From small beginnings, great things!

MASERU-BIRTHED in a classroom three years ago, Autovest Lesotho has emerged as a giant in the country’s car repair and maintenance industry. It has grown into the go-to-one-stop vehicle fitment shop for rubberising, smash and grab safety film, paint protection, motor mark and interior protection. Fully owned by Basotho, it epitomizes the famed African proverb: “If you want to go fast, go alone… if you want to go far, go together.” In 2017, Selloane Sekamane and her classmates, after being challenged by their lecturer during a discussion on investments, started a group savings scheme. She was attending accountancy classes at St Joseph’s High School. Though not everyone could afford the M1 000 monthly contributions, 25 of them put the saving scheme into motion. According to Sekamane, the then students did not even know the type of business they would get into when they started the scheme. “All we knew was that we wanted to go into business,” she said. At the end of that year, members decided to register a company called Crosslink Investment and Consultancy. “As accountants we thought of opening a business consultancy that would help with business plans and bookkeeping, among other things,” Sekamane said. “However, the idea never took off the ground,” she said. That was when a suggestion came up to open a one-stop fitment shop that would save Basotho motorists time and costs associated with going to either Bloemfontein or Gauteng in South Africa for services like rubberising and smash and grab. The group undertook a study tour to Autovest in Gauteng. “We loved what we saw so much that in September 2018, we opened the doors of our very own Autovest Lesotho,” said Sekamane. Bringing Autovest to Lesotho, she said, was still financially challenging as most group members were “strictly students” and could not afford the M1 000 monthly contribution. They decided to take a bank loan to enable them to pay the down payment that Autovest needed. Most members, she said, had gone into the business with the hope of creating their own jobs and hoping to dodge prevalent high unemployment rates. “Unfortunately, the going got tough and due to the nature of business we had settled on, we could only employ one person from the group due to the type of skills needed in the business.” Soon after opening its doors, covering operating costs became a challenge and by then only six members were still contributing. “We were seriously struggling. Some thought that within a few months we would be making money but that is not how things work. It usually takes time for a business to cover the cost of its operations, let alone make profits,” Sekamane said. Things got so bad that the few who were carrying the burden of paying for operating costs also wanted out. “We were now tapping into our family finances, covering the monthly contributions and operating costs like electricity, internet and rent. Just when we thought of throwing in the towel, our landlord proposed to buy shares using his property and relieved us of the rent burden,” Sekamane said. Another frustration was that of not being able to add other products to their bouquet despite clients asking for such services to avoid breaking franchise rules. “Business was not doing well, we still had royalties to pay and yet we could try raising funds with other services like headlights restoration, windscreen installation and repairs.” Sekamane added that another disadvantage was their location, as their workshop was out of town deep in Masowe II. “Most people were struggling to find us,” Sekamane said. Though things were tough, business started picking up and the company clinched Toyota Lesotho as a client and the likes of Mdlokovana. “That showed us that there was indeed light at the end of the tunnel. We were humbled that they trusted us enough to work on their vehicles. We also got inspired by their story and realised that we should not detest our humble beginnings, with time we will also thrive.” The more work the business did, the more referrals they received from clients. “Having clients tell us that they were referred to us by colleagues, friends or family also showed us that clients were happy with our work.” At some point, the shop would be so busy that they would doubt if they would be able to deliver. “Each and every time we have not only been able to deliver but also we have been able to shock ourselves by beating the set deadline.” The sale of Autovest South Africa last year also relieved Autovest Lesotho of the burden of paying royalties, enabling the company to utilise that money for operations. Sekamane said that the Covid-19 pandemic also slowed down business significantly. However, business is picking up again after the easing of lockdown restrictions. According to Sekamane though they have faced a plethora of challenges, “we are very proud that we did not throw in the towel because today we have families whose livelihood comes from us and hope that in the future more jobs will be created”. Today Autovest Lesotho employs six people. “We would not be here had it not been the dedication and efficiency of our staff members. They are really our heroes,” she said. Lemohang Rakotsoane