Lockdown presented a window of opportunity for new marketing agency
● Entrepreneur Pat Mahlangu found perfect moment to launch his business
Pat Mahlangu is a firm believer that in calamity there is always opportunity.
The 30-year-old businessman started his marketing agency Lerato Agency during the lockdown when he saw an opportunity to stake a claim in the space.
“I have always wanted to start my own digital and design agency.
“However, I was waiting for the perfect moment.
“When the lockdown happe ned, I realised that many brands were starting to take digital marketing seriously, and were lacking the expertise internally.
“Marketers were also looking for agencies with quick turnaround times.
“Therefore, I decided to start an agency that is more agile and cost-effective as marketing budgets are shrinking, therefore marketers are looking for more mileage for their money.”
Born in Pretoria and bred in Dennilton, a small town in Limpopo, Mahlangu always had a knack for business.
“My entrepreneurship journey started in primary school where I sold sweets.
“In high school I sold cigarettes, while at the University of Johannesburg I also sold second-hand textbooks just to make extra money.
“When I was doing my honours in marketing, that’s when it dawned on me that I wanted to be an entrepreneur,” he said.
As a young, black-owned business, he said he sometimes felt it was excluded from opportunities because of a lack of resources.
“For an agency that started in July I think we are doing fairly well. I am grateful for our clients who see value in what we have to offer.
“As a small black and youthowned agency, however, we are excluded from some of the opportunities that exist, particularly in the private sector.
“We also have very limited resources, which we have to use optimally to deliver great work for our clients.”
But he has had proud moments in his journey and now employs five people.
“The biggest highlight was getting our first client, which was a sign that we were onto something.
“Another highlight was being appointed by the Gauteng premier’s office to craft the brand identity of SA’s first postapartheid city, Lanseria Smart City,” he said.
In the future, Mahlangu wants to continue building his brand.
“The plan is really to grow the agency and attract bigger brands to craft. My biggest dream is to build the largest independently owned and most loved South African agency on the continent,” he said.