Expanding the smart way

BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES: MIDDELBURG ENTREPRENEURS ALWAYS LOOKING FOR WAYS TO GROW

With financial help, their panelbeating business has grown considerably.

Expanding can be one of the toughest moves a business can make, but it is crucial to focus on improving and growing, even when competition and economic conditions are tough.

Arnold February, regional investment manager Business Partners Limited – one of Africa’s leading business loan and equity providers – points to their client, Monaco Panel Beaters, as a great example of a tenacious business that refuses to let up, no matter the challenges they encounter.

Entrepreneurial husbandand-wife team Hesley and Bart de Klerk head up the state-of-theart panel-beating workshop in Middelburg. While she does the admin and human resources, he runs the operations and finances.

The business, which focuses on Toyotas and employs 15 workers, recently extended its physical workshop space on to the adjacent property, which the couple also owns.

Upon deciding to expand their business, the De Klerks initially struggled to secure finance, as the banks they approached were wary of building on two properties. Business Partners Limited were more flexible and assisted with the expansion, which has since seen the two plots successfully consolidated into one.

“Both my husband and I are workaholics; we never stop. We always see more room to expand, even though competition is tough,” says Hesley, who hints at a plan to build more spray rooms and workspace soon. “We are moving towards becoming a training centre for the industry.”

Hesley established Monaco Panel Beaters in 1995 with her late first husband, Willie Meyer.

Today, the Monaco team pride themselves on their modern, sustainable approach to business.

As a major structural repairer, they can repair a car others would write off and build it up like new.

Bart has helped to boost productivity levels. His introduction of modern water-based paints was originally met with some resistance, but he has since built a new, more productive team.

While some entrepreneurs shift in and out of working for other people throughout their careers, Hesley and Bart have always done their own thing, and both have only ever worked for someone else once for a few months before embarking on their entrepreneurial careers.

They also own a coffee shop, Boerelicious, as well as Marcello Square, a commercial centre.

Together, this team are a force to be reckoned with.