Startup Story
Masada Terverite Deconnick is the Director and CEO at MTD’s Auto Electrical Pty Ltd located in Mochudi in Botswana. Her vehicle repair workshop was officially opened March 2023 after operating as a mobile business for close to a decade. MTD’s Auto Electrical currently has 6 employees - 2 mechanics, 2 auto electricians,1 apprentice, one security guard, and a Chief Operations Officer.
LoA spoke to the enterprising Masada Terverite Deconnick about her entrepreneurial journey, her commitment to customer service, and her vision for the business in the future.
What does your company do?
At MTD’s Auto Electrical, we fix cars, including auto mechanics, auto electrical, panel beating and spray painting, fitting and fixtures, all types of suspension, alternators and starters, and most importantly attend vehicle breakdowns anywhere.
“We are grateful to our customers who continue to support us - in return we give them value for their money.”
“We strive at being only the best in this industry and providing an environment where customers are comfortable to bring in their cars and believing they are safe with us.”
What inspired you to start your company?
My engineering journey started at Botswana College of Engineering and Technology (BCET) where I did a 4-year course on Auto Electrical and graduated. Thereafter, I decided to start my own business which I initially ran on a mobile basis as I had no means of buying land or renting. Later on I secured a business plot in Mochudi which was a gift from my father and where I started building a workshop which also took me close to a decade to complete. In 2023, I got funded by the Ministry of Youth under YDF were I was able to buy all necessary tools and fully start operations at the workshop.
Why should anyone use your service or product?
We are grateful to our customers who continue to support us - in return we give them value for their money. We strive at being only the best in this industry and providing an environment where customers are comfortable to bring in their cars and believing they are safe with us. We have created a place where they can also trust that their vehicles will be attended to as expected - only the best customer service. We also use equipment such as diagnosing machines to get ahead with technology, bearing pressers and engine lifters.
Tell us a little about your team:
I have a great team of young energetic employees that are not only led but have created a system where everyone’s opinion is taken into consideration making it much easier for us to work efficiently. We operate an inclusive working environment that has two female engineers that are as important as the male engineers and work as hard as them.
“We operate an inclusive working environment that has two female engineers that are as important as the male engineers and work as hard as them.”
Share a little about your entrepreneurial journey. And do you come from an entrepreneurial background?
I am from a biracial family, my mother being a Motswana and my father being an Israeli. My mother was a teacher making sure education was a foundation of everything I do. My father being an engineer showed me how handiwork is as important as any other job. I worked with my father on weekends and that is where I got an interest in working on cars. He taught me to work hard for everything I aspire to be in life and how to be independent. The combination of both my parents careers molded me into who I am today and I will be forever grateful.
What are your future plans and aspirations for your company?
My future plan for my workshop is that I open a parts shops as most of my customers now prefer supply and fit instead of buying their own parts at different parts shops. I also want to be able to buy courtesy cars for customers that have a lot of work done on their vehicles taking a long time. I also want to introduce tow trucks to the business as it is a necessity.
What gives you the most satisfaction being an entrepreneur?
Being an entrepreneur makes you work harder than the average person, as there isn’t any stipulated times of operation. You always have to find a means of bringing in more business. It also opens your mind to be more than just an engineer, you end up doing everything in the business from marketing to accounting.
What's the biggest piece of advice you can give to other women looking to start-up?
My advice to any woman that wants to start a business is believe in yourself and start. No matter how many times you may fail, dust yourself and start again.
Find out more:
https://www.facebook.com/p/MTDs-Auto-Electrical-100063877999992/?_rdr
Why LoA loves it…
At Lionesses of Africa we love hearing about women entrepreneurs who are breaking into traditionally male dominated industry sectors, and importantly, building successful growth businesses that create jobs. Masada Terverite Deconnick is doing just that with her motor vehicle repair business. She is a great example to others, building a team that is trained and developed to grow the business through excellent customer service and value for money. This is a growth business to watch over the coming months and years. — Melanie Hawken, founder & ceo, Lionesses of Africa