ORT Jet Beneficiary Story
An Interview with Sarah Motshwane Sebetola
Who is Sarah?
“Sarah is a woman of God, a mother, businesswoman, student and a life-long learner. I am empowered, and I like to empower other people.”
What were your beginnings?
“Initially, I never really had the entrepreneurial spirit, even though I used to sell lollipops to get transport money to and from school. I have had some work experiences throughout my adult life, but what helped me have the entrepreneurial spirit that I have today is my late husband. He shared the vision of Tshepiso Branding Solutions with me, and together, we were able to make this business work and succeed. I’m sure he’s smiling down on us and is proud that when he taught me I was teachable enough to be able to carry on even in his absence. It means a lot to us that we are able to honour his legacy by ensuring our customers continued excellence on all business fronts.”
What has helped you to stay above water?
“Our core functions at Tshepiso Branding Solutions are indoor & outdoor signage, vehicle branding, billboards/street pole ads, printing services, graphic design and digital strategy & execution. Even though we were equally hit by the effects of the lockdown, we were able to remain in business by focusing on the graphic design and digital branding solutions that enabled us and other small businesses to remain sustainable regardless of the effects of the pandemic.”
What would you say to the next girl who wants to be like you?
“My advice is to get a mentor as it is one of the most effective things to do when wanting to start a business, the reason why I say this is because with a mentor, you will be able to pick their brain, and your chances of failure are less.
I also advise that you ask for help because no man is an island, and there is always room for improvement. Always position yourself how you want to be perceived and try by all means to network and use that to grow your net worth!”
