Vital Stats
- Company: Testpoint
- Founder: Reetash Chowthee
- Est: 2009
- Growth: 2012: 115%; 2013: 180%
- Contact: +27 (0)11 027 9112
- Visit: www.testpoint.co.za
Reetash Chowthee is a firm believer in the value of education. A serial entrepreneur from the day he left school, he has a certificate and diploma in management studies, and recently completed an MBA in marketing.
He’s applied this confidence in personal development planning in Testpoint, a project management agency launched in 2009 that sources industry experts to consult on projects in a range of industries including financial services, events and promotions, and specialised courier services.
Maximising potential
Chowthee is helping his employees to shape the future direction of their careers through personal development programmes that are designed to boost their self-confidence and maximise their potential. That’s what is enabling him to build a better business.
“From the time we started to focus on personal development, the business has seen its turnover double,” he says.
“We are helping our people to believe in themselves, and to understand how life encompasses more than work – it’s essential for people to take care of their personal lives and families if they want to succeed at a broader level.”
Setting the business apart
That focus on personal development and ongoing learning has become the company’s unique selling proposition.
Empowering employees to be the best they can, and to develop a satisfying and rewarding career path has demonstrated to them that, as an employer, Testpoint is interested in their development which in turn has been a significant morale booster.
The positive response from Chowthee’s team has resulted in a more proactive engagement with the work environment and, more specifically, with clients – and the bottom line benefits have more than paid off.
“We’re tapping into the teachings and writings of personal development gurus like Robin Sharma, and other thinkers on leadership, personal growth and life management,” says Chowthee.
“The interactions we have with our people help them to identify their strengths and weaknesses, as well as their aspirations and ambitions. Then we are able to find ways to help them improve their skills so they can meet the demands of an environment that‘s always changing.”
Paving the way for innovation
Chowthee says his own focus on positive thinking has helped him become a better business leader. “Successful people have a strong belief in their own abilities. If you get that right, you don’t have to work as hard, because everything else falls into place.”
He cites one of Testpoint’s latest projects as an example. “We‘re in the process of developing a cellphone app targeted at the lower LSMs, which replaces the ‘call me’ option with the option to listen to a short ad and then make a call for free. It’s already attracted the attention of overseas companies like Airtel Canada.”