GRADE 12 pupil Utlwanang Mmeti (17) is one of the youngest sneaker entrepreneurs in the country.
Utlwanang from Luka Village near Rustenburg, who attends Thethe Secondary, recently launched his own sneaker business called Dapper Shooz.
The sneakers are manufactured by a company in Asia.
Utlwanang started his business in his mother’s garage and one of his goals is to inspire young entrepreneurs to start with whatever resources they have.
He raised money through donations from his family and friends.
After 12 months of hard work and perseverance, he managed to get his business off the ground.
“It was not easy to bring the idea to life. There were many challenges, but that did not stop me from pursuing my dream,” he said.
The word dapper means to look stylish and neat.
“I went for this name because that is what I am and it’s easy to remember.
“I will focus on expanding the business then I plan on furthering my studies which will help me manage it,” he said.
“It is not easy to balance school and running the business, however my family has been really helpful and I am grateful for the support.”
He encouraged his peers to set goals and work hard on achieving them.
You need to be SIGNED IN to read comments
The sneakers are available for purchase online at R999.
Utlwanang’s brother, Ikageng, said they were proud of his younger brother’s success.
“Him getting into such a business says a lot about his potential as an entrepreneur.
“We are determined to help him grow,” he said.
Utlwanang was among the matriculants who wrote his first exam on Monday.
They wrote English paper 1.
He said he’ll be studying Information Technology when furthering his studies.
