The Hustle Magazine

Bridging gaps through entrepreneurship

The Hustle October 2019

Meet the barber:

EDITOR’S LETTER

by Nobuhle Zulu

T

he Hustle is an entrepreneurship magazine that aims to shine a light on the disregarded successful small businesses in Grahamstown. In our view, small businesses are just as important as big businesses. Small businesses are not only inspiring but they help us fight economic battles such as poverty and unemployment.

Not to mention, they promote the use of local goods and services within South African communities. Hence, we believe that small businesses deserve the same support and attention that is given to big businesses.

In April 2019, Business Unity South Africa (Busa) president Sipho Pityana spoke about the importance of small businesses to the South African economy. Pityana highlighted that the SME sector employs 47% of South Africa’s workforce and contributes more than 20% of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) and pays about 6% of corporate taxes. We believe that by exposing these businesses we can aid them in attracting consumers and maybe evenponsors.

People, along with the media tend to

disregard small businesses and focus solely on the well-known successful ones. Due to the lack of exposure to their target markets, the small businesses are then put at risk of failure. We at The Hustle believe that by exposing these small businesses we create awareness of how critical they are in the growth of our economy, as Pityana has said. We also expose these small businesses to any investment or growth opportunities which means they can end up making an even bigger contribution to our economy. This will help eradicate the tough socio-economic issues that South Africa is currently dealing with.

Starting a business in a town as small as Grahamstown cannot be easy, especially since most of its residents are students who sometimes leave town for months. These entrepreneurs should be celebrated for the risks they have taken in establishing their businesses and for their contribution to our economy.

By keeping up with our publication, you help us help the economy by spreading awareness about the importance of small businesses and their contribution in our country.

MEET THE TEAM Nobuhle Zulu - Editor “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the courage to continue that counts.”

Lesego Thekiso - Editor “Others dream of sucess while others get up morning and make it happen.”

Maxine Ndudzo - Photographer “Money doesn’t buy you happiness but it buys you a standard of living” Nwabisa Stemele- Photographer “The successful warrior is the average man, with laser-like focus.”

CONTENTS

10 5

4 PHOTO ESSAY

Salon Gavroche

1

PROFILE

Mpilie nails it!

OPINION

A need for small businesses

10

NEWS

many ways to celebrate women

11

FEAURE

Life inside forex trading

8

PROFILE

King: Makhanda’s successful barber

13

NEWS

Truth behind Prime

Mpiliseng shares the story of how her business began. photograper: Lesego Thekiso

Mpilie nails it!

by Lesego Thekiso

1

As I enter her room, I am welcomed by the distinct smell of acrylic. I notice on the wall above her desk she has a vision board that consists of pictures of fancy houses and expensive shoes but there are mostly pictures of cars. She just smiles and does not say much in the beginning.

We both get seated and we engage in a bit of small talk while a warm and welcoming smile remains on her face. Mpiliseng Sebata spent her childhood years in Pretoria.

Then at the beginning of her highschool career, her family relocated to Johannesburg when her dad got a job there.

Her room is very neat, with huge piles of books on her bookshelf and awards from Investec.

Mpilie is a Rhodes University student studying a Bcom degree in chartered accountancy. It’s while also tackling such a hard degree and she is still able to make it into

the Investec top 100 awards. She shares how tough her degree is but she has a passion for it.

At first encounter, one would assume she is just silent but once she grows comfortable, she speaks and interacts more. Mpilie shares how she hardly goes out and the last time she went clubbing in Grahamstown was in the beginning of the year. She prefers being in her room studying, doing nails and listening to music.

She begins to shares the story of how her business, Elegant nails began. She giggles softly and says that her business was started for the sole purpose of paying for her driving school lessons so she could get a driver’s license. But the actual business idea came through when she always got complimented for the stick on nails that she did on herself and so she saw an opportunity to make money then.

Saving so she could get her license was filled with challenges seeing that her business was so small and her income was not large.

The business was not meant to be a permanent thing but after having run it for two years, there was no way she was going to stop. Mpilie seems to speak a lot about passion and it seems to be the driving force behind many of

her ambitions, such as her nail business. After reaching her goal, she decided that she really loved doing nails and working with people and so she was going to carry on with her business which she runs from her room in Allan Gray res.

Mpiliseng then decided to get her business registered with the CIPC (Companies and intellectual properties commission) and then soon after she attended a training workshop on how to do acrylic

“She recommended a movie for me to watch and we spoke about the movie and other stuff ” and gel nails. Within two days Mpilie was officially a qualified nail technician. At this point in the interview she seems to be talking more freely. We then share a few laughs over the struggles of being a black child and how as soon as you start earning an income you are obligated to start helping your family financially, especially seeing that she has two younger siblings. Her younger sister is doing her second year at Rhodes and her younger brother is still in primary school.

She then takes out her nail kit that carries her acrylic, nail

polishes and the cute flower or diamond decorations. As she explains how everything works, her face is beaming. Her interaction with her customers is also very interesting. She is quiet and shy by nature and however she is still able to carry conversations with her clients.

If she sees that the customer is reluctant to talk, she plays them their favourite series or movie so they can be entertained while getting their nails done. Kiran Molloy, one of her recent clients shares how Mpilie was “more attentive than quiet. She recommended a movie for me to watch and we spoke about the movie and other stuff.” and another client of hers, Regina Rodze shares that she enjoyed the service and although Milie is so quiet, she tries to make conversation to get you comfortable.

Despite the challenges she has come across, Mpiliseng has gone from strength to strength.

From just doing her own stick on nails, to being a qualified nail technician who owns a registered business. She makes being a young entrepreneur look so easy.

2

There is a need for small businesses in Makhanda

By Nwabisa Stemele

3

OPINION

S

uccess is like climbing a ladder, each step gets difficult to climb but is worth it in the end.

This is the case for small businesses in Makhanda who have financial challenges that hinder them in starting their businesses. Small business makes a huge difference in Makhanda and the economy of South Africa. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are an important driver of economic growth and a source of employment, especially because we are currently facing high levels of unemployment.

Statistic show in Business Tech that South African unemployment rate increased by 1.4 percentage points from 27.6% in the first quarter of 2019 which shows there is a crisis.

There is an idiom “vuk’uzenzele” meaning wake up and make something for yourself, which is what the people of our community are finding inspiration in. This is what the people of Makhanda are practicing, and it brings good results to their community. If an opportunity

doesn’t knock, build a door that will give you access to something else.

Students and people who live in town support small businesses because of their reasonable prices. When it comes to businesses it all goes down to making a profit.

townships also assists monetarily with regards to travel costs, if you are placed in Joza you are required to at least have R24 to go to town and come back home.

That amount of money goes a long way for someone who’s unemployed. In fact its money for two loaves of bread.

Most people in Makhanda are unemployed and there is a huge difference in terms of the class hierarchy. People who live in the township suffer because they do not have access to resources so small businesses play a role in providing them with affordable prices to purchase their basic needs. Things such as vegetables, fruit, and other essential stuff that they cannot afford which is sold in hypermarkets. A small business which is located in the

I believe small businesses can be a great way of fighting poverty and trying to make a change in Makhanda. Small businesses might be taken for granted, but behind the street vendor who sells vegetables in the street, there is a child who is studying in Nyaluza who can go to a matric dance just because their parent saved enough money for them. There a people who get the opportunities to be breadwinners, and get respected by their family members for bringing something even though it might be little it might make the children have something to put in their stomach and shoes to wear in school. In black communities, the aim is always for people to be proud of you, but to take care of your family it means more than having millions.

4

Bailey van Bergen is seated at Salon Gavroche to bleach her roots.

Karen bleaches the hair at the back.

Karen and Bailey are deep in conversation while Bailey holds up the small bowl of bleach.

Salon Gavroche

by Lesego Thekiso

A

s I walk in I am welcomed by a lady who is busy on the telephone, taking appointments and writing them down. The smell of hair being blow dried lingers in the air along with the smell of hair products. The owner of the salon, Pete Delport, smiles at me and directs me to the

customer who I would be documenting. Bailey Van Bergen is seated in the chair while Karen Roberton is standing by her side with a bowl, foil and a brush. Bailey has a very sweet smile and she asks me questions. They seem to be quite familiar with each other as they are laughing and chatting to each other. Karen explains every step to me as she goes along.

Bailey jokes around with another customer who has walked in , saying that she is dyeing her hair pink. Finally she smiles at herself in the mirror, looking impressed with Karen’s work.

The foil strips with the bleach inside are removed from Bailey’s hair in preparation for a wash.

5

Shampoo is applied to her hair.

Karen leaves Bailey’s hair for a few minutes while it gets conditioned.

Th at wh tou

Final step of the procedure, hair i now being blow dried.

he final product, Bailey looks her new hair in the mirror hile Karen adds the finishing uches.

6

Barbershop owner, King . photograper: Maxine Ndudzo

King: Makhanda’s successful barber T

by Maxine Ndudzo

7

he only person I have known

resistance to blurt it out. Last Sigauke,

how he manages it.

to have openly and proudly say

known as King is a funny, charismatic

King is the most famous barber in

that he used his school fees

and business minded man who has a

Grahamstown who is known to do

money to open up a business .Some

vision to share with the community of

any cut to any type of hair. Kudzaishe

call him The Black Muslim and others

Grahamstown.He has recently opened

Dzomba says “My go to barber is King

would like to refer to him as King. I

his own barber shop in High Street

any time any day. That dude knows how

got the privilege of knowing his actual

called Kings Barber Shop and has a lot

to work my hair. Its magic I tell. I always

name which we jokingly laughed to his

of scope to offer as to how it started and

look good when he works on me”.Kudzi

is not the only one to say something nice

actually do that. He was a brave young

shop owner .He grins saying “I am my

about King but also most individuals in

adult who sacrificed something to pursue

own boss and the great thing about

the Grahamstown Community. He is an

his dream. He finished high school with

it is that I don’t work under anyone’s

important part of Grahamstown and also

a little business running on the side,

instructions”. He chuckles saying “I give

an inspiration to upcoming

earning $200 dollars a week. He spoke

the instructions”.

entrepreneurs who have a story to tell as

about this with so much excitement

to how you can become successful.

telling me where he came from and how

day and one thousand five hundred per

he has developed as a business owner.

month if it’s bad .The shocking part about

shop it was a vibe. Afro-pop music was

After seeing that he was not satisfied

his job, which he finds so amazing, is that

playing while he was dancing giving

with the living conditions in Zimbabwe

in a good month he earns two thousand

someone a haircut. The shop looked so

he decided to come to South Africa.

rand per day and more than twenty

clean for a barber shop with, nice black

“South Africa was a big change and more

thousand rand per month. He says with

cardboards which were complemented

opportunities were opened for me” he

appreciation “With my money I bought

by white walls. The place is busy and his

says.

myself a car, opened a taxi business,

The moment I entered into his barber

employees are on the move getting work done as he gives instructions. He greets me with a smile .At that moment I saw that he is in the brightest of moods .He welcomed me with so much enthusiasm.

No wonder he was the go to barber to get the finest haircut. It showed that

“This is just

the beginning, I am not successful to the extent I want”

Today he earns five hundred rand per

married my beautiful wife and finally opened my own barbershop under my name. Surely I deserve a price knowing where I came from”. I could see how much his wife is proud of him just by the look she gave him whilst he was speaking.

he is a great character and mood to be

I asked his employee Tinashe Zivanai if

around which is what any business and

he is too hard on him and he said “He is

Alfred Chita, one of the customers,

customers would want.

better than all the bosses I had so no and

compliments “My boy has big dreams

he also pays better”. King smiled at that

I tell you, I could not have asked for a

comment.

better barber”and everyone in the

He explains that when he was in high school he always wanted to have his own barbershop.

In high school in Zimbabwe he

When he arrived in South Africa he

He is not yet finished dream chasing.

shop laughs. He later wants to venture

first worked at Victoria Hotel located in

into property and transport services.

would see a tuckshop owner running his

Grahamstown.However that is not what

“This is just the beginning, I am not

business smoothly.

he actually wanted to do. After having

successful to the extent I want” he says.

worked there he found a job as a barber

To be a successful business owner you

going to be me with my own barbershop

working under Zithande Hair Salon

need to be a dreamer who is willing

one day.” As ofnow King is living his own

.After a while in 2017 he then opened his

to sacrifice to get what they want. All

prophecy. I was shocked the moment

own barber which was under someone

successful entrepreneurs did not start

he said “I used my school fees money

else’s name called Popo’s Barber shop.

from the top. They built themselves

He said to himself “this is definitely

to open my small barber shop whilst

This was not enough for him and

up having patience, confidence and

in school”. We laughed at this situation

in the middle of this year he decided to

stamina to achieve something and so

because a few students have the guts to

register his own company as a barber

should everyone else.

8

A degree is not enough

OPINION

By Nobuhle Zulu

A

9

s an aspiring journalist, it

important part of our community and

(CIPC). Sheacquired all her business

is every day that I wake up

economy as it

knowledge from her studies towards a

and face the reality that my

results in job creation, poverty

Bachelor of commerce

degree

eradication and according to the

degree. Unfortunately not everyone

might not work for me. I am well aware

Journal of Entrepreneurship

has access to such business knowledge

that there is a chance I may not find

Education, it is an indirect contributing

which means not

employment at

factor in the eradication of crime. I

everyone can contribute towards

all, even if I have a degree. With

believe that the

entrepreneurship in South Africa. It is

the high unemployment rate in our

socio economic issues pertaining to

the duty of the

country, probabilities are that many

unemployment and poverty can be

schools and of the government to try

of our university graduates will be

eradicated through

and find ways to close this knowledge

unemployed even though they

entrepreneurship. Therefore,

gap. If more of

are qualified. For

more should be done by the

the youth members are able to establish

this reason, I believe that

government and schools in

and maintain small businesses such as

simply having a degree and

terms of

Elegant Nails

a set of skills that we acquire

educating the youth about

by Mpilie they could provide

through

entrepreneurship.

employment for their fellow students or

the course of our degrees is

A number of Rhodes

even form partnerships.

not enough to sustain us as

University students have

Subjects like Economic and

the youth of South Africa.

established their businesses

Management Sciences, Economics,

Therefore,

and brands which

Business Studies and

I feel that it is important for

cater to their fellow students

Hospitality should focus more on the

the youth to be exposed to business

and to the Makhanda community.

business aspect of the subject. Students

knowledge and business

Mpiliseng Sebata, the owner

should be

management skills from a young age.

of Elegant nails by Mpilie and the

taught how to run a business and

Earlier this year, the president of

recipient of the Investec Rhodes Top

how they can use the knowledge they

Business Unity South Africa (Busa),

100 award, started

acquire from learning

Sipho Pityana spoke

her ow nails business. She continued

these subjects in the real world. Such

about the great contribution that small

with her nail business and has went as

initiatives will ensure that the youth of

businesses make towards the country’s

far as having

South Africa has a plan B if it happens

gross domestic

it registered with the Companies and

that they cannot find employment using

product (GDP). Entrepreneurship is an

Intellectual Properties Commission

their degrees or matric certificates.

“There are many ways to celebrate women”

NEWS

By Nobuhle Zulu

Velisa Sishuba carelessly enjoying life. photograper: Nobuhle Zulu

A

week into women’s month

As a small business in a small town,

celebrate women. During an interview

and celebrations of the

the restaurant and its staff members

Velisa shared her thoughts on the

beautiful women of

have to work extra hard to come up

event. She said “I believe that there are

Makhanda have already begun.

with events that are relevant to their

many ways to celebrate women. I love

On the 8th of August a local pub and

customers. However, judging from the

the fact that they chose to celebrate

grill business, The Rat and Parrot,

posts on the Rat and Parrot Facebook

women and break down the societal

hosted ‘Women’s Day Celebrations’.

page, the event was a huge success and

stereotypes that partying and alcohol

According to the various adverts for

the ladies were far beyond happy.

makes one less of a woman”. Velisa

this event, this was a night specially dedicated to the ladies. The event was the restaurant’s way of showing love and appreciation for the women of Makhanda.

During the celebration, the restaurant only served pink drinks as pink is one of the colours associated

“I love the fact that they chose to celebrate women and break down the societal stereotypes that partying and alcohol makes one less of a woman”.

Velisa Sishuba, a Rhodes

went on to add that the event also felt relevant to her and her friends as Makhanda is well-known for its party culture.

The event was said to be a huge success as the restaurant repeated the Women’s Day Celebration event on national women’s day. With such

with womanhood. This event was

University student who was also at the

positivity on the event, it safe to

planned and coordinated by the Rat

event says she had a wonderful time.

assume that the restaurant will now

and Parrot manager, Sadé Sandham

What struck her the most was the

host it annually.

with the aid of her staff members.

way in which the restaurant chose to

10

Life inside

forex trading

By Maxine Ndudzo

F

orex trading is becoming the

exchange whose daily turnover

trading for years, mastering the

best way of self-employment,

exceeds all the financial markets of

trends of the forex market .Earning

earning thousands of dollars

the world. More than 5 trillion is

thousands of rands per day he saw

in the comfort of your own space.

traded on an average everyday .In

it fit to start his own trading group

You generate income wherever you

most cases some people learn to

of helping those who want to be

are, be it the coffee shop, your home

trade by themselves and others invest

financially healthy.

and even walking just by buying and

in those who know how to trade

selling currencies.

with the involvement of negotiated

by the beginning of the week and at

benefits.

the end of the week I can produce

Ntando Ncube has more to say about forex trading as he created his own forex trading group to help students and non-students of Rhodes University earn money and at the same time focus on school and work. He named his forex group BlackRoths Forex Tycoons and everyone is free to come join and lean how to trade forex. Forex

fourteen thousand rand if the market

“I am so grateful for the sacrifices I made when I joined this group because it has made me rich at a young age.”

Ntando Ncube says “I firstly offer

is favourable to me”. Profit in forex trading equalises to an individual being able to provide themselves with the necessities in life without relying on a job or anyone .At this point one is regarded as their own boss having the capability of providing for themselves and

trading is what is trending in

students reading material on what is

the economic forum and if one is

forex and the

keen to change their way of life, forex

strategies they need to use when

BlackRoths Forex Tycoons was so

is the way.

learning how to trade as a beginner.

excited when told to mention her

They have to open a demo account

experiences as a forex trader for the

trading is that it is a developing

which has fake money in it so I

group. Rukudzo Chakona says “To

market of currency

monitor their progress.” He has been

be honest with you there was no

A general understanding of forex

11

“I can invest five hundred rand

providing for others.

One of the students of

to set themselves in the right path.

Lisa Amelia, forex investment trader, says that people should understand forex before they decide to invest in it. It involves sacrifice and trust but at the end of the day both parties benefit.

The reason why forex sometimes fails is because people decide to make it a one man show .Forex trading requires unity in predicting the market and helping each other achieve the goal of profit making. She has traded for more than two hundred people making profits of more than one million dollars for her investors.

Forex trading should be taken as a career .It benefits everyone that partakes in it and at the same time people should also Anywhere is forex. photograper: Maxine Ndudzo

point in my life had I imagined myself as earning the amount of money I earn in a week. Especially by learning and eventually doing it by myself. I am so grateful for the sacrifices I am made when I joined this group because it has made me rich at a young age .I can finally support my family the way I want to�.

Despite the sunny side of forex trading forex ,it does have its dark side .This is because where there

can be a profit a loss can also be accumulated .When individuals think of forex trading they usually see profits but rarely think of losses.

Losses in forex trading are caused by unrealistic targets and goals .Most forex traders fail because of lack of discipline which leads to emotional trading. People should not see forex

consider that it has its shortfalls.

Forex trading needs the type of entrepreneur who is self-driven in managing to control their emotions .It requires focus and determination to learn so that at the end of the day we live the type of life we want to live, and that type of life being the good life.

trading as a ‘get rich quickly’ strategy but should sit down to learn it slowly with a trading strategy as a motivation .This means that in forex trading an individual should have a plan in order

12

The truth behind Prime Night Club shutting down

By Maxine Ndudzo

13

Alan Nyakotyo, the manager of Oldies and Prime Night Club photograper: Maxine Ndudzo

A

lan Nyakotyo, the manager

on New Street were owned by the same

and has the vibe that people need to get

of Oldies and Prime Night

people .Amongst the Night clubs was

entertained and at the same time enjoy

Club which is situated in

Prime Night Club which was regarded as

food.

New Street, along with his partners in

the most expensive to maintain. This was

business made a brave decision of closing

so because Prime Night club opened

for multiple business and some business

Prime Night Club in the early month of

three times a week and accumulating

are crippling the other there is need of

June due to following a wise business

more expenses than other facilities of

elimination to maintain profit and loss.

plan caused by a recession.

entertainment.

He calls it a recessioning of businesses.

The closing down of Prime Night Club came as a shock to students attending Rhodes University because it was the “go to “club to have a nice time and escape from the reality of school.

“Prime Night Club carried a lot of memories with more upcoming memories to look forward to.”

He explains that if one is responsible

In this case it a decline of businesses.

Closing Prime Night club was a way of avoiding losses in other businesses .This settles the rumour that Oldies was going to follow in the same steps as Prime

This was a sad happening because Prime

As a result the owners decided to shut

Night Club carried a lot of memories

down Prime Night Club to be able to

with more upcoming memories to look

balance other entertainment facilities.

business is no joke and needs smart

forward to. Little did they know that this

Allan says that Oldies will remain the

planning because one might end up

was done for a good cause in keeping

open business because it has

losing it all .At the end to manage a

multiple businesses running.

less expenses and it also has a restaurant

business you should also have risk

to increase profit coming from both

management in how you are supposed to

ends. Oldies is an attraction to all races

operate it.

Alan Nyakotyo explained the stream of restaurants and nightclubs situated

Night Club.

He concludes that managing a

14

�There is a powerful driving force inside every human being that, once unleashed, can make any vision, dream, or desire a reality.�

-- Anthony

Robbins