Bike fixing hobby turns into business
The well-established 24year old Tony Phalalo tells
The Midweek Sun that his business of fixing motor bikes through his company, Dark Red, started as a hobby.
He has always enjoyed fixing motorbikes in their backyard at home. Now he owns an efficient workshop dealing with motorbikes and repairs in Mochudi and he says the gap for these services in his region has been closed. With his Electrical and Electronics Engineering qualification, acquired from New Era College, Phalalo says his work becomes quiet easy and enjoyable to do. He is content with his services and highlights that engineering is one of the fields that are very important in today’s world.
He ensures proper services for both on road and off road bikes, and Phalalo shares that they also do maintenance and repairs for chain saw, lawn mower, generators and pumps of all types. “I never imagined this as a business, especially that I did not go to school for this. It is just God-given talent and so far I have regular clients that I assist all the time. My company focuses on repairs and maintenances, as well as generators and other electronics.
We strip down bikes and service each individual component, ensuring all components are working effectively, clean and lube air filter, spark plug, lube chain, filter oil as well as approve engine oil change,” he explained.
Phalalo indicates that through the help of his sister and her company, Tax Preparer Botswana, he managed to get start-up funds to kick-start his business.
He notes that his workshop that operates under the slogan ‘professional services and repairs’ operates with motivation and confidence from his clients. He admits that he has not received any complaints regarding his work so far and being passionate about bikes, he aspires to be a top racer in the country.
He has been to different racing events including the annual Malotwana race organized by Gaborone motor club. He shares that these races also contribute to his skill development, as he gets in contact with different bikes and manages to learn about their performance and how they are built up, making it easy for his practical work, when he has to fix any kind of a bike.
“This really helps me to do my job diligently, and I am content that for some reason, this is why I have never failed fixing any bike, because I am passionate about bikes,” he said. Nonetheless, he says that he has observed that most people in greater Mochudi are not aware that they could find services that he offers within their proximity instead of having to travel to Gaborone for similar services.
He is of the view that just like in other developed countries, biking could be a sport as well as create job opportunities for the bike enthusiasts.