Page 19 - Winning Women 2017

BWASA 19

ENTREPRENEURS
JUDGES’ NOTES

SUE HADCROFT:
Entrepreneurship forms a Managing director of Cubicle Solutions
significant part of the South
African economy.
“[This category] is so important roudly South African,
because a lot of women out Sue Hadcroft
there who are entrepreneurs Pimmigrated to South
don’t find the recognition that Africa from the United
they deserve,” said Dr Thandi Kingdom in 2003.
Ndlovu, who won the “I am very proud to say that I and
entrepreneur award in 2013. my family choose to live in South
“And because we don’t Africa and are also celebrating our
recognise them and don’t make citizenship that we were granted in
a big song and dance about May,” she says.
them, young people have no Eight years ago, the Hadcrofts started
idea about the fantastic women their business, Cubicle Solutions, which
out there who are doing great manufactures waterproof toilet and
things.” shower cubicle systems.
Another judge, Dumisani Her husband, Alan, realised there was significant for gym clients, including
Mthombeni, highlighted the a gap in the market where a particular Virgin Active and Planet Fitness.
gruelling process that candidates waterproof and robust board was “Also, with the green movement being
in this category undertake. available but not used for this type of very prominent, the fact that all of our
“In the entrepreneurial category application. products are ‘green’ was very relevant
you should have been physically “It was more of a concept at the and extremely important.”
involved in running the business beginning because we had no trading Hadcroft’s official title is managing
or setting up the business. The history or projects to refer to. Then we director. This makes her responsible for
auditors want to look at the landed our first project, which was to everything from the company’s
financials for the past three years manufacture and install the toilet marketing and sales strategy to the
at least. cubicles for the new Fifa head offices in financial control of the business and
“So there are quite a few Sandton in 2009, a year ahead of the “day to day” general management.
submissions that one has to do World Cup.” The business’ growth over the past
in order to meet the criteria – They developed the range in 2011 eight years has created nearly 60 jobs in
and it’s audited by KPMG,” said when lockers, benches and locker-bench KwaZulu-Natal, the Western Cape and
Mthombeni. combinations were added. This proved Gauteng.
The 2015 entrepreneur of the
year and owner of Blue Platinum
Events, Lee den Hond, said she ENTREPRENEURS
was looking for people who were
“very driven”.
“But it’s also not only about BARBARA FARRELL:
what they are doing in their Owner of the Udec Group
business but also what they
are doing outside of business,
with a great focus on the The “100% shareholder of
empowerment of women in Udec” isn’t big on titles and
South Africa.” doesn’t introduce herself as
Ndlovu was very impressed the owner. But she is very
with the candidates. involved in the day-to-day
“I’m bowled over. The quality of running of the business and loves
candidates is exceptional. From visiting her customers.
having looked at their profiles Farrell “started small” in 2004, running
and CV and what they have done, the business on her own with just a
I would expect nothing less,” said handful of products.
Ndlovu. “As my knowledge and experience
grew, I increased the product portfolio.
Today, I am very proud to say that we
offer the most comprehensive range of
adsorbents and purification catalysts in is to be an entrepreneur,” she says.
the refining, petrochemical and mining Farrell completed her schooling in
industries.” Cape Town.
Farrell puts the success of the Udec “I am dyslexic, so school was a huge
Group down to her “excellent team challenge for me; I really needed to learn
consisting of only women” and expert to be resourceful to make it through.”
management from the operations and Farrell found a flair for languages, and
sales/marketing managers. has lived in numerous countries,
Farrell, who comes from a family of including Singapore (where she learnt to
entrepreneurs, was born in Germany. Her speak Mandarin) and Russia (where she
parents moved to South Africa in 1982. learnt to speak Russian). She is also
“I come from a hardworking family and fluent in German and French.
money was always tight. My parents “My biggest driver has always been to
taught me to be tough and think logically. be independent. I believe that the
My father started his own business when strength of a person lies in the ability to
I was 12 and I saw first-hand how hard it get yourself out of any situation.”