Determination pays off for this germ-defeating warrior
Hygiene awareness got this entrepreneur thinking out of the (unsanitary) box, writes
TOILET seats aren’t exactly the subject of everyday conversation, but few will disagree that personal hygiene is something we all think about.
Ncedo Shoba thought about it a lot, particularly after a close friend said that she had caught an infection, she believed, after using a public toilet. Her handbag was full of sanitising wipes because she was wary of going into any public place.
“I did some research and discovered that harmful germs live on all sorts of surfaces and that loo seats were the worst. That got me thinking that maybe there was a business opportunity for me.”
Most people would have stopped there, but Shoba was so convinced that he was on to something that he was determined to take his ideas further.
“When you start talking about your ideas, especially mine, to friends, they think you’ve gone a bit mad. I decided that the only person who would understand and listen to me was my aunt, a teacher and school principal. She has been my angel all my life, encouraging me to learn and more especially to care for the environment.
It was a good choice. His aunt, Happy Morolong, helped him get in touch with a funded organisation called Invotech that “incubates” innovative and green ideas and helps young entrepreneurs like him go further.
“I made an appointment. I remember waiting to go in, rehearsing everything I wanted to say. I was very nervous. This was either the beginning of a new life or the end of my dream. Still, they could only say no.”
Shoba wasn’t turned away. However, while his innovation to develop a sanitising spray to use on toilet seats had potential, he was the
I did some research and discovered that harmful germs live on all sorts of surfaces and that loo seats were the worst. That got me thinking
Ncedo Shoba
one who had to do the legwork – and plenty of it.
“I couldn’t believe my luck. I was now more determined than ever to get my spray into the market place, followed by other eco-friendly sanitising products like wet wipes, pads, pocket tissues and liquid handwash under my Zipp label.”
His entrepreneur career so far has included business mentorship, personal coaching, and learning about the chemical industry from scratch.
“Thanks to my aunt, the environment and looking after the planet must come first. So my spray had to be eco-friendly, with a very small amount of natural scent.”
The development process has taken longer than he anticipated.
“I just never understood how much research goes into developing a product and getting it to a point that it can be registered with all the safety requirements and SABS approved. I have already learnt so much during this process.”
He has also been able to register his own company, Laphenya Pty
Ltd, which is 100 percent black youth owned with one partner and seven employees involved in the packaging, distribution and labelling of the product.
“We are still very small, but we hope that if the idea catches on we can start to get more orders from the main shops.”
Twenty-five-year-old Shoba says that at school he always dreamt of becoming a famous soccer player.
“But then you realise that there is no point in thinking like that because the chances of it coming true are probably nil. Earning enough money to keep myself had to be my first priority.”
While higher education was something his family could not afford, he believes his “different” school life has helped him to be a good communicator.
“I started off at Umlazi Primary School, then moved to Isipingo where I mixed with Indian school learners and then matriculated at Grosvenor Boys School in Durban. That’s what I call a rounded education.”
His sanitizing spray business, he says, is just the start of what he hopes will be a large “Proudly South African” company with big employment opportunities.
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