Scores of people have been inspired by the story of a Mthatha graduate who used her social media skills to help propel sales at the fruit stall she and her sister run at the Mthatha taxi rank.
Strategic advertising graduate from Johannesburg’s Boston Media House, Lonalinamandla Bawuti, 25, used her social media pages to advertise the fruit vending business her sister, Zandile Bawuti, 33, founded in 2017.
Lonalinamandla said following a DispatchLIVE story on Monday, messages had flooded in from people who wanted to start businesses and needed advice.
Zandile is a qualified paramedic and also holds an N3 in electrical engineering.
She started the fruit hawking business to sustain her and her family when the unemployment crisis hit.
The story received 602 shares on DispatchLIVE.
Lonalinamandla takes pictures of the fruit and her customers, and shares them on Facebook and Twitter. She told the Dispatch the business continued to reach new milestones.
She said some people bought fruit at a cost of R12 and told her to “keep the change” .
“A woman who didn’t want her name to be mentioned gave us a gazebo. It actually helps us a lot. We don’t get drenched now when it rains and we are protected from the scorching sun,” Lonalinamandla said.
“I have been getting offers from people who want to work with me to assist them with advertising their businesses, including a man who owns a construction company,” she said.
She advised them instead to start their business pages, putting out posts about what they offered, and in turn she would share the posts on her own platforms.
She has shared posts of Siphesihle Mqulwana, who owns a catering business, and Qiniso Mthembu, who is also a street vendor.
“Friends and people I am not familiar with come to the stall and help to pack and sell the fruit. The support has been overwhelming.
“Our profit doubles sometimes because of the people who leave their change. It has been good.”
She said people who saw the story and were inspired to start their own businesses were advised to speak to Zandile, who was the mastermind of the business.
She said other young people had been inspired to start businesses to sustain themselves and help their families.
Ndindwa Tshawe wrote on Facebook: “This year I hope to be more like Lonalinamandla Bawuti as far as helping family and friends get on their feet or even get. #Inspired.”
Lonalinamandla said she would continue to advertise the business even when she started with her performing arts degree next month.
ziyandaz@dispatch.co.za
Graduate's online fruit hawking story inspires others
Image: SUPPLIED
Scores of people have been inspired by the story of a Mthatha graduate who used her social media skills to help propel sales at the fruit stall she and her sister run at the Mthatha taxi rank.
Strategic advertising graduate from Johannesburg’s Boston Media House, Lonalinamandla Bawuti, 25, used her social media pages to advertise the fruit vending business her sister, Zandile Bawuti, 33, founded in 2017.
Lonalinamandla said following a DispatchLIVE story on Monday, messages had flooded in from people who wanted to start businesses and needed advice.
Zandile is a qualified paramedic and also holds an N3 in electrical engineering.
She started the fruit hawking business to sustain her and her family when the unemployment crisis hit.
The story received 602 shares on DispatchLIVE.
Lonalinamandla takes pictures of the fruit and her customers, and shares them on Facebook and Twitter. She told the Dispatch the business continued to reach new milestones.
She said some people bought fruit at a cost of R12 and told her to “keep the change” .
“A woman who didn’t want her name to be mentioned gave us a gazebo. It actually helps us a lot. We don’t get drenched now when it rains and we are protected from the scorching sun,” Lonalinamandla said.
“I have been getting offers from people who want to work with me to assist them with advertising their businesses, including a man who owns a construction company,” she said.
She advised them instead to start their business pages, putting out posts about what they offered, and in turn she would share the posts on her own platforms.
She has shared posts of Siphesihle Mqulwana, who owns a catering business, and Qiniso Mthembu, who is also a street vendor.
“Friends and people I am not familiar with come to the stall and help to pack and sell the fruit. The support has been overwhelming.
“Our profit doubles sometimes because of the people who leave their change. It has been good.”
She said people who saw the story and were inspired to start their own businesses were advised to speak to Zandile, who was the mastermind of the business.
She said other young people had been inspired to start businesses to sustain themselves and help their families.
Ndindwa Tshawe wrote on Facebook: “This year I hope to be more like Lonalinamandla Bawuti as far as helping family and friends get on their feet or even get. #Inspired.”
Lonalinamandla said she would continue to advertise the business even when she started with her performing arts degree next month.
ziyandaz@dispatch.co.za
Graduate drives Mthatha fruit stall’s social media success
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