Acclaimed business mogul and global speaker Vusi Thembekwayo, was the topic of discussion as his second book Vusi: Business and Life Lessons from a Black Dragon took centre stage at the monthly Business Book Club meeting on 4 September at The Capital 20 West in Morningside.
The non-profit book club invites guest authors to showcase and share insight into their newest releases. Conversation, interaction and networking between authors and entrepreneurs remains a top priority for the club, founder Jacques Velleman shared.
As entrance is at no charge, attendees are requested to donate a used business or educational book which will be handed over to community schools and libraries.
Thembekwayo describes his book as ‘Vusi 2.0’ as he believes it to be a step up from his first book but he still had a long road ahead. “I have three more versions to go. I kind of have my story about when I die, what I would like my life to look like.”
The renowned Dragon’s Den judge explored his upbringing and journey in the business sphere, not afraid to lay vulnerable before the book club.
“I speak about the glories and the successes; I don’t really share the dark days – last year was a dark year for me,” he admitted. Thembekwayo shared the toll his ‘six-day a week’ business life had taken on his personal life.
“You know businesses are very selfish things, they are like babies. When you have them, no one will care for it like the mother would. You can hire the best people, but no one is going to lie awake at 11pm at night worried about your business.”
But lessons were learnt and things have turned around for the Thembekwayo Empire this year with expansions in New York, London and Nigeria.
“Things are looking good but God was trying to teach me that in last year ‘you are not special, you’re not a unicorn’. Everybody goes through it and you’re going to go through it. The up’s and down’s of entrepreneurship are there,” he concluded.
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