Wonder woman
Entrepreneur tackles retail head-on

The sun has barely crept over the horizon as Theresa Maher studies the spreadsheet in front of her.

She makes a few calculations and places a couple of orders, preparing for the day ahead.

At seven o' clock, the Heather Park Super Spar's doors will open and Maher needs to be ready to meet George's locals as they conduct their daily shopping.

The Spar is merely the latest in a number of ventures for Maher and with her husband Patrick by her side, the couple has made their mark in the business world.

Lip smacking business

Maher started her working career at a bank but soon moved to the Small Business Development Corporation to become a business consultant.

She explains that her optometrist father had a passion for business which rubbed off on her.

The couple moved around the country a few times and saw an opportunity to open a KFC franchise in Mosselbaai.

"People told me that I would never get the franchise which just spurred me on even more," she says, adding that they fought, begged and borrowed to raise the R1.5 million needed.

"We got a loan even though we only had R80 000 to invest... We had two babies and worked shifts in the restaurant while we lived in a little house behind the shop."

The outlet quickly became a success and the Mahers started looking around for their next challenge. They identified an opportunity for a McDonald's franchise in George which meant selling the KFC. Another McDonald's franchise followed in Knysna but Maher says that the company made a strategic decision to close down some outlets in South Africa, and this included the Knysna outlet.

"We wanted another challenge and I applied for a Pick n Pay franchise in George."

Retail beckons

The new shop did well but Maher says a new development showed a lot of promise as it was a prime retail spot.

She wanted to move the Pick n Pay but the landlord had already signed an agreement with Spar.

"A businessman approached us to buy the Pick n Pay but this included a three-year restraint of trade. A month after it expired, we opened the Super Spar in Heather Park."

Maher says that her and Patrick had always been attracted to franchises as the brand recognition goes a long way in the South African market.

She adds that the support, expertise and buying power on offer also helps a small business owner tremendously as it increases the competitive offering.

"In a place such as George, the market is too small to have any real buying power by being independent."

The retail space is a difficult one and Maher says that long days are the order of the day.

Sell sell sell

George might be a popular tourist destination but Maher says this only really accounts for increased sales during December.

"The rest of the time you rely on locals and this is hard work because it is such a small community. You need to ensure that those feet come back into your shop and this means great service."

She adds that the business is involved in numerous community initiatives and that knowing and understanding customers on a personal level is non-negotiable.

"In the retail space you need a passion for people. Then, you mustn't be scared of hard work and have energy for it. Lastly, you must be humble.

"(The first point) is the crux of retail because you need people to run the business and buy from it. Working hard means you curb pilferage and waste. Being humble means asking for advice when you need and to apologise when you made a mistake – it all comes down to relationships.

"Just because you run a huge business and a lot of people listen to you does not mean that you know everything – that mindset is a sure path to failure."

The Spar has a staff compliment of 98 people and spends much of her time ensuring that her ship sails smoothly.

"You need passion – people need to see this passion in you each day. You need to come to work with a smile on your face. If a staff member has the right attitude, you can train them accordingly. We all spend 80% of our lives at work and one bad apple will spoil the bunch," she says, explaining that the work environment needs to foster a happy and productive employee.

"But, you also need to set boundaries because you are responsible for the business. There needs to be a point where you need to decide to let someone go for the benefit of all."

Maher says that there needs to be respect between the staff and the management. She adds that it was her staff that entered her into the Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition.

A match made in heaven

The Mahers have been married for 21 years; 14 of these have been spent in business together.

She says that one has to make a relationship work and this includes mutual respect and defined avenues of responsibility.

"You need to take ego out of the equation – you need respect for each other and need to give the other person the space they need. It takes discipline because there was no safety net and all we had was the business.

"Obviously there were times that we fought about cash flow over the dinner table. But, we have matured over the years and make sure that we make the best of our time together... Retail is a hard world – we trade seven days a week from seven in the morning till ten at night."

Being part of a franchise is also about relationships and Maher says you need to find a system that works for you.

"You need to realise that it is a partnership... There are a lot of myths out there that you need to adhere to this or that criteria to get a franchise. If you really want to be part of a group then you need to pursue it because franchisors love passions.

"Communication with a franchisor is very important. Miscommunication can happen quite quickly and you need to understand the business ethos and approach.

"Also, you need to inform them of elements that bother or curb you – positive criticism will only help the business grow.

"A franchisor will not know of any issues you face if you do not tell them. If they know of a problem, they can help you address it."