When Kholofelo Hope Nengwenda acquired Cartridge Depot South Africa in January 2024, under her company She is Hope, together with her business partner Government IT Solutions, it was a full circle moment. This acquisition was the culmination of a ten-year business relationship, which began with Nengwenda as a customer and user of the printing consumables produced by the group. Now, as managing director, she is responsible for more than 20 stores and scores of employees, some of whom have been part of the company’s DNA since its humble beginnings in the 1990s.
The partnership started in 2014 when Nengwenda was running a small cleaning and housekeeping business in Middelburg in Mpumalanga. At the time, she needed affordable printing cartridges and other consumables, and Cartridge Depot was the go-to place for her business needs. As her business grew, so did her confidence and her connection with the group. In 2020, she officially joined the Cartridge Depot family with the purchase of a franchise, cementing the relationship with the brand and its then-owners.
“In my business journey so far, I have invested in products that I am familiar with, and products that I use in my daily life or business,” she explains. Although the acquisition of Cartridge Depot South Africa is the highlight of Nengwenda’s entrepreneurial journey thus far, her growth in business has been a steady passage marked by audacious and brave decision making and risk taking.
When day breaks
Ten years ago, Nengwenda was a newlywed who was about to start a family in Middelburg, where her husband was working. At age 24, she had limited work experience post-university, characterised by short stints at the South African Weather Service and as a geography teacher. Nengwenda’s BSc in Geological and Earth Sciences (completed at the University of Cape Town) stood the Limpopo-born entrepreneur in good stead for work opportunities — especially in a mining town — but she was not content with the routine of a 9-5 job.
“I wanted to do more than just hold down a job. So my husband suggested that I start my own business. Although the prospect was exciting and daunting at the same time, I did some research and started pitching some ideas to him,” she says. Nengwenda finally found her niche in the cleaning and household management space. Her struggle to secure a suitable domestic worker and child-minder for her growing family prompted her to start a business that offered the service to families with similar challenges.
With no knowledge and experience in running a business, she bravely researched modern housekeeping trends and recruited women from the local community to Household Maids & Cleaning Services, trained them, and placed them in various households. Through this company Nengwenda was able to help families find reliable and trustworthy domestic workers, who had the proper training and work etiquette. The company, which first started servicing families in Middelburg, has since grown to cover eMalahleni, Mbombela and other parts of Mpumalanga as well. Once the entrepreneurship bug bit, there was no turning back for Nengwenda.
The right place at the right time
Two years into the business, word spread from satisfied customers about the good service Nengwenda and her team were providing, sparking demand from industrial and commercial customers. Nengwenda took it in her stride and diversified her service offering to include hygiene, gardening, and horticulture services. As the mandate of the company grew, so did its footprint — and so what was once a small-sized business morphed into a medium enterprise that now operates under the Mukhoni Cleaning Specialists umbrella.
Nengwenda’s success and longevity in the cleaning business has largely been supported by the growth of housing developments in the mining towns. The economic migrancy pattern in South Africa has changed significantly, with more professionals now opting to stay with their families in the towns and cities where they take employment.
Throughout her entrepreneurial journey, Nengwenda has always sought to learn more about running a profitable and sustainable business entity. About two years into the business, she took part in youth business training at the National Youth Development Agency, where she also found out about the various opportunities for young businesspeople. Not one to shy away from a challenge, she applied for a grant programme for budding entrepreneurs. The year-long application and vetting process did not deter her; instead, she pushed even harder at Mukhoni Cleaning Specialists by ensuring her company delivered top-notch services. When she was finally approved for funding, she used the money to buy more specialised cleaning equipment and other business implements.
As Mukhoni Cleaning Specialists was growing, Nengwenda sought to grow her business acumen as well. She enrolled in a Business Management Programme at the Wits Business School, where she learnt the fundamentals of running a business. But she was not satisfied, so in 2019, she enrolled for an MBA at GIBS. During her time at the Sandton campus, she acquired more business knowledge, learnt more about how to hone her business strategy, and her negotiation skills were sharpened — but, most importantly, she says her time at GIBS helped her grow in confidence, and she has not looked back since.
“On the GIBS campus you are exposed to people from all walks of life. They challenge your beliefs, your thinking, and also bring out the best in you. Some of the lessons learnt from this experience will forever help me navigate the business world. The personal connections with fellow students and faculty continue to help me grow daily in my business journey,” she says.
Eggs in separate baskets
When the country went into lockdown in early 2020, Nengwenda had just invested in her Cartridge Depot franchise. As printing was not deemed an essential service at the time and people were meeting and working online, she had to close shop temporarily. The restriction on movement also meant that the cleaning business came under pressure.
The serial entrepreneur quickly turned things around and added fumigation, deep cleaning, hygiene, and fogging services. Through her extensive network, she also started distributing cleaning chemicals. This quick pivot kept the business afloat, even though she had to let go of some of the cleaning staff on her payroll.
It was during this time spent largely at home under lockdown that her next business venture came into being. Nengwenda realised the food business would never go out of fashion. Whether there is a lockdown or not, people need to eat.
This is when she saw an opportunity to invest in a Galito’s outlet. Her first shop opened its doors in 2022 after nearly two years of negotiating and finding the perfect location. The GaliPod is an innovative, all-in-one container-based store with a funky urban vibe designed to be set up quickly and close to where there is demand. She has since opened other franchises, bringing her tally of Galito’s outlets to three.
Business and personal growth
Nengwenda sees her business achievements as just the beginning of something bigger that she cannot immediately describe. For now, her immediate priority is to ensure stability at Cartridge Depot.
“I am not planning to make any massive changes to the business. For now, we are keeping it stable and ensuring that some operations are running optimally. I trust my team and I understand that my role is to provide guidance when it is needed. Many of my staff members have been here from the beginning, so their experience and knowledge are immeasurable and priceless,” she explains.
Nengwenda’s other goal in the medium to long term is to read for a Doctorate in Business Administration. Her deep love for education and thirst for knowledge is pushing her to read for this higher degree, and she aims to attain her PhD before she turns 40. Her plan is to one day contribute meaningfully to academia and to the business community. The self-confessed over-achiever is nearly done writing her concept note, which she plans to submit to GIBS soon.
As her star rises and she grows her business and academic achievements, Nengwenda says she is grateful she can count on her family for support. When it comes to her personal life, she is surrounded by a village of love and people who back her without judgement or hesitation. She is also a deeply spiritual woman who serves in the church ministry and offers support to younger people who need guidance.
When she started her first business, Nengwenda knew that she did not want to be a small business owner forever. She spent the better part of ten years ensuring that she grew her business. But now, the same premise applies: she does not plan to be a medium-sized business owner forever, either.
Key takeaways
- Always be open to learning, be it new skills or new approaches to doing things.
- Build strong relationships on your business journey; it could open doors to endless opportunities.
- Always look for ways to adapt in the face of challenges.
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