2024 EOY Winner – Nompumelelo Madubedube
Nompumelelo Madubedube – The San Hair Medium Business Entrepreneur of the Year® Nompumelelo Madubedube started The San Hair essentially to satisfy her own need for wigs, weaves and hair extensions made from human virgin hair. That she was not the only woman out there frustrated by retailers’ empty promises, is proven by the fact that […]
2024 EOY Winner – Samantha Skyring
Samantha Skyring – Oryx Desert Salt Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year® What started as a 120km walk in July 2000 has grown into a multinational business that brings some of the best salt on earth to homes, restaurants, delis and retailers around the world. On her seven-day trek through the Namib Desert to the […]
2024 EOY Winner – Trudy Maleka
Trudy Maleka – Ambesha Africa Emerging Business Entrepreneur of the Year “My furniture-making journey started when I was six years old and I would imitate my grandmother making seagrass mats,” says Trudy Maleka. “That was where my passion for craft and design started.” Today Trudy’s passion, talent and business acumen find expression in Ambesha Africa, […]
From Stoep to Success: Legends Barber Founder Named SA’s Entrepreneur of the Year®
Sheldon Tatchell, founder of the Legends Barber franchise, has come out a cut above the rest by winning the coveted Overall 2024 Entrepreneur of the Year award in the 36th annual Business Partners Limited Entrepreneur of the Year® awards. Following a meticulous selection process by an esteemed judging panel, he not only beat out a pool of over 600 entrants […]
Past winners of the EOY® awards – Shona McDonald
Shona McDonald – Shonaquip (Pty) Ltd A well-known business, Shonaquip (Pty) Ltd, specialises in offering wheelchairs and other mobility equipment specifically made for individuals with disabilities. The owner and founder of this significant company is Shona McDonald, a vibrant and ambitious businesswoman who has a sincere passion for enhancing the lives of people with disabilities. […]
Past winners of the EOY® awards – Monageng Petrus Legae Jr
Monageng Petrus Legae Jr. – Bontle ke Botho Consulting (Pty) Ltd t/a Sopema Funeral Services Sopema Funeral Services was founded by Monageng Petrus Legae Senior in 1988 with the goal of offering respectable funeral services that were affordable to all people, including those with limited financial means. Today, the company is managed by Monageng Petrus […]
Past winners of the EOY® awards – Tinny Masesi Nkuna
Tinny Masesi Nkuna – Ngaraga properties t/a Lindiwe Sanitary Pads I started Lindiwe Sanitary Pads because I wanted to solve problems that I and the people around me encountered,” says Tinny Masesi Nkuna (also known as Lindiwe), founder of Lindiwe Sanitary Pads. Lindiwe Sanitary Pads are a brand of feminine hygiene products with a focus […]
Past winners of the EOY® awards – Theo Baloyi
Theo Baloyi – Bathu Theo Baloyi established the South African footwear company Bathu in 2015. His goal was to create sneakers that not only reflected South Africa’s diverse and rich culture but were also aesthetically pleasing. This was motivated by his market research, while working abroad, which revealed that there was no leading African sneaker brand. […]
From stand-up to start-up: How top entrepreneur’s comedic insights shaped his business
Long before the concept social media influencer became ubiquitous, a young marketer in London started planning his return to South Africa to start his own agency to help brands harness the power of internet virality through popular social media personalities. His foresight paid off remarkably. Today, after a “wild” decade of surfing the upheaval of […]
Fake News Damage Control for SMEs
Events such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the recent spate of riots have demonstrated how fake news can have far-reaching effects, not only on individuals but on businesses. “Fake news,” a neologism of the digital age, began as a social media phenomenon and has come to describe the proliferation of false content posing as news. […]