Founder Resiliency Stories: Motupa Enterprises
Founders Resiliency Stories:
Motupa Enterprises
Puleng Motupa, Founder of Motupa Enterprises.
COVID-19 has wreaked havoc on small businesses throughout South Africa with the country implementing one of the world’s strictest lockdowns. However, for ygap South Africa alumni, Motupa Enterprises, COVID-19 has created a unique opportunity for the venture pivoting from manufacturing cloth constructed slow-cookers to producing cloth face masks, positioning themselves as an essential product provider and thus enabling them to continue to trade during the lockdown period.
“4856 people are currently using my masks to prevent COVID-19 and that makes me the happiest young entrepreneur ever!” remarked Motupa Enterprises founder, Puleng Motupa.
The ygap South Africa team spoke with Motupa Enterprise CEO and founder, Puleng Motupa about the opportunities that have emerged out of COVID-19 and how Motupa Enterprises has responded to these emerging opportunities.
How has COVID-19 affected Motupa Enterprise?
COVID-19 has created new opportunities for Motupa Enterprise. Using the same materials that we use for our slow cookers, we’ve introduced cloth face marks. By introducing a new product, we’ve seen an increase in sales and have already sourced an international client in the healthcare industry. We’ve been able to re-position ourselves as an essential product provider enabling us to continue to trade during South Africa’s COVID-19 lockdown period.
What support is Motupa Enterprise providing to those affected by COVID-19?
As a business that is manufacturing cloth face masks, we are providing essential products in helping to stop the spread of COVID-19. Since April, we have sold over 4000 masks across three provinces in South Africa and have sold 1000 masks to France. As a result, Motupa Enterprise is well positioned to experience growth during these very difficult times.
What have been the challenges you’ve faced?
With orders coming in from across the country, we’ve experienced distribution challenges because of the distances. To meet the growing demand for face masks, we’ve requested support from the government to help deliver our product to different provinces in the country, but to no avail. So we’ve had to focus on building our own business and are now looking to partner with courier companies that are able to operate during the lockdown to help us supply the growing demand for our product across the various regions of the country.
What are the key ingredients for overcoming challenges?
It’s a combination of a number of things. It’s the pursuit of a passion and the drive to make a positive impact in the world. It’s the ability to create new things and respond to opportunities that emerge.
How have you been able to adapt so fast in the face of a pandemic?
With the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown, SMMEs across South Africa are faced with a lot of challenges. It is up to business owners to either become the fish or the shark of the ocean. I want Motupa to be a shark and have the ability to adapt in every situation. For us, COVID-19 has brought new opportunities, new product lines, and a widened customer base. Using key materials from a different product line, Motupa has pivoted its business model and introduced cloth face masks which are now mandatory for all South Africans when in public.
What does a post covid-19 world look like for Motupa Enterprise?
It looks like an ocean filled with lots of fish to catch! It will be full of opportunities.
Motupa Enterprise manufactures non-electric, cloth-based slow cookers that cook food without the use of electricity, fire, gas or solar power. They also use the offcuts to manufacture cushions and pillows. Visit Motupa Enterprise Facebook page here.
Puleng Motupa was a participant in the ygap South Africa 2019 program.
