New breed of businesswomen emerge
They draw inspiration from their mothers and grandmothers to succeed
THERE’S a breed of women in the small and medium enterprise sector trailblazing their way into the corporate world. Inspired by their grandmothers and mothers they, in turn, have emerged as role models.
Several have had their achievements acknowledged by the Eskom Development Foundation’s flagship annual business investment competition (BIC). It showcases achievers of black owned enterprises in the agricultural, manufacturing or service sectors.
To enter the entrepreneurs must have operated for at least 24 months. The overall winner, judged the best business across all three categories, receives R200 000. The category winners each receive R150 000 and the first runner-up, in each category, takes home R75 000 while second runners-up each receive R25 000 to reinvest in their business. The other finalists each receive R10 000.
In addition, three finalists are given the opportunity to exhibit at the annual Eskom Business Opportunities and Franchise Expo (BOFE), held during September at the CocaCola dome in Northriding, Johannesburg.
The women we interviewed were quick to mention the enormous additional value in terms of business recognition, brand development and contact with potential investors and customers.
In 2013 the adjudicators were particularly impressed by the companies in the agriculture category. Khariye Poultry Farming, a small family run cooperative founded by Livhuwani Tshifhango in 2010, was named the overall winner in the Business Investment Competition. This was in recognition of its solid business model and financial management, as well as its contribution to addressing unemployment in the region.
Based in Makhado, Limpopo, the family business raises, slaughters and packages chickens to sell to retailers, hawkers and local communities members. Live chickens are also sold.
With the help of a grant from the Department of Agriculture the farm was able to build two additional structures to house the chickens and the business has grown significantly with five permanent staff members and 22 temporary employees.
Tshifhango, a 34 year old divorced mother of two, says she learned her basic business skills from her mother who sold cows’ intestines to generate an income. Although she started her career in a bank she quickly realised that working for a salary was not going to make her ambitious dreams come true. Knowing there would always be a demand for chicken she started the farm in 2010 and resigned from the bank to go full time a year later.
“But,” she shares, “I knew we had to be very professional so I made a point of learning about things like marketing and packaging. And I was so proud when we won the BIC prize. It proved I had been right to quit my job and that what I am doing is valuable, that is it acknowledged as good work.”
So much so, that she has opened a mobile boutique which sells handbags, jewellery and watches, among other things.
A first runner up in the manufacturing sector was Megaphase Road Marking and Traffic Signs. Based in Durba. It employs 55 people and its founder, Nokuthula Dladla, prides herself on up-skilling youth. Her son and daughter now run a branch in Johannesburg. The aim is to expand into Africa.
Dladla, now 66, says she caught the business bug at the tender age of seven from her grandmother. The latter ran a “Mo-China” business, as it is popularly known in the townships where the numbers game has flourished for decades. Dladla recalls, “When she didn’t make enough money from that she would sell eggs and seasonal vegetables. Doing the rounds with her I made many contacts and learned a lot but I was determined that my business would be in an office, I would drive a car and I would have people working for me”
As a young adult Dladla sold jerseys, vegetables and many other things. She also worked for a business that manufactured signs. She was saving money and making valuable contacts along the way. Then she visited Durban’s annual SME exhibition where she learned of government training programmes and returned to Johannesburg determined to launch a business “that employed 20 people”.
In 2009 she registered a manufacturing business in Durban which she ran from home with four people. She attended the SME conference every year, learned bookkeeping and everything she could about marketing.
“People thought I was crazy to leave Joburg but it worked for me. And, because I only had a standard six (Grade eight) education, I understood how difficult things are for young people so I began training unemployed youth. I also persuaded my former manager, a white man who had always encouraged me, to join the company. With the capital I had accumulated and my good record we persuaded my bank to lend me money for machines.”
The company evolved from a 40 square metre rented house to 300 square meter premises and now owns a 400 square metre factory. Dladla’s husband has given up his job to become financial manager and her son (36) and daughter (28) are following the family tradition.
Yet another trailblazer, Thandeka Mahlatjie established Kholwa Sign Master April 2006. Based in Bloemfontein the company specialises in custom designed sign boards, vehicle branding, banners, number plates and promotional material. The business also recently added engraving services and branding advice for corporate image building to its service offerings.
It won the 2010 manufacturing category and she says, “It all began with a dream of owning and running my own business one day.”
From the humble beginnings in her garage at home, no knowledge and experience of the signage business and with just one staff member, Mahlatjie has come a long way.
She learnt about signage production through research, reading books and training herself how to use the necessary equipment. This, Mahlatjie says, was her biggest challenge.
With the prize money from the Eskom Business Investment Competition, Kholwa was able to buy expensive graphic design software as well as a silk screen printer, which has given it a competitive edge.
She says entrepreneurship is in her blood. “I used to help my mom sell dishes and table cloths and by 16 I knew I had to be a business woman. She started work with Eskom and with a degree in business administration under her belt began looking for opportunities. “As I drove around I noticed posters and sign boards everywhere and realised that everyone in business needs printing. No matter what business you are in you need marketing and every business needs printing”
In 2005 she resigned from Eskom. Now 37, she is married and has three children. Her husband joined the business in 2009
Haylene Liberty-Nel, Eskom Foundation CEO, says, “At Eskom we are firm believers in the need for robust small and medium enterprises. As a developing nation we have several challenges the most important of which are economic growth and job creation. Successful small businesses if supported and nurtured will help to drive economic development and create jobs. That is why the Business Investment Competition was initiated in 2009”