Dawn Park entrepreneurs all about making a huge impression
The Zookeepa name was inspired by the country's monetary notes, which have the Big Five printed on them. Usually one would find these majestic creatures in a zoo, and if one had to keep them, you would be classified as a zookeeper.
Zookeepa clothing brand owners Neo Mogomotsi and Lethola Tsalong, two entrepreneurs from Dawn Park, are constantly seeking new ways to take their products to the people, but perhaps more importantly, the duo strives to encourage entrepreneurial excellence among the youth.
Their business, which specialises in manufacturing garments and printing on clothing, was founded a decade ago when five friends were headed to a party at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT).
They decided that they were going to wear T-shirts specifically designed for the occasion with the word ‘Siyabangena’ written on them, which directly translates to ‘We are entering them’, but could also mean ‘We are going to make an impression’.
Mogomotsi said: “At the time, Siyabangena was the famous phrase that everyone kept on using. After we went to the party, everybody wanted the Siyabangena T-shirts and that’s how the business started. We realised that there was a market, so we started selling to the TUT students and the rest is history.”
As time progressed, three of the five friends decided that the business was not for them, leaving Mogomotsi and Tsalong to lead what later became a brand.
“We later changed the name to Zookeepa, but it was already on the Siyabangena T-shirt. We decided that we needed to come up with a brand name. Even though the Siyabangena advert was on the front, we needed a brand name.
“The Zookeepa Siyabangena T-shirts sold like hot cakes.”
Mogomotsi and Tsalong run a pop-up store on the first and last weekend of every month at the Dawn Park shisa nyama, where the bulk of their customers can find them.
Manufacturing is done in Vosloorus, where they own a factory. They can also be found at markets, including the BrownSense Market in Midrand and the Bahama Bar Sunday Cookout in KwaThema.
Their products also include sweaters, caps and bucket hats, to list a few.
“Lethola is my best friend,” explained Mogomotsi.
“We grew up together. We met in 1995 in a bus when we attended Freeway Park Primary together. We also went to the same high school.
“I went to Wits and he went to TUT and even after university, we kept our friendship. I trust him. What I’ve learnt is that you can’t do business with people you don’t trust and I trust him like my brother. We grew up together and we are still growing together.”
The two partners said they want people to know their brand as a lifestyle brand, and they are trying to push the go-getting lifestyle, hence Siyabangena.
They added that they are pushing stewardship: leaving things better than they found them. That’s how they want people to remember Zookeepa – they want everyone to become a zookeeper.
“Our long-term vision is to become the top brand in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) area and we also want to be internationally recognised,” said Mogomotsi.
“Our other vision is to have a store where other local brands, which are similar to Zookeepa, can be sold, so we’d have different kasi (township) brands that are strictly local.
“That’s where we want to take it. We want to have a platform for entrepreneurs to showcase their products and services through our store because I think it’s an opportunity for young South Africans and up-and-coming entrepreneurs.
“We do not have access to the market, so our vision includes creating that access through stores in all major retail malls, where we can have local brands, including our brand, in one store,” said Mogomotsi.
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