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YOGAN NAIDOO

Y ogan Naidoo is the CEO and founder of years. The company focuses on interrogating the a thriving business, but soon realised they had

two distinct businesses: Business Solutions
business cases for both public and private sector
“bought a lemon.” Yogan recalls sitting at home on
projects. Yogan attributes his success in this field
Africa and Black City Records.
the 25th of the month, with no money in the bank
His journey began in the small town of to his “analytical mindset and structured approach and numerous bills to pay. This experience taught
to business,” which has enabled him to articulate
him “the power of negotiation” and the importance
Isipingo, near the South Coast of Durban, before business cases effectively and deliberate the of resilience and discipline. Despite the initial
moving to Chatsworth, which he considers more viability of various ventures. setbacks, they managed to run the business for
formative to his upbringing. Chatsworth, according seven more years before selling it and taking a well-
to Yogan, was a “vibrant, gregarious, and socially Black City Records, on the other hand, is a passion deserved nine-month holiday.
active” environment, despite being a working-class project that Yogan founded to fulfil a long-held
district. He recalls his time at Apollo High School dream of working in the music industry. “My first Yogan believes in reminding his teams of their
in Chatsworth, where he was expelled for student choice of a career would have been a musician, but purpose, especially when facing challenges. “Why
activism along with about 30 others in his matric you just couldn’t create a healthy income to support are we doing this? Why are we here?” are questions
year. Despite this setback, Yogan and his fellow a family,” he explains. The Black City Records team he frequently asks his team. He emphasises the
activists were able to write their matric exams at focuses on producing world-class music for both importance of the impact their work has on
another school, earning exemptions that allowed national and international audiences. Yogan is the communities, particularly in creating jobs in a
them to continue their education. principal songwriter and works closely with a co- country with a 64% youth unemployment rate.
producer, and the label has already seen success
Yogan went on to study industrial psychology at the with two number-one hits on East Coast Radio. “There’s nothing better than calling somebody and
University of the Witwatersrand and subsequently “That’s an achievement I’m particularly proud of telling them, ‘You’re now employed,’” he says.
won the Wits Business School New Venture Creation because I felt a bit vindicated in the sense that we BE KIND
Award. In the early 2000s, he was awarded the are on the right path,” he says. All of this comes
prestigious Nelson Mandela Scholarship, which took together with a phenomenally talented team of The youth he works with, particularly their dreams,
him to London to complete his MBA. “I met Madiba committed individuals. aspirations, and optimism despite challenging
twice, once at the Dorchester Hotel in London, and circumstances, provide Yogan with much inspiration.
secondly at his foundation in Houghton. It was just Despite his achievements in music, Yogan recognises “There’s a narrative about our youth that is
magical,” he recalls. Reflecting on this experience, he that he’s “too old now to be hanging around in sometimes misleading, but that’s not the case with
notes, “That was a turning point in my life in terms of clubs at midnight.” Instead, the company focuses on the majority of the youth that we’ve met,” he asserts.
taking business a lot more seriously.” nurturing young talent, writing and producing music, He is also inspired by the resilience of people in his
and helping artists like Gwyn, who he describes as
He now looks forward to pursuing a PhD, though “inspirational” due to her work ethic and vision. community, who “wake up every day, no matter how
balancing life, business, and studies presents its overwhelming those circumstances are, to get up,
own challenges. TRIUMPH AND DISASTER go look for a job or start a business.”

Yogan’s first job was as a bellhop at the Malibu The best advice Yogan has ever received is to “take Looking ahead, Yogan is optimistic about the
Hotel on Durban’s promenade during the December the emotion out of it.” He elaborates, “Don’t take future of business in KwaZulu-Natal. He is inspired
holiday season. He recalls this experience with a things personally... the people that succeed are the by the “political maturity” he sees in the province
sense of irony, given his slight frame at the time. “If people that remain calm.” This advice has helped and the renewed sense of energy in the business
you think I’m thin now, I was super skinny then, and him maintain a level-headed approach to business, community. “I’m particularly inspired by the
I was having to lug all this luggage all the way up especially in challenging situations. He references Government of Provincial Unity,” he says, noting
to all those rooms,” he says, highlighting the physical a line from Rudyard Kipling’s poem If: “If you can that despite the challenges, the investment into
demands of the job. meet with Triumph and Disaster and treat those two the province is “just exponential.”
impostors just the same.” For Yogan, understanding
A PASSION PROJECT that both triumph and disaster are part of the same Yogan’s motto is simple: “Be kind.” He explains, “You
journey has been key to his success. have no idea what anybody is going through in
Currently, Yogan’s two businesses are as different their lives and what they bring to the workplace.”
as they are complementary. Business Solutions One of the toughest challenges Yogan faced For Yogan, kindness is not just a personal value but
Africa is a project management and consulting was when he and his wife bought a coffee shop a guiding principle in his approach to business and
firm that has been operating for around 20 in Montclair Mall. Initially, they believed it to be life. ‘Life is short,’ he concluded.
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