SMALL business owners have received a huge boost in their operations by joining the Shanduka Black Umbrellas.
The Black Umbrellas is an incubational mentorship programme that offers businesses - with less than R35-million annual turnover - resources such as office space, computers, a vehicle, landline phone and a driver.
Sowetan visited the offices in Rivonia, Johannesburg, where a number of small businesses had found a home for their enterprises.
One of them was Rapelang Motsumi, 25, of Sandhurst, who is chief executive of DB Consultants.
With a diploma in accounting and a Bachelor's in Business Administration , it would have been natural for Motsumi to join the corporate world.
"I have wanted to be an entrepreneur because I grew up in a family business."
Motsumi's parents owned a spaza shop. His business started to operate officially in January last year.
DB Consultants is a consulting company offering business services such as registering companies, tax compliance, business plans, profiles, proposals and funding solutions.
Since arriving at Shanduka Black Umbrellas in April 2011, he said, his business had improved.
Another beneficiary is Cliqworks Communications chief executive Malope Mashifane, 35, who left the corporate world having worked as an accountant and financial adviser in 2008 and started his business working from home.
Cliqworks develops corporate identity material, advertising campaigns, annual reports, corporate stationery, logos and webpages.
Sonti Malindi, 25, marketing manager and co-owner of SAT Tracking, arrived at the programme at the beginning of last year.
Her company provides tracking services for assets such as laptops, vehicles and firearms. The company can track assets before they are even stolen.
She said the company would be getting new premises because of its growth.
"Since coming here our business has changed a lot, looking at what Shanduka has done. For example, our company was chosen to advertise on most of the billboards in this neighbourhood."
Malindi said her business could have struggled to gain exposure had it not been for Shanduka.
Big boost for small firms
SMALL business owners have received a huge boost in their operations by joining the Shanduka Black Umbrellas.
The Black Umbrellas is an incubational mentorship programme that offers businesses - with less than R35-million annual turnover - resources such as office space, computers, a vehicle, landline phone and a driver.
Sowetan visited the offices in Rivonia, Johannesburg, where a number of small businesses had found a home for their enterprises.
One of them was Rapelang Motsumi, 25, of Sandhurst, who is chief executive of DB Consultants.
With a diploma in accounting and a Bachelor's in Business Administration , it would have been natural for Motsumi to join the corporate world.
"I have wanted to be an entrepreneur because I grew up in a family business."
Motsumi's parents owned a spaza shop. His business started to operate officially in January last year.
DB Consultants is a consulting company offering business services such as registering companies, tax compliance, business plans, profiles, proposals and funding solutions.
Since arriving at Shanduka Black Umbrellas in April 2011, he said, his business had improved.
Another beneficiary is Cliqworks Communications chief executive Malope Mashifane, 35, who left the corporate world having worked as an accountant and financial adviser in 2008 and started his business working from home.
Cliqworks develops corporate identity material, advertising campaigns, annual reports, corporate stationery, logos and webpages.
Sonti Malindi, 25, marketing manager and co-owner of SAT Tracking, arrived at the programme at the beginning of last year.
Her company provides tracking services for assets such as laptops, vehicles and firearms. The company can track assets before they are even stolen.
She said the company would be getting new premises because of its growth.
"Since coming here our business has changed a lot, looking at what Shanduka has done. For example, our company was chosen to advertise on most of the billboards in this neighbourhood."
Malindi said her business could have struggled to gain exposure had it not been for Shanduka.
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