Tag: entrant

Empowering entrepreneurial minds across Africa

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“Entrepreneurship isn’t the finish line – it’s a journey of continuous learning, unlearning and relearning. As an entrepreneur you must strive to be an expert in your respective field. You may not have all the answers, and that’s okay, but don’t settle for the mediocrity of not knowing.”

This is the expert advice from Anele Mkhuzo-Magape who founded Zinde Zinde (Pty) Ltd t/a African Entrepreneurship Initiative – a consulting and entrepreneurship education training company with a focus on youth in townships and peri-urban areas.

Mkhuzo-Magape is an entrant in the 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS.

She started her career at the Gordon Institute of Business Science’s (GIBS) Enterprise Development Academy, designing programmes for long-term sustainability in entrepreneurship. After three years in the position, she discovered that there was a gap in the market: there were too few Enterprise Development Agencies creating programmes specifically targeted at young black entrepreneurs in townships and peri-urban areas. Some entrepreneurs had to travel far to access these programmes and access was further worsened by a language barrier in their execution. This meant that some entrepreneurs didn’t have the confidence to adequately express themselves and what their businesses do.

When she left her job to focus on her business full time, Mkhuzo-Magape had almost nine years of corporate experience in customer service management and project management, and an education background in Economics and Business Administration. This, she says was a solid foundation to build from and she felt very privileged for the opportunities that she had – she knows this is not every entrepreneur’s story.

“I knew I wanted to change that narrative through education and entrepreneurship. It is my responsibility as a young person to plough back into the community what I have learnt and to continue learning every day.”

New business development is always difficult. Mkhuzo-Magape says her greatest challenge was identifying corporates and government departments that were truly passionate about realising her vision. “We didn’t want to simply consult and deliver training as a tick box exercise; we wanted to create sustainable and thriving enterprises, and programmes that change lives and communities.”

Mkhuzo-Magape says the business model is built on accessibility, and that beneficiaries do not pay for their services. Funding comes from corporate and government institutions that they partner with. “Our greatest challenge is convincing potential investors of our passion and making them see the value it offers in terms of their long term strategy.”

But she says seeing entrepreneurs who have been through their programmes develop and reach for opportunities to realise their ideas is her greatest achievement. “There are so many talented young people with amazing ideas but they just need the right support and platforms to help elevate them– I get to do that every day, and that’s my success.”

Over the next five years, Mkhuzo-Magape envisions African Entrepreneurship Initiative to grow into a knowledge hub for young entrepreneurs across the continent, and says she has structured the business’ growth strategies to achieve this. “We want to bring innovation to entrepreneurial education through practical tools such as simulations and gamification. Our training must be relevant and accessible to youth and be presented in the vernacular languages that are appropriate to the youth we want to target.”

Fostering creativity through entrepreneurship

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A successful entrepreneurial journey begins with a gap in the market, some creativity and passion, and ensuring that you are equipped with the right team and resources. This is according to Nicolette Tilley, owner of Wild and Free (Pty) LTD, and entrant in the 2018 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS, who began her entrepreneurial journey importing wedding dresses and selling them locally on a part-time basis.

This was short-lived, however, as Nicolette soon discovered that selling someone else’s creations was not what she was passionate about.

Being a firm believer in expressing her creativity, Tilley (35) bought a sewing machine during her time as a stay-at-home mom in 2013 and began experimenting with design, making items such as pencil cases and blankets. The entrepreneurial light-bulb moment arrived in 2016 when Tilly was searching for a good quality diaper bag that was durable enough for long-term use. “After fruitless searching, I realised I could design my own bag. I’ve never been afraid to be bold and try to make things work – which is exactly what I did. I found a local leather maker, and together we drew out a pattern and he stitched it together for me. I loved walking around with my own creation on my arm, and before I knew it I had friends asking me to make them bags.”

Before long, bag orders were arriving in their numbers, and with this, Wild & Free was born. “I chose the company name because I wanted it to represent the type of person who would own one of my creations – a free-spirited but driven individual who isn’t afraid of failure,” she says.

Being a self-taught entrepreneur with no formal industry qualifications, Tilley turned to technology and the internet to help her achieve her goals of running a successful business. She strongly encourages self-development as well as using social media to promote and grow a business. “We live in an era where starting your own business is completely achievable, thanks to social media platforms and easy-to-use online business support tools,” says Tilley.  “I often wonder how people advertised and promoted their business before Facebook. There’s a lot of competition out there but we’re fortunate to have knowledge and access to customers at our fingertips,” she adds.

Tilley recalls that one of her biggest challenges since starting the business was keeping up with demand following the launch of one of her bag designs. Within 24 hours of The Business Bags Facebook launch, the product had been viewed online over 1 million times with hundreds of e-mails and orders received. At that point, Tilley was doing all of the marketing, production design and business administration on her own. “I wanted to delete my Facebook page and put my head in the sand – but I knew I had created something that was special, unique and something that women needed. I was fortunate enough to have an old school friend, Josie Piers, jump on board and help me get through the masses of emails and messages. She did a fantastic job of getting processes into place, which was a big weakness of mine. Josie took over all the admin, and today we have a functioning website, one-of-a-kind products and a full team of incredible people in place,” says Tilley.

When asked what her greatest achievement has been thus far, Tilley said that selling over 3000 units of one of her designs is among her biggest achievements on paper but her proudest accomplishment is having created a brand that is able to employ 9 full-time staff members.

When asked what her top tips for other aspiring entrepreneurs would be, Tilley said the following:

  1. There are hundreds of free websites offering short courses. Entrepreneurs starting out who cannot afford to go to university or college should make use of free online tools to educate themselves about their industry.
  2. Set targets for your team and your business before the year begins. This makes your goals a lot more tangible. If you start out knowing what you want to achieve, you will find that you surpass your own expectations.

Local entrepreneur takes on ICT sector giants

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Being a serial entrepreneur requires dedication and perseverance, as well as the ability to spot a good opportunity when one comes knocking. This is precisely what entrepreneur and 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition entrant, Damian Michael of Innovo Networks did.

Starting his career in the Information and Communications Technology (ICT) industry in 2008, initially at MTN before moving to lead the roll out of Neotel in South Africa, Damian quickly developed an eye for identifying market gaps. While working with Neotel, he saw the opportunity to register an authorised installer business with the launch of TOP TV, a business which his wife led for two years until they sold it. When Neotel announced its acquisition by ICT giant Vodacom, Damian realised this was the push he needed to start his own venture.

In 2013, he launched Innovo Networks, a high-touch, business focussed voice, data and cloud provider aimed specifically at helping small and medium enterprises (SMEs) grow and expand their operations by providing the best technologies, at a better price than larger corporates in the industry. “I wanted to use my expertise in the ICT industry and provide guidance and best of breed products to SMEs in South Africa so that they could sustain themselves and contribute toward growing the local economy in terms of job creation,” he says.

It hasn’t all been smooth sailing for Damian’s journey into full-time entrepreneurship though – during Innovo Networks’ second year of business, the company lost R500 000 on a fraudulent order and as a leader, Damian realised that his response to the situation was critical to the business’ future success: “I had to be strong, and show leadership to my team that business could and would bounce back from this setback.”

Another great lesson Damian has learnt along his journey is the importance of retaining top talent. “For a small business to compete with salaries offered by larger telecommunication corporates is very difficult, but it is crucial to hire top talent and reward them appropriately, or risk losing them to the giants in industry.”

Since inception, Innovo Networks has grown from strength to strength, racking up a number of awards and accolades along the way. Due to the business’ success and ability to main a positive cash flow, the business also recently purchased its own premises in Century City, Cape Town – a big milestone for the business.
Damian accredits his entrepreneurial success to his attention to detail and ability to spot gaps in the market. “My passion for helping others and being customer-centric in all my businesses has always been a big part of my journey too,” he says.

Looking to the future, Damian has big dreams for the business and plans to innovate across Innovo Networks’ entire product portfolio, and build its own cloud platform and security products. “We want to dominate and disrupt the cloud space, with the goal to gain attention for a multinational buyout,” he says.

Damian believes he’s got what it takes to take the 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year® title home, he shares three key tips for his fellow entrepreneurs:

  1. Have a clear and concise vision for your business. It is also important you are able to articulate this vision clearly and regularly to your team.
  2. Hire top talent and pay well, or to the best of your ability – this will pay off.
  3. Make the effort. No one succeeds immediately, but the long hours of grafting and hard work will pay off in the end.

Self-belief is the biggest ingredient for success

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A successful entrepreneurial journey starts with a determined vision, a little bit of self-belief and faith in your own ability. According to Erina van Schalkwyk, owner of GEL Supply Chain and entrant of the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS, this is the winning recipe for a thriving business and fruitful entrepreneurial adventure.

Erina and her husband, Gert, have had an exciting journey in the logistics sector over the last few years, and even more so recently with the opening of new successful businesses in 2015.

Inspired to support her family after her father’s unexpected death some 10 years ago, Erina started her first business, VS Logistiek – a brokerage business that transported bulk truck loads. She was at the time assisting her husband’s family business, which owned 27 trucks, but soon noticed an opportunity to turn her side-line business into a fully-fledged operation.

As with most entrepreneurial journeys, there were many ups and downs for Erina’s business. She credits her success to the experience she gained over her lifetime in the investment, banking, retail and logistics sectors.

In 2010, Erina and Gert relocated to his family’s farm outside Jacobsdal in the Free State. Here, Erina took over Gert’s role in his family’s logistics company and used her own business to manage the farming operations. Times however became tough for the family business, and in 2013 the couple decided to go on their own after Erina had identified a gap in the market for an intermediary between traders and transporters. By August 2013, the logistics business had a turnover of R 16 million.

In December 2014, the couple decided to change the trading name of their business to GEL (Gert Erina Logistiek) Supply Chain, and within just seven months of operating under the new brand, the successful entrepreneurial duo started another four businesses GEL Import and Export in South Africa, Gel Freddy’s in the Democratic Republic of Congo, GEL Investments in Namibia and M3T2 in Rotterdam. The mother company, GEL Supply Chain, remains as successful as ever, and the ever-adventurous entrepreneurs are also gearing up to open their first coffee shop in Gobabis in Namibia by August of 2016.

Erina attribute’s her business’ good fortune to hard work, perseverance and her personal faith which she holds dear. “Our big break came in 2013 when a co-op in East Free State approached GEL Supply Chain to move a large quantity of grain. We were given eight weeks to complete the project, yet we handed over the final load in just six weeks,” recalls Erina.

“Last year, we were awarded a contract to transport 500 tons of imported maize into South Africa – by December, we had transported 8 900 tons in 67 hours. So far this year, we have already transported more than 10 000 tons of imported maize.”

Erina has big dreams for the future and is confident of achieving them. She aims to expand into Europe and the Americas in the export sector and also aims to contribute to society by partnering with various feeding schemes across rural Africa. On the logistics front, GEL Supply Chain’s next goal is to manage an entire 30 000 ton shipment of maize, and to become the leader in their field.

Commenting on the team of good people she keeps around her, in both a personal and professional space, including her teams of staff, Erina urges like-minded entrepreneurs to never fail to lead their teams: “When leading others, lead not to have followers but lead to have more leaders growing from your example.”

Her parting advice to aspiring entrepreneurs is to continuously work hard and believe in yourself.

Value in having an expert evaluate your business

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Five reasons entrepreneurs should enter business competitions

Entrepreneurs running small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are required to assume many roles and wear many hats as they often don’t have the resources and staff complement available to manage all the necessary day-to-day activities and challenges that the environment presents. Entering a business competition is therefore often the last thing on an entrepreneur’s mind and may seem to be an additional, unnecessary task. However, taking time to reflect on the business can assist in identifying problems and aid in developing growth strategies.

Gugu Mjadu, spokesperson for the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS, says that apart from the cash prize money, which can be put towards funding the growth of the business, entering a business competition allows entrepreneurs to gain a different perspective of their businesses, which can often prove to be more valuable than funding.

“It is easy to get caught up in the day-to-day running of a business and get distracted with the various tasks and challenges. Presenting a business to a judging panel not only forces entrepreneurs to reflect on their businesses, but also exposes entrepreneurs to experts who can analyse the businesses and point out aspects that they may have overlooked during the rush of running and managing the  businesses.”

Mjadu adds that as access to capital to grow a business is considered one of the top challenges for many entrepreneurs, taking part in a business competition is one of the most cost-effective measures to grow awareness of the business without dipping into the business’ resources.

Mjadu shares five reasons why entrepreneurs should consider entering a business competition:

  1. The cash prize money: While not the most important aspect in the greater scheme for the business, a cash lump sum offers entrepreneurs the potential to either pay off existing business finance debt or use the capital to expand the current business or fund new avenues.

 

  1. Expanded network of likeminded people: A business competition brings together a group of people with the same objective – to build and grow a successful business. Apart from the opportunity to learn from fellow entrepreneurial entrants, entrepreneurs are able to engage with credible business experts and mentors involved in the competition and have the opportunity to draw on their business knowledge and insight. Some business competitions also offer an alumni network that entrepreneurs can tap into for new ideas and wisdom.

 

  1. Access to business experts and independent analysis of your business: As part of an entry process, the competition judging panel is required to analyse the entrant’s business to gauge worthiness of being named a winner in the competition. Through this process, entrepreneurs can gain an independent and fresh perspective of the business, as well as learn valuable lessons about their business plan and model.

    For example, the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS has three stages to its judging process. Consisting of five independent judges, who represent different areas of the business community, the evaluation process includes a preliminary screening of the entry forms, followed by a review of financial information, and lastly an interview with each finalist and on-site visit to the business. This in-depth process allows entrepreneurs to gain greater insight and awareness of opportunities and challenges that exist. Entrepreneurs should embrace the opportunity to have their businesses scrutinised by a group of experts.

 

  1. Acknowledging a business’ true value and capabilities: Entrepreneurial competitions offer the necessary push for entrepreneurs to analyse their own business’ worth. Entrepreneurs are often so involved in the operations of the business, that they don’t realise the true success of the business and what it may be worth. This downplayed perception of success can hinder a business’s growth path and prevent it from capitalising on potential opportunities.

 

  1. Increase the profile of your business: Building a positive reputation is often a key challenge that business owners encounter on their entrepreneurial journey as smaller businesses can’t compete with larger market players’ marketing spend and advertising campaigns. Not only are entrepreneurial competitions cost-effective to enter, but if entrants are successful as finalists or winners, the awareness thereafter can have a significant knock-on effect on their business’ brand and bottom line.

Now in its 28th year, the free-to-enter 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS is open to entrepreneurs from all industries and for businesses of any size. For more information, please visit www.eoy.co.za. Entries close 16 June 2016.

Hard work and a passion for excellent customer service leads entrepreneur to success

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For most entrepreneurs, the journey of entrepreneurship starts at the very bottom of the proverbial ladder. Yet, a keen eye for gaps in the market, coupled with willingness to learn and master every skill, climbing the ladder one step at a time comes naturally and with ease. This most certainly rang true for Christopher Kapanga, owner of Randburg based We Clean It All and a 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition entrant, who embarked on his entrepreneurial journey at the tender age of 26.

Like many entrepreneurs, Kapanga grew tired of working for someone else’s vision. As he grew up with an entrepreneurial family, Kapanga always had a desire to become known for doing something great.

He describes himself as ‘street smart’ rather than ‘book smart’. “I was never a great student and found university difficult. I felt like a failure for not completing my studies, until one day I realised that life is what you make of it. Through my work experience I discovered that there was more I could offer once I understood what I excelled at, and I soon discovered that it was delivering on excellent customer service,” says Kapanga.

Having started his working career as a floor sales assistant at a large clothing retailer, Kapanga quickly learnt the importance of excellent customer service, and was swiftly promoted to supervisor. Soon after he was head hunted by Builders Warehouse, and in his position as a junior manager, he soon learnt that customer service was non-negotiable. In this role, he also enhanced his communication skills through his liaisons with suppliers, and realised he could in fact run his own business.

With the seed planted, Kapanga opted to enter the service industry and joined a carpet cleaning company as an area manager. It was during his five years with the company that his inspiration for growing a business increased, and which ultimately sparked his entrepreneurial journey.

“My then manager was very strict and had an eye on everything. He always knew who worked hard, who slacked, how much stock was on hand, how much petrol was in each van for example. His drive and determination to make his business succeed was what I admired most about him, and so I aimed to be just like him one day,” says Kapanga.

After starting to clean carpets over the weekends for extra money, Kapanga identified a gap in the market for high quality and reliable carpet cleaning services in households and with homeowners who continued to ask for additional cleaning services. He subsequently started his own carpet cleaning company, We Clean It All.

Kapanga says that he knew that delivering unrivalled customer service would set his business apart from competitors. “We don’t only provide a cleaning service to our clients, but also create a beneficial relationship by providing clients with long term advice and solutions for maintenance of their material goods.”

He pegs the first few months of 2008 (after launching his business) as the most challenging – struggling to attract and retain even two clients during the winter months, and having their pricing structure dictated to them by their biggest source of clients – the real estate agencies, many of whom took advantage of his business’ youth in the market.

Today, Kapanga can look back and smile at the growth his business has achieved over the past eight years. His services have broadened to include window cleaning, floor cleaning, post renovation cleaning and flood damage among other services. His staff complement has also increased significantly, with additional office and operational staff members. There are also new exciting projects on the cards which Kapanga hopes will bring the business to the forefront of delivering on-the-go services that will be easily accessible to future customers.

When asked what advice he would give budding entrepreneurs, Kapanga provides three top tips:

  1. Write all your business ideas down;
  2. Do it now: Don’t wait for the perfect time as it will never come. The know how to run the business only starts when you are in it;
  3. Hard work will make your business a success.

He also stresses that education is important. “While I may have struggled with formal education, I make sure to constantly surround myself with business-minded individuals by attending workshops, online education courses, networking events and business management seminars.

“I firmly believe that lessons are not only learned in the classroom. To succeed, you need to always be in the know, and this is why I strive to read as many books on entrepreneurial subjects and stay in touch with business owners and motivational speakers,” Kapanga concludes.

2013 EOY entrant journey to business success in competitive financial industry

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Jeanie-Harvey-Feb-2015

Many business owners don’t grow up dreaming of becoming an entrepreneur, but grow into the career path later in life. This was the case of Jeanie Harvey, owner of Camelot Business & Financial Solutions, an accounting and tax business which also offers accounting tutoring lessons, and an entrant in the 2013 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition.

While working as a financial manager in the franchise industry in 2011, Jeanie was approached by her then CEO’s wife to assist with her accounting service business. Inspired by this experience, Jeanie considered opening a similar business, and soon after began her entrepreneurial journey.

After conducting extensive research and due diligence, she decided to pursue the opportunity and made the leap to start her own business. “I understood that to be successful in this venture, I had to give it 110% of my time and therefore made the decision to resign from my position as a financial manager,” says Jeanie.

As a new entrepreneur she realised that to ensure the new venture’s success, a clear set of objectives and outcomes was vital for her new business, as well as for her own learning and development as a new business owner.

Jeanie took time to carefully draft a business plan, which included her past experience, a list of services she wanted to offer based on her skill set, as well as her potential target market. “This helped me identify my strengths and enabled me to motivate my services to small business owners who were seeking to outsource their payroll functions, bookkeeping, tax, and monthly SARS returns. I also made the decision to register as tax practitioner with SARS and the South African Institute of Tax Practitioners (SAIT).”

Once all the due diligence was completed and plans put in place, Camelot Business & Financial Solutions was established in 2012 with just two clients utilising the business’s accounting services. One short year later, Jeanie extended her service offering to include accounting tutoring lessons to high school and first year university students.

When asked about the some of the entrepreneurial challenges she faced, Jeanie says that starting a new business with very few clients is a challenge in itself, as well as building a name for the business in an established industry. “A new business requires dedication and a lot of hard work, but you must believe in yourself and the product you have to offer – this will ultimately determine your success.”

The challenges are worth the effort, when you love what you do and when you are able to reap the rewards of your hard work and establishing something from nothing, says Jeanie. “Being able to see my accomplishments thus far, how my client base has grown, as well as my growth as an entrepreneur is very rewarding.”

These triumphs, and love for what she does, is also clearly visible when Jeanie shares her clients’ stories of success. “A new client was saddled with significant penalties from SARS, and was at the time very pressured and stressed as a result. I managed to get the penalties revoked and will always remember seeing his immediate relief and experiencing his appreciation for my services.”

While Jeanie has only recently opened her business – the inherent entrepreneurial trait of always seeking new opportunities is clear. In the near future, Camelot Business & Financial Solutions aims to expand the business’ service offering to include training and employment of individuals who share the same passion and dedication.

With a bright future ahead of her, Jeanie encourages fellow entrepreneurs to remain steadfast and not to buckle under that the pressure, and regularly reflect on what you have accomplished thus far. “Be thankful for your accomplishments and always consider new opportunities and possibilities,” she concludes.

15 finalists selected to advance in SA’s premier entrepreneurial competition

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After carefully sifting through a record amount of entries, the 2014 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® judging panel have identified the 15 finalists who have been selected to advance to the final round of the competition.

According to Christo Botes, spokesperson for the 2014 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition, the amount of entries received this year is a dramatic increase in comparison to the 2013 and 2012 competition. “We are pleased to announce that we received 214 entries in 2014, which is the highest volume recorded to date and an increase of 21% compared to last year. The entries have once again impressed the judging panel and have highlighted the quality of entrepreneurial talent and success present in the country.”

Botes says that he believes that the quality and quantity of this year’s entries is a direct result of previous winners’ success, as well as the status which the competition has established for itself within the entrepreneurial community. “The quality of the 2014 entries confirmed that the future of the entrepreneurial community in South Africa is very promising.”

He says that the 15 finalists operate in various sectors, the most prominent being the services and manufacturing sectors, with the majority originating from Gauteng and the Western Cape.

“The profile of the entries gave us even more inspiration to further celebrate entrepreneurial success. The types of businesses and the niches they fill in their respective sectors and markets shows that there are still many opportunities in our economy. What is needed from local entrepreneurs is the open-mindedness and guts to identify and grab the opportunities that are just waiting to be harvested.

“We commend all entrants and encourage individuals who have not been selected for the next round to try again next year. It is encouraging that South African entrepreneurs are not afraid to stand up and take pride in the businesses that they have created. It is vital for the country to recognise these individuals as they play a vital role in the economy by creating jobs and economic growth. Even though entrepreneurs have not been officially recognised yet – they all deserve to be celebrated.”

This year’s entries represent a wide array of sectors in South Africa, including the engineering, IT, services, retail, hospitality and education industries. Botes says that the demographics of this years’ entries are exciting to say the least. “Close on 30% of the entrants were located outside the four large metropolitan areas, which indicates that our rural economy continues to have thriving businesses, and that SMEs remain the backbone of those areas. Gauteng (43.9%) and Western Cape (22.4%) make up two thirds of all the entries, which throws out a challenge to the other provinces to be more bold in entering the competition as these two provinces seems to be more confident in celebrating their success.

“We also are delighted at the growth in the number of black entries as for the first time it grew to more than half the entries at 54.7%. Female entries also reached a new high at 31.78% and if one further considers that many of the male entrants also have, at the core of their businesses, a spouse that is just as committed to the business as the male entrant.”

Botes explains that the next step in the judging process is the selection of the winners in the different categories. “The judging process is completely independent and is monitored by PwC. The judges also represent different areas of the business community and include successful seasoned entrepreneurs, as well as a representative from each of the sponsors and a director from PwC. The evaluation process runs through three different filtering processes, which ensure that everything is checked and rechecked to remove any human error or human preference which otherwise could have crept into the process.”

He says that the 2014 finalists stand the chance to win prizes worth R1 340 000, which includes cash prizes to the value of R350 000. “Beyond the chance to win prizes, previous entrants and finalists have benefitted from the competition’s various networking opportunities and associated marketing efforts. Certain winners have also gone on to win other prominent awards and form valuable partnerships as a result of their success in the competition.

“We are eager to move onto the next round of the competition and wish all the finalists continued success and good fortune,” concludes Botes.

The 2014 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® winners will be announced on 3 September 2014 at the official awards breakfast in Johannesburg.

2014 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® finalists:

Wendy Kemp (Accountability Group), Dudu & Leema Mofokeng (Legaći Superior Dry Cleaning & Laundry Services), Marthie Jansen van Rensburg (Ekurhuleni Artisans & Skills Training Centre), Dr Michelle Booysen & MJ Fick (Pétanque Consultancy), Karabo Songo & Olatoye Amosun (Olive Communications), David Green (Thegreencompany Importers (Pty) Ltd), Lorimer Gowar (Larrem (Pty) Ltd), Johan Eksteen (Agricon), Adri & Faan Kruger (Tzaneen Country Lodge), Hans van Aardt (Microworks (Pty) Ltd), Theri Rossouw (Therific Naturals), Hassan Suleman (Form Force (Pty) Ltd), Johan Kilian & Lukas Loots (Pie City), Daniel Guasco & Wayne Gosling (Groupon South Africa), Theresa Cupido (ATN Roadmarking & Civils).

Why EOY is valuable to the entrepreneurial community

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NickeyMannya-web2013 competition entrant, Nickey Mannya, Managing Director of Rural Brands, shares some information and insight about his entrepreneurial journey and discusses why he decided to enter the competition.

Briefly describe your business and the industry you operate in?

At Rural Brands we develop and produce technologically advanced online solutions to help businesses achieve “efficiency through technology”.

We operate in the information and communication technologies (ICT) sector. Rural Brands develop Enterprise Content Management (ECM) Systems, which organise and store a company’s documents and other content related to company processes. These systems are used on company websites and intranets.

We also develop an Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) tool named DDAY. This tool allows both internal and external audiences to share information, and is often used by finance and sales departments.

We pride ourselves in that our products are home-grown and developed in-house.

Where did your business concept originate from and when did you start your business?

After gaining a number of years experience within the ICT sector, I started Rural Brands in 2008. With the growth of the ICT sector and the proliferation of the Internet, I was consistently inspired to create ideas which would provide solutions to make my own job easier. This is what motivated me to actually build products as opposed to purchasing them.

I draw a lot of inspiration from the Silicon Valley Entrepreneurs and local pioneers such as Mark Shuttleworth, Vinny Lingham and Phuthuma Nhleko, who all have had great success in the ICT industry.

What advice can you give to aspiring to entrepreneurs?

Always be honest with yourself. There is a very fine line between being an Entrepreneur and a Dreamer. Most of us romanticise about the idea of being our own boss and the perks that come along with the title. This may result in overlooking the hard work, sacrifices and vast challenges that accompany the title. Not recognising these aspects from the beginning could result in failure.

Be sure you have what it takes, take your time, make sure you are in it for the long haul and have fun! As entrepreneurs, we should realise that money comes as a by-product.

Also, discipline, integrity and business ethics should take preference above reproach. Entrepreneurs should never lose those principals as they are priceless.

Where do you see your business in the next five years?

Rural Brands is in the process of developing our own Enterprise Resource Planning tool, which we plan to launch in 2014. This will be a great accomplishment for the company.

I also see the business growing steadily and offering employment opportunities to young South Africans within the technology sector who display talent.

I believe that we have what it takes, and with the right motivation, the courage and the tenacity we have displayed thus far, we are getting there. We have erected a strong foundation and learnt from our mistakes. As a business we know where we are heading and we are carefully forging ahead, making our mark within the industry.

What is your opinion on the reports of the Western Cape becoming the Silicon Valley of South Africa?

I think it is a great idea and a great moral booster to most ‘tech geeks’, including myself. It will put us on the global ICT map and should also foster further innovation and job creation in the sector.

Why did you decide to enter the Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition?

I believe as an emerging entrepreneur I have much to offer. Apart from being a young and educated South African, I am also developing home-grown products and solutions that will hopefully highlight our country’s innovative talent. I believe that our country can compete internationally with places such Silicon Valley, which has become synonymous with technological innovation.

Why would you recommend that fellow entrepreneurs get involved with initiatives such as Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year®?

You will never know if you or your products are making it, or whether they are relevant in the market, unless you benchmark yourself against your peers. This will not only allow you to learn from other individuals’ experiences, but also alert you to any shortcomings in your business or improvements that can be made.

Why I chose to enter

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Divesh Ramdhass, owner of Pharmacy at Spar Northway and 2013 competition entrant, shares some information with us about his business, insight into the pharmacy industry and discusses why he decided to enter the competition.

Briefly describe your business and the industry you operate in?

Pharmacy at Spar Northway was opened in December 2012 after being in operation for seven years as an independent stand-alone pharmacy, Northway Family-Care Pharmacy.

The pharmacy is community-based and focuses on the procurement, storage, compounding, counselling and dispensing of prescription drugs to patients. Always keeping our patients’ best interest at heart, we ensure that our services are completed with care and accuracy.

Another division of Pharmacy at Spar Northway sells over-the-counter medication to patients. Our specially trained staff make certain that all patients are advised on how to use the medication, what it is needed for and what the adequate treatment would be.

Other additional services we offer are through our in-store primary health care clinic facility which offers specialist health checks, such as blood pressure, diabetes and cholesterol monitoring, drug screening, prostate irregularity checks, as well as weight reduction programmes.

Where did the business concept originate from and when did you start your business?

Pharmacies operate in an extremely demanding marketplace, where competition can be described as vigorous. The days of the independent retailer are numbered, and as a professional I was not willing to compromise my profession.

This led me to the decision to remarket and reintroduce my pharmacy to the community. My business concept comprised of a fresh and modern approach to a pharmacy that attracted not only those in need of medication, but also targets those in search of future health. The concept was to change the dull and boring image of the pharmacy by implementing a bright and vibrant atmosphere that would motivate the community to make use of.

Have you always aspired to start your own business?

The aspiration to open my own practice stemmed from the love that I have for my profession. I love being a pharmacist and that motivated me to start my own practice. I firmly believe that being a good pharmacist is dependent on your ability to maintain a good relationship with your customers, as this allows you to understand their needs, their conditions and makes treating their ailments much more effortless.

Briefly describe some of the challenges that you have experienced as an entrepreneur?

Being an entrepreneur is fraught with difficulties. At tertiary level you are trained to become a professional, but most entrepreneurs are never given any formal education on managing a business.

In the pharmaceutical sector where medical aids force members to get their medication from specific service providers to eliminate any short payments, decisions have to be made to ensure patients stay rather than stray. At the end of the day a good caring attitude ensures that my patients return to my store.

What advice would you give to aspiring entrepreneurs?

No road is a smooth journey. In order to make your business a success you must keep your head up and follow through on your business plan, no matter how bleak your situation may seem. Believe in yourself and your employees, for that alone is motivation to keep your business momentum going. Make sure that all decisions are made carefully.

Why did you decide to enter the Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition?

This competition serves as a reminder that nothing is impossible. As my wife quotes to me “nothing is impossible… it’s all in the word… I’m possible”. This motivates me to achieve even further heights. The competition reminds of the importance to maintain the standard of my practice and think beyond the boundaries of my business. In addition, it gives me the exposure to drive my business forward.

Why would you recommend that fellow entrepreneurs get involved with initiatives such as Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year®?

Our country lacks the passion of entrepreneurs. Such competitions instil a sense of passion and motivation in those who have the skills and knowledge to become entrepreneurs in a country in dire need of their skills.

It encourages more and more people to take their ideas and skills to institutions such as Sanlam and Business Partners Limited, who can assist them in cultivating those skills and ideas into a required resource and service that South Africa desperately needs.