Vital stats
Players: Marumo Marumo, Andrew Molabe
Company: Mola-Maru Cleaning Services
Launched: 2007
Contact:+27 (0)72 732 0173, molamaru.co.za
If it can be cleaned, chances are someone will pay you to do it. That’s the approach 27-year-old Marumo Marumo and business partner Andrew Molabe took when they opened Mola-Maru Cleaning Services in 2007, while they were both students.
Marumo is a graduate in building construction management and Molabe studied finance. This gave them the skills they needed to launch their start-up.
“We saw a gap in the market for cleaning services,” says Marumo. “Everyone talks about adding value, but we’re serious about it. Customer service in this industry is simply not as energetic as it should be. Our business is built on excellent service and the importance of hygiene in providing people with a pleasant work environment.”
When the two partners launched their business, they had just four part-time employees and some rented equipment paid for with money borrowed from friends and family. They kicked off their marketing by distributing brochures and flyers in Pretoria, where the business is based. Next, they developed a website and began a telemarketing campaign. But it was positive word-of-mouth that really sped up growth. With the revenues that came in, they were able to buy their own equipment and hire permanent staff. In its first year the business grew by 600% and will employ 17 people by the end of 2011.
“The word got around and now we have SMEs and corporates among our clients, as well as several government organisations and departments. We tailor-make our services for each customer and we deliver against all odds.”