Climbing the ladder of success

Passionate Ballito businesswoman Manini Mbongwa, winner of the 2015 Ilembe Chamber Entrepreneur Competition, is mowing down the thorns in her path to success.

She is one of the 44 finalists in the SAB Foundation-sponsored Tholoana Enterprise Programme, short-listed from about 2000 applicants across the country.

Mbongwa is the owner of Innovative Concepts, an events management company.

“After winning the Chamber competition and seeing the response I got from my weekly advertisement in The North Coast Courier (part of her prize included advertisments in excess of R50 000), I realised that I am getting closer to success,” said Mbongwa.

“So I started looking for other ways that could help me succeed in business. That is when I came across the SAB programme online and I applied. If it was not for the entrepreneur competition I would not have had the courage to apply for this programme.”

The two-year programme offers businesses support, including expert mentorship, skills training workshops, access to markets and qualified investment-readiness support.

It supports small black-owned enterprises that benefit or are run by women, the youth, and those living in rural and peri-urban areas.

She said the programme helps owners build confidence to compete against bigger businesses to secure clients.

“If I approach a client but feel that I am being pushed aside because I am a small business, SAB will assist me in getting that contract or event. So I have full back-up in reaching my market,” said Mbongwa.

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