In an increasingly competitive market environment, making companies stand out in the marketplace and helping them to maximise the enterprise development opportunities that exist is key. EnablED, the brainchild of South African entrepreneur, Evashnee Naidu, is one such company that is playing a key role in managing enterprise and supplier development solutions for SMMEs.
LoA spoke to Evashnee Naidu to find out more about how she brought her decade’s worth of marketing and advertising experience in the corporate world into the entrepreneur space to make a difference.
What does your company do?
EnablED is a managed enterprise and supplier development solutions provider that enables forward thinking businesses to consolidate their brand, BEE rating, supply and value chain by ensuring that the Procurement and Enterprise Supplier Development (ESD) spend of sponsoring, or enabling, enterprises is dispensed in such a way as to ensure that the maximum 40 points related to the three B-BBEE development pillars are awarded. Through the company’s supply chain enablement programmes that are aimed at assisting SMMEs to develop their marketing, training and skills transfer, it helps small to medium enterprises realise increased profitability and improved lead generation.
"I believe that entrepreneurship has an intrinsic value in society, and needs to be moulded and cultivated."
What inspired you to start your company?
I was inspired to start my own company because I was inspired by the work that could be done in the enterprise development space. I realised that so much enterprise development funding was spent yearly but the results of that work just could not been seen. I then began wondering if it was done correctly and how it can be done to show an impact and a significant difference. The impact and significance being a positive impact on the economy.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
In terms of benefits to the enabler, EnablED’s service guarantees the following benefits:
- Maximum full B-BBEE points awarded for procurement, enterprise development and supplier enterprise development
- Maintenance and improvement of B-BBEE level, even under the new codes
- A value-added supply chain
- An increased list of verified vendors
In terms of benefits to beneficiaries, EnablED offers a unique supply chain enablementment programme that provides opportunities for entrepreneurs to grow their businesses by providing:
- Increased brand awareness
- Increased insight into current business and long term vision
- Business mentoring and coaching
- Personal and organisational development
- Unique access to markets
- Product development insight
- Client insight
- Business development insights
"Transferring skills and knowledge and making people the stars of their own careers will ease and alleviate joblessness and poverty. It was on the back bone of this that enablED was born."
Tell us a little about your team
My name is Evashnee Naidu and I have a decade of marketing and advertising experience in the corporate world. I believe that entrepreneurship has an intrinsic value in society, and needs to be moulded and cultivated. Since the beginning of time, man has had the ability to barter and exchange goods. Honing in on this basic principle of supply and demand, we limit the belief of limitation and lack of abundance, and create the notion of sustainability and growth. It is my belief that by shifting the focus from bigger corporations onto entrepreneurs, we are able to build a society of self sufficient, enabled individuals. Transferring skills and knowledge and making people the stars of their own careers will ease and alleviate joblessness and poverty. It was on the back bone of this that enablED was born.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
I do not come from a entrepreneurial background. I was happy working within the comforts of a corporate job. But as I started working with entrepreneurs, I started understanding their passion and the fulfillment that they had in what they were doing. I made the decision that I wanted to venture out on my own and find that passion as well.
"As I started working with entrepreneurs, I started understanding their passion and the fulfillment that they had in what they were doing. I made the decision that I wanted to venture out on my own and find that passion as well."
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
I want to build empires. I want this for my own company and the companies I work with.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
When I make a visible difference in someone else's business. Also when people understand my business and appreciate the work that we are doing - that provides the greatest satisfaction.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
If you feel you have it in you to start your own business, then follow that dream. It is not the easiest path to take. Being your own boss and a boss to other people takes a lot of passion and commitment. When you make the decision go all in, don't expect to know it all right from the start. You learn as you go along, no one can prepare you - its subject to change, your industry and your personality. But it is a journey that will provide you with the most satisfying results.
Contact or follow EnablED
WEBSITE | EMAIL evashnee@enabl-ed.co.za
Why LoA loves it….
At LoA, we love those women entrepreneurs who make it their mission to help other women in business to fulfill their potential, and Evashnee Naidu is one such entrepreneur who is bringing the highly specialist world of enterprise and supplier development solutions to the attention of SMMEs. She is opening a world of opportunities for these SMMEs to grow and thrive. --- Melanie Hawken, founder and editor-in-chief of Lionesses of Africa