24 Oct 2016

Today, it is hard for fresh graduates to find a decent job as unemployment remains high.
This has motivated some of the young graduates to look beyond salaried employment via their own companies.
Twenty-year-old Moemedi “DJ Sux” Motsumi, who is today the proud owner of a company called Team No Sleep, defied the odds in 2014 when he started his thriving showbiz company.
Motsumi told BOPA in an interview that while growing up he pursued a mechanical engineering course in 2013 at Maun Technical College (MTC); the course was generally considered highly marketable by society.
However, before commencing at MTC in the same year, he did a health and safety management course at the Centre for Business Secretarial Training (CBST), still in pursuit of what society expected of him.
“I was a DJ prior to starting my own company and my friend, DJ Bino from Selibe Phikwe would always give me a chance to perform at his gigs, and that is how my passion for the entertainment world was aroused,” he said.
As soon as the budding DJ had registered his Team No Sleep Company in 2014, the rest became history and today, he is a force to  be reckoned with in the entertainment world.
Team No Sleep does events management, coordination, branding, promotion, talent management as well as direct marketing.
Mr Motsumi said the name of his company was inspired by the idea that sleep is luxury any ambitious person cannot afford.
“I am a person who is always up as I sleep around four in the morning, researching about how I can achieve my goals. Even our Setswana culture oberves that ‘ga gona kgomo ya boroko’,” he quipped.
He said his company came to be because of his strong passion and love for the entertainment industry.
Among the great events his company has handled are: A.T.I Back from Jail in June 2014, Lemere Tour in March 2015, and Mask Party in August 2015.
Because of his hard work and determination, Motsumi was then hired to manage the Francistown Botswana Colour Run event that was held in September 2016 and the Miss Phikwe event on September 2016. In order to maximise profits and diversify the business, Team No Sleep also sells merchandise, which includes branded disposable cups, t-shirts and caps.
Just like any other business, Team No Sleep has its own fair share of challenges such as financial constraints, which seem to be a persisting issue.
The owner noted that whenever there was an event, he was forced to source funds from friends and family whereupon he would refund them after the event.
Moreover, another constraint is that of the time permit where events time is regulated and extending time at Bye-Law offices can be a long process.
Despite all the challenges, business continues to thrive and the young proprietor hopes that in future, he will partner with other well established companies such as Mascom, Botswana Telecommunications Corporation Limited (BTCL), Orange, and Debswana, among others.
Moreover, he dreams of seeing Botswana arts industry growing to come to par with international acts.
Mr Motsumi added he also intends to create employment for the equally eager youth to join his team as it strives to make a difference.
He has urged the youth to follow their dreams and challenge the status quo, pursue careers of their choice and strive to be financially free through self-employment and most importantly to believe in themselves.
“As individuals, we set our own limitations, if you believe you can do it, then indeed you will, but if you don’t believe, you will fail,” he phylosophised. ENDS