Local turns to entrepreneurship after employment hardships
Being retrenched because of the pandemic has opened a new door of opportunities for Florah Nene, an upcoming entrepreneur who is taking her hustle to the next level.
Being retrenched because of the pandemic has opened a new door of opportunities for Florah Nene, an upcoming entrepreneur who is taking her hustle to the next level.
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Nene founded Flo’s Sauce after she got retrenched in 2020 when the pandemic hit our shores and last week, she was announced as the winner of the TECNO Hustle Hub challenge.
She walked away with a R80, 000 cash prize which will provide a much needed cash injection to her start-up.
“I love food and cooking. I was doing this a side hustle until I got retrenched during the pandemic. That’s when I decided to turn my full attention to it and make it a business,” explained Nene.
The TECNO Hustle Hub is an entrepreneur challenge spearheaded by the cellphone brand to empower local entrepreneurs who have been pushing their side hustles online.
This year the challenge received more than 700 entries which were cut down to a shortlist of eight hustlers who made it to last week’s finale.
Tasked with the difficult responsibility of choosing the winner was a panel of judges made up of Mohale Motaung, Mbalenhle Zakwe, Zabelo Hlabisa and Sanele Mkhize.
Motaung agreed that it was not easy to choose one winner from a list all the talented young hustlers who showcased their business ideas.
He said: “All eight finalists really impressed us with their pitches. Choosing just one of them as a winner was extremely difficult.
“That being said, in the end the person we chose as the Hustle Hub winner was a step ahead of the other competitors and delivered an extraordinary pitch that ultimately sealed the deal for us.”
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Due to the impressive pitches delivered by the finalists, the judges had to also award the second and third runner ups with cash prizes as well.
The TECNO Hustle Hub initiative is not just a platform for local entrepreneurs to showcase their businesses but it is also a way of encouraging young people to make a living from what they love in the digital age.
Zikona Captain, PR Manager for TECNO said they were happy to have made a different in a young entrepreneur’s life and their business.
“We are thrilled with the outcome and so proud of Florah for bagging first place, it was well-deserved indeed,” she said.
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