1. Can you please tell us more about your business?
A. Lebama offers logistics and cargo transportation services to various industries. We offer a supply chain solution that bridges the gap between the manufacturer and their customers.
2. When, how and why did you start your business?
A. I registered my business in 2017, but only officially started operating in 2021. It was a calculated decision on my part as I’d made a commitment to researching this niche sector, and getting a good grasp on the local logistics industry. I wanted to understand what it would take to run a successful operation, and also have a view of the potential curveballs, as well as the opportunities the sector offered. During this four-year preparation period, I also decided to acquire and polish my entrepreneurial skills and muscle, so I enrolled in a formal enterprise development programme.
Why Logistics? Well, first of all, the industry intrigued me and intimidated me all at once. And if there’s one thing anyone who knows me, knows about me, is that I love a challenge. “A ‘no’ is a ‘yes’ waiting to happen”. Capital investment insurmountable? Check. Male-dominated industry? Check. No first-hand experience in the sector? Check. It was almost a no-brainer, I had to pursue something bigger than me, something I hadn’t conquered before.
My ‘go-getter, never-give-up’ fighter spirit is something I inherited from my mother. She married young and dropped out of school before completing Matric, so she found employment as a domestic worker so she could provide for us.
When she was satisfied that my two sisters and I were ‘old enough’, she went to night school, starting from Grade 10 and after completing matric, she went on to study and obtained her teaching degree. I knew then, that no matter what it takes, I can be, and I will be whatever I decide to be. I knew that whatever goal I’d set for myself, I could achieve it, if I was willing to put in the hard work, stay the course and do all of it with a healthy dose of faith.
I now own a fleet of trucks and while my business is yet in its infancy, I can say (as I wipe the sweat from my brow and heave a huge sigh of relief!), ‘I came, I saw and I ain’t going nowhere…onwards and upwards, I’m here to stay!’.
3. What is your role in the business?
A. I feel like singing with Chaka Khan: I’m every woman! I fulfil just about every role except of course that of ‘long distance driver’, thankful!
Seriously though, as business owner, my role is that of strategic oversight of the business, which means that I’m responsible for growing the business, ensuring we are a sustainable operation and that we remain a commercially viable, and preferred option in the local market.
I am also responsible for client relations which, in simple terms, sees me making sure we meet our Service Level Agreements (SLAs). And while we have a chartered accountant who ‘balances the books’, the buck stops with me. So I’m the day-to-day administrator, bean-counter, number-cruncher, mostly so I can rest easy knowing our suppliers are paid on time! Our suppliers keep our wheels turning, literally, so it’s important, especially in this business, that we maintain beyond-excellent relationships with them.
4. Where did you study and what did you study?
A. I studied at Cape Peninsula University of Technology where I obtained a BTech degree Public Relations Management and Business Administration. For the past two decades, I have used my qualification to secure a diversity of roles as a Corporate Affairs Specialist for various global companies in the Oil & Energy sector as well as in the Tyre and Rubber Manufacturing sector. Amongst these roles were Executive Director of a multinational, and Board member in two different companies. At present I am also a member of a Board of Trustees for a global company in the IT sector.
5. How did you finance your business?
A. I was fortunate enough to be funded by my sponsor, Goodyear South Africa who took me through the enterprise development programme. After completing the course, their funding made it possible for me to acquire my first truck, through an interest-free loan. The balance of Lebama’s assets were acquired thanks to a combination of my decades-old nest egg and personal loans.
6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.
A. Routine is a privilege I don’t have; no two days are the same! What is important though is how I manage my time.
Every day, I set aside a couple of hours for meetings with strategic partners, including clients, funders or suppliers. I have to be proactive in nurturing customer relationships and potential partners – it’s probably the best piece of advice I could offer any entrepreneur, in any field. Relationships take time, so make time for them.
On a daily basis, I also spend time marketing my business, of course, research! You can never know enough; you can never know everything about the field you’re in. The world is dynamic, constantly changing and evolving, so it is critical that you keep your finger on the pulse, or you may miss out on new opportunities or shifts in your sector.
Then, as mentioned previously, I have to make sure I cast my eye over the business finances.
7. How do you balance your home life and your work life?
A. Running my own business has taught me a lot about managing my time effectively and efficiently.
While I put 200% of effort and time in the business, I also make sure that my family is not neglected. When I first started out, my family were only prioritised after I’d logged off for the day. Thankfully, I have a supportive husband who was both gentle and firm in sharing his concerns with me, and helping me to set the boundaries that were needed to ensure balance.
These days, I find cooking to be my happy place – it’s also a time and space for me to connect with my children, while enjoying something that requires a different kind of creativity, and strategy, if you like!
8. What drives you and inspires you?
A. In short, my children. Lebama is the legacy I’d like to leave for my children – I really want them to aspire to be job-creators, rather than job-takers! I don’t come from a family of entrepreneurs, so in a way, I’m changing the course for my children, hopefully for generations to come.
9. Where and when do you have your best ideas?
A. In the middle of the night, when I am sleeping. I have this tendency of coming up with the most amazing ideas when I am sleeping and I always wake up supercharged the next morning as if I can take on the whole world.
10. Where and how do you market/advertise your business for sales leads?
A. I make use of LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter. And, as mentioned, I make sure I’m connecting with clients, both current and potential, on a daily basis. Some call it networking, for me it’s brand- and relationship-building.
11. What is next for your business?
A. Growth. Expansion. And attracting an investment partner.
12. What advice would you give to female entrepreneurs hoping to start their own businesses?
- Fully understand the sector you want to go into.
- Take time to research it. Find people who are already in the sector, ask questions, listen, learn. As much as you can.
- Be clear on who your market is, both primary and secondary.
- Develop a strategy to differentiate yourself.
- Save, save, save every month, no matter how hard. We need to entrench a culture of saving, especially amongst start-ups and entrepreneurs.
- No matter how rough the storm, don’t give up. Just don’t give up!
