#WIB-Q&A With Janietzche Megun Founder Of LMS

1. Can you please tell us more about your business?

A. Legends Management Service “LMS” (The holding company) and Legends Gaming Solutions (A subsidiary of LMS which specifically focuses on the gaming industry) are leading providers of a range of Management, Licensing, Compliance, and transformation services for businesses in the gaming and other industries. We also offer unique platforms for Business Intelligence as well as for gambling addiction.

2. When, how and why did you start your business?

A. My business partner and I started the business in October 2018. We had both been working in the gaming industry for many years (my partner for over 28 years and myself for 6 years) and we identified a gap in the market with regards to certain services required in the industry, the fact that there are many individuals in the industry with a vast reservoir of industry knowledge that are retiring yearly (our “Legends”) and also that there were no female owned and operated companies in the industry.

The South African gaming industry is heavily regulated and many gaming companies in South Africa especially international investors require certain services that they have to source from many different service providers which always turned out to be costly and time-consuming and not all the service providers are knowledgeable in regards to the gaming regulations. My partner and I were often approached by these companies and we offered free advice to assist them and referred them to various companies that could further assist them.

This is when we decided to start up a business that offers all the services we identified under One Umbrella. A One-Stop Shop if you will. In addition, we are the first female-owned and operated gaming company with access to a large database of industry skills and expertise (our Legends). The services we offer include:

Administrative services to
1. Register a company, for VAT, PAYE, and UIF
2. Apply for gaming licenses
3. Renew gaming licenses
4. Remain compliant with gaming regulations and license requirement
Being the BBBEE partner of choice in order to comply with certain regulations
Distribution of gaming products (physical, digital, and online)
Mediation services for disputes with customers
Training and skills development for staff in the gaming industry especially women
Platforms to identify and treat gambling addiction
Gaming stats platform

3. What is your role in the business?

A. I am one of 2 Founders of the business and the President of the company. Together with my partner my role is to grow the business and its operations.

4. Where did you study and what did you study?

A. I Studied a Bcom (majoring in accounting and commercial law) at the University of Witwatersrand (WITS) and my Bcom Honours (majoring in accounting and commercial law) at the University of South Africa (UNISA).

5. How did you finance your business?

A. Since inception my business partner and I financed the business from personal cash resources.

6. Describe your average workday, if such a thing exists.

A. No workday is really average for us and each day depends on the current projects that we are working on and new business inquiries.

7. How do you balance your home life and your work life?

A. That is such a relevant question. It is sometimes difficult to juggle business and home life and keep a healthy balance yet somehow I manage. Both my business partner and I work hard and play hard. We are fun loving individuals and take pride in what we do. Even though sometimes we have to work weekends and nights, we mostly enjoy it as my partner and I have a great love for the industry. We are passionate about what we do and making a difference in the industry, especially when it comes to empowering more women, addressing gambling addiction, and bringing more innovation to the industry.

8. What drives you and inspires you?

A. Bringing something to our world that makes it a better place, being able to leave a legacy and witnessing how what I do empowers others.

9. Where and when do you have your best ideas?

A. Oh gosh! This is an interesting one for me. Most people have one or two great ideas in a lifetime. I have a few a day and that coupled with an overactive imagination makes for some interesting ideas. Every time I have an idea I write it down on a piece of paper and place it in my ‘Ideas for Africa” bowl. Many of these ideas never see the light of day and maybe one day they will when I can be in many places at the same time or clone myself, giggle.

My best ideas often come when I am pondering on a way to help others or myself. They come when I am on the toilet, in the shower, whilst driving and singing in my car, or star and moon gazing, or when having a massage, whilst in conversation with another person or myself (I do this way to often giggle) or when I am super relaxed especially in my dreams or having a glass of G & T (gin and tonic) or wine. Often also when I am playing golf, something about playing golf seems to open up my consciousness.

10. Where and how do you market/advertise your business for sales leads?

A. We do not actively market our business. We have a web Facebook, Twitter, Linkedin, and Instagram presence that we do not harness enough. Most of our new business comes about from leads from gaming conferences, business competitions, referrals, or being approached by companies that require several services that we offer.

11. What is next for your business?

A. Next for our business is registering for our own manufacturing, distribution, and bookmakers license, test and certify our sports betting platform and register our training programs under the government SETA program. The aforementioned is costly and funding for young companies is very limited in South Africa. These licenses, tests, certifications, and registrations will allow us to significantly reduce implementation periods of our future projects and increase profits and efficiencies.

12. What advice would you give to female entrepreneurs hoping to start their own business?

Be sure you have a bankable business model so that if it requires financing to get started you will be able to either raise the funding or be able to close a transaction that will kick-start your business. Too many start-ups fail before they have even started due to a lack of funds.
Be clear and remain focused on your vision. Set specific goals and targets to achieve your vision while remaining ever-present an aware that the world is constantly evolving and it’s important that you constantly research, constantly engage your product, market, and customers and constantly revise and fine-tune the goals and targets you set to achieve your vision and implement your business model.
Let every decision flow from the truth of yourself and do what feels right
Believe in yourself
Believe in the quality of your deliverables
Never give up
Use what you do as a force for good and for that enlightens and enhances people and the world
Let your work speak for itself and this will bring you repeated word of mouth business, which is the best advertising you can have