From borrowed cleaning supplies to business success: Tsakani’s Nkosana Mthembu inspires young entrepreneurs
Despite starting with limited resources, Nkosana Mthembu has built Ncosiyamabeth Tekkie Wash into a growing local business while creating hope for aspiring entrepreneurs.
Tsakani – What began with a customer’s faith and borrowed money for cleaning supplies has grown into a promising local business.
Nkosana Mthembu (34), founder of Ncosiyamabeth Tekkie Wash in Tsakani, is transforming worn-out sneakers while inspiring young entrepreneurs to pursue their dreams despite financial challenges.
Growing up in Tsakani taught Mthembu the values of hard work, perseverance, and serving the community.
Mthembu’s passion is not only to provide quality cleaning services but also to create employment opportunities, inspire young entrepreneurs, and contribute to the economic development of his community.
“We are a locally owned business that takes pride in providing high-quality sneaker cleaning and restoration services.
“Our mission is to restore footwear and other household items to their best condition while delivering exceptional customer service,” he explained.
Mthembu explained that prior to establishing his business, he identified a gap in the local market and found an opportunity to address it.
“There were no professional sneaker cleaning businesses operating in my area.
“Since opening, the business has grown steadily through dedication, consistency, excellent workmanship, and positive customer referrals,” he added.
The idea was inspired by seeing the success of professional sneaker cleaning businesses in Soweto.
“I noticed that many people were willing to invest in keeping their expensive sneakers clean and looking new.”
He realised that there were no businesses offering this specialised service. Instead of seeing it as a challenge, he saw it as an opportunity to introduce something new to the community.
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“I believed that if I could provide quality services, people would support a local business that offered convenience, affordability, and professional results.
“I chose sneaker cleaning because I have always enjoyed working with my hands and restoring items to their original condition.
“There is something rewarding about transforming dirty or damaged sneakers into footwear that looks almost brand new,” he said.
He explained that sneaker cleaning is also a specialised skill that requires patience, attention to detail, and the correct cleaning techniques.
Rather than starting a business that everyone else was doing, he emphasised that he wanted to provide a unique service that addressed a real need within his community.
“My primary goal was to create employment opportunities while promoting cleanliness and hygiene within my community.
“I wanted to build a business that would not only support my family financially, but also provide jobs for young people who struggle to find employment,” he mentioned.
He said that he also wanted to inspire others to believe that they can build successful businesses from humble beginnings through hard work and determination.
He highlighted that starting his business was one of the biggest challenges in his life, saying he had very limited financial resources. His first customer brought him three pairs of sneakers to clean.
“Unfortunately, I did not even have enough money to buy cleaning material that I needed.
“I explained my situation to the customer, who believed in me enough to lend me money to purchase the necessary supplies.
“Using those materials, I successfully cleaned the sneakers to a professional standard,” Mthembu explained.
He expressed that the customer was impressed with the results and recommended his services to others.
Prior to starting his business, Mthembu received training from his uncle, who had experience cleaning sneakers while working within the correctional services environment.
His uncle taught him the correct methods of cleaning different types of sneakers, selecting the appropriate cleaning products for different materials, proper drying techniques, and how to avoid damaging customers’ shoes.
“His guidance gave me the confidence to start my own business and maintain professional standards.
“Satisfied customers continue to recommend our services to their families, friends, neighbours, and colleagues,” he mentioned.
He alluded that the business has completely changed his life, citing that it has given him financial independence, stability, and hope for a better future.
His biggest challenges at the moment is managing increasing number of customer demand with limited resources.
As more people discovered his services, they experience higher volumes of work. His eyes are set on landing sponsorship or support towards acquiring equipment, washing materials, drying equipment and facilities.
His proudest achievements is seeing how far the business has grown. Mthembu’s biggest desire is to learn more about business management.
“I would like to study a course that will equip me with professional skills to manage my business effectively, helping it grow into a sustainable business rather than operating from hand to mouth,” Mthembu said.
His advice to other young people is to never allow a lack of money to stop them from pursuing their dreams.
He encourages them to remain determined, make use of the opportunities available to them, and keep working hard despite financial challenges.
“Be patient, work hard, remain consistent, and always be willing to learn. Believe in yourself, pray, stay disciplined, and reinvest your profits into your business.
“Success does not happen overnight, it comes through commitment, resilience, and determination,” he concluded.
