A notable highlight was the intense pitching den where eleven pre-selected entrepreneurs showcased their individual business model by delivering three-minute compelling pitches followed by an interactive five-minute Q&A session. The panel of judges included Standard Bank head of enterprise and direct banking propositions Jenine Zachar, Fikile Kgobe lead global markets at Standard Bank, MICE coordinator at the KZN Convention Bureau Mabongi Khuzwayo, and CEO of KZN Oils Esayvanie Reddy.
Ntokozo excelled as the winner, impressing the judges with her innovative business model. She received a trophy and a cash prize of R50 000.
Where it all began for Takkie Wash SA
A passion for cleaning shoes and scrubbing them to perfection began in Ntokozo’s apartment in 2016 when she was looking for an alternative income during a tough economy. She founded her business model while balancing her studies with waitressing. News quickly spread on her social media platform about her new business venture, gaining her a wide following of sneaker enthusiasts. She has been operating her business since July 2018 from her Musgrave premises.
She describes her strategy of investing back into the business and following a long-term plan that is paying off. “I’ve taken a few giant leaps of faith along the way, my latest one was opening the second branch in uMhlanga exactly four years after the Musgrave store opened.”
Fast forward to today and Ntokozo employs 11 staff members who specialise in different aspects of her business. She believes shoes have a personality which carries a memory of their origin, when you bought them and how you walk in them. Through research and conducting experiments to refine her craft, she developed her own technique of cleaning shoes. Ntokozo is determined to create a new shoe feeling when customers collect their shoes from her business. Her greatest gratification is the fulfilling reaction of her customers when they collect their spotless shoes.
.svg)
.svg)
.svg)
