A 25-YEAR-OLD entrepreneur from Soweto is lighting his way through load shedding.
Makatu Tshivhula, the founder of The Light Candles, makes a positive impact by manufacturing candles of all sizes and shapes.
Operating from his shop in Pimville, Makatu entered the Engen Pitch & Polish competition and out of 2 000 applicants, he made it to the top 8, where he was unfortunately eliminated.
Makatu told Daily Sun that though his journey might have ended in the top 8, he left as more astute as a business-savvy entrepreneur because of the learning experience and one-on-one mentorship provided by Raizcorp in the competition.
He said being in the top 8 is an achievement for him as the whole experience boosted his confidence and how to represent his business well.
ALSO READ: PICS: Rain brings boozy blessings
Makatu shared that he opened his business back in 2021.
“For me, this was to create employment and so far, I have employed three people. I got into this business because I couldn’t find employment and couldn’t further my studies. I was stuck between a rock and a hard place,” he said.
Before starting his business, Makatu volunteered at a candle making company for five months and this is when he fell in love with the process of making candles and interacting with customers.
“The quality of our candles is thus far the best with the leading burning time of four hours, longer than our competitors. We render our services to all nine provinces, and export to Swaziland, Lesotho, and Zimbabwe,” he said.
Makatu is looking into going into retail in the next five years. However, this will require funding and mentorship.
ALSO READ: PICS: Villagers feast on crunchy insects
His employee, Magesa Tomanyane (40), said she is happy to see a boy she used to take care of mature into a young businessman.
“I took care of him while he was growing up. I'm excited that I'm now working for his company," she said.
Located in the heart of Soweto, The Light Candles is known for manufacturing and selling a diverse range of premium-quality candles, including scented and unscented varieties, moulded candles, and glass jar candles.
