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Tune into
8:27PM | Wednesdays | From 18 July-29 august 2018
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Welcome to My Fearless Next
Seven mentors. Six contestants. One winner of a salary for a year* to start their business fearlessly.
ENTRIES ARE CLOSED BUT THE HUSTLE NEVER STOPS
Join our WhatsApp Broadcast List group +27 65 379 6479 and interact with our boot camp mentors for priceless inspiration from entrepreneurs who’ve been there and done that.
LEAVE YOUR FEAR AT THE DOOR. MAKE YOUR NEXT YOUR NOW WITH BUSINESS BANKING FROM STANDARD BANK.
About the campaign
Stay hungry. Stay inspired. Follow aspiring entrepreneurs as they learn from masters of the game in our weekly boot camps.
The winner will win more than a year's salary. They'll receive the support they need from Standard Bank and our mentors to help them thrive as a full-time entrepreneur.
What if all that's standing between you and your business is fear?
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Tune into
8:27PM | Wednesdays | From 18 July-29 august 2018
Rams Mabote
Media Man; Host and Dean
of My Fearless Next
An acclaimed media personality and success coach in his own right, Rams understands the power of connections, knowledge and support for the success of any business undertaking.
"I truly believe values lead to success; whether you define it as making money, stability or recognition."
Bulelani Balabala
Entrepreneur | Speaker &
the President's Special Ambassador of the National Development Plan
Growing up on the streets of Tembisa taught Bulelani a powerful lesson, that creativity can overcome obstacles, and has left him with a passion for uplifting fellow township entrepreneurs.
"We are able to shift entrepreneurs in the townships from just thinking that they need to start another carwash to actually manufacturing the detergents that are used in carwashes."
Farah Fortune
Publicist Extraordinaire
After spending her last R1000 on registering a CC and the rest on business cards, Farah has built an impeccable reputation as the publicist to the stars in Africa.
"Know what you want, hold that vision, and never let it go until you've achieved it."
Sphelele Chikowi
Founder NtoZinhle Accessorise
Sphelele Chikowi went against her mom's wishes and refused to look for a proper job. Instead this serial entrepreneur turned her passion into profits, with a clothing label, hair salon and a photography business, before starting NtoZinhle Accessorise.
"There is more to business than funding."
Hezron Louw
Entrepreneur | Celebrity
Chef
Hezron's passion for food led him to national fame as a contestant on Top Chef. His entrepreneurial journey has taught him that you need more than just passion, but a true understanding of your market and your offering, to reach success.
"Learn as much as you can about the industry you are getting into so you are the go-to guy."
Thato Kgatlhanye
Award-winning Social Entrepreneur
& Author
Our youngest mentor, at just 25, Thato has already spent her entire career changing the world to be a better place. She is a strong believer in the power of ideas and is on Forbes magazine's 30 under 30 global list.
"I'm a billionaire, my bank balance just doesn't know it yet."
Tlhompho Mokoena
Chief Firestarter @ The
Wing Republic
Tlhompo's marketing background brings a keen understanding of customer needs to any project. This insight has seen The Wing Republic grow from a Saturday pop-up at Braamfontein's NeighbourGoods market (his side-hustle) into a unique gourmet eatery.
"We found a niche – every large franchise sells chicken wings, but none of them specialise in it."
Dene Botha
MD of Pride Factor & Founder
of Inspired Youth
Owner and founder of Pride Factor and Inspired Youth – Multimedia platform aimed at inspiring, guiding and mentoring young people across Africa. TV show presenter (On the Fly –SABC3), radio personality (#InspiredYouthSA on CliffCentral.com Mondays from 3pm to 4pm), motivational speaker, actor, model, professional sports event commentator, extreme sports athlete, Forex trader and presenter, brand ambassador, rhino activist and all round lover of life. (…and a self-claimed braai-master)!
A self-taught entrepreneur with wide-ranging personal and business interests has thrived through the rise of the gig economy. Dene believes his life purpose is to guide and mentor young people across Africa.
"It's important for you to learn about YOU, you can't go wrong with that. If you are any good at it, you'll find a way to make money from it."
*Terms and conditions apply
Tune into
8:27PM | Wednesdays | From 18 July-29 august 2018
The final winner
Nonhlanhla Mthethwa
Business: Girls Ink
Tears of joy fell down her face as Nohlanhla was announced the winner of My Fearless Next Boot Camp. A R1 million salary to kick-start her business will put a big smile on her bank account. This has all been a fulfilment of a dream she had since 2005, and she’s determined to get Baby Thando, her beautiful black doll, in every South African home. Standard Bank congratulates you for winning R1 million; continue to pusha, phanda and pressa on!
Week 6
Finalist: KAMOGELO KEKANA
AKIBA DIGITAL
Mamelodi, stand up and recognise one of your own. Meet Kamogelo, who’s been an entrepreneur from the age of 19 and admits that business has always been his calling. His side hustle—an AI bot called Gugu who can help you reach all your savings goals—is truly a genius idea. For this hustler, the sky is not the limit. Gereza till the end, boss!
Week 5
Finalist: SHIRAZ AHMED
Business: SA AQUATICS
Verulam, Durban, has its own Aquaman: a hustler by the name of Shiraz Ahmed. One day, just browsing the internet, he saw the MFN competition and applied spontaneously, and now he manufactures and installs marine aquariums all over Mzansi. This is a young man who’s taken the next step in the journey that led to his dream.
Week 4
Finalist: COLLINS KWADI
INTERNATIONAL FUNNY BUSINESS
What’s in a meme? Apparently, a side hustle idea, if you ask Collins Kwadi, who makes and shares Mzansi memes on social media. His hustle currently has 800 000 followers and continues to grow. This week, though, the judges saw nothing funny but everything business orientated when they choose him as a finalist. Well done, Collins, and keep Mzansi LOL.
Week 3
Finalist: Nkosinathi Machine
Business: SADC FUELS
If you can dream it, you can fuel it. Nkosinathi and his business partner are the type of entrepreneurs that need no encouragement when it comes to fuelling their passion. From University Researcher to owning a stake in the lucrative fuel industry – and wanting to supply to SADC countries – Nkosinathi wants to grow his oil and gas side-hustle into an empire.
Week 2
Finalist: Marice Mercuur
MARICE, PTY LTD
Inspiration sometimes comes from personal misfortune. Meet Marice Mercuur whose daughter suffered from eczema. After following her mother’s advice, she bathed her in rooibos tea water, and her HUSTLE was realised instantly. This confident lady now runs Marice (Pty) Ltd and wants to take her rooibos tea skincare business to the next level.
Week 1
Finalist: Nonhlanhla Mthethwa
Business: Girls Ink
Nonhlanhla’s struggle to find a doll that her daughter could relate to encouraged her to create Baby Thando, a doll with distinctly African features. While the Girls Ink co-founder’s Next is to grow the business’s market in other provinces, her biggest challenge will be to get out of her shell and be more accessible to her customers. “I know what my product means to an African child. Baby Thando encourages self-love.”
*Terms and conditions apply
Tune into
8:27PM | Wednesdays | From 18 July-29 august 2018
Are you the type of entrepreneur who’s fearless enough to chase your hustle? If so, then you’re what the My Fearless Next Boot Camp is looking for. Six contestants will be selected; one winner will take it all: one-year’s salary, capped at R1 million, as well as mentorship from Standard Bank.
Episode 1
Finding Customers
Who will be the most fearless? Six chosen finalists from episode 1 of the boot camp are tasked to find customers during the hustle and bustle of Jozi’s inner city. Please click below to see how everyone geared up and tackled their task at hand in our very first MFN Boot Camp episode 1.
Episode 2
Talking to customer / The customer pitch
Selling accessories in downtown Jozi proved tough for some of the contestants, but without fearlessness, there’s no victory. Congratulations to this week’s finalist, Marice Mercuur, whose side hustle impressed the judges in the nerve-wracking pitch stage.
Who will be the finalist next week? Click below and stay tuned in to find out.
Episode 3
Taste the success
Chicken wings anyone? Not interested, then how about some pork ribs? Our contenders were in Braamfontein this week trying to sell fast-food mnandiness in the streets. Abagerezi went all out, and some teams came back with good returns, while some… made no returns. MFN Boot Camp is heating up and this week’s finalist is a young man who’s running his hustle like a well-oiled machine.
Episode 4
How to grow your business
The streets of Maboneng were buzzing despite the cold Joburg winter day, but that did not deter abagerezi from displaying their sales skills, selling everything proudly Mzansi. The team that won the 1-Hour Sales Challenge had just the right charisma to warm up their customers. Another individual who showed a lot of charisma and business acumen in the pitch stage is this week’s finalist Collins.
Episode 5
Building a great team
Uz’thola kanjani uhleli ekoneni? Our hustlers were again in Braamfontein, Jozi, selling gourmet street food this time. Some hustlers were very jittery because it was their first time in the City of Gold. In the end, Farah’s team sold the most food and made the most money. Congratulations to this week’s deserving pitch finalist Shiraz Ahmed, who’s got a business that proves that what doesn’t drown you can only make you stronger.
Episode 6
Getting Funded
6 contestants and 60 minutes. Mzansi, we’re in Braamfontein again for our one-hour external sales challenge. Abagerezi had to be quick on their feet as they sold jewellery to strangers they met in the streets. Thato’s team went above and beyond and sold the most pieces on the day. For this week’s big idea, Kamogelo’s AI bot stole the show, making him our MFN finalist.
Episode 7
The grand finale
It’s the grand finale, and there has been excitement, heartbreaks, dreams achieved and dreams deferred. MFN Boot Camp had it all… and more. The one-on-one speed dating workshop with the mentors was an interesting addition this time around, and all the hustlers reaped great benefits. But there can only be one: Nohlanhla and her novel doll idea. Congratulations, sisi, for winning the R1 million salary to kick-start your business, fearlessly!
*Terms and conditions apply
My Fearless Next is an exciting competition that gives you the chance to win* your salary for a year, so you can get your business off the ground without having to worry about money! If you've got a great business idea, or an existing business you'd like to grow and develop, enter My Fearless Next and turn your part-time passion into full-time business success!
As long as you are 18 years of age or older, live permanently in South Africa and operate an income-generating business, you can enter My Fearless Next.
Scroll to the top of this page and click the Get in touch button.
The competition starts on Monday, 4 June 2018 and ends on Friday, 20 July 2018
No, your business does not have to be registered to enter My Fearless Next.
The winner will receive their annual personal income up to a total amount of R1-million*, as well as business coaching sessions and general support.
The My Fearless Next mentors are inspirational South African entrepreneurs who will share their expertise and experiences of starting a business from scratch. They are:
Hezron Louw: Sumting Fresh
Bulelani Balabala: TEA and IAF Brand
Siphelele Chikowi: Ntozinhle Accessories
Thato Kgatlhanye: Repurpose Schoolbags
Farah Fortune: African Star Communications
Dene Botha: Pride Factor and Inspired Youth
Tlhompo Mokoena: The Wing Republic
As South Africa's leading business bank, we believe in the incredible spirit of entrepreneurship – and that every business deserves the chance to be successful. We also understand the challenges you face – the fear of taking that leap into the unknown and the fear of not having a guaranteed income while you try and get your business off the ground. My Fearless Next gives you the chance to win* a year's salary so you can start your business fearlessly and move forward with confidence!
*Terms and conditions apply