When Smart Kunene started Easy Security in 1993 he thought the point of owning your own business was to make money, and that he knew everything about business there was
to know.
He held on to these beliefs for over a decade, and his business did not do badly. He moved from supplying security equipment to once-off clients to focusing on security guards, a service that generated monthly contracts. He was reliable and an extremely good networker, and was soon responsible for the security of some of Joburg’s most upmarket residents. He stayed away from large tenders and contracts, preferring to spread his risk across many smaller clients, rather than relying on one big contract that might not be renewed. But he didn’t enjoy the organic growth he would have liked.
And then everything changed. While tendering for a contract with property giant, Growthpoint, the company recognised that while Smart’s business did not meet its criteria, there was potential, and so he was offered a place in Growthpoint’s ED programme, Property Point. He accepted, and over three years his business has grown from employing 150 guards to over 700 guards. “Joining Property Point shone a light on all the gaps in my business knowledge,” he says. “I understood my industry, but I was lacking fundamental business skills.”
Easy Security remains in Property Point’s programme, and Smart is adamant that you can never reach a point where you know too much. “I’ve moved from focusing on the money to concentrating on building strong foundations,” he says. “The growth is slower, but it is steadier, more sustainable, and I know the money will follow later.”
