[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] I’m a Township boy I grew up in a
I’m a Township boy I grew up in a
I’m a Township boy I grew up in a Township called for us and for you guys
Township called for us and for you guys
Township called for us and for you guys who are not familiar but that place it’s
who are not familiar but that place it’s
who are not familiar but that place it’s a little Township in the eastern end of
a little Township in the eastern end of
a little Township in the eastern end of how thing I loved my time shirt the same
how thing I loved my time shirt the same
how thing I loved my time shirt the same way you probably love where you grew up
way you probably love where you grew up
way you probably love where you grew up in simply because this is where I
in simply because this is where I
in simply because this is where I discovered my first dream that dream us
discovered my first dream that dream us
discovered my first dream that dream us to be a soccer player a professional
to be a soccer player a professional
to be a soccer player a professional soccer player this is quite typical for
soccer player this is quite typical for
soccer player this is quite typical for a Township boy isn’t it but what was
a Township boy isn’t it but what was
a Township boy isn’t it but what was amazing about it is that I didn’t
amazing about it is that I didn’t
amazing about it is that I didn’t discover this dream in a soccer field
discover this dream in a soccer field
discover this dream in a soccer field but rather in the streets the same
but rather in the streets the same
but rather in the streets the same streets way there’d be rocks and bricks
streets way there’d be rocks and bricks
streets way there’d be rocks and bricks lying around so we take these bricks and
lying around so we take these bricks and
lying around so we take these bricks and use them as small coal posts and then we
use them as small coal posts and then we
use them as small coal posts and then we take ball a ball if any of us had a pole
take ball a ball if any of us had a pole
take ball a ball if any of us had a pole would use it if there wasn’t a pole we
would use it if there wasn’t a pole we
would use it if there wasn’t a pole we take plastics tie them together to the
take plastics tie them together to the
take plastics tie them together to the form the round shape and that was our
form the round shape and that was our
form the round shape and that was our soccer ball so nothing really could stop
soccer ball so nothing really could stop
soccer ball so nothing really could stop us from playing and we gave this game a
us from playing and we gave this game a
us from playing and we gave this game a name we called it a team team the
name we called it a team team the
name we called it a team team the rationale behind this name is that
rationale behind this name is that
rationale behind this name is that there’s one team versus another team
there’s one team versus another team
there’s one team versus another team hands each team team so I discovered
hands each team team so I discovered
hands each team team so I discovered that the formal English name for this
that the formal English name for this
that the formal English name for this game is called street football makes
game is called street football makes
game is called street football makes sense but a much preferred team team you
sense but a much preferred team team you
sense but a much preferred team team you know it’s got that thing but we found
know it’s got that thing but we found
know it’s got that thing but we found innovation in the little that we have
innovation in the little that we have
innovation in the little that we have and that’s the beauty of it not just to
and that’s the beauty of it not just to
and that’s the beauty of it not just to play but what this did to me is that
play but what this did to me is that
play but what this did to me is that like many rather millions of little boys
like many rather millions of little boys
like many rather millions of little boys and girls in townships in South Africa
and girls in townships in South Africa
and girls in townships in South Africa it gave us the opportunity to dream for
it gave us the opportunity to dream for
it gave us the opportunity to dream for the first time and all this was afforded
the first time and all this was afforded
the first time and all this was afforded by just taking what we have now today
by just taking what we have now today
by just taking what we have now today I’m not standing here as a professional
I’m not standing here as a professional
I’m not standing here as a professional soccer player unfortunately but I’m
soccer player unfortunately but I’m
soccer player unfortunately but I’m proud to say that I’m a videographer I’m
proud to say that I’m a videographer I’m
proud to say that I’m a videographer I’m an entrepreneur in the local retail
an entrepreneur in the local retail
an entrepreneur in the local retail sector and I make furniture for a living
sector and I make furniture for a living
sector and I make furniture for a living these three identities I didn’t learn
these three identities I didn’t learn
these three identities I didn’t learn all of this
all of this
all of this from formal training but rather from the
from formal training but rather from the
from formal training but rather from the understanding that I have to use what I
understanding that I have to use what I
understanding that I have to use what I have and make the best of it now to tell
have and make the best of it now to tell
have and make the best of it now to tell the story of these three identities I’ll
the story of these three identities I’ll
the story of these three identities I’ll start with the videography this is
start with the videography this is
start with the videography this is something I stumbled upon during my
something I stumbled upon during my
something I stumbled upon during my varsity days now being a student we all
varsity days now being a student we all
varsity days now being a student we all know that being cool is still a big deal
know that being cool is still a big deal
know that being cool is still a big deal and it was back then when I was still at
and it was back then when I was still at
and it was back then when I was still at school and before so at that time being
school and before so at that time being
school and before so at that time being a blogger was a thing to be so I decided
a blogger was a thing to be so I decided
a blogger was a thing to be so I decided to join the club I launched my blog and
to join the club I launched my blog and
to join the club I launched my blog and it was called sneak peek and what I did
it was called sneak peek and what I did
it was called sneak peek and what I did was document sneaker cultures the
was document sneaker cultures the
was document sneaker cultures the African sneaker culture my approach to
African sneaker culture my approach to
African sneaker culture my approach to it was very simple each time I bump into
it was very simple each time I bump into
it was very simple each time I bump into a sneaker fanatic that was well-known or
a sneaker fanatic that was well-known or
a sneaker fanatic that was well-known or a celebrity that was into sneakers I’d
a celebrity that was into sneakers I’d
a celebrity that was into sneakers I’d ask for an interview and if they agreed
ask for an interview and if they agreed
ask for an interview and if they agreed perfect I’d take out my phone which had
perfect I’d take out my phone which had
perfect I’d take out my phone which had a two megapixel camera and I’d record
a two megapixel camera and I’d record
a two megapixel camera and I’d record the conversation I take the footage Goho
the conversation I take the footage Goho
the conversation I take the footage Goho edit it with the laptop which I used for
edit it with the laptop which I used for
edit it with the laptop which I used for school and posted it on YouTube and
school and posted it on YouTube and
school and posted it on YouTube and share it via my blog and I started put
share it via my blog and I started put
share it via my blog and I started put out my first blog post second one third
out my first blog post second one third
out my first blog post second one third one before I knew it my blogs were
one before I knew it my blogs were
one before I knew it my blogs were reaching far and wide and just like that
reaching far and wide and just like that
reaching far and wide and just like that I gained credibility within the South
I gained credibility within the South
I gained credibility within the South African sneaker fraternity and the
African sneaker fraternity and the
African sneaker fraternity and the mission was accomplished I was cool and
mission was accomplished I was cool and
mission was accomplished I was cool and verified that’s it
verified that’s it
verified that’s it I was happy now in the midst of the
I was happy now in the midst of the
I was happy now in the midst of the school I finally graduated from varsity
school I finally graduated from varsity
school I finally graduated from varsity record time at that
but reality soon set in and this reality
but reality soon set in and this reality is that I to make a living meaning I had
is that I to make a living meaning I had
is that I to make a living meaning I had to get a job a lot of us know about this
to get a job a lot of us know about this
to get a job a lot of us know about this reality so what I did was I went to
reality so what I did was I went to
reality so what I did was I went to friends of mine who already in the job
friends of mine who already in the job
friends of mine who already in the job market and I asked them how long does it
market and I asked them how long does it
market and I asked them how long does it take to get a job and the average answer
take to get a job and the average answer
take to get a job and the average answer was six months and I thought to myself
was six months and I thought to myself
was six months and I thought to myself six months is a very long time to be
six months is a very long time to be
six months is a very long time to be broke I need to make a plan and I did I
broke I need to make a plan and I did I
broke I need to make a plan and I did I mean I did make a plan and it’s
mean I did make a plan and it’s
mean I did make a plan and it’s something I heard of and it’s an online
something I heard of and it’s an online
something I heard of and it’s an online store it was fascinating so I thought to
store it was fascinating so I thought to
store it was fascinating so I thought to myself since I ran a blog it should be
myself since I ran a blog it should be
myself since I ran a blog it should be easy to manage an online store since
easy to manage an online store since
easy to manage an online store since they both online so I took my last two
they both online so I took my last two
they both online so I took my last two thousand rounds for a domain that we
thousand rounds for a domain that we
thousand rounds for a domain that we doubled our HTC online comm time our HTC
doubled our HTC online comm time our HTC
doubled our HTC online comm time our HTC is an acronym for returning home to
is an acronym for returning home to
is an acronym for returning home to create sounds cool
create sounds cool
create sounds cool so I ran with that name then with the
so I ran with that name then with the
so I ran with that name then with the rest of my money
rest of my money
rest of my money I bought a template for that website
I bought a template for that website
I bought a template for that website changed a couple of things around to
changed a couple of things around to
changed a couple of things around to make it look like a proper website at
make it look like a proper website at
make it look like a proper website at that point I needed clients so what I
that point I needed clients so what I
that point I needed clients so what I did went back to the cool Crewe’s part
did went back to the cool Crewe’s part
did went back to the cool Crewe’s part of and within that crew there were
of and within that crew there were
of and within that crew there were streets where designers
streets where designers
streets where designers local street designers these guys were
local street designers these guys were
local street designers these guys were very popular in the neighborhoods and
very popular in the neighborhoods and
very popular in the neighborhoods and other neighborhoods except they couldn’t
other neighborhoods except they couldn’t
other neighborhoods except they couldn’t sell to people outside the neighborhood
sell to people outside the neighborhood
sell to people outside the neighborhood and this is where the online platform
and this is where the online platform
and this is where the online platform came in through the online platform
came in through the online platform
came in through the online platform could sell to people outside our
could sell to people outside our
could sell to people outside our province
province
province people outside our country and at times
people outside our country and at times
people outside our country and at times people outside our continent and at this
people outside our continent and at this
people outside our continent and at this point I was happy simply because I made
point I was happy simply because I made
point I was happy simply because I made money and I was still cool and that was
money and I was still cool and that was
money and I was still cool and that was it but as time went on I learned to
it but as time went on I learned to
it but as time went on I learned to appreciate the fact that I was actually
appreciate the fact that I was actually
appreciate the fact that I was actually contributing to solving an actual
contributing to solving an actual
contributing to solving an actual problem and this problem was a
problem and this problem was a
problem and this problem was a distribution problem not only a
distribution problem not only a
distribution problem not only a distribution problem but I was playing a
distribution problem but I was playing a
distribution problem but I was playing a part in this ecosystem that allowed
part in this ecosystem that allowed
part in this ecosystem that allowed independent young entrepreneurs within
independent young entrepreneurs within
independent young entrepreneurs within the fashion industry to actually
the fashion industry to actually
the fashion industry to actually actively participate and this meant a
actively participate and this meant a
actively participate and this meant a lot as time went on a year later with
lot as time went on a year later with
lot as time went on a year later with earned enough money to develop the site
earned enough money to develop the site
earned enough money to develop the site into a proper ecommerce sites
into a proper ecommerce sites
into a proper ecommerce sites and I’m proud to say today that our HCC
and I’m proud to say today that our HCC
and I’m proud to say today that our HCC online store is amongst the leading
online store is amongst the leading
online store is amongst the leading independently owned online retail stores
independently owned online retail stores
independently owned online retail stores and this is how it looks so businesses
and this is how it looks so businesses
and this is how it looks so businesses are about solving problems and they too
are about solving problems and they too
are about solving problems and they too have a lot of problems and we faced a
have a lot of problems and we faced a
have a lot of problems and we faced a lot of challenges two years into the
lot of challenges two years into the
lot of challenges two years into the business we had come to a point whereby
business we had come to a point whereby
business we had come to a point whereby we were not making any progression with
we were not making any progression with
we were not making any progression with our online sales and this called for
our online sales and this called for
our online sales and this called for ground presence so the obvious choice is
ground presence so the obvious choice is
ground presence so the obvious choice is to get a brick-and-mortar store but we
to get a brick-and-mortar store but we
to get a brick-and-mortar store but we didn’t go that too it’s because of two
didn’t go that too it’s because of two
didn’t go that too it’s because of two main challenges the first one is that we
main challenges the first one is that we
main challenges the first one is that we were young we had so many ideas so many
were young we had so many ideas so many
were young we had so many ideas so many things to do we couldn’t be confined in
things to do we couldn’t be confined in
things to do we couldn’t be confined in a small space for eight hours every day
a small space for eight hours every day
a small space for eight hours every day the second challenge was that we simply
the second challenge was that we simply
the second challenge was that we simply could not we simply could not afford a
could not we simply could not afford a
could not we simply could not afford a commercial space and this is an actual
commercial space and this is an actual
commercial space and this is an actual reality for a lot of entrepreneurs so we
reality for a lot of entrepreneurs so we
reality for a lot of entrepreneurs so we did more research and discovered this
did more research and discovered this
did more research and discovered this concept of a mobile store I stole their
concept of a mobile store I stole their
concept of a mobile store I stole their you’d pop up would you use to pop up
you’d pop up would you use to pop up
you’d pop up would you use to pop up anyway so we went to a friend of ours
anyway so we went to a friend of ours
anyway so we went to a friend of ours called computer computer does door
called computer computer does door
called computer computer does door fittings and we introduced this concept
fittings and we introduced this concept
fittings and we introduced this concept to him he loved it and he executed he
to him he loved it and he executed he
to him he loved it and he executed he gave us the store that could fit into a
gave us the store that could fit into a
gave us the store that could fit into a car boot or backseat of a car and could
car boot or backseat of a car and could
car boot or backseat of a car and could be assembled within a few minutes and he
be assembled within a few minutes and he
be assembled within a few minutes and he assembled to that within a fraction of
assembled to that within a fraction of
assembled to that within a fraction of that time and this is how it looked it
that time and this is how it looked it
that time and this is how it looked it was amazing so amazing that sometimes
was amazing so amazing that sometimes
was amazing so amazing that sometimes when you pop up some people would be
when you pop up some people would be
when you pop up some people would be more fascinated over the store than the
more fascinated over the store than the
more fascinated over the store than the actual product that we were selling and
actual product that we were selling and
actual product that we were selling and we took a mental note of this went back
we took a mental note of this went back
we took a mental note of this went back did more research and discovered that
did more research and discovered that
did more research and discovered that the more there are more entrepreneurs
the more there are more entrepreneurs
the more there are more entrepreneurs out there that seek the same capability
out there that seek the same capability
out there that seek the same capability so we went back to computer and proposed
so we went back to computer and proposed
so we went back to computer and proposed the idea of starting this business that
the idea of starting this business that
the idea of starting this business that would offer this product he bought into
would offer this product he bought into
would offer this product he bought into it and eight months later we produced a
it and eight months later we produced a
it and eight months later we produced a couple of products that gave capability
couple of products that gave capability
couple of products that gave capability to young entrepreneurs this is a kind of
to young entrepreneurs this is a kind of
to young entrepreneurs this is a kind of entrepreneur that lives in a compact
entrepreneur that lives in a compact
entrepreneur that lives in a compact space
space
space be it at home onus in a small apartment
be it at home onus in a small apartment
be it at home onus in a small apartment this is a type of entrepreneur that
this is a type of entrepreneur that
this is a type of entrepreneur that commutes using public transport and with
commutes using public transport and with
commutes using public transport and with this product it allow him to have
this product it allow him to have
this product it allow him to have furniture that shouldn’t be stored but
furniture that shouldn’t be stored but
furniture that shouldn’t be stored but furniture that can be used at home and
furniture that can be used at home and
furniture that can be used at home and whenever they want to retail they’ll use
whenever they want to retail they’ll use
whenever they want to retail they’ll use this very same furniture so with this
this very same furniture so with this
this very same furniture so with this said all these three identities are
said all these three identities are
said all these three identities are simply not because I’m a genius
simply not because I’m a genius
simply not because I’m a genius or my friends are genius at all one
or my friends are genius at all one
or my friends are genius at all one thing we learned from that is that if we
thing we learned from that is that if we
thing we learned from that is that if we have ideas we should just thought as
have ideas we should just thought as
have ideas we should just thought as simple as that
simple as that
simple as that just start with the little that you have
just start with the little that you have
just start with the little that you have and allow yourself to develop in the
and allow yourself to develop in the
and allow yourself to develop in the process and in the development process
process and in the development process
process and in the development process we should seek innovation relevant
we should seek innovation relevant
we should seek innovation relevant innovation innovation that makes sense
innovation innovation that makes sense
innovation innovation that makes sense to an African context so that’s why it’s
to an African context so that’s why it’s
to an African context so that’s why it’s important for us here today
important for us here today
important for us here today to be like when we were kids playing in
to be like when we were kids playing in
to be like when we were kids playing in the streets using the brakes using the
the streets using the brakes using the
the streets using the brakes using the plastics to take what we have find
plastics to take what we have find
plastics to take what we have find innovation within it to allow us firstly
innovation within it to allow us firstly
innovation within it to allow us firstly to participate but not only stop there
to participate but not only stop there
to participate but not only stop there but to construct more features more
but to construct more features more
but to construct more features more products to allow more of us to
products to allow more of us to
products to allow more of us to participate and this is the mission that
participate and this is the mission that
participate and this is the mission that I and all of you here need to engage in
I and all of you here need to engage in
I and all of you here need to engage in and that mission is to democratize
and that mission is to democratize
and that mission is to democratize capability
capability
capability [Applause]
[Applause]
[Applause] [Music]
[Music]
[Music] you
”
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