The student start-up scene: A growing trend on campus

Doughnuts, silk bonnets, lingerie, tailoring services, vibrators, fruit platters, hair braiding, manicures, sweet packets, and African cuisine. These are some of the business ideas that entrepreneurial students on the North-West University (NWU) Potchefstroom campus have pursued.

For many, the hardest part of starting a business is having the confidence to turn an idea into an endeavour. For others, it is the time commitment or the need for extra money to get started. Whatever their reasons, there is no universal formula for success.

Mohau Monanne is clearly a jack of all trades with all his businesses. Images provided

“There is no secret to becoming a great entrepreneur, yet growth cannot occur without consistency. Thus entrepreneurs must accept that they will fail sometimes but have to pick themselves up and keep trying. Never be scared to invest; even if you lose money, you’ll still learn something. [In the] best case scenario you might actually win and it will all be worth it,” said Stella Mangwaya, a third-year urban and regional planning student, who has successfully run Stella’s Fashion Accessories since 2021. She sells products such as lingerie, jewellery, vibrators and shades – to name a few. 

Mangwaya found her motivation to start a business based on her background. “I consider poverty to be a powerful driving force in my life. It was due to poverty that I embarked on starting my own business. Moreover, it is that very same poverty that compels me to juggle the demands of my studies while working on growing my small business. It serves as a constant reminder for me to push myself,” said Mangwaya.

For some of the students who already have well-established businesses and customer bases, the capital to start was the challenge, and using the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) allowance was not an option. 

Mohau Monnane, a fourth-year music student, received his capital injection from his brother, who invested R2,000 into his fast food business, Moh’s Cream and Kotas. 

As a final year student in music, Monnane quickly realised that the entertainment industry is sometimes impenetrable and decided to start his business to finish the year with a steady stream of income until he can cement himself in the music industry. Monnane started his business in February 2023. 

Nthabseng Ndlovu, a third-year behavioural sciences student, had a different experience. “With braiding people, I did not need any funds since people bought their own hair and I charged them for my labour, so I started saving up money from the hair business and invested in other business opportunities,” she said. 

Ndlovu also comes from an underprivileged background and did not receive any financial support from her family. “That was the driving force that pushed me to think of ways to make money and start my business so that I wouldn’t have to call my dad each time I needed to pay for my electricity bills, the NSFAS money is just never enough,” said Ndlovu.

The financial injection she received from braiding hair in 2020, enabled her to launch a tye dye T-shirt business as well as become a nail technician under the name Starchild in 2021. 

In some instances, students collaborate with their peers to establish businesses, leveraging each other’s strengths and skills to create thriving ventures. Masungulo Mashele, a fourth-year pharmacy student, exemplifies this collaborative spirit. She entered the business world by taking over the achaar business that was run by her former flatmate in June 2022. “I saw the need to keep the business going because a lot of people would text me asking for the achaar. I knew I would manage to make it and so I went for it,” she said.

Recognising the demand for the achaars, Mashele saw an opportunity to continue and expand the business. Mashele’s former housemate, Zodwa Moyo, played a vital role by passing on Mashele’s contact information to her existing customers upon her departure. This act of support and endorsement fueled Mashele’s determination to stock up on the achaars and ensure the business thrived. 

Motivation and drive manifest in different ways for these young entrepreneurs. Angelina Maphanga, a third-year health sciences student, finds the greatest inspiration in her mother, who is a self-employed chef who owns a catering and decor company. 

Maphanga aspires to follow in her mother’s footsteps. In 2022, she launched a venture that sells scones, biscuits, and food platters, constantly generating new ideas by conducting market research and understanding the needs and preferences of fellow students.

Building a successful customer base is a crucial aspect for these entrepreneurs. They employ various marketing strategies, with social media platforms playing a significant role. Instagram and Facebook have proven effective in reaching different client groups. Sara Jones, a fourth-year psychology with labour relations student, finds Instagram the most effective marketing tool. It allows her to connect with a larger pool of potential customers. 

Jones is a photographer who has been running Seh Jones Photography since 2020. She said in addition to marketing on social media, word-of-mouth recommendations contribute significantly to attracting new clients, “as people usually want to show their photos to others, and the question of ‘Who took them?’ always comes up,” she said.

Nthabiseng Ndlovu built her customer base by making sure she delivered the best results that satisfied her clients. “In that way, I’m able to have continuous returning clients and referrals through word of mouth. Also, our university Facebook pages [Help a fellow Pukke, NWU Potchefstroom students] play a huge role as platforms that I use to advertise my business,” Ndlovu said. 

Monnane and Maphanga also see Facebook as a highly effective marketing tool. They acknowledge that many students use Facebook for information and to seek answers to specific questions. Monnane further emphasised the importance of standing out by offering a unique product compared to the competition.

One of the key advantages of student-driven businesses is the flexibility they provide. Students can work on their own schedules and from anywhere, allowing them to balance their academic studies and entrepreneurial endeavours.

Jones said she is particularly grateful this year as she does not have many modules, so this offers her more flexibility. “I set time aside to focus on academics, then I set time aside for my business so I can work with each effectively – I have learned from a young age to balance my social life, academics, and business, which I am grateful for.”

Ndlovu mentioned how, at first, it was not easy running a business and focusing on her academics. “You must always remind yourself of your core values and reasons why you are here. Making money can be a distraction, and it takes great self-discipline and control to know your limits and set boundaries. One should never compromise study time for anything,” Ndlovu said.