Advertorial Business

Patience is the key to doing business

SME owner says the most important thing in business is to persevere and keep growing.

August 19, 2022

Content Supplied 1 minute read

ABSA has embarked on a campaign to support and empower SMEs across South Africa.

We sat with Khulani Hardware to get a better understanding of their business.

When did you start your business and what led you to pursue entrepreneurship?

I started my business in 2008 while I was unemployed so I can provide for myself and my family.

What are the challenges you experience when you were starting your business and how did you overcome them?

I had lots of challenges when I started the business, but I was very determined and patient. I invested the money I saved while I was still working, into the business so I can buy stock. The business kept growing gradually to where we are today.

What impact did the Covid-19 pandemic have on your business?

Things were very slow because of the Covid-19 pandemic and the hard lockdown but I made sure that the business was operational even though it was very difficult, and I also had to make sure that my employees were well taken care of during those difficult times.

Your business is one of the businesses that are part of the ABSA SME programme. What does this mean to you and how do such initiatives from corporates like Absa help SMEs?

I’m very happy to be part of the SME programme because it is going to help my business grow and would like to get more of such opportunities because we need a lot of help as small business owners.

What is your advice for SMEs?

They must be very patient because running a business is very challenging. There are always ups and downs and the most important thing is to persevere and keep growing.