The Rainmakers
Vital Stats
- Player: Simphiwe Majozi and Sihle Ndlela
- Brand: Majozi Bros Construction
- Established: 2012
- Visit: majozibros.co.za
Simphiwe Majozi and Sihle Ndlela have one aim: To be the biggest property group in Africa. They’re dead serious about this big, hairy, audacious goal, but they’re willing to do it slowly and sustainably.
“We understand the importance of the right foundation,” they say. “We have eight failed businesses between us, so we’ve learnt a lot of lessons, particularly around the dangers of growing too quickly.”
“It was tough to convince potential clients – especially established, older generation clients – that we can deliver. We realised that we could allow the perception of our youth to hinder our growth, or we could find a way to use it as an advantage.”
And so the pair made it rain. They created a brand around their youth. “We highlighted the fact that we are two young guys in construction. In every interaction we had, particularly with media, we painted a positive picture of our youth and aspirations,” says Sihle.
“We just needed to get a foot in the door so that our record could start speaking for itself, and the hype we created did that for us.”
They launched just as the housing and construction market started taking strain. “We realised we could wait around and hope things would get better, or we could go out there and create our own opportunities.” They targeted an up-and-coming semi-township area where the property prices were cheaper than in the suburbs, but there was real buyers’ interest.
“Buy a plot, develop it, sell it. That was our plan. We wouldn’t just be builders. We’d be the developers. We’d give ourselves work,” says Sihle. It was a small scale experiment that paid off, and they were able to use the profits to buy their next property.
Top Lesson
“We believe information and industry experience is power,” says Sihle. “We make a point of learning as much as we can from other industry partners, clients, suppliers – anyone who is willing to share advice or who we can observe. You can never know too much.”
Majozi Bros Construction now joins WBHO’s enterprise development programme, which ensures the entrepreneurs will be fine-tuning their business and industry skills. “We’re excited to experience the systems that an industry giant uses, and apply them in our business,” says Majozi. “We want to compete with the best, and that means continuous learning.”
Remember This
Successful start-ups create their own opportunities. Don’t wait for something great to happen to you. Go out and make it happen.