#WIB – Q&A With Gcina Madonsela Managing Director Of Small Business Runway
1. Can you please tell us more about your business?
A. Small Business Runway is a full service business development agency. We help small businesses become profitable especially in the beginning stages through business coaching, education, sales, and marketing projects as well as social media management. We also have regular networking events that aim to expose entrepreneurs to various markets and facilitate dialogue about how to move the entrepreneurial ecosystem toward job creation.
2. When, how and why did you start your business?
A. I started this business in 2018 although I had already owned a business before. The main reason I started this business was I realised when opening my first 2 businesses that I needed help especially around strategy, sales, and marketing. Even though the internet is there with all its information right at our fingertips, I noticed as an entrepreneur I still needed a community for guidance, advice as well as the practical education about how to run my business. Started with a few networking events and now we have a community of more than 22 000 entrepreneurs and business owners who are subscribed and follow our work.
3. What is your role in the business?
A. I am currently the Managing Director, heading up day to day operations of the business.
4. Where did you study and what did you study?
A. I studied media at Boston Media House and Majored in Strategic Advertising Management.
5. How did you finance your business?
A. My business was purely financed from my pocket through some savings and one or two personal loans at the time.
6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.
A. OMG, every day is just so different! I generally try to structure my day where I’m doing sales calls and pitching the first half of the day then from lunchtime onwards it’s just some admin, planning for the next day, catching up with social media, and everything else in between.
7. How do you balance your home life and your work life?
A. My work life is my home life, to be honest. My family knows that when I’m on the grind that’s what I have to do and I make it a point to also be present and enjoy the moments when I do have some free time. Having a support system helps because they want to see you win!
8. What drives you and inspires you?
A. I am inspired when I see something thought about, created, and then nurtured into something people appreciate. I just enjoy being told that the work I’m doing has helped someone or changed their life for the better.
9. Where and when do you have your best ideas?
A. Those late-night mediations and sometimes when I sleep I just dream of some of the awesome things that I can do.
10. Where and how do you market/advertise your business for sales leads?
A. Definitely BIG on social media that includes, Facebook, IG, Twitter, LinkedIn, and Tik Tok. Social media has worked wonders for my business. Also through word of mouth.
11. What is next for your business?
A. I would really like for us to continue growing and creating services and products that will benefit the entrepreneurial ecosystem. We are working on an amazing app that will centralize our services for small businesses.
12. What advice would you give to female entrepreneurs hoping to start their own business?
A. Just start, you will figure everything out as you go along. Secondly, realize that entrepreneurship is a journey and not a destination to be reached so take time to be present in the moment, celebrate the wins, take the break if you need to, just don’t give up!
Website: https://www.businessrunway.co.za/
Address: 131 Agulhas street, Boksburg, 1459
Email Address: info@businessrunway.co.za
PhoneTell – 082 094 5799 WhatsApp – 082 094 5799