“Go for it and give it your all, always! Allow failure to be your stepping stone to reaching your goals and dreams.”
Julia Nambinga is a fifth-year Medical student, entrepreneur and the founder of Lago Medical Supplies.
Born and bred in the northern part of Namibia, Julia attended primary school in Ongwediva at Charles Anderson and later on moved to the Oshikoto region to attend and complete her secondary education at Oshigambo High School.
Upon completion of high school, Julia was drawn to the field of Medicine. She consequently applied and received admission to study towards a Bachelor of Medicine & Surgery at the University of Namibia. She is currently in her 5th, and second last, year of her studies.
With a passion for her field and the keen eye of an entrepreneur, Julia started a venture that would provide a solution to a problem faced by her peers and fellow health professionals – and so, Lago Medical Supplies was born.
Tell us about Lago Medical Supplies, when you founded it, what inspired you to start this business, the products and/or services you offer as well as the team behind your start-up.
“Lago Medical Supplies (LMS) is a growing medical supplies company that was founded in 2018. It is a female-led start-up company that aims to provide affordable and high-quality healthcare wear and equipment to health professionals in Namibia.
In 2019, 19-year-old Annely Ipangelwa, an alumnus of St. Paul’s College as well as their former head girl, was added onto the team. Initially, she joined the team as my assistant and eventually she was promoted to Managing Director. She has been a phenomenal addition to the team!
Being a medical student at the time, I saw that there was a need for medical attire and how availability & affordability was an issue, seeing that the only retailer was based on the other side of town and costs were not accommodating to students.
I identified the niche in catering for the growing population of Medical Students in Namibia as well as all health professionals alike. The idea was to create a system that is easily accessible to anyone across the country, allowing them to purchase items at the tip of their fingertips and have it delivered to their doorstep in the blink of an eye.
Currently, goods provided by LMS include:
an assortment of medical scrubs,
lab coats,
stethoscopes,
oximeters,
penlights,
digital BP machines,
thermometers,
crocs and slide ins.
LMS is currently in the process of branching into oxygen flow meters, clinical supplies and an array of other medical related items.”
What challenges have you encountered on your entrepreneurial journey and how did you overcome some of them?
“One of the biggest challenges I faced was juggling both medical school and running a business efficiently. However, this was mostly overcome by being transparent and communicating with clients when inconveniences set in. I am also surrounded by a good team that is willing to push and overcome any obstacles we face.
The interaction between my career and my business is both antagonistic and synergistic. The demanding nature of both positions has been my greatest challenge, but being on the ground and leveling with health professionals has provided me with immeasurable insight.
I always tell the story, that you only know what your customers need once you put yourselves in their shoes. Luckily and unluckily for me, I am in their shoes.”
What advice would you give to someone trying to break into this industry?
“Go for it and give it your all, always! Allow failure to be your stepping stone to reaching your goals and dreams.”
Do you have a business philosophy? If so, what is it?
“Yes, to diligently deliver timely and efficient customer service, and to continuously improve on our skills and knowledge as a business.”
One often hears of poor customer service & experiences in start-ups; what measures do you have in place to ensure the best experience for your customers?
“Of importance to us is communication with clients whenever inconveniences set in and always making time to listen and try to meet their needs as much as we can. Of course some things are beyond our control but we believe constant communication with clients is very important.
As a team we have regular meetings and discuss our interactions with customers whether positive or negative. We brainstorm on how these interactions can be improved or enhanced, and in conditions of excellent customer service, we discuss how we can recreate these experiences.
Customer satisfaction, like most things, is extremely subjective and we’ve learnt that communicating expectations and capacities on both the sides of service delivery and service receipt helps enhance satisfaction tenfold.”
How do you see charity and nonprofit work overlapping with your business?
“We stand by the biblical belief that the more you stretch out your hand to give, the more you make space for what’s to come. With that said, at the moment we are donating a certain portion of profits from some of our items towards raising funds to provide sanitary towels for the less privileged.
In the future, the idea is to give back to students most especially those who are struggling with necessities as being a student comes with a number of challenges. As our business grows we intend to give in alignment to our growth. It is of great importance to inject into our communities what is injected into our business.”
In 2020, entrepreneurs lived through a tumultuous period with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic; what was your biggest business lesson that you can share?
“Being a business that is within one of the few industries that saw a significant expansion since the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, it is safe to say that our services have been needed more than we expected.
For example, the provision of pulse oximeters was greatly fueled by their increased need in monitoring affected patients. The comfort of health workers during the never-ending and daunting shifts in the COVID Wards raised the discussion around comfortable attire among them and we responded by introducing footwear that is durable and increases comfort.
It is safe to say our biggest lesson has been flexibility and endurance in trying times. When demand was high, but our output was decreased due to lockdowns, it felt almost impossible to reach the finish line; but banding together as a team and practicing patience was extremely beneficial in keeping us afloat.”
“This is my passion and I know I was born for this!”
Secilia Abisai is a final-year
Education student, entrepreneur and the founder of Tuvawa Investment CC.
Juggling between her academics
and entrepreneurship has been no easy task, however, the young businesswoman
has been pulling it off.
“Having a job has definitely been
a challenge on its own, as I am required to fulfill both my duties as an
employee and an entrepreneur. Luckily, I am blessed with a team of two
supportive workers who make everything possible for me.”
“What inspired me is that I have always had a passion for agriculture, plants
and gardening itself. This pushed me to pursue this avenue of business, because
it allows me to kill two birds with one stone by following my passion while
generating an income.”
Even though the industry is fairly
occupied, Secilia firmly believes in the saying that ‘There is enough bread for everyone.’ As one of few women in the
industry, she is inspired to work even harder. She has embraced her work and is
delighted to be making progress in Garden Landscaping.
“Our vision is to expand our business and to own an office one day, enabling us to assist our clients in both Horticulture and Landscaping. This is my passion and I know I was born for this!”
Tell us more about Tuvawa Investment (Tuvawa Landscaping), what
inspired you to start this business and the services you offer.
“Tuvawa Investment cc, founded in 2019, specialises in garden
landscapes. Our services include:
Garden designing;
Artificial grass installations;
Irrigation system installations;
Garden & Lawn maintenance i.e. pruning & mowing; and
All garden-related works.
We design gardens for both local and commercial purposes, be it small or
large scale, and our unique, modern designs allow customers to get customized
garden plans. We offer consultations on how to maintain different plants as
well as the general lawn, as well as providing clients with advice on how to go
about setting up hydroponics/aquaponics and greenhouses.
Tuvawa Investment CC was founded with little to no knowledge, a chunk of
fear and lots of love for gardening! This year in 2021, I have made major
strides in the growth of the business and I have managed to bring Tuvawa to a satisfactory
stage through marketing initiatives to drive awareness on social media.
I currently employ two hardworking workers and I hope our team will
continue to grow!”
What challenges have you encountered on your entrepreneurial journey and
how did you overcome some of them?
“To be honest, as long as you are still living and breathing, challenges
will always be there.
Starting up and bringing the business to a certain stage was a challenge
on its own:
the start-up capital,
the time needed to
carry out the work, and
the marketing & content
creation for my business pages.
But I can proudly say that I have overcome most if not all of my
challenges. Being a full-time employee allowed me to save money to buy my
equipment and tools. I had to sacrifice my off-days to afford me enough time to
complete the business work. Thank God, I have trustworthy, passionate employees
who are always willing to learn and as of today, have acquired the skills and
the knowledge to do their job independently without me. They are the ones now
doing much of the work so I can spend a larger portion of my time creating content
at least once a week.”
What advice would you give to someone trying to break into this
industry?
“You need to have what is referred to as the 3Ps: patience, passion and people skills – only then are you able to succeed; not only in the agricultural sector, but anywhere else. Do what you love and you will never work a day in your life.”
Do you have a business philosophy? If so, what is it?
“A big YES! My philosophy is “To dedicate one’s self to ensuring your
clients are happy and satisfied with your work!” If they are not happy or
satisfied, then neither are we. Another is “It’s best to do one thing really, really
well.” referring to putting your focus on completing one task well, at a time.”
What are the company values that have been integral in getting you this
far?
“As a small business, who I am and the values I carry translates to
those of the business. I am a person of Loyalty, Integrity, Respect and Kindness.
Those attributes have been my greatest assets thus far, and have gotten
me to be where I am today.”
One often hears of poor customer service & experiences in start-ups;
what measures do you have in place to ensure the best experience for your
customers?
“I am not a perfectionist but I love the process of learning and doing
my best to ensure that my customers are happy with my services. What is most crucial
is to pay close attention to your customers’ needs; this allows you to know and
thus fully meet those needs. I make sure that I put in all efforts into my work
because at the end of the day, my services represent the business.”
How significant is collaboration in the growth &
scaling of a start-up?
“Collaboration is very important. Teamwork makes the dream work, and I can honestly say that one can go much further through collaborating with others. I have seen businesses that are succeeding by working together so my advice is to connect and get your business in touch with others in the same industry. This really helps!”
“Manifest the Creator Within! There is so much creative potential in many Namibians.”
Cislé Jacobs is a Namibian lawyer,
entrepreneur and the founder of Intrik Consulting Services.
“Growing up in Gibeon, a small
village in the Hardap region, I remember spending my free time walking around
visiting people and having interesting conversations. I have always been
curious about the human mind, its machinations and creations. Strangely, most of them were much older than I
but seemed pleased by my company and incessant questioning.”
Cislé left home to attend boarding
school, living in a hostel from the age of 10. She attended several different
schools leading up to her matriculation from Academia High School in 2011.
After her high school graduation, she joined the Faculty of Law at the
University of Namibia for the LLB (Honors) programme. In her final year, Cislé
chose Intellectual Property (IP) as an elective– a decision she considers to be
one of the best she has made thus far in her life.
“My place in law became clear as
I fell in love with IP because it was finally a marriage between my reverence
for creativity and the trained skill of IP law. The beauty of IP should be seen
in its simplest form: human beings are moved by ideas; we solve, we improve and
we create, and that ought to be recognised and rewarded.”
The sparkly-eyed, young graduate went
on to complete her LLM (specialising in IP) at the University of Cape Town.
Cislé, it seems, always knew that she would create an entity focused on IP in
Namibia, and that it was simply a matter of time. Upon acquiring her Masters,
Cislé joined Murorua, Kurtz, Kasper Incorporated law firm and went through her
candidacy and Justice Training under their tutelage. That was followed by a
move to PwC where she worked in Risk Management. During her free time, Cislé
also worked as a Company Secretary for a fishing company, Joka Two Fishing Pty
ltd. Lastly, she held a position as Assistant Group Company Secretary for the
Momentum Metropolitan Group of Companies and was later promoted to Group Legal
Adviser.
Now, after accumulating various skills, knowledge and experience, Cislé has started her own business – Intrik.
Tell us more about Intrik, what inspired you to start this
business and the services you offer.
“As I said above, I knew in my final year at law school that I would create something like this. So, in many ways Intrik was conceived in 2015. I spent a lot of time thinking about it, conceptualising and building it in my mind. However, it was not until 2020 that my ideas started to manifest. Intrik is divine inspiration from name, logo, value proposition and intent. It all came to me in dream and epic vision!
Whilst inspiration was divine, my intrigue of humans and our ability to
innovate in creative ways laid the groundwork. I also saw how much value
understanding and integrating IP into our society, business and economy can
produce. A quick analysis of the fastest developing economies of the world
would show a parallel growth in IP research & development, strategy and
number of IP protection sought in said economy.
Intrik was incorporated in 2020 but officially launched in 2021. We
protect your Intellectual Property. Intellectual property protection is
technical and frustrating. We provide creators with a Strategy to protect,
optimize and monetize their new products, innovations, brands and creative
works to continue innovating confidently and well-informed.
Intrik services are divided into three specific IP rights, namely:
Trademarks,
Copyright, and
Industrial Design.
Services for each include protection, legal representation, contract and
portfolio management. What this exactly entails is listed on the Intrik website
in much detail.”
What challenges have you encountered on your entrepreneurial journey and
how did you overcome some of them?
“One can never underestimate one’s own ignorance. There is a lot of
excitement that goes into finding your passion and identifying at least where
to start. However, as a budding entrepreneur I have come to realise that what I
know is not enough.
As a new business owner, you come to acknowledge that you have to take
care of almost everything. I realised that I needed to understand exactly what
it is I will offer, the channels through which clients get in touch with the
business, how to market (branding and advertising), what the operational costs
would be, how to price the services, how to engage regulations and regulators
regarding tax, finance and incorporation. The list goes on and it is certainly
easier said than done. It was overwhelming because knowing what needs to be
done to build a business is miles apart from knowing how to do it. I made
mistakes that were costly, both in money and time, regarding my website
development and payment methods.
Fortunately, I accepted that I do not know enough. I read a lot, joined
a short business course and listened to experts. Then I sat down for two months
and created each brick that would eventually form part of the foundation of the
business. I broke down the business model, clarified the Intrik brand story,
worked on a social media strategy, and developed the website.
Equally, if not more important is the work you need to do on yourself as
an entrepreneur. Your commitment, habits, behaviour, and accountability. The
entrepreneurial responsibility is one of courage and humility and you need to
make sure you can bear it. I heard somewhere once that the entrepreneurial
journey has more to do with how much the entrepreneur grows than that of the
business. I find that to be true in my case.”
Do you have a business philosophy? If so, what is it?
“Manifest the Creator Within! There is so much creative potential in
many Namibians. The exercise of this creativity in material and tangible forms
is what we at Intrik aim to inspire in our community. There is uncertainty and/or
fear in one’s ability and that is not uncommon but our role is to encourage and
intrigue our countrymen to take the hero’s journey, uncover and create despite
the possibility of failure.”
What are the company values that have been integral in getting you this
far?
“Intrik company values are to:
Be a Guide
In everything we do our aim is to help the creator win! Find out what
their finish line is and help them get there.
Be Creative
We are inspired by creativity and creators; it simply follows that all
our services must be approached with creative solutions.
Be Grateful
Creativity is a gift and being invited into the creator’s journey to
success is an honor.”
One often hears of poor customer service & experiences in start-ups;
what measures do you have in place to ensure the best experience for your
customers?
“This is, indeed, something one needs to be aware of and mitigate. The
good news is we have access to so many cool and efficient tools on the
internet. Unless clients call me directly on the phone, most interact with the
business through the website which is set up with an add-on software where I’ve
created automated emails received by the clients immediately once they activate
a particular button on the website to address their need. I am always notified
and available to make the call to the client.
Furthermore, to keep myself honest I have integrated a feedback review
which clients can easily access. This helps to track and improve services and
customer relationships. Mistakes will be made that is fact but it is how fast
you are capable of fixing them that differentiates the successful start-ups
from those that fail.”
How
do you see charity and non-profit work overlapping with your business?
“Charity and non-profit work is crucial to Intrik’s role in our
community. We have created the iKre8 arm of Intrik. The iKre8 Project aims to
address the development challenge in two phases:
1. Phase 1 – IP
Awareness: IP is technical and is confusing for the layman. This
will be the introduction Phase aimed at making IP simple at an elementary level
to build the foundation for Phase 2. We will break down the different kinds of
IP, the rights and benefits derived from protection and commercial potentials
inherent to IP through practical illustrations and examples known to the
communities. Simultaneously, we will launch the Creative Economy Podcasts
(interview based) which will deal with commercial perspectives and strategies
on sustainable navigation of creators in Namibia and innovation and creative
mindset, approach and expression.
2. Phase 2 –
Training: Based on data collected from Phase 1 we will
customize a training course intended to provide a fairly extensive look into
IP, particularly focused on IP strategy for asset optimization for
monetization. As is in the name “iKre8” it is important to train the
participants on the creative mindset and innovative thinking so they can
actually create – through design thinking techniques, understanding the
creative cycle, and taking advantage of inspiration.
iKre8 Project is an innovative solution as it is threefold, namely:
spreading IP awareness & understanding; touching on the nature of
creativity to spark interest in creating itself; and the extra mile on
continuously providing practical, real-life information and knowledge regarding
the overall commercial view on IP through the Creative Economy Podcast. The
existing solutions simply address the protection for IP and BIPA has yet to
implement the NIIP due to lack of funds amongst other factors. iKre8 has not
been piloted but besides the IP Audit Findings I’ve seen the demand for the
information through the consulting service.”
What role does your start-up play
in nurturing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Namibia?
“All “aha” moments are when ideas
for businesses are conceived. These ideas manifest into tangle products and
services which are intrinsically IP. All businesses have IP assets from the
product or service they provide to the company brand which is trademark
protected. The sooner we realise in Namibia that one cannot have a conversation
about business and economic growth and development without IP strategy – the better
our competitive edge will be in the global competitive market.
To assume that your IP is not
important as a start-up and failing to identify the IP from the get-go could be
detrimental to the success of your start-up. It is Intrik’s role to start this
conversation and provide these essential services to entrepreneurs in Namibia.”
How significant is collaboration in the growth &
scaling of a start-up?
“It is paramount! This makes organizations like Launch Namibia so
valuable because we all need assistance particularly in the beginning.”
What recommendations would you make towards the advancement of start-ups, and/or the improvement of their operating conditions?
“Entrepreneurs need to take into account a number of things when building a successful start-up, but one that is equally important as any aspect of business is IP which many do not know, forget or delay addressing. We live in a digitized global market and the countries winning at that game have proper IP policies in place and encourage the protection of IP for creativity and innovation, which in turn incentivizes further innovative productivity. We need to remember we are competing with them.”
“One can’t
prepare for everything, but one needs a backup plan in case something goes
south.”
Helge Hoffmann
is a Namibia-born entrepreneur and the founder of the local casual fashion &
accessories brand Namibwear. Helge grew up in Windhoek, where he spent most of
his life. After finishing his school years at the Delta School- and Secondary
School Windhoek, matriculating in 2006, Helge worked as an IT Intern before
applying at the AAA School of Advertising in Cape Town, South Africa where he
had the opportunity to study graphic design.
After a very
tough first year at the school, his understanding and passion for design &
marketing grew more and more in second and third (final) year. Next to his
studies, Helge started doing freelance work for friends and smaller businesses
before finally graduating in his third and final year in 2010 with a BA Degree
in Graphic Design and a Diploma in Marketing. The year after, Helge moved to
Stellenbosch where he completed another Post Graduate Diploma in Marketing at
the University of Stellenbosch. It was during this year that Helge also, next
to his studies, started his first two business ventures, Antiques Africa and
his former design brand, Hoffdesign.
In 2012 Helge
joined the team at the Globecreative agency where he got to work on several
cool brands such as Finweek, mpact (Mondi), Showmax and more. 4 years later,
Helge sought to gain overseas work experience and decided apply at advertising
agencies based in Germany. With 5 agencies offering this strange white man from
Africa a job, he accepted an offer at Joussenkarliczek, a strategic design
agency near Stuttgart, where Helge worked on big international brands like
STIHL, TeamViewer, LG, Oettinger and more.
From his
overseas experience Helge writes: “I was not only able to develop further as a
designer and art director, but I also learned some valuable business insights,
strategic thinking, typical German work-ethics and business practices that I am
now able to apply to everything I do today.”
During his agency career, having worked on a lot of brands for a lot of people and businesses, Helge felt a strong desire to start a new brand of his own, a new project and business venture. Alas, in 2018, with some encouragement of his girlfriend Carolina, the Namibwear brand was born. Starting off with only a few t-shirt designs, the Namibian startup company has since launch seen various new t-shirts collections, hoodies, sweaters, caps, flip-flops, phone covers and there are a lot more designs and product releases in the pipeline.
Tell us more about Namibwear, what inspired you
to start this business, the services you offer as well as the team behind your
startup (if any).
“Namibwear is a passion project which took roots in my
early days as graphic designer dating back to 2011/12, but the brand wasn’t
officially founded until late 2018. During the initial launch phase, I focused
on the branding, designs, photography, marketing, website and so forth, while
my girlfriend Carolina who encouraged me to start the business, helped with the
admin and reaching out to suppliers and manufacturers.
The concept of Namibwear grew out of a deep love and
pride I have for my home country Namibia. Having spent most of my life here, I
wanted to start something where we can share this passion with fellow Namibians
and people who share a similar deep connection with our country. Besides always
wanting a clothing brand of my own as a sort of creative outlet, I also felt
that there was a gap in the Namibian market for a high quality casual clothing
brand featuring modern and sophisticated designs that appealed to proud locals
and visitors of our country. Being a big fan of modern minimalism often found
in Nordic (Scandinavian) design, I always try and make something clean and
sophisticated, a design that is well balanced, using modern design- aesthetics
and principles and combining this with Namibian themes. Since launch we have
released over 34 different designs, investing in premium quality products
including:
• Men’s
and women’s t-shirts
• Unisex
hoodies and sweaters
• Unisex
range of caps
• Laser
engraved wooden phone covers
• Men’s and women’s flip-flops made partially from recycled materials
Being a passion project and, even at this stage, still
somewhat of a start-up company, realizing the brand would not have been
possible without the input and occasional wisdom of Carolina, the after-hours
help of my mother Agnes and my good friend Richard Steinbach. These individuals
including myself are the core people who make up the Namibwear Team.
Namibwear would also not be possible today if it were not for the awesome support and valuable feedback from our customers, sharing the pride, both locally and abroad. Nothing makes us prouder than people representing us, sending us their photos and sharing their stories with us. All this and more makes up the Namibwear family.”
What challenges have you encountered on your
entrepreneurial journey and how did you overcome some of them?
“From almost quitting college to my first failed
business ventures to a pain-in-the-butt world pandemic, challenges certainly
are plentiful, but it’s how we deal with them that makes the difference.
One of my first business ventures was an online antiques trading platform called Antiques Africa. The concept was to create one platform tailored for antique traders and vendors in southern Africa where they could list their products and sell these online. While the idea showed a lot of potential, for my partner Nick Taylor and myself it proved extremely challenging to get enough vendors on board, figure out the logistics, do all the product photography, listing & marketing ourselves and designing & developing a stable & easy to use platform for a large number of antique vendors.
After 7 months of hard work and sometimes extremely tedious processes, we scaled down our efforts and resources and I shifted my focus back on building up my freelance design business. While the antiques venture had failed, the experience gained was extremely valuable and, in many ways, also contributed to the existence of Namibwear today. Like many other failed endeavours, I took it as a learning and tried to do it better the next time around.
At the end of the day, one will fail a few times, both from a personal and business point of view, before getting it right, and that’s okay. If you believe in something, and put your heart and soul into it, the results will speak for themselves. In the case of Namibwear, my passion for my country and the need to create, bundled with a huge amount of persistence, hard work and support from family, friends and epic customers has helped me to overcome most challenges so far.”
What advice would you give to someone trying to break
into this industry?
“Running my first business venture taught me that one
cannot run before you learn to walk. If you ask me there is no easy way to get
into the fashion industry, even casual fashion. It does require a good
understanding of design & trends and personally I think one needs to get
the product right, with prototypes and testing, before one can roll out a
complete collection.
Start small scale and try out a few things first, make some t-shirts for your friends or families. It’s a big investment to bring out a new collection so make sure it’s done right. At Namibwear we spend a lot of time first of all creating our designs and making sure our products are manufactured following high-quality standards and ethical procedures. There should be no cutting corners when it comes to this. Higher quality and ethical manufacturing means higher production costs and lower margins, but this is usually rewarded with repeat purchases and loyal customers which is 1000 x more valuable than making a quick sale with a cheap product.”
Do you have a business philosophy? If so, what is it?
“Our business philosophy is to provide high-quality products featuring Namibian-themed designs at fair prices. We believe in an inclusive culture, uniting locals and working together with likeminded individuals and institutions. We want to share the Namibian pride, our diverse heritages, and of course the natural sceneries with the rest of the world.”
What are the company values that have been integral in
getting you this far?
“Namibwear company values include:
Honesty – being transparent in what we offer and our service capabilities as a local start-up clothing brand. Only offer what you can deliver, be transparent in what you are able to offer as a business and what not. While it is impossible to meet every demand, we do try our best to meet exceptional customer satisfaction.
Fairness & Integrity – providing fair pricing for high quality products, ethically sourced and manufactured.
Trust – assuring value for money with your purchase and providing safe and convenient payment methods backed up by a 2-week product return policy.
Local is lekker – wherever possible we work with local suppliers, manufacturers, service providers, talented artists, photographers, artists and models from Namibia and also South Africa.”
One often hears of poor customer service &
experiences in start-ups; what measures do you have in place to ensure the best
experience for your customers?
“I must honestly say I can’t relate to this. Sure,
startups don’t have the manpower or financial needs to provide certain service
features that one might expect from established businesses, but I find that
many smaller companies and start-ups go out of their way to assist customers
and try to meet their expectations.
Thanks to our social media presence and modern ways to communicate, we offer several ways for customers to get in touch with us and in fact we highly encourage customers to interact with us. We like to talk and listen to our followers and consider these as being part of the Namibwear family. Our return policy assures that one can easily exchange an item if it doesn’t fit for example and although we do need to have fixed company policies, we do tend to be flexible in order to meet customer satisfaction. Certainly, things don’t always go 100% according to plan, but we do try and make the purchase experience and after sales service as pleasant as possible. As a proudly Namibian start-up, I feel it is our duty to go the extra and show commitment and provide good customer service across the board.”
What role does
your startup play in nurturing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Namibia?
“We hope that Namibwear can inspire others when it comes to quality Namibian brands. I think it’s important to lead by example, no matter which industry, by setting new standards and exploring new ways of innovating, conducting business, promoting online ecommerce in Namibia, working towards sustainability and encouraging more collaborations amongst Namibian entrepreneurs.”
How significant is
collaboration in the growth & scaling of a start-up?
“Collaboration is extremely important, especially for
startups and smaller businesses. When we had our first products, we only had an
Instagram channel and a Facebook page to promote and display our items, but
without a retail space where we could stock our products, it was hard for
customers to view and feel the quality of our items.
Luckily, we have fantastic weekend markets where we
could display and sell our first t-shirts and phone covers which gave us a base
where people could really see what we’re all about. Besides the markets, we
approached a few vendors and asked if they would be interested to stock some of
our Namibwear products, and while most vendors were interested, it was
impossible for us to meet the wholesale prices needed for the vendors to meet
their expected margins. It was thanks to smaller businesses and startups like
Leon Engelbrecht Design that stocked a limited selection of t-shirts and phone
covers which people could try on, see and feel with their own eyes which made
people experience the Namibwear brand for the first time in a retailer.
In 2020 we had the opportunity to open a popup shop at a local shopping mall, but paying rent, utilities and staff salaries would have been too much to carry on our own, so we teamed up with another entrepreneur, Daryn from N!A Caps, to give it a go and share the retail space. Besides getting along really well on a personal level, our products complimented each other and we’ve even produced a few caps together.
Another collaboration we have just entered is with our
new our delivery partner, eBikes4Africa which use local drivers and e-bikes to
deliver parcels all over Windhoek. Not only does this encourage local
entrepreneurship, but we also lower our carbon footprint by using e-bikes
instead of usual couriers by van.
We hope that more Namibian companies and startups will
be open to do collaborations in future, because at the end of the day we’re all
in this together.”
In 2020,
entrepreneurs lived through a tumultuous period with the arrival of the COVID-
19 pandemic; what was your biggest business lesson that you can share?
“We opened up our first ever pop-up shop that, after just about 1 and a
half months, we had to close due to the COVID-19 lockdown regulations. Not
being able to trade normally but still having to cover running expenses, we
decided not to continue beyond the contractual 3 months and scale down to
selling only online through our web shop. Thankfully we invested a huge amount
of time & effort in building a fully functional online shop, which is easy
to use, safe and secure, up to international standards, offering many forms of
payment and product delivery/pickup options. For us, having an online point of
sale means we can still be present and continue to build the brand, introduce
new products and keep our business going throughout these difficult times.
What’s more, through my experience as an entrepreneur, I am able to shift focus on one of my new ventures like the Nordern Design Bureau during times where business is slower due to the pandemic. One of the biggest business lessons I have learned during these times is that one needs to be flexible and be able to adapt to changing conditions. One can’t prepare for everything, but one needs a backup plan in case something goes south. If something does go bad, try and keep your cool and make the best out of the situation presented before you.”
“Take care of your
customers because if you help people get what they want, they can help YOU get
what you want.”
Klaudia
Mwechininga Mukete is an entrepreneur and the founder of Mwechy’s Salsa Sauce
and Mwechy’s Catering Services.
She grew up in
Tsumeb and Oshakati. After completing high school, she went on to study and
obtain a Bachelor’s degree in Human Resource Management, as well as a Bachelor’s
degree in Public Management and an Honors degree in Business Management. She
has several years of working experience, from the Ministry of Lands and
Resettlements, the Ministry of Home Affairs & Immigration and the Ministry
of Finance, where she currently works.
However, the kitchen connoisseur could not escape her passion, who says, “My relationship with cooking began at a very early age of 10. I grew up and got married and started falling more in love with cooking. It became my way to unwind and relax after a long day at work. The more I cooked for myself and my family, the more I wanted to learn. I’ve learned to cook very well through trial and error. Cooking can literally boost your creativity. I just love it! I enjoy experimenting with new recipes and learning new techniques. I truly have a passion for cooking; all I want to do is to fulfil my purpose on this earth through my God-given talent.”
Tell us more about Mwechy’s Salsa Sauce, what
inspired you to start this business, the services you offer as well as the team
behind your startup (if any).
“Cooking is, and has always been my passion – it’s my calling! Growing up, I always knew I loved cooking and it came naturally for me. I enjoy cooking, and feel quite competent at it. I don’t even mind spending hours in the kitchen, where I create unique recipes: Mwechy’s Sauce being one of them. Mwechy’s Salsa Sauce was founded in my small kitchen at Okakwa village, on the 21st of May 2020.
After I got married and had my own home, I found my
most comfortable place to be the kitchen. There, I played around with food and
often I would post it on my WhatsApp and Instagram; friends and colleagues
would applaud my dishes and encourage me to start a restaurant or catering business.
Eventually, I began to cater to those close to me.
However, as a result of the lockdown, we were put into shifts at work. During my off-days, I would develop various recipes, try out many ingredients in my cupboard and I continued to post them on my WhatsApp status. Once again, my colleagues praised me and eventually convinced me to cater to them by supplying lunch that they would buy. I would use the money to buy more ingredients and kept playing in my kitchen.
One day, I prepared a hot rice salad for my colleagues’ orders (rice that you can eat without sauce). However, knowing many people would not understand, I thought to make a salsa on the side. To my surprise, the first group finished the salsa before others and they spoke highly of it.
Being inconsistent with my orders played into my
favour as someone from our area came up with the idea to sell form the back of her
car, including to my colleagues. This extra time was diverted to developing new
recipes for salsa which I used on family and friends’. The enthusiasm and positive
responses continued until my sister decided she would design a poster for
advertising. It was after the poster when the vision became clear. I started
packaging and selling to people around me, and I was blessed to have an old
friend of mine design stickers for my bottles, and another designed my labelled
apron.
I was still not of the marketing idea until a young girl, (8 years old) whose mummy (family friend) bought a salsa, made a video using the salsa on her bread and said she would use it on all her food because it was the best. I cried that day and decided that if I have to advertise, kids would be my ideal models because of their pure hearts and honesty. This was affirmed by my eldest daughter who one day came to me and told me that she sees my salsa going places because it is the best and that it complimented my lovely food too!
The Mwechy Salsa Sauce currently comes in 12 different
flavours, including:
Mwechy’s Plain Sauce
Mild
Spicy Hot
Extra Spicy Hot
Coconut Plain or Hot
Mint Hot or Plain
Peanut Plain or Hot
Banting Plain or Hot
All our sauces are made out of fresh vegetables and mint from my garden. Mwechy’s original flavours can be used on everything, however Mint is best for rice, fish and pasta dishes. Our recently introduced flavours are Peanut (plain and hot) and Banting-friendly sauce.”
What challenges have you encountered on your
entrepreneurial journey and how did you overcome some of them?
“I have face several challenges on this journey, and
those included:
self-doubt &
fear;
sourcing start-up
capital and funds for growth;
perfecting my
recipes;
finding a customer
base, as well as the time to devote to my business;
dealing with difficult
customers and debtors.
I am the cook, the recipe developer, making everything
from scratch and believe me, it’s not easy! However, I am lucky to have people
who recognised my talent and gift for cooking, encouraging me to stop living in
fear and to chase my dream.
I believe I have God’s guidance because He chose me
for a reason, He gave me this gift for a reason. I believe in this dream, I
believe in my passion and purpose for this business. So, against all odds, I
soldier on because I am doing it out of love.”
What advice would you give
to someone trying to break into this industry?
“This business can be difficult, time consuming and draining
and is not an avenue to walk through if you’re doing it just to make a buck.
You may, or may not, but your heart has to be in it to get you through the
tough times.
Start slow, be patient and do you;
Don’t be in desperate spot
Take time to perfect your recipe, while also
protecting its uniqueness;
Know what your customers want and take care of them by
creating long, lasting relationships;
Do not be afraid to reach out – you can even try to
find a mentor;
Know your worth!
Please don’t just break into this industry because of
money because it requires effort and determination.”
Do you have a business philosophy? If so, what
is it?
“I have a few philosophies when it comes to my
business:
To create and live my ‘secret sauce’. I do not want to copy; I
want my recipes to be original and unique in the world;
To take care of your
customers because if you help people get what they want, they can help YOU get
what you want;
To associate myself with
like-minded people;
Don’t stop when you’re
tired – stop when you are done!
I want my sauce company to one day be the best
in Namibia and internationally!”
What are the company values that have been integral in getting you this
far?
“I deeply value perseverance, honesty, delivering quality,
healthy products and timeliness (deliveries, and so on).”
One often hears of poor customer service &
experiences in start-ups; what measures do you have in place to ensure the best
experience for your customers?
“I offer my customers free, timely deliveries. I
also make provision for Q&As with my customers, in order to hear, consider
& implement their criticisms and suggestions.
I made sure to offer my products at an affordable price while maintaining their quality.”
What recommendations would you make towards the advancement of start-ups,
and/or the improvement of their operating conditions?
“The government needs to do more to support
start-ups, an action that could work towards saving our economy. Moreover,
having more manufacturing businesses to support the industry in the country
will lead to an increase of the GDP, and, revenue streams will continue flowing
into the country rather than to foreign countries.
Further recommendations would be 1) direct
grants and zero–interest loans, 2) equity-free cash and 3) more workshops on
entrepreneurship for start-ups, and are all important.”
In 2020, entrepreneurs
lived through a tumultuous period with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic;
what was your biggest business lesson that you can share?
“COVID-19 carried negative impact across several businesses but it also brought positive impacts to many. In my case, during lockdown, I was afforded the time I needed to play & experiment in the kitchen, bringing about the birth of Mwechy’s Sauce.
Anybody in business needs to know that when situations change, we need to be able to diversify our product & service range. Always have a back-up strategy or business idea so that when one doesn’t work out, you move onto the next. Remember to embrace change!”
Email: mweshininga.klaudia@gmail.com
Cell: +264 81 205 1841
Facebook: Mwechy’s Salsa Sauce
Instagram: @mwechydipsauce
Personal Pages:
Klaudia Shimwe Mukete (Facebook) | @____klaudy
(Instagram)
“Exceed expectation. Be the standard others are measured by. ”
Andries &
Marizaan van Schalkwyk are an entrepreneurial duo and the co-founders of the
Copper & Coal Distillery. Andries was raised in Windhoek, with Marizaan
growing up on a farm in the Okahandja district. The pair both graduated from
Windhoek High School and went on to pursue their tertiary education in South
Africa.
Prior to moving back in 2017, the couple worked in the medical industry. However, they could only avoid their fate for so long. What was initially a hobby turned into a passion, and the pair moved back home where Copper and Coal Distillery was consequently born.
Tell us more about Copper & Coal Distillery,
what inspired you to start this business, the services you offer as well as the
team behind your startup (if any).
“In 2017, Copper & Coal distillery was founded in
Walvis Bay, a small harbour town in Namibia. Our Craft distillery produces
premium, handcraft spirits in small batches and creates one small batch at a
time. With a passion for quality and craft integrity, we take the finest
ingredients and transform them into the ultimate spirits – focusing on quality
over quantity. Every part of the process is done right here at the distillery
in Walvis Bay, from fermenting to hand bottling, proudly Namibian.
Our small team does all the work by hand, taking hand-crafted
to a new level. Our gins are made by one distiller, each drop being done by
Andries himself. We then hand-bottle, hand-label and hand-pack each bottle of
craft product leaving the Copper and Coal Distillery floor.
Desolate Namibian Gin was launched in March 2018 with
our Classic 7 Gin, paving the way into the hearts of Namibians and visitors
alike. We have since launched our Devils Claw Oak Rested (July 2018) and
Crystal Clear (September 2018) gins, both from the local Devils Claw root, with
one being rested in French oak barrels to give it an unprecedented smoothness.
We launched our Marula gin in October 2019, from local Namibian Marula, hand-harvested
in the north of Namibia.
In August 2020, we launched our Forsaken range. This
range includes an Infusion Box to make your own cocktails at home, as well as a
Copper Craft Club, supporting local businesses, including other liquor craft
products in Namibia. This box brings a craft box filled with not only Copper
and Coal Distillery products every second month, but also other local
handcrafted Namibian products. For our first box, we teamed up with the
Naankuse Foundation, and featured their Neuras wines with their 2015 vintage
dessert wine.
On the 11th of September 2020, we launched our Arid Vodka – the first Namibian made Vodka; fermented, distilled and bottled at our craft distillery in Walvis Bay. Arid can be described as a single grain Namibian Vodka, double-distilled and full bodied, a vodka hand-cut to perfection. Each bottle is filled and hand-numbered in true craft spirit, then included in a small batch distilled in a custom-built column still. This is a true distillers’ cut, bringing out the smoothness and purity in this true Namibian Arid Vodka. We have worked on the Arid Vodka concept for a long time with product integrity and quality being of utmost importance. We are extremely proud of our truly Namibian Vodka, Arid!
We are also excited about our upcoming products to be
released in 2021, the first will be early in March 2021. Both the Forsaken and
Arid range will see further expansion in the coming months.”
What challenges have you encountered on your
entrepreneurial journey and how did you overcome some of them?
“Being a novelty product breaking into the local
market and gaining acceptance was our biggest challenge – competing in a
highly-contested market space, mostly taken-up by international imported
brands.
From day one, we focused on the quality of our
products. We simply strive to create a superior product, along with great
customer service, and this has served us well.”
Do you have a business philosophy? If so, what is it?
“Exceed expectation. Be the standard others are
measured by. Embrace change. Embrace
Innovation. Embrace Knowledge. Be Accountable. Be Human.”
What are the company values that have been integral in getting you this
far?
“If I must highlight two it would be Determination and Excellence. It is through sheer Determination that the company came this far in four years, thanks to lots of long hours. We continue to strive for Excellence, and much of our focus is on the quality of products that we produce. We can only be as good as the products we send out the door.”
How significant is
collaboration in the growth & scaling of a start-up?
“Collaborations play a significant role in the
environment we operate in; it fosters support and unity. We have collaborated
with several other proudly Namibian companies with great success. For us it
drives our brand and also affords us the opportunity to support our fellow
Namibian companies.”
What recommendations
would you make towards the advancement of startups, and/or the improvement of
their operating conditions?
“I believe that if you have the passion and the
determination to take on a start-up, there should be a funding scheme to assist
(if deemed viable). It happens all too often that a start-up fails or never gets
off the ground due to a lack of funding. Many people lack the knowhow to
navigate a start-up process; it would be further beneficial to be able to complete
a course or attend a workshop to provide some guidance.”
In 2020,
entrepreneurs lived through a tumultuous period with the arrival of the
COVID-19 pandemic; what was your biggest business lesson that you can share?
“With the horrors of COVID-19, many businesses big and small are fighting for survival. Unfortunately, this fight will continue into the foreseeable future, some will win and continue to fight another day, others unfortunately will not be so lucky. The biggest business lesson we learned was to adapt without hesitation to a changing market. Be willing and open to make the necessary change in your company to survive the pandemic.”
Email: info@copperandcoaldistillerynamibia.com
Website: www.distillerynamibia.com
Cell: +264 81
205 3150
Facebook: Copper
& Coal Distillery Company Namibia
Morgan Beukes
is an entrepreneur, Chief Executive Officer and one of three co-founders of
Liberal Apparel, also known as LBRL Men. He was raised in Windhoek, where he attended
primary school at Emma Hoogenhout, and was part of the renowned dream team that
went a whole season unbeaten. Morgan was also awarded ‘Sportsman of the Year’ for four (4) years in a row. He matriculated
high school at Jan Mohr Secondary School and went on to graduate with an Honors
degree in Computer Science from UNAM in 2017.
Morgan has been
lecturing computer-based modules at the Namibia University of Science and
Technology (NUST) since. He also does I.T Consulting and he is currently
working on pioneering web-based projects.
Speaking on this current business venture and passion project, Morgan says that, “My biggest achievement would be founding Liberal Apparel, for sure.”
Tell us more about Liberal Men / LBRL Apparel,
what inspired you to start this business, the services you offer as well as the
team behind your startup (if any).
“Liberal Men is a high-end men’s clothing line that
provides quality through trends. As for how we came upon the name, I was
mulling over the idea of starting the business four years ago when I came
across an insightful post on Instagram. The poll queried approximately 160K
users about which country they rated as the most liberal country as a travel
destination. 67% of the votes were Namibia. The patriot in me couldn’t be any
prouder.
Having got the name “Liberal” I realized that we
needed a logo. Our classic logo is signified by two letter ‘L’s as mirror
images of each other at a 180 degree angle. The idea behind that is, two of us
can be looking at the same thing from different angles/perspectives and form two
different opinions of the same thing. As Liberals, we respect other people’s
opinions despite them differing from our own. That allows us to respect one
another and live harmoniously, a common trait of Namibian citizens. The slogan
“unity through diversity” was the icing on top of the cake which was provided
by Christopher Freygang, one of our co-founders.
We launched the business on December 23rd,
2019. We realized that there was a disparaging gap between the price we as men
paid for clothing items and the quality provided. We all know well how men’s
clothing is relatively more expensive than that of women. We saw this as an
opportunity to breach the market and satisfy an existing customer need for
affordable and quality clothing; the accessories further complement our street
style.
We are a team of 3; namely Castro Nangula, Christopher Freygang and I. Each of us bring unique qualities that create a synergy that’s a catalyst for nothing but influence and success; this combination of qualities has also seen us maneuver in an adaptable manner without taking any losses.”
What challenges have you encountered on your
entrepreneurial journey and how did you overcome some of them?
“Seeing that this was my first business venture, I
have to say the pressure to make a success out of the risk I decided to take
was the initial challenge. Botched shipments were experienced in the beginning,
in obtaining samples of our products before market distribution as is part of
our business practice. It was up to the team and I to be motivated and creative
in making good on our investment, not knowing how the market was going to
respond to our products.
Fortunately enough for us, we launched three months
prior to the global outbreak of COVID-19; considering that we are an e-commerce
business, we had already made people accustomed to shopping online. Remaining
consistent and fresh was a minor challenge in that regard.”
What advice would you give to someone trying to break
into this industry?
“My advice would be to remain true to your brand
identity and the underlying passion cannot be emphasized enough.”
Do you have a business philosophy? If so, what is it?
“Yes, we do, cliché if I may say; team work makes the
dream work.”
What are the company values that have been integral in
getting you this far?
“Two words, consistency & teamwork.”
One often hears of poor customer service &
experiences in startups; what measures do you have in place to ensure the best
experience for your customers?
“We are always customer focused, the hand that feeds you should be appreciated. In maintaining consistency, we keep to our word on service delivery, the quality of our products speak for themselves. In cases when we do inconvenience our clients, for example in the rare occurrence of overdue deliveries, we remunerate our customers with tailored coupons and/or discounts.”
How do you see charity and nonprofit work overlapping
with your business?
“That is definitely
something we are looking to do in the future.”
What role does your
startup play in nurturing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Namibia?
“We are focused on growth and adding value to our
customers by providing them with premium products at an affordable price.”
What
recommendations would you make towards the advancement of startups, and/or the
improvement of their operating conditions? * i.e. support of startups, funding
schemes, workshops, policy changes etc.
“My advice
would be to have an online presence and a platform to sell products or advertise
services. As I.T Consultants, Castro and I are offering development of websites
to start-ups and professionals seeking to have better engagement with their
clients for discount price at the moment.
A crowd funding
platform for Sub-Saharan Africa would be beneficial in my opinion as well. We
can advocate for the public to support local business but in our experience, if
entrepreneurs are not providing quality products/services then it defeats the
purpose of value addition, again in my opinion.”
In 2020,
entrepreneurs lived through a tumultuous period with the arrival of the COVID-
19 pandemic; what was your biggest business lesson that you can share?
“Having an online presence is essential to the survival of any business venture in the new economic ecosystem we function in.”
“We are overcoming
the challenges as we learn by day.”
Augustinus Ngombe is an entrepreneur, and the founder & managing director of Generational FOCUS Consultancy. He was born in a village called Gcamade, West of Rundu, in the now Kavango West. He attended primary school at Gcamade JP, before later moving to Siya S.P and Sinzogoro S.P respectively. He completed his high school at Leevi Hakusembe Senior Secondary School.
Augustinus
served as an LRC for Academic Affairs at the age of 15 and later quit, but his
teachers and learners still qualified him as a leader without any title. This
would later translate in his unquenched thirst to understand the subject of
leadership. His junior achievements include participating in the UNESCO Science
Fair as a regional representative and leading his school choir & the debate
club, which served as platforms to practice thought-leadership and orator of
the time in school.
Augustinus describes
himself as “an agile leader, teacher and administrator by profession who has made
many to experience the greatest feeling of self-discovery, empowered, informed,
inspired and equipped to deliver to the best of their abilities in various
areas.” He encourages thought-provoking to imagine beyond their limits in the
areas of leadership and entrepreneurship to develop a deeper understanding of
self. He is the author of Leadership & Knowledge, an eloquent orator,
gospel singer, educator with dynamic skills and knowledge inspired by biblical
wisdom.
He is passionate about empowerment and bridging gaps through motivation, training and capacity building. He has shared stages and worked with influential scholars and leaders such as Prof. PLO Lumumba who reviewed and spoke at the launch of his book & wrote its foreword.
Tell us more about Generational FOCUS Consultancy,
what inspired you to start this business, the services you offer as well as the
team behind your startup (if any).
“Generational FOCUS Consultancy was founded in 2017 as
a platform that brings experts that discuss leadership and entrepreneurial
matters to bridge the gaps of the knowledgeable and less knowledgeable,
resourceful and less resourceful, as a form of empowerment. The summarized
activities or services offered by the consultancy are:
Knowledge importation
& empowerment of leaders and entrepreneurs in the areas of: purpose
identification, change management, emotional intelligence, innovative thinking;
Business and entrepreneurial
advising and training;
Financial and
business management services;
Sale of books on the
topics of leadership and knowledge;
Publishing of
leadership and entrepreneurial study materials and books.
Thus far GFC has managed to host influential leaders on
our online platform, the likes of Hon. Tom Alweendo, Rt. Gen. Ndaitwah, Mrs.
Sanet Steenkamp, Otto Kapuka, Prof. Tshilidzhi and more. Their founder, Augustinus,
has also trained MANWU far North Shop Stewards in partnership with Friedrich
Ebert Stiftung and moderated a social dialogue of trade Unions (NUNW, NEF,
Ministry of Labour, Industrial Relations and Employment Creation and Ministry
of Finance) about the future of work in Namibia. He has been hosted on TV and
radio episodes on various leadership subjects and he is a columnist.
GFC has a team made up of:
Augustinus M Ngombe,
Founder and Managing Director;
Christine-Ritah
Namusobya Abankwah, Coach, Advisor and Partner.”
What challenges have you encountered on your
entrepreneurial journey and how did you overcome some of them?
“Challenges
we have faced:
Financial backlog, to
layout great platform that can reach more people, payment of the services used;
Trust of the
corporate world to allow us to offer our services like training of their
employees;
Exposure and
marketing platforms are limited when you are new in the business;
Rarity of the experts
to partner with on our projects.
Mechanisms to
overcome them:
We rely on our
network to get referrals and assistance where possible;
We fundamentally rely
on giving excellent services to our clients to create a strong customer
relation;
We are living in our
means to avoid over expenditures;
Having a strong value
system that fosters trust amongst our customers and partners.
We are overcoming the challenges as we learn by day.”
What advice would you give to someone trying to break
into this industry?
“This industry requires no chance-takers but people
who are vested in the services offered. There is no short way to its success
except investing in yourself to be well-equipped. One needs resilience and
self-efficacy to earn the trust and credentials to work with others, whether
individuals or corporates. Those who are principled make it greater in this area
even though it takes time. This journey will require you to be patient and
accountable as virtues.”
Do you have a business philosophy? If so, what is it?
“Bridging generational leadership gaps is cornerstone
of sustainable and transformational leadership.”
What are the company values that have been integral in
getting you this far?
“Our core values are:
Leadership
Excellence
Teamwork
Resilience
Accountability.”
One often hears of poor customer service &
experiences in startups; what measures do you have in place to ensure the best
experience for your customers?
“We have established a customer review system through
which we seek honest feedback from our clients: what we have done well and
where we haven’t delivered satisfactorily. Further measures include:
Lifelong learning of
team members to ensure the efficiency of service delivery;
Scrutiny of the
content to be released to the clients to ensure that services are offered with
excellence;
Tailor-made content
to our clients;
Exercising
partnership-leadership instead of title-based leadership.”
How do you see charity and nonprofit work overlapping
with your business?
“We are driven by empowering and bridging gaps; hence
we indirectly offer our services for free as a way to teach people how to fish
and not to always be given fish. Generational FOCUS cc is accessed freely by
the participants thus it is charitable to the society.”
What role does your
startup play in nurturing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Namibia?
“Empowerment through our free discussions led by the experts in various
industries which make information available. Those who follow Generational
FOCUS cc have experienced free information sharing. Not only that, but our articles
in the newspaper tackle some of the entrepreneurial challenges. We offer
training where materials can be accessed at an affordable rate. Having
partnered with coaches, we do referrals to the experts in finance, branding and
other crucial areas in entrepreneurship.”
How significant
is collaboration in the growth & scaling of a start-up?
“It is crucial
to collaborate or partner with others as it allows both participants to use
each other’s strengths to pull each other. It allows both businesses to tap into
the other’s network, whether it is customers, investors or suppliers. It is a
skill recommended to every entrepreneur.”
What
recommendations would you make towards the advancement of startups, and/or the
improvement of their operating conditions? * i.e. support of startups, funding
schemes, workshops, policy changes etc.
“Knowledge is
power thus start-ups must be well informed and equipped through workshops and
entrepreneurial seminars before they step into getting financial facilities.
This will prepare for the cause and learn from experts and other entrepreneurs
who may be in their service or product provision and learn from their mistakes.
This cuts off time wastage and trims the business to what may be suitable for
that moment. Secondly, they should learn risk management and record keeping to
allow them opportunities into acquiring funding.”
In 2020,
entrepreneurs lived through a tumultuous period with the arrival of the COVID-
19 pandemic; what was your biggest business lesson that you can share?
“The main lesson was to be flexible in our strategies as change is always inevitable; that businesses should embrace saving for unprecedented times such as the pandemic. It was an eye-opener for the government to see the relevance of the SMEs and the urgency of making policies favorable for such entities.”
“The biggest lesson
is to adapt, and to adapt fast.”
Zita Jesus is an entrepreneur, and the co-founder & creative director of Orange Peel Interior Designs. The young businesswoman grew up in Oshivelo, in the northern part of Namibia. She then moved from Oshivelo to Windhoek in 2013, to pursue her tertiary education.
Zita studied Communications & Marketing at the then Polytechnic of Namibia, now known as the Namibia University of Science Technology (NUST). Her first job was as a teacher at Uukumwe Combined School. She then went on to work in the Commercial Property Management industry for roughly four (4) years before she moved to Ohlthaver & List Group. There, Zita worked in Leisure as a Marketing Executive. She couldn’t stay there forever knowing her passion was calling and she now works as a full-time interior designer.”
Tell us more about Orange Peel Interior Designs,
what inspired you to start this business, the services you offer as well as the
team behind your startup (if any).
“I founded Orange Peel Interior Designs in 2016. I
have always been one to make my place beautiful; I always shopped according to
themes but I didn’t know that what I was doing was actually interior design
then, even less that I could make a living out of it.
I initially began working on the spaces of my friends
and family. It took a lot of trial and error to find our niche, value proposition
and our core services.
Doing this work from a place of passion, just for the love of it, allowed me to see a gap in the market and this has become a big part of why we do what we do. Making interior design accessible to the average Namibian. Hence our tagline – “Interior Design, Redefined.”
What challenges have you encountered on your
entrepreneurial journey and how did you overcome some of them?
“Finding a local mentor in the Namibian interior
design space, that I could relate to, has been and still is a challenge. That’s
definitely been a challenge entering a niche industry.
Right now, my mentors are all online: mainly Claire
Jefford and Darren Palmer. My personal and business growth mentors are Joe
Dispenza and Bob Proctor.”
What advice would you give to someone trying to break
into this industry?
“Start with your own space and google the rest.”
Do you have a business philosophy? If so, what is it?
“I serve the average Namibian; they are my target
market. With the average Namibian being my target market, I adopted the Chinese
Pricing model. I just love the flexibility that it gives both me and my
clients. The social, authentic business model is the heartbeat of Orange Peel
and this has allowed me to share my world as is unfiltered and somehow doing
just that didn’t require a well-defined marketing strategy. This has made us
relatable and brought us a lot of business.”
What are the company values that have been integral in
getting you this far?
“Authenticity;
Daring to be different;
Transparency.”
One often hears of poor customer service &
experiences in startups; what measures do you have in place to ensure the best
experience for your customers?
“Any project we take on is personal, never
transactional. This really drives our attitude towards the work and our clients.
I’d say we get better with every project as we learn, fix and continue pushing.”
How do you see charity and nonprofit work overlapping
with your business?
“We have already launched our signature community
project, ‘Pimp My Shack’ last year in partnership with Pupkewitz Megabuild.
This initiative is very close to my heart because it pays homage to my
childhood and where I am from.”
What role does your
startup play in nurturing the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Namibia?
“Inspiration. We really hope to motivate and mentor others to take the first step, just as we did.”
How significant
is collaboration in the growth & scaling of a start-up?
“Collaboration is key to growing; we have had numerous partnerships with fellow start-ups like Greyco Architects, Newgen Media, Netreg Electical and many local craftsmen and women. They have all helped grow our business. My biggest collaboration to date has been the one with Pupkewitz Megabuild.”
In 2020,
entrepreneurs lived through a tumultuous period with the arrival of the COVID-
19 pandemic; what was your biggest business lesson that you can share?
“For OPID, 2020 was the best year of growth. In fact, COVID-19 and its effects helped us birth new realities that we wouldn’t have thought of otherwise. However, the biggest lesson we learnt was to adapt, and to adapt fast.”
“Enter when ready to
serve, not when ready to sell.”
Flaviano Quicandi Quisseque and Masutu Vihanga are entrepreneurs, and the co-founders of E-Sell Namibia. Flaviano, who originates from Angola, considers himself to be a calm but determined individual with a natural sense of humor. He moved to Namibia when he was 9 years old and lived apart from his parents ever since, with only holidays and occasional visits allowing him time with his family. He is a devout Christian who believes in living a life free of excuses, and further that ‘failure is one’s best teacher’.
Flaviano always had a passion for not only business but for serving people as well. He proceeded to pursue & acquire a qualification in Business Administration at the Institution of International Training College Lingua. In 2018, after he had left his job working as a coach at DTS, he conceptualised the idea of a platform that would facilitate the buying & selling of pre-owned goods. This platform would aim to help people sell items they no longer needed while making an extra income. It would further ensure safety from scams or theft as well as preventing the high circulation of stolen items currently being sold.
In 2019, he teamed up with his good friend & business partner, Masutu Vihanga, who was running a delivery business of his own at the time. They then teamed up and officially launched E-Sell Namibia in September 2019 along with help from two other individuals: Diana Davids and Johannes Kapolo. Flaviano and Masutu have since been solely focused on expanding the brand.
Tell us about E-Sell
Namibia, the products & services you offer and the team behind your
startup.
“We facilitate the buying and selling of mainly second-hand goods for individuals or organisations. We also market local businesses using our online platforms that have a wide reach in business and private platforms. We offer these services through our website as well as on WhatsApp and our Facebook & Instagram pages.”
What inspired you to
start this business?
“We wanted to make the sale process of second-hand goods safe &
efficient, by allowing people easy access to goods & services at an
affordable price. We realized that many people struggled with getting rid of
items they no longer had use for, and most of these were in a good condition.
This opened up a gap for us to capitalize on.”
What do you enjoy
most about being your own boss, and did you always know you wanted to
delve into entrepreneurship?
“Being your own boss requires a certain level of discipline, which is a
challenge I love waking up to everyday. Yes, I have always wanted to be an
entrepreneur because of my desire to serve people.”
What sets your
products/services apart from those in the same industry?
“First and foremost, you’ll get your money’s worth and we are time
efficient. One of the benefits of buying products through us is that we provide
warranty and proof of ownership on every item our clients buy or sell using our
platform.”
What challenges have
you encountered on your entrepreneurial journey and how did you overcome
some of them?
“Probably trying to juggle our ambitions along with family
responsibilities and our religious commitments. We are still overcoming this
everyday by aligning our priorities and devoting the most time to what matters
most.”
What is yourbusinessphilosophy?
“We do not engage in any transactions that does not benefit all parties
involved.
‘Expectations lead to disappointments.’.”
What advice would you
give to someone trying to break into this industry?
“Enter when ready to serve, not when ready to sell. The industry needs
passion for the work as well as a serving mentality. Our services connect
people and working with people requires one to have a growth mindset.”
How important is
networking as a growth component of any startup?
“As a start-up, it is almost impossible to operate in an isolated sphere.
We all want to achieve great things and we have all these great ideas, however,
in this growing Namibian economy we need, now more than ever, to work together.
Networking creates opportunities for growth. It may be in gaining new clients
or perhaps in building stronger relationships with suppliers to ensure a
lasting and healthy relationship. Trust, inspiration, exposures, interactions,
and pre-qualified referrals that you get through networking are special
resources that can’t be found anywhere else.”
What role does your
startup play in 1) contributing to society and 2) in nurturing the
entrepreneurial ecosystem in Namibia?
“a) We contribute by bringing people together through the buying &
selling and minimizing major issues in society of theft, scams among others.
b) We have in
many cases partnered with other start-ups as a sign that we welcome innovative
ideas and we use our platforms to promote local products and businesses.”
Startups in Namibia,
and all over the world, faced an unprecedented crisis in the form of the
COVID-19 pandemic; how has your startup adjusted to the situation?
“Day to day operations have been adjusted so as to curb the further spread of the virus. Because of the nature of our business, it has been an easy transition into this “new normal”; we put ourselves at the forefront of any transactions by ensuring that both the seller and buyer do not have to have any form of physical interaction unless deemed fit and really necessary.”
