#WIB – Q&A With Suraya Williams Owner Of Design26
1. Can you please tell us more about your business?
A. Design26 is a 100% women-owned business. Registered as a (Pty) Ltd. We manufacture women’s ready to wear clothing, homeware, slogan-printed baby vest, and a range of breastfeeding Pj’s and tops. We operate as a hybrid model in collaboration with our organisation Design26 Foundation NPC who offers free FP&M SETA Accredited sewing skills training to teenage mothers and underprivileged girls of the Cape Flats. Before Covid19 we specialised in custom-made matric ball and wedding dresses. Post Covid19 we were forced to relook at our product offerings and pivoted to manufacturing a broader range of products.
2. When, how and why did you start your business?
A. It was always a dream of my late mother who was a dressmaker and CMT in our local community that I follow in her footsteps, but after she was retrenched in 1984 I secretly scoffed at these ideas. After her passing on my birthday hence the name Design26, I discovered my true gift and passion.
With 14 years experience in corporate and having never worked in the clothing manufacturing industry before nor did I have a tertiary education in design, I reincarnated a dream and started Design26 from my bedroom with 2 inherited sewing machines and a R500 to open a business bank account.
3. What is your role in the business?
A. I work full time in the business and currently wear many hats.
4. Where did you study and what did you study?
A. I matriculated in 1996 and in 1997 did a 1-year secretarial diploma at Lee-Adams Training Institute. In 2015 I completed a 9-month small business management course at the University of Stellenbosch Small Business Management Centre. In 2019 I did a Facilitator, Assessor, and Moderators course an MI Learning and Development Institute.
5. How did you finance your business?
A. The business was self-funded and from small profits and self-sacrifice I managed to buy more machinery as the business grew.
6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.
A. My average workday would be getting up to pray at 4 am. Go back to bed until 6h00 in the morning. Get my kids ready for school and at 8h00 jump straight into any leftover work from the day before. Attend to any administration work. Make sure staff is instructed on the day’s work and any plans I have for the day. Go through social media to check on any new engagements and followers or potential customers or business leads.
Attend online meetings if any were scheduled for the day. Fetch the kids at 14h30. Return home and make sure the 11year old starts his homework while at the same time I go upstairs to check on the work progress. Sometimes I would do the physical work myself if cash flow is low. I would stop working at 17h00 hours and attend to family and make supper for the evening. After that, I would again go onto social media post any adverts or personal or business achievements. On a Monday morning, I facilitate the sewing skills classes.
7. How do you balance your home life and your work life?
A. Most of the time I am flooded with work but try to have a balance and it only started after Whatsapp introduced Whatsapp Business that I implemented the out-of-office reply and only attend to any business queries and messages during working hours. Separating work from home is very challenging sometimes because my business is run from home. I have a very supportive husband and kids and they understand and share in my vision and mission. I try not to look at emails over weekends and after hours.
8. What drives you and inspires you?
A. Knowing that I have made a difference in someone’s life and because of me, that person did not give up. This is my main reason for getting up in the morning is knowing that I was blessed with the ability to change the lives and circumstances of women who lives in my community.
9. Where and when do you have your best ideas?
A. I have a little notebook next to my bed and at night before I fall asleep and my mind wanders off I often think of ways and strategies to grow my business and how it could positively impact other women. At night when I’m relaxed and not stressed I come up with the best ideas and sometimes want to act on them but have to tell myself, it is late and I cannot message or email anyone and I will write it in my little book for the next morning to action.
10. Where and how do you market/advertise your business for sales leads?
A. I mostly market and advertise on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram because it is free but sales and marketing is not one of my strongest points in the business.
11. What is next for your business?
A. We are in the process of saving capital to purchase land to develop and move to bigger premises. To access bigger markets to eradicate cashflow problems and to employ more staff on a permanent basis.
12. What advice would you give to female entrepreneurs hoping to start their own business?
A. I always describe starting a business as a first trimester of pregnancy. Once you have the idea or passion, you are excited and as the months go on you will face many challenges but you not going to terminate the pregnancy (business) and similar to that my question to any female entrepreneur who is starting out and thinking of giving up when doors are being closed is “Don’t you want to see what happens when you don’t give up”?
Running a business is very challenging and if you have to have a supportive partner or environment in order to be successful in pursuing your dream. Get up, get dressed and show up! It is important that you get your family, friends, and circle to understand your vision. Don’t start a business to want to make money but to make a difference. Money will come but not immediately so make sure you are financially stable. (words from the heart of a social entrepreneur) J
Contact Information:
Contact: +27 81 765 9060
Email: info@design26.co.za
Social Media Links:
https://www.facebook.com/design26za
https://www.linkedin.com/in/design26/
https://www.instagram.com/design26za/