August 2022 Edition

SIYANDEVU SIYANDEVU

Mom, Leader, Businesswoman

Born and bred in East London, Eastern Cape – Siya Ndevu is a human hair weave specialist known for her love and passion for embracing beauty and establishing hair treatment solutions. Siya is a very motivated female entrepreneur who spends much of her time building her brand. Firstly, we wanted to hear from her, other than her own brand which other Mzansi brand that she loves and why, “Legends Barber is one of them, I love Legends Barber because our stories are so similar. Sheldon started their business working from his home stoep and today it has more than 60 stores, just like I started Siya Ndevu Hair Studio from my bedroom at home. If anything, our businesses are proof that where you start does not determine where you finish”, she added

When did you commence with SNHS and why this kind of business? Also, what makes your hair business different from others? “I started Siya Ndevu Hair Studio in 2017 as a side hustle, while I was working full time in a call centre. I chose to go into the beauty industry because it came naturally to me, as I was already interested in making myself look beautiful and I had an interest in Human Hair weaves and how they were done. What sets us apart from our competitors the most is that we specialize with human hair weaves, we fully understand them and we are always on top of current trends”.

In starting, what were your challenges and how did you overcome them? “The biggest challenge at the beginning was getting into business without a clue on how to run one successfully, so I had to read books on growing a small business and constantly learn from any mistakes I made. I remember the first time I was going to interview prospective employees I had to learn how to distinguish suitable candidates from the rest”.

How important is customer service to you and how important is it for you to have productive and well taken care of, employees? “Our exceptional customer service is one of the main reasons we have grown our client base to what it is today, our clients expect it as they have come to know that it forms part of our core values so it is very important to me and I ensure that we stress it during training. Regarding employees, It is very important that our staff are productive because we work with strict deadlines and as in any business, yes we prioritize keeping our employees happy and well taken care of”.

Since you have commenced, please share the highlights of your hair business? “A few I can think of right now are as follows, in 2019 I hosted my first group wig making women empowerment masterclass, that was attended by women from different provinces of South Africa. Secondly, being able to employ at least 7 young women to date is another high, as we continue to play a role in the fight against youth unemployment that the country is facing. Also, the company bought its first vehicle this year, opened it’s first commercial store and stopped working from home”.

Where do you see yourself as a brand in 5 years-time? “I see Siya Ndevu Hair Studio with at least 5 more stores, with its own hair care product line and having created employment for at least 50 young people and more " . When not busy with your business – what do you do to keep sane? “I do not have much of a life outside work, in my spare time I edit videos to make content for our social media platforms, especially Instagram and watch out for things that are trending in the industry”.

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My Skin Is My Pride My Skin Is My Pride

Young 5 Solution is a Gqeberha based soap manufacturing company by Unathi Satsha. This phenomenal young entrepreneur grew up in the dusty streets of Motherwell in Gqeberha where she still currently resides. Out of interest and support for each other we were keen to hear which Mzansi brand other than hers does she like and she said, “ one of my favourite Mzansi brands is Portia M, I like the fact that it's an African woman owned brand, because that is inspiring other women that their dreams are valid, and can be possible when one invests their time and energy in building their brand”.

When did you commence with Young 5 Solution and what inspired you to start? “Young 5 Solution was established in 2021. The inspiration came from a way back experience -

when I was in high school, 2016. I had Acne, and for a very long time that drained my selfesteem and that resulted to me having less confidence because of the pimples I had on my face. I didn't know how to get rid of them and at times I was referred to as that girl with pimples, while some people were recommending different ointments to help me. I happened to be spending a lot of money to treat it but my skin got worse because of the perfumes most products are mixed with. Came Covid-19, which had me the opportunity to gather information and experiment what could assist me, but during that process I made sure I only try organic products. So, one day I attempted to make soap with lemon and glycerin oil and used it on my skin. At first, I used to apply lemon extract on my skin,

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and nurture it using with glycerin oil, then I made soap with glycerin oil and lemon zest, from there my skin got better so much. Pimples dried out, dark spots faded, dark circles under eyes got better, dark areas under arms became light and between thighs I saw a good difference, and now I'm free from Acne”. What does it take to build a brand from scratch? And what makes your company unique from other soap manufacturing brands? “It takes a to build a brand from scratch, you give it all you have, one has to hustle hard to find opportunities, and understand that you'll be rejected here and there but keep on knocking, because eventually doors will open. As a 22-yearold, who started a business on my own with only R200 and a two burner stove and still pushing, I made sure I cater for all and that makes me a step ahead and unique. My soap isn't only for acne but also for aczema, blemishes, blackheads, scars, genital pimples, genital rush which is caused by shaving, eliminates odour, soothes your skin and kills 99% of germs

Do you have any business highlights thus far? “Yes, our products fully meets the South Africa national standards as we are now SABS approved, that is a high as it creates trust with consumers who may sometimes be hesitant of using a new product. Also, at home where I live we don't buy soap anymore because I manufacture and make sure to use with family before it hits the streets – so basically using my own brand is really something I never thought would ever happen but here we are, bathing with my soap at home”.

Where do you see Young 5 Solution in 5years from now and what are you doing now to reach 5years goal? “I want to see myself supplying for all the supermarket stores in South Africa, currently I only supply for Shoprite, boxer and clicks in Motherwell and I'm hoping to expand soon. Also, I do door to door pitch and sell my product from business to business, because this soap can be used to kill germs, and since we are from the Covid era we still have to keep our selves clean and hygienic”. Who or which company you would be interested to collaborate with in the future and why that person or company? “Honestly, it would be Protex soap - since it is multi-purpose soap and deep cleans skin, removes dark marks, stretch marks, and kills 99% of germs ” .

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Bellarosa WIP Productions PTY LTD

Bellarosa WIP Productions PTY LTD is the brainchild of Miss Nobubele Nzima, a young and vibrant entrepreneur from Umtata. Recently, she has been chosen as a GBV and Femicide ambassador working with The UN - Women, O.R Tambo and DBSA, and she is also one of the Bar-one 60 local heroes. To kickstart our engagement we tried to hear from her how is it to start a business, and this is what she said, “starting a business for me has been very difficult considering the fact that I started when Covid-19 lockdown was heavy back in April 2020. Everything suddenly went up and it was very hard getting the resources I needed to move forward with my business but I really pushed, and I’m still in business till this day with the support of my mother, my close friends and relatives who have always pushed me to do everything without limitations”.

When did you commence with your business and what inspired the thought? “Started the business in 2020, after I left my corporate job to become a creator of jobs. My decision came from the bad treatment I got in the corporate world, which led me to be depressed for years. That whole experience made me realize that working for someone else wasn’t my calling, I always believed my calling is creating employment opportunities for people - especially youth, women and people with disability to be precise”.

Founder

Please share how did you overcame the challenges you mentioned that you faced when you were trying to get your business off the ground? “Naturally, I always manage to overcome most of my challenges because I never give up on my dreams, yes, I may take a break when I’m tired but as soon as I regain strength, I’m back by full force. So, in 2020 I knew I have to start operating with or without the pandemic and there was no way I am going back to job seeking with the experience I had back when I was still employed”.

What services/products Bellarosa offers and how do you make sure you are delivering good quality service and products to the public? “We are a poultry farm that produces fresh chicken and eggs, and all of our staff have been extensively trained to bring the best quality and pricing to households, while other businesses and everyone else is interested in getting money. We also offer training to upcoming poultry farmers at a chargeable rate as of September 2022. We will make sure to give full updates about these trainings on our social platforms as soon as we start”.

Highlights of your business journey so far? “The fact that the business is expanding and we will be working at our own farm as of next month is a high for us. We have increased our supply and we are now serving a bigger market. Also, I am a speaker - motivating youth and women to consider working for themselves to help boost the economy because in all honesty now, there are really no jobs for graduates and young people who are entering the corporate world”.

When not busy running Bellarosa, what do you do to keep sane? “I really enjoy spending time with my family and friends, travelling. When I’m home I enjoy watching a good series to unwind, meditate, do some journaling and pray a lot”.

Lastly, word of advice to women in business in this women’s month? "As a woman you need to always prove yourself twice as much when you ’ re working in a male dominated Industry but all I’m going to say to is that, if it’s changing the person that you are, it’s really not your journey. Life is full of opportunities for youth and women, ask for help, talk to people and pray for direction and always remember to be kind to yourself all the time”.

Changing lives

MannaBrew is a brand made from a superfood known as Mesquite. This brand is the brainchild of the Northern Cape brothers named Brandt Coetzee & Aam Coetzee, who discovered after years of working with Mesquite trees that they can manufacture coffee using the tree seedpods. Their coffee is known for it’s unique taste and energizing like caffeinated coffee, but without the any side effects.. We had chat with them to hear other than their brand, which other Mzansi brand they love and why - and this is what they said, “There are so many! But one that stands out currently would be Future Life. We love how they have made starting the day with a healthy meal easy and accessible to everyone ” .

When did you commence with MannaBrew and what made you choose to go for this product? Also what makes your coffee -

different from other brands? “MannaBrew started in 2020, and it started as an extension of our other business, called Manna Health Products. Both businesses are part of our mission to stop the spread of Mesquite trees and make a positive impact on the ecology as well as the lives of everyone involved in the process ” .

“MannaBrew is not just another coffee brand trying to convince you that our coffee is the best, because it is NOT COFFEE. MannaBrew is, in fact, made from a superfood known as Mesquite seedpods, roasted in a similar way as coffee. You can still get to enjoy a cup of rich, smooth, delicious dark liquid – but it is unlike anything that you have ever tasted before. o summarise - It looks like coffee, can be made the same ways as coffee,

- enjoyed the same way coffee would be, but it is a superfood that tastes super good!”

Challenges you faced and how did you overcome them? “The biggest challenges we encountered were in the roasting and griding of the MannaBrew, as it is a much more difficult product to work with than normal coffee beans. We overcame the challenges by building and modifying purpose-built equipment in order to consistently roast and grind MannaBrew in such a way that it can be used in any type of coffee-brewing device”.

What other products do you offer under the MannaBrew and any highlights? “It’s only MannaBrew, it’s our sister-company, called Manna Health Products that has various health supplements”. There are no stand-out moments, every single day is a highlight for us to see the business grow while knowing we are helping so many people along the way and making a positive impact”.

As MannaBrew – what role are you playing/planning to play in fighting unemployment in the country? “We hope to grow the business to such an extent that we can harvest in all the towns across the Northern Cape where the Mesquite trees grow, and potentially set up factories in these areas to provide jobs for many more people”.

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Speaking sleep and it’s importance with Dr Dale Rae, who is a senior lecturer in the University of Cape Town within the division of Physiological Science in the Faculty of Health Sciences - where she teaches and conducts all research related to sleep. Dr Dale is also the director of Sleep Science, a company that helps individuals with their sleep, assist companies to manage the sleep of their employees and analyze their employees sleep data.

When did you guys commence with Sleep Science as a business? "Sleep Science was established 5 years ago in the UCT as a research we were conducting, and now it is a formal business outside of the university, but with my academic role for sleep science I have been doing that for the past 12 years " .

So, since inception what have been your challenges as a business and how did you overcome those challenges? The biggest thing when we started was convincing people of how important it is to manage and look after their sleep. Yes people are aware it's vital to look after their typical health routines, their diet, and exercising to keep their mental health strong but it took a long time for people to also realize in that equation sleep is also vital to keep their body, mind and soul healthy. So, one of our biggest challenges was convincing people, companies and health insurance companies about the value of good sleep, and making them realize it is possible to intervene and help people manage their sleep as it improves productivity".

How does Sleep Science assist companies with your services? "So we work with groups of employees, and sometimes it's diverse and involves the whole organization to the top management. First, we do screening to check everyone ' s sleep then provide the company with feedback to say your employees are doing well, or some of them are struggling and this is the impact this could have on the business in terms of fatigue, productivity, illnesses and absenteeism - then we provide them with maybe group solutions or workshops, which can be sleep and health related educational content - from infographics to music, little videos or newsletters tailor made for specifically for their sleep needs. For the public our services are available online and also in person " .

What has been your highlight/s thus far? "There's two things I can think of now, one is watching young people come into the business and learn the skills, the competencies and solutions to grow their own ways of assisting people - and that for me is incredibly rewarding. Second one, was the recent project we did where we were helping this one company to develop an algorithm to use data to analyze sleep health".

And when you are not directly working on the business, what do you do to keep sane? "I sleep, she giggled. But yes I do take my sleep seriously. Other than that, I spend a lot of time with my amazing family, exercising a lot" .

Lastly, your motto? "Simply optimize your sleep, one should be able to customize their sleep according to what their sleep needs, instead of following general expectations of hours required to get a healthy sleep" .

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South Africa has been established as one of the continent’s “big four” startup ecosystems, alongside Egypt, Kenya and Nigeria, according to the 2022 South African Startup Ecosystem Report. Yet, as the most recent Global Entrepreneurship Monitor revealed, education and training are amidst the most pressing challenges for aspiring local entrepreneurs. An investment into skills development and knowledge sharing is therefore key to stimulating growth within the SME sector. This is the opinion of David Morobe Executive General Manager for Impact Investing at Business Partners Limited who comments that: “ as an engine for economic growth, the small business sector is a critical contributor to the development and wellbeing of South African society. The entrepreneurs of today are the big business owners of tomorrow.

As such, they play a critical role in defining how society lives, works and ultimately contributes to the growth of the economy. Providing training opportunities to upskill these individuals and equip them with the skills they need to survive and thrive in these uncertain times, is the collective responsibility of the private and public sectors as well as all stakeholders along the value chain.”

Business Partners’ SME Index for 2022’s first quarter listed a lack of skills as one of the most prominent challenges to the growth of the SME sector. And although much public discourse focuses on the prevalent and visible need for funding, as Morobe asserts, the key to entrepreneurial success is not always money, but access to support, information -

and the skills that are necessary to start and run a business in South Africa’s challenging socioeconomic environment. This sentiment is the driving force behind the structure of this year ’ s annual SME Toolkit Business Partners Business Plan competition for aspiring entrepreneurs, which is now open for entry.

The competition, hosted by business financier, Business Partners Limited and entrepreneurship content engine, SME Toolkit is an annual initiative that has brought the tools and resources to start a business to hundreds of young South African entrepreneurs since its inception in 2010. “We are honoured to once again provide an opportunity for business-minded individuals to hone their skills, gain access to professional expertise and learn the fundamentals of how to build a successful business in South Africa. We have designed the competition not only to offer a reward for innovative ideas but also as a training programme for future entrepreneurs. And so, in that sense, everyone is a winner,” says David Morobe Executive General Manager for Impact Investing at Business Partners Limited.

Click here to enter the competition

The competition is open to aspiring entrepreneurs who have a business idea that they would like to explore. All participants who enter the competition will be provided with training material on how to develop a business plan, how to execute a marketing strategy and how to compile a cashflow forecast. This material will be supported by a series of workshops and group discussions, which will take place in August and September this year.

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Investment Club

There’s a saying that goes - “If you want to go fast, go alone… if you want to go far, go with others.” This is also true for investing, if you want to build generational wealth fast then investment clubs might just be for you. But what is an investment club?

The “what” of it all

When a group of people learn about investments, combine their money, and then make investments using the combined money - that is an investment club. The club can invest in any asset of their choosing, from shares to whole businesses, from livestock to crops, all the way to property and crypto.

Another feature of an investment club is that the members of the club decide on the process for selecting which investments to buy and sell together. The members can meet regularly for updates, decision-making and learning from one another.

I would consider stokvels a great example of investment clubs because they pool their funds for specific purposes and meet regularly.

Why start an Investment Club?

There are a number of reasons for you to start an investment club. For example, if you and 14 friends contributed R1000 a month for one year, you’ll have R180 000 - it would be more if you kept it in a savings account with interest. That’s enough to fund a chain of two or three small spazas that will give you income. The club could re-invest the profits to grow the spazas into retail stores, or to expand by opening up other spazas in different locations.

An important thing to consider before you start an investment club is: what is the goal of the investment club? If you can answer this clearly, then you can invite people with similar goals to form an investment club, it's important to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Alternatively, if you are already part of a stokvel or a similar arrangement, discuss with your members what the goal of the current group is, and if that goal can be refined further.

Knowing the goal of the investment club will help you make sure that you ’ ve chosen the correct investment strategy. If your goals are short term (3 years or less), and they need cash, then your investment club can open a bank account, since a savings account is all you would need. If your goals rely on growth and dividends, then you open a brokerage account - either way, the types of accounts must be in line with investment strategy. The investment strategy should include:

How often the investment club buys and sells assets

What the asset allocation is Which specific assets to buy and sell Under what conditions are assets sold

Some banks or funds have lower fees for larger sums, so you can save on costs when you pool money and invest in large sums. You can also learn a lot about investment clubs by being part of one. An investment club runs efficiently and profitably when everyone understands what is going on and adds value during group discussions. As such, the members who know more about investments should ensure that the other members have enough knowledge to contribute meaningfully. The internet has countless resources for learning; all you need is wifi or data.

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AFRICAN AFRICAN

LION Naledi Boltina

25th June, at The Bar Sunninghill Sandton it’s where it all went down. Fortunately, one of our teammates managed to join the “I know” single launch by the one and only Naledi Boltina, the African Lion. Like always, the phenomenal songstress from Eastern Cape who currently resides in Johannesburg delivered an amazing set as she fully introduced her new single “I know”, which is more than just a song, but a thoroughly written joint with a well needed message for music all.

As the afternoon proceeded Ayanda from our team in JHB, managed to have a minute with Naledi, which gave us more than what transpired on the launch.

Please share how did you start and why did you start music? “To the best of my memories, I have always been singing. In school I was always in choirs, in plays and concerts as well as lots of church involvement and participation in cultural activities. I attended Victoria Girls High School in Port Elizabeth, that is where Mr Mkhize was my music teacher and more than anything he would encourage me to always go for it as I started to develop my music writing at the time”. At the age of 15, I recorded with a group called Point 5 which included Heavy K; MSK; Mlu; Thando and Q-base – that was my first studio experience with the group. Unfortunately, at the time our song that we were working on was leaked and stolen, a very common challenge in the music industry”.

Konvenient Magazine

How did the decision to be an independent artist as a woman in the music industry come about? “It wasn’t a decision that I took upon myself to be an independent artist, but I realized that sitting and waiting for someone to help you make your dreams a possibility is not going to happen. I had to find it within me to get the ball rolling. When I first moved to Johannesburg I was part of Y Academy, and worked with Ferguson Films; I have featured on The Queen, Rockville; Isibaya; and others. At some point I was on set of ‘The Gift’ with Vuyiseka Cawa, thinking this is it, this is my big break but 3 months later things turned the other way. There was a time where I was doubting myself and my abilities as I had been hustling in the industry forabout 10 years and I believed that I had the ability to succeed, but one does get to a point where you question yourself. Normally, in the industry you would have a full team but I didn’t, and I had to start somewhere by doing my own cover designs/graphics etc. and now that I am slowly growing I do have a small supportive team and I am able to focus on myself and my music”.

We remember your feature with Ice Prince, but for someone who do not know name any feature you did previously with any South African artist? “For your information, me and Ifani are cousins and when he released his 2nd Quadrant album, he said to me that he would want for me to be on that album. It was very exciting for me as I had a song that I had written in in that album which is called “Enkosi”, this was around 2015”.

How did the single "I know" came about? “I know comes from everything that I have gone through in the industry as an artist, so many people were questioning my abilities, not taking me seriously as they viewed me as an “upcoming artist”, to what experience do I have to manage anyone. In my deepest and darkest moments, I asked myself ‘what is God trying to teach me?’

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MZI MAHOLA MZI MAHOLA MZI MAHOLA Amomentwith

orn in Claremont KwaZulu Natal and grew up in Lushington near Seymour, until he was twelve years old before he moved to stay with his parents in New Brighton Gqeberha, where he still resides in Zwide to be precise. Mzi Mahola - full name Mzikayise Winston Mahola spent a moment with us –speaking about his journey and his current memoir Heroes of The Struggle.

Firstly, let’s talk apartheid times – how did that era influenced your thinking as a leader? “I don’t see myself as a leader, but rather a community builder. Growing under apartheid was never easy but fortunately it did not destroy me, it made me strong. It built and galvanized my character. As the Bantu education was not designed to produce individuals of good sterling. But what it inculcated was a culture of literature reading, especially isiXhosa. So, I started reading from early as primary school and received encouragement from family members and peers, and that later on positively influenced my writing skill”.

"Also, apartheid destroyed many individuals physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually. It is unlikely that I could have reached this level of my writing under apartheid. The lid placed on blacks for our development would definitely have prevented my development. I only got a chance to grow and find opportunities during the period of national unrest and under our democracy".

When did you formally started writing and what made you decide to follow the poet and writing calling? “At first, it was just experimenting with poetry writing at school when I was doing matric at Healdtown. When I completed my matric, I joined the BCM because it was the most vocal and popular youth organisation at the time".

"When I joined the Black Consciousness Movement, senior members encouraged everyone to write in English so that our oppressors could know about our suffering. Writing in the mother tongue was discouraged. Those in the front told us that there was no point in telling blacks that they were suffering because they knew. Later on, I joined a writers’ organisation called the Congress of South African Writers (COSAW). Here we wrote what we liked. And that’s where my writing found platforms and exposure. I continued with poetry writing for many years, writing in English, and even won an award. After publishing four English volumes I decided to self-translate a selection of the most popular poems in my anthologies into isiXhosa. This after extracts of my work had been translated into German, Danish, Norwegian, Spanish, Turkish and Malayalam of India".

As an individual, what are positive traits that writing has taught you as you continued writing in your career? “Writing has many positive benefits but you have to go through setbacks, disappointments, rejection and solitude. Some people will encourage you but some will scoff at your talent. But if you know what you have, you will not be discouraged. You just soldier on. Your people are generally the ones who will attempt to trample over you, even when you ’ ve carved your name in the writer's world. But you must understand that we are not, of late, a reading nation. We do not know about books and writers and will seldom spend our money on books”.

“Writing gives me character. It refines me because I would not like to do or say Anything that will tarnish my name. I always strive to publish, under my name, material that I will be proud of for the rest of my life. Reading and writing give my mind continuous exercise and ability to analyze and deal with different kinds of situations that I come across with. It keeps my mind active and helps to delay my body’s ageing processes because of its therapeutic quality”.

Your current book - please tell us about it and why the tagline "Forgotten Bastards"? “Heroes of The Struggle is a sequel to “Dancing With Hyenas.” The sequel will show great improvement if the reader starts reading with the first novel. The sequel has interplay between drama, poetry, script and storytelling. This is the result of the four pillars that constitute my writing (poetry, drama, script and novel). They always combine in my writing, as a result this story can easily be made into a film. The initial title was “Forgotten Bastards.” My editor Jennie Els disapproved and advised me to call it “Heroes of The Struggle.” There was a lot of debating about the title from my children. They wanted me to retain the original name. We ultimately called for a truce. Forgotten Bastards was to become its subtitle”.

As a poet & writer, what has been your highlight throughout your journey? “My highlight as a writer was when -

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