Amukelani Manzini is a skilled craftsman and an outspoken business owner. Located in the peaceful town of Acornehoek, Amukelani General Trading is a business that manufactures clothing and furniture under one roof.
Amukelani had a clear vision for his company from its start in 2019, but due to limited business acumen and marketing expertise, he initially struggled to pinpoint his customer base. This changed after he participated in the Accelerator program.
One of the most significant benefits for Amukelani was acquiring marketing skills. With a clearer understanding of his target audience and newly acquired skills, he’s now able to reach customers in other provinces. “I am nothing without my customer,” he says.
“The programme helped me, and now I know how to market my business through social media, it was something I didn’t do before, and Socionext put in the effort, and now my business is trending”.
When Amukelani entered the program, his monthly revenue was very low, but by the end, it had significantly increased. With this consistent growth, Amukelani has been able to employ five additional staff members. “The sales are coming in left and right”, he told us.
“Socionext has empowered me!”
Amukelani used his investment grant to buy machinery and raw materials for both the clothing and furniture segments of his business.
“I just want to appreciate Socionext and every person behind the Socionext programme for putting the effort in me and pushing me”.