Every proud homeowner longs to have a beautiful garden to enjoy, but not everyone has the knowledge or experience in creating landscapes that are both lovely to look at and easy to maintain. In Botswana, entrepreneur Boineelo Moyo, founder of B&B Garden Masters, has the answers and the experience to match.
LoA met founder Boineelo Moyo to find out more.
What does your company do?
B&B Garden Masters prides itself in providing cutting edge designs and expert installation of quality gardens to assure client exceptional satisfaction. We specialize in practical garden designs and maintenance, changing the outlook of outdoor spaces to our client's satisfaction at very affordable prices. Our services include landscape/garden design and maintenance, lawn installation, and maintenance, sweeping of pavements and parking lots, fertilization, weed control, garbage collection and disposal, stone paving and decoration, tree & hedge cutting and patterning, monitoring office plants and spaces and maintenance of filters, pumps and sprinklers.
“Combining my passion and profession, I always ensure that, as a landscaping company, we are working towards environmental management through conservation of plants and the environment at large.”
What inspired you to start your company?
My mother worked as a domestic worker her entire life, and this included taking care of the back-yard garden and the small plants around the yard. When she had her hands full with the house chores, I would sneak out to cultivate and water the small garden and flowerpots, just to help out. She would find it cute and always told me that I should build a huge house when I grow up and have a big back yard full of beautiful flowers. Instead, I built a whole company to honour that. My father has been a landscaper for about 20 years now and this has played a huge role in my passion for the landscape industry. Both my parents were gardeners out of obligation, just so we can have bread on the table. The passing of my mother shattered me to the core, but I knew I needed to fulfill my dreams to make her proud, and I believed I owed my father a better life. All he was best in was landscaping, so I pushed hard to register this company so I can promote him to be a manager, which means less manual/fieldwork. My main drive for starting this company was to be successful and provide a better comfortable lifestyle for my current and future family while incorporating my passion and core values. In addition, I am an Environmental Consultant by profession and have always had a growing passion for the environment and its constraints since Primary level. Combining my passion and profession, I always ensure that, as a landscaping company, we are working towards environmental management through conservation of plants and the environment at large, hence contributing to one of the country’s millennial goals: Towards a sustainable environment.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
B&B Garden Masters does not only beautify the environment but is working towards the restoration and rehabilitation of the natural environment affected by the development processes. Especially in urban centres. We are also committed to going an extra mile, offering complete customer satisfaction, ensuring that the necessary measures are taken to ensure the protection of the environment in light of our work with pesticides and herbicides as well as to develop an effective, innovative and creative business structure that aims at promoting and enhancing environmental authenticity.
“B&B Garden Masters does not only beautify the environment but is working towards the restoration and rehabilitation of the natural environment affected by the development processes.”
Tell us a little about your team
B&B Garden Masters comprises of an amazing team of 7 hardworking, 3 female and 4 male workers. These are attentive and dedicated gardeners with a genuine love for plants and working outdoors. They possess broad horticultural knowledge as well as ample practical experience in caring for plants and maintaining grounds. Expert in the planting and raising of perennial flowers. Most of them have worked in a variety of location types, including private properties, small businesses, and horticultural display gardens. Honestly, the success of B&B Garden Masters can be attributed to the experience of our staff who are committed to service excellence and customer satisfaction.
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And, do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
When most of my friends and former classmates were worrying about the trials of finding work after graduation, I was brutally saving money from the little P1250.00 living allowance to start my own business. At the age of 22, I realized that dream. The honest truth is I have cried more than I have smiled, I will write a book about this I guarantee you; it was never easy, and it looks like it’s still far from being easy. I remember, when I was still registering the company, I was so stressed I walked in Shoprite looking for a bank resolution letter, and I was silently crying because nothing was going right. At that moment I was on the edge of giving up. But having a mentor helped me a lot. Had it not been for my mentor, I highly doubt I would have made it. Most times I felt I was suffocating myself, denying myself a chance to be a child, but now looking back, I am proud of who I have become. It’s been over four years since I started my entrepreneurial journey, and like any other start-up founder, I have had my shares of highs and lows, (more lows though). While it’s a long mile ahead, I, certainly had some interesting learnings along the way, which has helped me become a better person and a better professional.
“The best part of owning my own business is being able to carve my own future, and the challenges of being innovative and creative, it broadens my thinking capacity. I believe that your success is only as great as you make it.”
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
All I aspire to see is my company being internationally recognized. Opening new locations and moving to bigger venues is also one of my future plans and a big income booster of course. Personally, my future plan is to retire successfully. That's achievable, right?
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
The best part of owning my own business is being able to carve my own future, and the challenges of being innovative and creative, it broadens my thinking capacity. I believe that your success is only as great as you make it.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
All I can say to my fellow businesswomen out there, which I have learned and believe is working wonders for me, is in every business have a bias for "action". There is absolutely no point taking extra time thinking over a problem or an issue unless you anticipate a crucial development or awaiting substantial factual updates. Taking quick action on challenges opens doors to a host of solutions, which could help solve the problem faster. This does not mean rushing into an uninformed decision but means that once the facts and information are gathered, there is no point spending inordinate time in circular thinking or complex analysis. My mentor always says to me: Don't Plan to Start, Start Planning. Just do it.
Find out more
FACEBOOK | EMAIL boimoyo@gmail.com
Why LoA loves it….
At LoA we are constantly inspired by women entrepreneurs who have a big vision for making a difference to their families, communities, and their country’s future through their businesses. In Botswana, Boineelo Moyo is one such entrepreneur. She is building a wonderful business that is not only designing beautiful gardens and landscapes for her clients, but also creating job opportunities for her growing team in her community. This is a company that is destined to make a real mark for itself in Botswana and hopefully beyond. — Melanie Hawken, founder and ceo of Lionesses of Africa