Lekau Sehoana grew up in the dusty streets of Ivory Park. He became a Civil Engineer, quit his job and started his own shoe business. His shoe brand is called Drip Footwear.
KAE News had an opportunity of interviewing the Ivory Park native.
KAE News (KN): When and why did you start your business?
Lekau Sehoana (LS): Back in 2003 while I was at Eqinisweni Secondary School one of my Teachers gave me clothes belonging to her son because they noticed I didn’t have much. The clothes were much bigger since her son was bigger than me. Some were old and very baggy, so I trimmed them down and redesigned them to look stylish. A lot of people started bringing their clothes for me to redesign. Which I made an income from.
In 2004 I lacked shoes, so I took a sole of old and torn Adidas Sneakers and made sneakers with Denim. They turned out to be a hit and people wanted them. I was only 15 and didn’t understand and know much about Manufacturing business and that I could actually turn that into a commercial success. That’s how the Shoe business love began. In 2018 I decided to do research and invest in equipping myself with knowledge into how I can go back into the business with a more commercial perspective, open shops and invest into the township economy. So I launched the Sneakers in July 2019 with a whopping 600 Pairs.
KN: Where are you Based?
LS: We are currently based in Midrand although virtually we are everywhere on www.dripsa.co.za
KN: What funding resources did you use when you started?
LS: The business is 100% self funded, I just don’t want the pressures of Loans and Funding. When it’s your hard earned cash, you tend to know it’s worth working hard for.
KN: How many people do you employ?
LS: We are still just less than 3 months old and in being helped by 3 of my family members currently since most of the work is just a system of ordering and delivering and manufacturing is outsourced to professional factory and suppliers. We are currently looking for a warehouse and an office to be based at that will be able to have permanent stuff.
KN: What challenges do you face as a budding entrepreneur?
LS: Most challenges we face are finding local manufacturers and raw materials and having to go abroad to seek manufactures and raw materials.
KN: How do you advertise your business?
LS: We live in the world of Social Media and most of our Marketing and Advertising happens there. We also do College Drives were we go around Universities to Market the Brand.
KN: What does your normal business day look like?
LS: Normal day starts with Checking emails for our website orders, process them and respond to the orders. Sort out daily Delivery routes then we start with Deliveries based on orders. Then make sure we have online presence the whole day. So our day is just bridging the gap between supply and demand. With Drip flowing through the vains whole day.
KN: What advise would you give up and coming entrepreneurs?
LS: What I have learnt through the years of being in Business is most people who make it in business are the ones who are driven by passion and not money. It’s passion that will keep you in business when there is no business or income. It’s passion that will keep you down to earth when the ego and arrogance caused by money comes knocking. Stick to what you know and outsource what you don’t. We fail because we want to do everything in our businesses. And an entrepreneur is the last person to be paid in the business, sometimes there is nothing even.
The Drips will set you back R750. Order yours on http://www.dripsa.co.za. They are currently manufacturing different colors red, yellow, white, beige and pink.
