From Small Beginnings To Big Brands

From small beginnings...

     "It is one thing to start a business; it's quite another to keep it growing. At some point, it's no longer enough to be your company's number one employee. You need to be the boss. One of the great ironies of entrepreneurship is that it's not enough to be good at what you do. To grow your company, you must also be a good leader, goal setter, delegator, motivator, and visionary. Somewhere along the way, you must move your thinking from me to us. Like caterpillars transforming into butterflies, entrepreneurs must evolve into leaders if their companies are to grow. Let the metamorphosis begin!"

This is a what Ray Silverstein says in his book titled The Best Secrets of Great Small Businesses, in which he talks about creative, innovative, and cost savings ideas from great business minds. Ray is the president of PRO (President's Resource Organization, a network of peer advisory boards for small business owners) and his other book is titled Small Business Survival Guide: How to Survive (and Thrive) in Tough Times.

Based on the research that has been conducted by different organisations over time, there is overwhelming evidence that most business start-ups fail within three years of their establishment. Nonetheless, there are many business start-ups that have grown to become giants in their industries, over the years. Others even expanded their reach to other territories.

The stories of the businesses presented in this book, provide more insight into the founders of these companies, how they went about establishing the companies in question and grew them to become the giants they are today. Some of these founders started out small, and in some cases with limited capital, but they made it big ultimately. I am talking about Raymond Ackerman (Pick 'n Pay), George Sombonos (Chicken Licken), Craig Mackenzie and Andrew Harvey (Debonairs Pizza), Richard Maponya (Maponya Group), Fats Lazarides (Ocean Basket), Allen Ambor (Spur), Allan Hirsch (Hirsch's), Brian Joffe (Bidvest), Nonkululeko Gobodo (Gobodo Inc. which later became SizweNtsalubaGobodo), Tommy Makhatho (BiBi Cash 'n Carry) and more. What makes the story of Nonkululeko Gobodo stand out for me, is that she was the first black woman in South Africa, to qualify as a chartered accountant in 1987, following in the footsteps of Wiseman Nkuhlu, who was the first black South African to be a chartered accountant in 1976.

What is particularly fascinating about the story of Debonairs Pizza, is the fact that it was established by two university students in Pietermaritzburg. This demonstrates that starting a business is something that can be done by anyone, irrespective of their age.

When you read about the story of Richard Maponya, you will discover what happens when someone believes 100% in their idea. No amount of discouragement will dissuade them. Everybody that Maponya knew, told him that the idea of a big mall in a township would never work, but Maponya strongly believed that people should be able to shop where they lived, and the establishment of a mall in Soweto started a revolution.

In the Chicken Licken story, you will discover how creative Sombonos had to be in order to grow his business. He even had to work around regulations and the political environment prevailing at the time. For instance, when he was not allowed to open a shop in Lenasia, an Indian township, he got it registered in his Indian friend's name whilst his friend's shop in Dundee was registered in Sombonos' name. And that is the determination that Sombonos advises other entrepreneurs to also have.

In Tommy Makhatho's inspiring story, you will learn that his journey started in the Carlton Centre, where he worked as a waiter at the hotel, and his path crossed with that of a gentleman who later trained him as professional hairdresser. And the rest is history.

However, as much as this book features mostly the businesses that have managed to grow big from their humble beginnings into well-known and easily recognizable businesses or brands, there are many small businesses out there and their stories matter too. The intention of this book is to encourage the upcoming entrepreneurs to learn from the torchbearers. The book is also aimed at encouraging a culture of entrepreneurship, which will give rise to more sustainable businesses. And sustainability does not necessarily equate to being the biggest. There are many thriving small businesses that are able to provide their founders with sufficient returns, create employment, increase the country's tax base as well as contribute to the upliftment of the communities where they operate. These businesses are all over the country and they vary in shape and form.