Page 6 - KZN Business Sense 7.4

FAMILY

BUSINESS

THANK YOU

KZN for your on going support and trusting
us since 1979

The Hirsch family – Margaret, Richard, Luci and Allan.

his category was Natal for the last 42 Shop safely on SA’s most trusted ONLINE appliance and TV store - www.hirschs.co.za
open to businesses years and have become
Twhere the majority a household name.
ownership remains within Hirsch’s started off
a family (or multi-family) small in 1979 with just
structure, and where R900 saved by Allan and
more than one generation Margaret. Today they are stores are located in management team who Grandparents, who shopped
contributes to the success the largest independently KwaZulu-Natal, the Cape the executive director, have a strong commitment at Hirsch’s when they were
of the business. owned electronics and and Gauteng. Richard is the CEO to the same goals. in their teens, still shop with
appliance retail outlet and Luci is the voice of them – alongside their own
The winner is: in southern Africa with The whole family is Hirsch’s and the brand Hirsch’s are not simply a children and grandchildren.
family owned business,
HIRSCH’S a turnover well over the involved in the day-to- manager. As a family,
billion rand mark. The day business operations. the Hirsch’s form but they have watched The finalists are:
Hirsch’s have been chain of mega appliance Allan is the founder and a formidable force the families that shop ■ The Ramsi Group
operating in KwaZulu- and home furnishing chairman, Margaret is supported by their with them grow. Today ■ Beekman Group

BUSINESS PERSONALITY

he prestigious However, he stresses the engage with each one of
Standard Bank need to be humble in one’s these groups.
TKZN Top Business attitude to business success.
Personality award 2021 went “Humbleness will take you He added, “Customers are
always looking for quality,
to Ashok Sewnarain the everywhere, arrogance
founder and chairman of will take you nowhere.” service and value which
(IBV), International Vaults. He added that the other are the fundamentals of
The honorary award is leadership characteristics any business success.”
given to a person who has required were respect, Significantly, family are
demonstrated, “exemplary integrity, simplicity, and often your business mentors
business achievement, keeping things straight. directly and indirectly and
industry influence and is a Sewnarain emphasised their importance should not
true inspiration to others”. that business is about be underestimated.
In May 2005, Sewnarain relationships and the In addition, he says,
opened the first private vault ecosystem in which “Covid-19 is an awesome
in Umhlanga’s Gateway you operate, which opportunity to share
Mall. Since then, IBV has includes all stakeholders: ideas and to assist young
grown exponentially and family, staff, suppliers, entrepreneurs so that
operates branches globally partners, customers, and we grow the business
in London, Switzerland, community including industry by default,
and Dubai. the underprivileged. It alleviating unemployment
was necessary, he said, to and poverty.” 
Sewnarain subscribes to the
philosophy that says one
should persevere and be
determined to pursue one’s
dreams in whatever business
one chooses. He says that
the mantra of business is
to dream big and to double
your dreams. Commenting
on his business initiatives,
he says, “There is no
perfect formula. Don’t be
afraid to try and try again,
don’t be afraid to have
failures because failure is a
steppingstone to success.” Ashok Sewnarain received the Business Personality of the Year award

6