“Where passion meets the palate, not just satisfaction in a potato but love”
I am a self-motivated, energetic and astute hustler at heart, with confidence that could light up the whole world. I hold a certificate in Business Analysis, a B-Com Business Management degree, and a B-Com (Hons) in Business Management. I am also the founder of Di Chips, which is a fast-food business that specializes in loaded chips and burgers. Di Chips is a business that prides itself on the quality food and services it offers to its customers and potential customers.
Most people look at me and think “Mmm how?” While some think, I should be a millionaire already or at least approaching…
Let me take you through the “How”?
Well, my daily mantra is “Victory loves preparation” and I live by it day by day. Prepare today to be victorious tomorrow
Let me start with my Matric year. The year most of us yearn for at a young age until we get to it. Thinking about the perks that come with the title matriculant can be stressful. This is the year when your results are published in the newspaper. In my time, they included your name, surname and your final marks. There was no running from what the world saw, as it couldn’t be unseen.
Well like most matriculants, I applied to a university but unfortunately, I didn’t get the results I needed, and I got rejected. I was told to study something else that I qualified for but my fighting spirit wouldn’t let me settle for just anything other than what I wanted to study. Therefore, I decided to travel to the University of Limpopo to try my luck. With grace, luck, and a few disheartening challenges here and there, I was accepted to study for the B-Com degree I wanted and I later received the award for the top student in my degree.
My entrepreneurial journey started at this time in varsity, where I would help struggling brands move their products. As a people person engaging and networking with people happened to be second nature, so growing those brands was not much of a problem.
Varsity life was AWESOME, though it was filled with life-long lessons. In my 3rd year of study, I got pregnant at the age of 21. Babies are a blessing but “wow”, the timing was so wrong. As a result, my parents decided to revoke my monthly allowance, which meant I had to act like a mom and not a girl, anymore. It was then that I decided to use my last allowance to buy second-hand clothes in Johannesburg, CBD, and sell them at school. This resulted in financial freedom, and I learned to be independent and take care of myself. I was later able to start Di Chips (then called the House of Eden) which used to be an event that most people would look forward to, from good food to good music, and great vibes. I later was employed in Johannesburg after completing my Honours degree, which meant leaving what I built.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, I was retrenched and lost my granny. As a result, I fell into a deep depression and was put on anti-depressants. However, because I refused to lose myself to my situation, I decided to pick myself up and use the little money I had to start my business again, but this time in Johannesburg. This meant working with what I had and making it work for me.
Today my brand has grown to a point where people call me for events, which are also great for marketing my business.
While in the process of fixing my biggest looming business challenge, of finding a stable location for the brand I wanted to maintain, my aunt sent me a link to apply for the Work-readiness programme at Afrika Tikkun Services (ATS). She stipulated that it would require me to attend full-time for 3 months from 8 am to 4 pm. Though I had already paid for rent where the new place I wanted for my business, I did not let that hold me back from taking part in the programme. Currently, I am still part of the Work-readiness programme, I am becoming a better version of myself, and this has helped me in dealing with my customers and employees.
Through the programme, I am constantly reminded that everyone is a learner on a daily basis. The efforts and sincerity of the facilitators are commendable and I am ever grateful. Thank you Afrika Tikkun Services for helping me prepare for my victory. I hope that God will help me grow to become a business coach helping more entrepreneurs and hustlers affiliated with Afrika Tikkun. #GrowthMindset!
