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BizAssist.co.za  News
Little People open up Opportunities to Big Business
By: Jaqueline Martinez
Date: 2009/10/22
As a mother of three boys, Robyn von Molendorff knew that she needed to do more than her daily graft as a PA to an insurance broker, in order to make ends meet.
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In 2008, when signs of a recession were on the horizon, she approached her ex-husband, Riaan Loedolff, to help her set up a little business that she could one day pass on to her three sons. Riaan, also ever the entrepreneur, was eager to help and in April 2008, Robyn’s first lot of jumping castles arrived. Their first castle was rented out on the 11 April 2008.
An investment cost of R59000 was made for seven jumping castles and then they bought mini chairs and tables at a cost of R2200. Adequate transport is obviously required for such a business and they invested in a bakkie, although many people either buy or hire a trailer that they can attach to their sedan car for transportation.
Calling her small business ‘SpringMielies’ (after the Afrikaans word for popcorn but also by association, the action of lots of little people jumping around), Robyn says she actually started this business at a time when she was unemployed. Once she went back into the job market, she would have the castles as a sideline to fall back on.
Marketing her business took a lot of work, thus Robyn was happy for the time she was unemployed as she was able to visit crèches, churches and schools to promote her service. They also developed a website and promotional material such as business cards and fliers (all very important components of making your home business a success, she believes).
Robyn says: “I would like to expand my business to the stage where I can cater for the entire party from organizing the jumping castles, doing the decorations and catering for all the eats for the day so that parents can also sit back and enjoy their children on the party day, instead of having to run themselves off their feet.”
“I would encourage any person in today’s times to start a little business of their own, and to leave a legacy for their children. We are living in hard times and owning your own company does not have to mean hard work all the time. One can have just as much fun while earning an income.”
For more information, email: springmielies@live.com or visit their website.
This article has been archived under How We Did It for your research purposes
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http://www.spring-mielies.co.za
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