Just six weeks in to the QuickBooks/Entrepreneur Magazine and Saturday Star Mompreneur Competition and already inspiring entries are streaming in from entrepreneurial moms all over South Africa. The initiative to run this competition was inspired by the recognition of QuickBooks and their partners that entrepreneurial Moms are being recognised as a powerhouse in the South African economy and should be celebrated.
The entries received to date include Mom’s like Dhillshaad Adams, who has taken the leap to from corporate to start Legal Help, a company that specializes in Property, Leasing, Contracts, Mediation and Labour Law to Lona Mnguni, a single mother of two that lost her corporate job and decided to brave the entrepreneurial world in an effort to have more time to spend time with her boys. Lona Mnguni, a mom to two boys started Gracenet Logistics, a business that provides courier services to the local, national and international market with a specialised rural area and township distribution service for medication and schoolbooks. Lona also volunteers at an enterprise development center where they work with interns in developing future entrepreneurs.
Another entry is Lara Mare van Niekerk, her entry stated, “Quite honestly I don’t believe I’ve done anything better, or more, than the next mom. We all try hard to be role models for our children and leave a legacy and the way I’ve done that is by trying every single day to make just one life better”. Lara Mare is a strategy consultant but in the hours outside work has developed (with a chef friend) and launched Rush, which strives to be responsible for healing SA by offering an array of free-from, raw, proudly SA wholefoods.
Samantha Watt is the founder and owner of Watt Communications, a single mother of two girls, her company provides communication services to technology brands, “Everyday I am proving that it is possible to be all things to all people. I am showing my girls that we are
capable of anything and that nothing is impossible. I make enough money, have healthy and happy girls, who know their power. Women remain underestimated and I will continue to defy the odds and show everyone that it is these same women that are the backbone for everyone”.
Zaheera Bayat is a mother to 3 children and owner of Style & Image Studio, she spends her days juggling homework and school projects with boardroom meetings, designing plus-sized garments and seeing to clients. In between starting up a brand new style studio, she writes for a
magazine and newspaper with the vision that all women may be empowered. “I live with the vision to create mega change and sustainability within my community for women & child empowerment through beauty and emotional well being”.
Our next entrant, Chaan Small, specialises in Vertical Farming and is a single mom of three children (one of whom is deaf). She left her job and decided to start her own business, Organigro, a vertical farming business providing fresh fodder for animals.
Being a mother to two boys, Vanessa Barry had the courage to follow and pursue her dreams andnot let inexperience and fear stop her from doing what she loves. In 2013, Vanessa opened a baby boutique and shortly after began creating her own boys-only clothing line, Urban Raccoon – inspired by her own two boys – which she now supplies to other independent baby boutiques and to the public via her online store. Commented Vanessa, “Being a mompreneur is challenging, the chaos and exhaustion is real, some days everything feels out of balance but I have learnt that if you love what you do your passion will never fail!
Serijke Grobler is no stranger to adversity, she was born with Muscular Dystrophy and has spent her live overcoming her condition. She has a 3-year old boy, Levi and has just started her own business in April 2016. She finished writing her autobiography, “That’s life, it starts with you” in April 2016 and it will be published in July 2016. An achiever qualified in Human Movement Science and Results Coaching, she is also a Personal Trainer and a professional life and business coach. Serijke’s new venture offers service delivery to people at home and work for their convenience. A one stop shop for all services needed to make life easier and allow people to have more time to spend with their families.Some of the services offered include, Mobile Eco friendly waterless car wash, carpet washing and spring cleaning, dog washing/training and walking. Child care/house sitting and afternoon pick-ups for children.
The QuickBooks/Entrepreneur/Saturday Star Mompreneur Competition runs until the 9th August with the winner being announced in the month of August – Women’s Month. Over and above the accolade of receiving the title of Mompreneur of the Year, the winner will receive the following prize:
- QuickBooks Accountant valued at R7000-00
- eZ Bank Download software
- 1 laptop computer valued at R10,000
- A full page feature in Entrepreneur Magazine on the Winner and the runner up (Valued at R49 300-00)
- An UBUNTU Strategic Analysis of their business as well as a Business Builder Programme with 12 Modules to implement changes – R50 000-00
- UBUNTU two hour consultation on how to grow their business – valued at R15 000-00
- Southern African Institute of Business Accountants – SAIBA – A week’s training in set-up management and bookkeeping
- 1 year subscription to The Star/Saturday Star
- Coverage in the Saturday Star for their business
- Full Membership at the National Small Business Chamber (NSBC) for 1 year
QuickBooks and Entrepreneur’s Mompreneur Competition is a way of acknowledging and celebrating women who have started businesses and taken on entrepreneurial challenges in order to try and balance having a family while still contributing to the household income. If this is you or you know someone who fits the bill, enter now at www.quickbooks.co.za/mompreneur.