The top three were Kgodiso Lebea (second spot), Dr Sheila Mokgaila Mokgabudi (first spot) and Jimmy Maimela (second spot).
BURGERSFORT – It was Tubatse’s turn to host the Limpopo leg of the Engen Pitch & Polish competition. The entrepreneurial workshop took place this past weekend at Sehlaku Technical High School in Driekop. It was the first time the competition was held in Burgersfort.
Facilitator Justin Cohen.
Crowd favourite, Dr Sheila Mokgaila Mokgabudi was the winner of the Limpopo round. She excelled in pitching her business in front of the audiences and potential investors. Mokgabudi is a medical doctor by profession and owns a company called GentiShe, which manufactures menstrual cups.
Jimmy Maimela and Sphiwe Mdluli talk to each other about their businesses.
In her pitch, she revealed her ambition to produce more cups to help girls in the country. She hopes to introduce her product to every girl in South Africa.
About 200 local business people attended the workshop, where they received comprehensive and interactive entrepreneurial training on how to pitch their businesses to investors like a pro.
After the training session, contestants were given an opportunity to pitch their ideas or businesses to the whole audience.
The session was facilitated by Justin Cohen, bestselling author, an international speaker, business strategist and world-leading expert on pitching for businesses. He taught the participants how to polish their pitches.
Benny Thobejane congratulating Dr Sheila Mokgabudi for winning the Burgersfort competition.
Cohen also touched on the need for entrepreneurs to be optimistic. “On average, entrepreneurs fail 3,8 times before they succeed. By cultivating a sense of optimism, entrepreneurs can more easily view failures and setbacks as an opportunity to learn and move on.”
The competition is in its 10th year and is being hosted in partnership with Engen Petroleum, Nedbank, Raizcorp and Caxton Local Media. The team has travelled around the country to teach thousands of budding entrepreneurs essential skills to pitch their businesses.
Kgodiso Lebea pitches her business.
Impressive business pitches enabled contestants to progress through a series of rounds before the top three were selected.
In Tubatse the top three were Mokgabudi, who obtained first place, Kgodiso Lebea, who owns JK Business which manufactures Moringa Spices, and Jimmy Maimela, who runs a business growing hydroponic veggies. They both tied for second place.
The trio will have the opportunity to be crowned the ultimate pitch champions at the semi-final glittering round of the competition to be held in Johannesburg later this year. They also received prizes for their success in the workshop.
The judges were Marcia Muthathi, Benny Thobejane and Jodi Lynn Karpes.
The Engen Pitch & Polish event for 2019 was hosted in eight towns and cities across the country. It started in Johannesburg on July 6 and was concluded in Burgersfort.
With a unique synthesis of training, audience participation and competition, everyone leaves this process enriched. For more information on the project, visit
www.pitchandpolish.com.
Clinton Laurens, sales executive of Jaguar Nelspruit visited Bongani Kubhayi at Mediclinic Nelspruit on Youth Day.
Mr Clinton Laurens and Bongani Kubhayi.
The giant fig tree on a pile of rubble during the development of Crossing Centre. Photos: Supplied.
The giant fig tree on a pile of rubble during the development of Crossing Centre. Photos: Supplied.
The giant fig tree on a pile of rubble during the development of Crossing Centre. Photos: Supplied.
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