Vincent Mphaphathe is a 23-year-old entrepreneur from the village of Phase 4 Sekhukune Limpopo who has made a name for himself in the business world. From a young age, Vincent knew he wanted to become a successful entrepreneur and with hard work and dedication, he has managed to achieve his dreams.
Vincent’s entrepreneurial journey started while he was still a student at the University of Pretoria. He sold carpets and socks to students and established an internet cafe for students who needed access to printing, scanning, and emailing documents. However, due to high competition and digital advancements, that part of his entrepreneurial journey did not go well as planned.
Determined not to give up, Vincent sat back and rethought his strategy. He knew he wanted to build his own brand in the market space but needed to find a product that best suited customer needs. After reviewing business people’s profiles and what they do for a living, Vincent came up with the idea of a simple dishwashing liquid that could give customers satisfaction, affordability, and reliability.
To learn more about the business of liquid dishwashing, Vincent reached out to a young entrepreneur on Facebook who guided him through the proper procedure to get the idea running. Vincent then enrolled for a course that educates and trains individuals on how to make their own liquid dishwasher, which he completed in just one week. However, capital was his biggest issue, and he had to use his allowances to purchase materials and ingredients.
To further build his entrepreneur profile, Vincent enrolled in an entrepreneurial course at the University of Pretoria, which gave him knowledge and exposure to business. He would also attend conferences about entrepreneurship at the University of Witwatersrand, where different entrepreneurs would share their experiences and knowledge.
Vincent Mphaphathe sells on the street
Being a young black emerging entrepreneur was not easy for Vincent. He would sell on the streets of Pretoria, approaching students in Hatfield one at a time, where he would get rejected and demotivated by their level of interest in purchasing his products. When he began selling his liquid dishwashing product, it became even more challenging because students preferred buying well-known products that had been in the market for a long time. However, Vincent was motivated to keep challenging himself and learning something new every day.
Vincent’s motto about business is “Make your product easier to buy than your competition, or you will find your customers buying from them, not you.” He ensured to keep his LiquiBubbles product as reasonable as possible for customers to purchase while maintaining reliability and customer satisfaction. Vincent also used social media and posters to advertise and build his brand to become known, not just for purchasing but also for knowing the name.
Vincent’s hard work and dedication have paid off, and he has become a well-established young black entrepreneur. His story is an inspiration to many young people who want to achieve their dreams, regardless of their circumstances.
Should you wish to support this young man you can get him on this number on whatsapp +27 76 726 6147 his dishwashing soap only costs R25.
