THE MAKING OF HILSMAG WITH HILLARY MUKWENA-MAGAWA

Roughly two years ago, she started on her entrepreneurship journey. A decision she made after coming from her honeymoon trip. We managed to talk to Hillary about her entrepreneurship journey.

Hillary, was born on the 30th of June 1991, so basically, she is part of the generation that are known as the ‘born free’ She grew up in a neat little home in Houghton Park .

She attended her primary education at the neighborhood government school and thereafter completed her high school at the Dominican Convent School in Harare.

Having been raised in a single parented home, She started working fresh out of High School in 2010 as her mother was now based in South Africa at the time, she had to quickly start earning income.

Hillary obtained her exposure from working in different sectors–education, advertising, immigration, and financial services and completed her Bachelor's in Financial Accounting in 2021

Last year she also completed an IPMZ Diploma in Human Resource Management – two very different qualifications!

kIM: You are the Director and founder of Hilsmag Housekeeping Services tell us how it all began.

HM: In 2018 I joined an organization called Junior Chamber International (JCI), it’s an organization made up of young people between the ages of 18 to 40 working together to create positive change in their communities.

The organization has an annual world conference, of which in 2019 it was held in Estonia. As part of our honeymoon, my husband and I decided we were going to attend the conference and use the trip as an opportunity for a mini honeymoon because why not?

During the trip I had the privilege of meeting so many young people from all over the world running their own businesses and sustainable businesses for that matter.

From the age of 21 I knew I wanted to make a difference in the world via building businesses but never really had the guts and push that I needed.

Surprisingly, this trip gave me that much-needed energy so when we came back, I told my husband, Joe, the plan to resign and go into the fiery pit of entrepreneurship. He was shocked but supportive and in February 2020 I completed serving my notice period at work and started Hilsmag!

IM: What was the main drive to decide to go the entrepreneur-shipway?

HM: Hilsmag was incorporated on the 31st of January 2020 and started trading in February 2020. From my early 20s I knew I wanted to foster change in and around my community and didn’t want to be ordinary.

That is my biggest fear – an ordinary life. I believe that God has gifted us in so many ways and underutilizing our different talents is certainly doing our Creator a disservice.

Entrepreneurship has always been attractive to me because I am not afraid of building anything from the ground up and taking risks. Over the years I have evolved into a persistent, hardworking visionary so applying that goes a long way when building a legacy.

I simply cannot imagine my life any other way now. Entrepreneurship is rewarding both mentally and financially – though the financial break through comes after a while, so it’s certainly not an option if one is only seeking financial reward.

IM: What was your dream job after you completed High School? What plans did you have toward your career?

HM: In hindsight, I lacked career guidance at that point, so I was not clear on a career path, but I knew my strength was in business studies and accounting, so I felt it was only natural to pursue a career in accounting.

Unfortunately, my passion for accounting never caught on and my last job in the corporate world was as a Research Analyst.

I wanted to transition out of the accounting profession the point at which I decided I was going to start my own business knowledge that I gained as an accounting professional and later as a Research Analyst has been so useful in how I run Hilsmag and the structures I have put in place, so I do not regret any of it

IM: What would you say are the challenges women face in their start-ups using your very own experience?

Hilsmag Team showcasing at an exhibition in Harare

HM: I did some market research prior to starting Hilsmag but I later realized I had not done enough research at all, unfortunately this was after I had made a number of operational errors which could have cost me the business.

As entrepreneurs sometimes we are so passionate about our idea that we don’t spend enough time doing environmental strategic analysis prior to launching the product or service so that it really is tailor-made to suit the intended clientele and environment.

The challenge comes when there are gaps between when you launch, when you are correcting mistakes and when you start making a profit from the business and you don’t have that much needed runway.

Most businesses fail not because the product or service isn’t good but because timing is everything and if you don’t have enough money to sustain the business until such a time when the market buying into the products or services (this is what we term a ‘runway’ in business) then you might end up closing shop.

Another challenge is obtaining the funding itself. Banks are mostly rigid; grants are overwhelmed and the interest rates for loans are unbearable.

We have been applying for different funding opportunities since inception, but we still haven’t managed to secure anything to date. From the experience, I have now gained from different platforms and mentors.

I trust that 2023 will be the year that we secure some funds to boost our operations.

The social responsibilities that women have are often overlooked, even by the women themselves.

Hillary coaching a group of ladies in one of her classes for house keepers.

I am married with 4 children who still need so much of my attention and sometimes it’s a challenge to juggle between building a businesses and being a mom.

When children suddenly fall sick, it doesn’t matter what you would have lined up at work, it all stops, and you must give attention to them so you can imagine it takes a little longer to achieve your goals and the business goals.

People do not often see this as a challenge, but its presence is very real so everyday there needs to be a conscious decision of what you are going to choose to prioritize and manage your time very well so that each aspect of your life gets the attention it deserves.

IM: House cleaning services have a very difficult pricing strategy, so how do you manage to differentiate your pricing without having to become inconsistent ?

HM: Certainly, that has been a tricky part of the business especially in 2021 when we started engaging in a lot of deep cleaning jobs. Cleaning is a very subjective issue and sometimes it’s difficult to convince a client of the value it will bring into their life.

I am happy to say that we are now at a stage where we know the exact costs of the business so with known costs for each job, we are able to use the costplus markup model.

The services needed for each residential and commercial place are different so it’s very rare to have two jobs with the same pricing this is an area where we educate our clients, so they understand.

IM: Let’s go back a bit and talk about your awards at the SMEAS Local Legends Awards. You walked away with the Award for Compliance and Youth Entrepreneur of the year 2022. Congratulations! How has been the feeling?

HM: Thank you so much! You can imagine that my year ended of on quite a high note. The feeling had been amazing, and the awards are a testament to all the hard work I put into my 2022 work. There is no growth without pain, and I must confess that it’s not easy to be compliant in the early years when you are just trying to keep the business afloat.

My work experience in the corporate world taught me that compliance is key for the sustainability of the business, and you always need be in good books with your regulators.

It’s never an end goal of mine to win awards but when it does happen it’s so surreal and you can safely give yourself a pat on the back. I often get so lost in what I have NOT achieved, I have such high standards for myself and the business, so recognition of the small successes is much needed!

IM: How many people does Hilsmag employ?

HM: Currently Hilsmag employs 5 full time employees and 26-part time employees. On the full-time employees, we have an Administrator, a Training Officer, a Cleaning Supervisor, a Marketing Officer and myself the Managing Director.

IM: We alwaysask this questionto femme-preneurs how do you juggle familyand worklife?

HM: It’s a challenge that I have noted with so many working wives and moms. I have resolved to ensure my family and work life is interlinked. People speak of work-life balance, but work is part of life isn’t it!

Firstly, my husband is also an entrepreneur, so he understands the pressure. Together we teach our children about the businesses, and they always know when we need to focus on work.

Over the past 3 years I have discovered that I thrive in a structured environment and spontaneity doesn’t work for me so I plan my days, weeks, months to a T but of course the environment will always throw you a curve ball.

The planning ensures I prioritize both work and family. The balance aspect is a fallacy, there is no such thing, but with planning you know you can devote certain hours of your day to work, to yourself, to your children and to your husband

So, no aspect falls behind per say, each feeds into the other because certainly if, for example, I miss my children then I won’t be able to be productive at work as my mind will be at home.

I look more to the quality of time rather than the quantity of it.

IM: What measuresdo you think must be taken to ensure a fair playing ground for female entrepreneurs?

HM: This is a tough one. Business is all about competitive advantage, so I am not sure if fairness comes into play. Opportunities are all around us for those who keep their eyes open, and the future belongs to those who prepare for it today.

I think once an entrepreneur you need to constantly read and gain knowledge, keep your eyes open to see what is happening in the local environment and know what is changing globally.

To expect a fair playing ground assumes entrepreneurship is for all but unfortunately it is not. It takes sweat, tears and determination. Looking at the support services given to entrepreneurs, be it funding opportunities or incubation hubs, there is more support for females and it’s up to us to prove we deserve them

IM: How is the market in terms of housekeeping services? Is it niche or do you think it’s untapped much?

HM: Every household requires housekeeping services however we have positioned ourselves as a premium lifestyle brand that not all are able to afford.

This has been a deliberate move, so we target high net worth clients, business executives and professionals who truly value and understand what we offer and are willing to establish a long-term partnership with us.

We are in the business of providing much needed peace of mind to our clients and we do this through ensuring that their space is clean, fresh and organized.

There is still quite a significant portion of the market that we haven’t tapped into or tried to educate about our services, especially on the commercial front, and we plan to do that this year.

The tourism industry is one that really excites me and there are plenty opportunities and synergies for us to explore there.

IM: What other services does Hilsmag offer?

HM: We have 3 units under the Hilsmag banner. When we started in 2020, we were concentrating on placement of housekeepers, so we actually have a registered employment agency as one of the units – that unit is called Shanduko meaning transform – we transform people’s lives by providing them with jobs and a sense of hope for the future.

Our second unit is the training services unit, and this unit sustained the business in 2021 whilst the cleaning services unit then picked momentum.

We train corporate cleaners and domestic workers on many modules including deep cleaning, communication, grooming and etiquette, workplace safety, work ethics and so many more topics.

We hope to introduce the manufacturing unit by end of 2023, so I am quite excited about producing eco-friendly and effective products.

IM: What are your parting words to our readers?

HM: I will speak particularly to the aspiring female entrepreneur. The world is your oyster. You can do anything you set out to achieve through persistence and focus.

Some very practical advice that I will give to someone wanting to start their business is to become an expert in that area by reading widely – newspapers, business books, and memoirs, follow the captains of industry and see how they have built their businesses, and note key lessons.

Finding mentorship is important. I have two mentors and in addition to that I have an accountability partner who checks on my progress almost daily. I believe in planning forward so set up structures around you that will help you achieve your goals.

Surround yourself with people who push you to think differently and support your dreams but also challenge you at the same time to keep growing. Personal development is gold and will impact your business, so daily introspection to assess areas in your life that you need to work on needs to be a habit. All the best lady!