As youth month draws to a close, Indira Tsengiwe has an rousing parting shot to contemporaries who vainly screen classifieds sections of newspapers looking for job vacancies. She is encouraging them to explore entrepreneurship as a first choice career path, as the job market is swarming with disillusioned graduates who cannot even get jobs as waiters or waitresses.
Some people would it odd that the whole Bachelor of Business Science: Management Studies (Finance) graduate from the University of Cape Town (UCT) from the university is running a media business. “Earlier this year I would often question myself as to whether I made the right decision by not following the traditional route of my university career. But I believe that passion is perhaps what got me here.”
The owner and founder of Youngpreneur Media, Tsengiwe has the drive that belies someone her age; some of her peers are still toying with transitory dreams of becoming the next Rihanna.
“A common lesson I have gained from my own experience and that of other young entrepreneurs is that of self belief,” she says. “Until you can get all of the issues of doubt and second guessing yourself out of the way, there is nothing much that you can achieve.”
Youngpreneur Media’s core business is to be at the forefront of entrepreneurial content creation targeted for young people, she says.
“The flagship brand of Youngpreneur Media is iamyoungpreneur. The iamyoungpreneur platform is an online stage where young entrepreneurs tell their own stories.
“Through this camaraderie inspiration is cultivated, as young entrepreneurs from around the world speak to other young entrepreneurs about their journeys (lessons learnt, opportunities found, challenges experienced) in entrepreneurship.”
While young people cite lack of finance as her main obstacle, Tsengiwe started her business without finance. From experience, she does not necessarily believe that every business needs funding to get started. “I believe that with passion and purpose almost anything can be achieved, if one is willing to look at other options to achieve certain tasks,” she says.
Tsengiwe reveals that Youngpreneur Media was funded through making strategic decisions. “The decisions we made in the early days of the business carried us till we were able to generate revenue.”
Youngpreneur Media is currently finalising a television production, three online shows and the distribution of iamyoungpreneur in Nigeria, Kenya and Ghana. It has also finalised a contract with a leading airline, Tsengiwe feels is premature to disclose.