Smiso
Investments, owned by Mamiza Makhathini, walked away with both the Medium Business
of the Year and the Premium (Overall) Business of the Year awards.
Makhathini
established her company in 2006 with a friend, and Smiso Investments has since
grown tremendously, topping the R15-million turnover mark.
‘After only
six years, Smiso Investments now employs 87 people with a full catering complement
of chefs, servers, managers and administrative staff, and has secured lucrative
catering contracts for Foskor, Sappi and the Richards Bay Coal Terminal,’ says
Makhathini.
According
to the Zululand Observer, Makhathini says one of the keys to the success of her
business is that she only hires qualified and capable staff. ‘Qualifications
are paramount. Too many businesses go under because people are hired out of
emotion, and not according to the job description.’
‘I believe
in positive competition, and stealing workers from a rival company only breeds
negativity. On top of that, running a successful business is not just about the
money, it is about making sure that your clients are happy.’ Makhathini says
she made every effort to learn all she could about the catering industry. ‘If
you want to run a successful business, you need to have certain skills, and it
must be run in a professional way.’
‘So many
businesses do not make it because their owners simply do not understand how to
run a company properly, but there is help available.’
Makhathini
is a firm advocate of programmes such as those run by Raizcorp, which help
entrepreneurs understand basic business principles and equip them with the
skills, tools and expertise they need to succeed. ‘I could not have done this
without them,’ Makhathini said.
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