ECONO Cartridge is a family business and we can still remember the first day as if it was yesterday – the keys to Econo Cartridge Game Centre were handed over to us and we were suddenly business owners. Yvonne van den Bergh
What a journey it has been! When I was asked to reflect on the last 15 years, I decided to start with bringing honour to God, without whom we could never be in this space – we give Him all the glory.
Our journey has taken us from this original 11m² store selling only generic cartridges and making copies, to three stores offering healthy competition to corporate giants. Econo Cartridge supplies original and generic cartridges as well as stationery for most applications.
We are incredibly grateful to every one of our staff and every customer that has crossed our doorway. During these 15 years, we opened our beautiful Stir Coffee House, within our flagship store at the Game Centre Empangeni. Stir hosted many special occasions and quite a few romances started in this memorable place as well.
The journey has not been without its challenges and as a result of Covid-19 and the looting, we were forced to make some of the toughest decisions of our lives. Every decision, though, has been to ensure the future of the business.
What have we learnt over the years?
(Well, a small selection!):
- Business is not easy but it is a GREAT feeling to meet a customer’s needs whenever we can.
- Never give up – your victory could be just hidden behind the current obstacle.
- Surround yourself with a team that is passionate about serving their community.
- Find a dream team – as a business owner, focus on successfully managing your core business and outsource the rest to other professionals e.g. accountant, social media experts etc.
- Progress over perfection – my accountant’s mantra.
- BE TEACHABLE – find the right people to support and empower you.
- Join an effective networking organisation.
- Sometimes you have to make really difficult, often soul-destroying decisions for the future and sustainability of the business.
We are incredibly grateful to every staff member that has ever been a part of both our Econo Cartridge team, as well as our Stir Coffee House team. Each brings their own unique character and energy.
We are thankful for every customer that daily crosses our doorway, we truly value your business. We are excited about 2023 and look forward to the exciting 15 years ahead. Zululand community, we salute you.
Yvonne van den Bergh
