Student entrepreneurs say it is possible

“I started generating money from family and friends which helped me pay for my models and also register the business. The money I make really makes life better for me as well as the business.”

Reitumetse Mahope

January 6, 2019

Ntokozo Mdluli fashion designs worn by his models. Photo: Supplied

Students are ruling out the notion that to follow their entrepreneurship dreams and passions they must drop out of college or wait until their done with their studies.

Ntokozo Mdluli, founder of Brommandostudios is a first-year fashion design Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) student.

Brommandostudios designs and makes quality male and female clothing.

Mdluli said he started the business “on the side to kill two birds with one stone” in 2016 with the release of his capsule collection.

“I started generating money from family and friends which helped me pay for my models and also register the business. The money I make really makes life better for me as well as the business.”

Thulani Prince Mlangeni, a TUT fine arts student, has decided to follow the same route.

Mlangeni is an emerging South African Contemporary House Music Producer, Remixer, who has been running his own visual arts and music production company since 2015.

Both entrepreneurs said juggling school and business was very challenging at times.

“Being in class every day of the week needs for me to stay focused. But with my company I’m able to afford some of my needs through mostly bookings and art commissions,” Mlangeni said.

Mdluli said there were occasions when he had to skip class “for urgent meetings”.

The two said balancing the two aspects of life was “no joke” but they made it work by sacrificing time, money and studies to grow their businesses.

Mdluli said students needed to get into the habit of pursuing their studies knowing what they would do when they were done.

The students said school was great but “that is not guaranteed to work for all of us. So it would be a positive step to try other interests to make a living”.