Young up-and-coming entrepreneur on the rise in KwaThema

KwaThema – Themba Mpepuka (26), born and raised in KwaThema, has embarked on an entrepreneurial journey.

Formerly known as producer and DJ Stormical, Themba, the founder of Long Run Productions, says being an entrepreneur is something he was born to do.

“I fell in love with selling things from a very young age and started by selling sweets when I was in Grade Four.”

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Long Run Productions is a local branding and promotions company located in KwaThema.

The company was established in 2009.

Long Run Clothing is a branch of the company.

“I decided to extend my business because people in my community kept asking me where they can print T-shirts and caps. I saw an opportunity and started offering those services.”

Themba says the community has been very supportive and encouraging and that is one of the things which also keep him going, even when faced with obstacles.

He went to Thembalikazulu Primary School and Phulong Secondary School and graduated from the Tshwane University of Technology in 2016 with a national diploma in entrepreneurship.

Although he is a qualified entrepreneur, he still faced many challenges when he started and even today still comes across hardships.

“When I started, I worked with a friend, but that didn’t work out.

“We didn’t have much information about the structure of the business we were entering into,” says Themba.

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Themba says capital remains a major problem, but he is very happy with the progress and fully believes in his company.

He says the advice he would like to give to young up-and-coming entrepreneurs is to start with what they have and do as much research as possible. Also, to know their target market and provide a detailed business plan when seeking funding.

“Be passionate about what you do and remember that information is key,” says Themba.