It didn’t take long for Vuyokazi Mkhwanazi to see the potential in her young business and take the leap into Automate Digital full-time. Through the support of Seed Academy’s Enterprise Development programme, today Automate Digital is an international supplier of office automation and ICT equipment with an annual turnover of R2.4m.
HOW THE JOURNEY BEGAN
“I always knew that I wanted to be an entrepreneur,” says Vuyokazi. “I like to know that I’m doing this for me.” With the safety net of permanent employment, Vuyokazi ventured into entrepreneurship, starting small, she specialised in new and refurbished office printers. Through sheer tenacity and her commitment to investing money back into the business, Vuyokazi had grown her client base, employed staff, and started increasing turnover.
But there were key development areas that were still holding her back. Vuyokazi had become aware that she needed skills support, specifically in finance, as well as in sales and marketing, and so she reached out to Seed Academy.
In its commitment to transformation, leading healthcare company Roche sponsored Vuyokazi’s development as part of their Enterprise Development spends through Seed Academy. This highly personalised programme took Vuyokazi’s natural drive and resilience to a whole new level and helped her turn all her big plans into reality.
THE SUPPORT TO EXPAND
After conducting an in-depth assessment, Seed Academy tailored a unique development plan with a dedicated team for Vuyokazi. As part of this individual approach, Seed started Automate Digital’s acceleration with a Financial Consultant, a Business Coach, and a Sales and Marketing Coach. These areas proved pivotal in growing the business.
Throughout the development journey, Vuyokazi received constant motivation and unconditional business support from her various Seed Academy mentors, coaches, and consultants.
On the financial side, Vuyokazi admits that simply knowing she was making money was enough for her, so the Seed Academy Financial Consultant helped her assess turnover, net and gross profits, manage cash flow, and brought in a qualified accountant to run the books efficiently.
The Business Coach helped Vuyokazi develop the general structure for her business, as well as for her employees and define their roles and responsibilities. In Sales and Marketing, the coaching and mentoring was focused on creating a solid marketing plan, which Vuyokazi continues to use on a day-to-day basis.
Vuyokazi says she especially loved the process of having a sounding board, which allowed her to become accountable, and proactive, and to truly invest holistically in her business.
AUTOMATE DIGITAL EXPANDS
While in her specialised programme with Seed Academy, Vuyokazi applied for an import-export licence, saying that it helped immensely to have a mentor who fuelled her drive to put the big ideas into play.
The licence turned out to be an important turning point for her company. Whereas once Automate Digital only had access to local, third party suppliers, the channels were now open for direct imports, making a valuable impact on the company’s profit margins.
Automate Digital is now importing office automation and information and communication technology equipment, and supplying clients in South Africa, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, The Democratic Republic of the Congo, and mostly recently, Lesotho.
CELEBRATING THE WINS
Today Vuyokazi celebrates a business that is establishing itself as a premium brand.
Automate Digital now offers a diversified bouquet of products and services to a robust client base – with 80% of their clients in the business-to-business space. And despite the recent pandemic, Automate Digital shows a substantial increase in revenue, as well as the acquisition of game-changing clients like Makro.
Vuyokazi attributes this success to a programme that was perfectly tailored to her business. “We covered everything I needed to know and more. It was so holistic that it was actually like an entire A to Z training in business.”
SUMMARY – KEY STATS
- Period: December 2020- August 2021
- 50% growth in turnover
- Expanded client base – from just B2C to now serving B2B and B2G
- Obtained an exporters license and now supplies into Africa
- Obtained an importers licence which reduced costs and increased profitability