitching to the right people or for three Top and taking home Top Organization (APSO). APSO is the Awards largest governing body in the South Modern Centric Holdings is a Level-1 B-BBEE contributor. If I am honest person that are decision makers. It is a waste of your Empowered Entrepreneur of 2021, one of the biggest honours on the African recruitment industry and requires all its members to live up to though, I would say for us, what has helped with our growth is the time if you are speaking to the wrong people! Full night at an event that showcases companies leading their I strong code of ethics. our Founder & Managing innovative solutions that we sell to our clients more than our scorecard. research around Lastly, the company and their industry Director, is init transformation over the past years. TopCo acts asMember a beaconand of Mr Zakhele was appointed an20 APSO Board do believe though that we have made great progress with B-BBBEE, is, crucial. Find outas who they are. Executive How long they have been inspiration South Africa’s fast-growing SMME’s and business elite. however, clear that we need to bring greater correctness and integrity to of the for Chair Professional Development Standards Committee. in the industry? What does the company do? What Webywere also certified by face? The And African Professional BEE stats and practices and ensure that claims are made challenges do they who their competitorsStaffing Organization are? (APSO). APSO is the largest governing body in the the South organizations in their B-BBEE reports are verified. This may require Remember that you are trying to find out what recruitment industry and requires all its members to up to amendments to the reporting conditions. There are African great client’s specific business needs are and how this will link At MCH, we believe in empowering the community andlive helping misunderstandings on this subject among black business owners. Blacktheir strong code of ethics. Lastly, our &Modern Managing Director, with what you In are selling, soFounder ask yourself all the Community time society's most vulnerable. 2020 we founded owned businesses need to also learn how to work together, as we believe what they by working with you. MCF Mr Zakhele was appointed as an APSO Board Member and Foundation (MCF), our will CSIgain division and Executive through we have ran a that collaboration is the new innovation. There is enough pie for allChair of us of the Professional Development Standards Committee. couple of initiatives to aid those in need. Our most notable is our food to enjoy out there. Clients will always see through a pitch that has been drive which saw the MCH team delivered 45 food parcels through our reworked from an old one. To grab their attention, you Adopt-a-Family. Through this initiative, we have adopted families need to show them that you the care community about their business At MCH, by wechildren believe in empowering helping headed living with dis-Abilities. We alsoandhave our what do you see as the key challenge for transformation in your sector? and have done the research to tailor the pitch to them. society's most vulnerable. In 2020 we founded Modern Community Reusable Pad Drive initiative that is aimed at keeping young girls with MCH's core business is recruitment, we find employment opportunities Foundation (MCF), our CSI division and through MCFhave we been have ran a special needs in school the year. We for persons with dis-abilities (PWD) and youth. Our country's what skills dothroughout you think the new generation of black on a couple of initiatives to aid those in need. Our most notable isaour food process tp get them SABS approves and these reusable have lifespan unemployment rate reached 32.6% in the first three months of 2021, as leaders are going to need? which saw the MCH team delivered 45 food parcels through our reported by Stats SA. The unemployment rate of PWD is likely drive to 5be of years. We are forecasting the approval to be within 2021 still so we To have strong knowledge about governance Adopt-a-Family. Through thisknowledge initiative, we have adopted families double that of the general population. In fact, it is estimated that the can start distribution and education countrywide. This is in partnership Tech skills and headed by children living with dis-Abilities. alsoto our have our unemployment rate of PWD in South Africa is between 90%, 100% Innovative ways of thinking with We regards withinWild-Hearts Foundation. Reusable Pad Drive initiative that is aimed at keeping young girls with rural areas. We cannot then speak of transformation if the numbers economy reflecting South Africa’s unemployment rate reached 32.6% in the first special needs inAuthenticity, school throughout theconfidence year. We have been on a optimism, and three months of 2021, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) said is not part of process tp get them SABS theseindustries reusable have a lifespan Network of approves mentors inand specified the movement, if we as a society, as Corporate continue to leave PWD's of 5 years. We are forecasting the approval to be within 2021 still so we out and slap them with a grant to shut them up can start distribution and education countrywide. This is in partnership
with Wild-Hearts Foundation.
