14 Aug 2018

The landscape of  Nswazwi is slowly but surely changing as new businesses spring up, some owned by a determined youth named Mr Gaolatlhe Kgomotso.

Born 35 years ago, Mr Kgomotso came into the spotlight in 2005 as a hip-hop gospel artist under the trade name G Son, which is also his nickname. He explained that he adopted the name from the phrase God Son. 

At the time, his single Remember Jesus was among the top on the playlists of both Botswana Television and local radio stations.

Though he was seen by others as a rising superstar in the music industry, the youthful businessman disclosed in an interview that his music was just a self-expression and not a business, adding that he always had ambitions of starting a distinct business.

Mr Kgomotso revealed that after completing secondary school, he did not enrol full-time in a tertiary institution, but opted for a short course in graphic design because he always had a passion for graphic design as it enabled one to be creative.

He said he first worked at Debonairs Pizza, a job he then quit to do the short course at the now Mega Size College. 

He said it was the training and subsequent attachment at an Internet cafe in Gaborone that sharpened his artistic skills.

The explained that he gained experience as a graphic designer at Printex Signnex. However, he said he was dismissed from the company.

The enterprising young man did not sit back in self-pity, but decided to use the experience he had gained to venture into business in 2008.

G Son revealed that he did not seek financial help from any agency, but used his savings to register his first company called Excellent Printers in Gaborone.

He said the Gaborone-based company did t-shirt printing, embroidery, corporate clothing and banner printing. He pointed out that finding customers was never a hustle as he was well known for the exceptional service he had rendered to clients. G Son said due to the tight business schedule, he was forced to suspend his stint in music indefinitely and focused on what appeared as the stepping stone of fortune. Mr Kgomotso explained that he invested his savings from Excellent Printers in his home village of Nswazwi where he runs a supermarket, camp site, accommodation and a bakery.

He said the market research he had conducted in the village had shown that Nswazwi shops and schools were supplied by external bakeries, and that the results of the market research spurred him to start Shingani Bakery, which started operating in May 2018.

The bakery, which is named after Mr Kgomotso’s grandmother, is strategically located by the main roadside for easy access.

Though it is relatively small, both the exterior and interior of Shingani Bakery is magnificent, thanks to G Son’s gift in branding and signage.

It is apparent that the owner applied the best of his graphic design skills to make it spectacular and also to market Excellent Printers.

Besides having bread as the main product, there are other items on display, which Mr Kgomotso explained were from his supermarket. As the only bakery operating in Nswazwi, Shingani’s target market includes individuals, local retail outlets and schools.  G Son stated that the new business was doing well, and that it had reduced costs for Nswazwi retailers who had been travelling to neighbouring villages to purchase their stock.

The recent establishment has not only benefited retailers, but has also changed the lives of the four youth that it has employed.

The young entrepreneur said that he was looking forward to expanding the business and employing more youth in the village, and implored the youth to look out for opportunities wherever they were based, stressing that selling perfect products attracted more orders resulting in huge profits.  Lastly, he advised young people to explore more businesses because having a diversity of investments enabled one to rake in huge profits. ENDS