Seapei Mafoyane: Fill yourself up with hope, belief and pure audacity
Small business is seen by many in South Africa as the saving grace in the fight against unemployment and with the track record of small business success, measured interventions to bolster this sector receive a lot of attention. One such intervention is Shanduka Black Umbrellas (SBU), a business incubation programme in South Africa that is focused on supporting small black business on its path to achieve sustainability. SBU is arguably the top business incubator in South Africa, recognised for the solid interventions it is making to corporatize black businesses. 2015 was a watershed year for the incubator, as it celebrated six years in existence and won the Randall M. Whaley Incubator of the Year Award at the National Business Incubation Association in the United States. To top it all off, they appointed Ms. Seapei Mafoyane as the new Chief Executive Officer. Seapei is a bold woman who believes that South Africa needs sustained long-term impact interventions to make notable strides in small business development. She defines this as her mission in her role as CEO. SLA contributor Asanda spoke to her to understand how she sees the small business landscape in South Africa going forward and most importantly, the role SBU will play in the years ahead. Asanda: You have spent a significant amount of your professional career in strategy and financial services, how did you make your way to small business development in the not-for-profit space? I worked in strategy and the financial services in various capacities for my entire career and this was in line with my undergraduate degree in the sciences. I came into direct contact with the small business development area during my MBA studies at Wits Business School a few years ago. My research focused on an area that was not explored at the time, the challenges facing black female entrepreneurs in South Africa. It was during this time that I realised I had to be selfish and follow my heart. So you could say my dissertation led me to Shanduka Black Umbrellas. Everyone is talking about small business development and how it can be the saving grace for the current economic climate is South Africa, why do you think it is receiving so much attention? I think we have the buzz that we have now in South Africa because of the realisation of the dire needs in this country in terms of entrepreneurial activity and the economy as a whole. Sustained security of the black person is no longer in the employ of the white person. Black people can now dare to dream. The challenge is to ensure that it is not just a buzz but that we have a coordinated approach from the various stakeholders that will ensure that we start seeing the upside to it. What role has Shanduka Black Umbrellas played in the past to grow black business? Shanduka Group has played a key role in setting the stage for the face of black business in the country. They led the pack in the establishment of a black-owned investment holding company in S.A. and it was a natural progression to have a foundation that focuses on both small business development and education. What sets SBU apart is the clear focus that says, ‘we know we cannot be everything to everyone.’ So we chose to respond to the need of 100% black-owned businesses, which also happens to be the greatest area of need in terms of entrepreneurial activity in the country. The businesses that are incubated at SBU are what we call the ‘cream of the crop’ in terms of entrepreneurial potential. We incubate businesses that will be sustainable so that they can improve the economic conditions in the country. Our focus is not on survivalist businesses, but game changers and high impact entrepreneurs that can grow into large corporations and employers. Over the last five years, SBU’s statistics have shown that out of the 100 business owners that walk through our doors, only 5% of them get to be incubated. This is because we have a clear focus on long-term sustainability and choose to support businesses, which can meet our strategic objectives which are aligned to the country’s National Development Plan (NDP). What sets your business incubator apart from other incubators in the country? We conducted extensive research on the trends in small business development and we found that 84% of small businesses fail within the first 24 months of operation and out of that, 90% are black businesses. Reducing the failure rate especially of black business is extremely important and that is why we have our mandate to respond to this group in particular. When a business is accepted into our extensive 36-month program, they need to create a minimum of four jobs during that time. Other structures in South Africa on the other hand create on average 1.2 jobs and when you look at other developing nations, the figure sits at 3.3 jobs over the same period. Our other focus is to ensure that at least 50% of the businesses that graduate from our program are sustainable. The national average of success currently stands at about 20%. SBU have maintained a statistic of 70% graduation sustainability over the last few years. What has the business incubation industry and government not done well thus far? What has not been done well is the maximising of all the available resources in the system to help execute the mandate. The value chain for small business is still very disjointed and if we are to make the progress needed, this needs to change. What are your priorities as the Chief Executive of SBU? No doubt sustained long term impact. However there are a few things that need to happen for that to be realised. We want to not only see businesses doing well but as they graduate, they need to stay a part of the alumni of successful businesses which others starting up can look to for advice, mentorship and potentially market
Business incubation hub in South Africa focuses on women
Statistics indicate women-owned micro enterprises in South Africa currently experience higher barriers to success relative to those owned by men. This trend is unsurprising given the country’s predominantly patriarchal culture and history of exclusion of women in the work place. Thankfully, more effort is being directed towards correcting this injustice by both the government and civil society. Among key interventions is the growing number of business incubation hubs. These hubs differentiate themselves by levels of support, entry requirements and industry focus. At their core, they aim to help early stage businesses thrive amid the incessant challenges new business face. One recent entrant is the newly founded 1Accord, located in the East of Johannesburg, an industrial perimeter that has been hollowed out by the closure of manufacturing plants in the country. Founded by Mduduzi Dladla, an upwardly mobile businessman, the hub prioritises women enterprise support through a special program called the ‘Women Entrepreneurship Accelerated Program (WEAP)’. WEAP is aimed exclusively at women entrepreneurs at various stages of their business journey. Though he had all the traits of a street-savvy black youth, Mduduzi Dladla or Mdu, 26, as he is affectionately known, carries himself with a level of seriousness that’s rare among his peers. He sees himself as the new face of South African business: ambitious and well educated with a developmental approach to business. With his passion and drive, he’s on the way to being a business leader in South Africa. An accountant by profession, his first taste of entrepreneurship came while working full-time. For two years, he juggled his job and the start-up. When he did decide to go entrepreneurial route full-time, it was not without challenges, ranging from lack of finance to competitors. It was with this in mind that he developed 1Accord Innovation hub to provide business support, skills transfer, and linkages between small, medium and micro enterprises (SMMEs) and corporations. Mduduzi decided to dedicate a full program to women because, 21 years into South Africa’s democracy, the odds are still stacked against female entrepreneurs, especially in the mainstream sectors of the economy. “Women entrepreneurs have dominated the ‘softer’ sectors like catering, events managements, the beauty industry and the informal economy in this country,” he said. “Due to this fact, there is a growing need for structured programmes to get more women into previously male-dominated industries.” In his opinion, such a programme must provide support encompassing access to finance, markets, supply chains of large buyers of established businesses and the government, and assistance with developing business systems. “For women to learn and grow – especially those at the early stages of business – they need to learn from established women-led enterprises,” Mduduzi said. “This is key because women have a better appreciation of the subtle and not so subtle challenges women face in trying to establish their businesses.” WEAP provides support in the following areas: General information and business educational programs Financial assistance through access to finance granting institutions Mentoring and coaching programmes, and Support for networking structures. The program has been especially designed to help women entrepreneurs take charge of their journey and empower themselves. Participants are provided with expertise to enable them achieve both business and personal success. They are exposed to tools that will help become effective communicators and networkers. They also have the opportunity to upgrade their by learning finance and sales as it applies to small business. Participants also have access to a network of successful women entrepreneurs. This network provides support, guidance and links to the mainstream of the economy. Women in the program take part in business, strategic and financial workshops that accelerate their preparedness to run successful businesses. The ultimate goal is to ensure that participants leave the programme as confident, competent and motivated business women. The emphasis on ‘self-awareness as the basis for sustainable business success’ sets WEAP apart from other support initiatives. The intention is to empower women to overcome their internal inhibitions and rise to the challenge of entrepreneurship without mimicking their male counterparts, or losing what makes them successful in the many other complex roles they fulfil in society. Launching WEAP during the African Union’s Year of the Woman was vital. With the right support and access to opportunities, women have demonstrated their resolve and ability to run successful enterprises that add value to their communities and shareholders. And in the entrepreneurship landscape for women, 1Accord is a welcome addition.