KAYLA Gleiser is on a mission to help 1000 small businesses in 1000 days amidst the Covid-19 pandemic and financial crisis.
Gleiser is hoping to assist others through her company, South Africans that Rise, Invent, Validate and Empower (Strive).
The company was founded in 2014 as a modelling agency when Gleiser had the idea to assist and empower 365 people in 365 days.
Joining Gleiser on the Strive team are Megan De Wet, Emily Durby, Sarah-Anne Van der Haer, Shannon Van Rooijen and Drew Wilkonson who is relocating from Johannesburg to Durban to join the team.
“We understand that the only way to succeed is by working together and truly using our skills to help each other. When Covid-19 hit, people who I had worked with in the past came forward and said they didn’t know what their next step was. I suggested they find someone with a skill and work with them. And for some, that’s the only way they made an income and put food on the table for two months. So now we are doing the same thing, but on a much bigger scale,” said Gleiser.
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“We are trying to join businesses with customers and consumers as well as people who want to independently work for themselves,” added Van der Haer.
Sommerset Park based entrepreneur, Nicci Willis of NicciNoo Creations has signed up for assistance from Strive.
“I think the initiative is wonderful. I have a business at home where I make various crafts. I can make anything, but I find it difficult to sell my own products. So the way they help you with marketing is exactly what I need. They have been very efficient,” she said.
While the service is free, Strive adds a percentage onto products sold to cover their costs.
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“I would like to be able to make sure my team can look after their families as well. The percentage added on won’t come from the business owners, it will purely come from products sold with the added percentage on,” said Gleiser.
For more information, call Strive on 063 688 6920.
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