Moot teen marked as the next millionaire

Matthew Blauw from Hoërskool Oos-Moot bagged first place in the “Maak my ’n Miljoenêr” (Make me a millionaire) Entrepreneur of the year competition, starting his journey to be like his millionaire mentor (also from the Moot) Albert van Wyk.

Finalists were awarded at a gala evening that took place on Monday evening at the Atterbury theatre. Here are the top three:

1st place – Matthew Blauw from Hoërskool Oos-Moot

2nd Place – Larissa Kamstra – Die Hoërskool Menlopark

3rd place (shared) – Dane Shonborn (home school) & Mia Ludik – Helpmekaar College

Every morning, Matthew Blauw wakes up ready to take on the day. He carries a 20kg bag of energy drinks to school every day that he then sells at school. Then, when he gets home, he delivers frozen chicken products to his clients that placed online orders with his “Chick-Chick” business.

Most nights he gets home at 21:00 after he finishes his deliveries before doing his homework and then packing his stock to sell at school again the next day.

Blauw started with just R50 and eight months later runs a business valued at R234 000.

All this hard work won Blauw first place in the “Maak my ’n Miljoenêr” Entrepreneur of the year competition.

He will now spend a year under mentorship with Albert van Wyk to learn the ropes of finding success as an entrepreneur.

All episodes of the competition are available on YouTube.

Van Wyk said that he was very proud of the young entrepreneurs. “I am so proud of each of them and the way that they conducted themselves in front of the 300 people in the audience at our gala event with their talks. All of them are true entrepreneurs that will build amazing businesses in the future and I am honoured to serve as their mentor.”

At the end of the competition, the top 10 competitors showed:

– Total turnover: R360 000

– Total profit: R152 000

– Combined business evaluation: R1.2-million

“It is important to remember that they accomplished this in just eight months of our competition, and they are all high school entrepreneurs,” said Van Wyk.

First-place winner Blauw told Rekord that he felt humbled by the experience.

“Just to think, how many fellow scholars with excellent businesses and ideas enrolled for this competition. But I believe my passion, hard work and determination paid off in the end,” said Blauw.

He said he wants to work on his three pillars: passion, hard work and determination. “I call it my PhD. By sticking to this I will always achieve the highest peak in everything I take on.”

After the mentor experience, he wants to “stay focused and balanced. Be open-minded. Be a visionary and never give up”.

Van Wyk told Rekord that the goal of “Maak my ’n Miljoenêr” was twofold, “to find that entrepreneur in every school that just needs some mentorship and a point in the right direction, and to promote entrepreneurship”.

“Earlier this year I visited 16 schools in Pretoria to find our entrepreneurs for the show. In the process, I spoke to more than 15 000 students which are now exposed to entrepreneurship and the possibility of becoming an entrepreneur.

“I am excited for the future of South Africa, knowing that our economy is in the hands of these capable youngsters,” he concluded.

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