Africa-Press – Botswana. Youthful entrepreneur, Ms Lindy Makakatlela, has been crowned the best overall winner in the exhibition at the just ended three-day Maun Youth Business Expo organised by the Ministry of Youth and Gender Affairs in collaboration with the Mall of Maun.
The 35-year-old Makakatlela, who operates a successful beauty therapy business called Sugar Dolls in Maun, also emerged as the best exhibitor under services category and walked with two certificates. She started her beauty spa in 2014 after being funded under the Gender Affairs programme, which is an empowerment initiative aimed at helping beneficiaries to start their own businesses.
Her business offers services such as massage, manicure, pedicure, artificial nails, facial treatment, artificial lashes and waxing. In an interview, Ms Makakatlela could not hide her excitement saying the exhibition is a step in right direction more so that market access is a serious challenge among youth businesses.
The expo, she said, gave business owners an opportunity to interact with a large audience, answer questions and receive immediate feedback, all of which were valuable for refining their offerings. She also appreciated the organisers for acknowledging her perseverance and giving youth entrepreneurs a platform to show their capability through showcasing products and services. “These awards will motivate me to do more to grow my business.
They serve as an encouragement to keep striving for excellence and I want to urge other fellow youths to never give up but rather soldier on even if the journey looks tough,” she added. Giving a word of encouragement to fellow entrepreneurs, the managing director of Kwenaetsile Travel and Tours, Mr Thabo Maretlwaneng, who is also a reputable tour operator, urged them to exercise patience in order to thrive in the business space.
Patience, he said is the key to business growth and fulfillment noting that some people give up easily because of negative perceptions. Entrepreneurs were advised not to be in business for money but to bring change, stimulate economic growth and contribute to the development of the country. “We should not run businesses to brag to our friends but run sustainable businesses that make a positive impact.
Every decision you make as a purpose driven entrepreneur must align with your business purpose because the business purpose is the driving force behind your company’s success,” he added.
Mr Maretlwaneng also motivated fellow youths to have passion for their businesses, highlighting that passionate leaders are willing to fight hard for their businesses because they realise how much was at stake.
Despite the fear of setbacks, he said, they maintain a positive attitude, which keeps them in better spirits.
He also highlighted that prayer is also key in running a successful business. “I started small and faced many challenges. At one point I was bankrupt but I soldiered on because I had a vision and a dream to achieve and my aim is to become the best operator in the country,” he remarked.
However, he pleaded with the organisers to continue with such events like the expo, saying they bring them together to share and exchange ideas on how they could improve their businesses. He also urged entrepreneurs to establish a business portal in which they could advertise their services and products to the world.
The managing director of Okavango Air Rescue, Prophet Thato Elias, also appreciated the expo saying it provided a valuable opportunity for youth entrepreneurs to connect with industry giants, professionals, and gain exposure to new products and services.
He encouraged entrepreneurs to believe in themselves that they were unique with unique ideas and never imitate ideas that are strange to them. Some businesses, he said, fail because owners mimicked others and ultimately leading to a competitive disadvantage.
He also emphasised that benchmarking missions are key in business as they enhance profit opportunity and advised them to venture into such mission, noting that “every year I go to Asia for 10 days on a benchmarking mission to learn best practices. I was impressed to learn that there is a central market place for entrepreneurs,” he added.
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