25 Feb 2019

Entrepreneurship, they say, is not for the faint-hearted and needs passion to drive one through its hardships.

It is not by mistake that fashion designer, Mr Andes Ralontshwane turned down golden job opportunities to channel his energy to his business.

The Moshupa-born man has never limited himself to the local market only, and has tasted the international market.

He is also willing to partner with big companies from China and Europe to sell his products.

The 37-year-old is one of the first youths to benefit from the then out-of-school grant in 2006 after he registered his business, Mascot Engineering Company, a year earlier and being funded to the tune of P20 000.

“Through the grant, I managed to acquire machinery, tools and working capital to boost my leather works business which at that time was only focusing on sandals and belts, but later added bags and wallets,” he said.

He said through his products, he attracted interest from Botswana Export Development and Investment Authority (BEDIA), and was invited to travel to 15 European countries for benchmarking and building contacts with potential clients.

Through his hunger for results, he went around Botswana to sell his products door to door and the strategy bore results.

“My business grew with a base of clients ranging from hawkers and boutiques with some clients even coming from as far as Canada, Namibia and South Africa,” he said.

Mr Ralontshwane beams about adopting a marketing strategy of designing and dressing some local celebrities such as Afro-pop artist, Scavenger, which he said worked to his advantage.

So demanding was his business that he ended up quitting school at Limkokwing University of Creative Technology where he was pursuing a degree in Interior Design in 2008. That was also the same year that he had to close his business due to low business.

“The business resurrected in 2009 when the Moshupa Sub-council committed to buy 150 pairs of school shoes from me, although they ultimately bought less than they intended due to lack of funds,” he explained.

Through it all, there are people who find time to recognise him for his outstanding work. In 2009 he received a Vision 2016 award under the pillar of a prosperous, innovative and productive nation. The following year, he was honoured again by the SADC JET Vukuzenzela community award which came with  R15 000 prize money.

He said in 2011 the Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) also recognised him for being the best manufacturer in the small and micro medium business. He said he has been to other African countries to showcase his products that include the 2013 Revolutionary Exhibition in Mozambique and Swaziland through the sponsorship of the Ministry of Youth Empowerment, Sport and Culture Development.

“In 2014, I was invited to an all Africa leather fair through Botswana Investment Trading Centre (BITC) to meet with fellow designers, experts and veterans of the industry. The experience was an eye-opener,” he said.

After the out-of-school grant was reviewed in 2013 to the current Youth Development Fund with the ceiling increased from P50 000 to P100 000, he tried his luck and succeeded, enabling him to grow his business by introducing a merging design of leather and African print in shoes.

He revealed that he contacted a manufacturing company in China to assist him to do stilettos because China has fast and advanced machinery, and that his main consideration was quality versus quantity and time invested versus the market.

“I went there with a semi-finished product and the company had to do sole, lusting and packaging as well as branding, and I am still struggling to raise funds because the freight prices had tripled. The shoes are still in China as we speak because I have not yet raised the required amount. I have already lost around P80 000 on the project, but giving up is not an option,” he said, before conceding that it was the most difficult experience in his business journey.

One will expect him to be emotionally drained, but he revealed that he has developed a crocodile skin with time and that he still has confidence in the project.

“Through it all, I have not lost focus. This project’s initial aim was and is still to build the African identity. The dream of taking leather works internationally still lives in me, and I have always dreamt of mass production because it is relatively cheaper,” he emphasised.

Mr Ralontshwane said he intended to put his accounts in order and seek finance from Citizen Enterprenuaral Development Agency (CEDA). 

He said his success story would be to see his products used by top international models and opening outlets in other countries.

“I want to be associated with big brands. Not to compete with them but to be recognised as a big brand and represent African culture,” he added.

Through the whole journey, there are lessons learnt, such as the tedious exercise of dealing with international customers which requires passion and resilience. Such include the language barrier and associated risks, but he remains optimistic that all was worth trying.

“I am a big dreamer now. I do not want to bake a pie and eat it only with my family, but the rest of the world. I want my stilettos to be used in catwalks on the international stage, and that will be enough for me. I have no regrets and quitting is not an option,” he concluded. ENDS