Putting yourself last in line for paychecks, mastering entirely new fields of work, and knowing when to delegate to a manager are among the tough lessons that have helped South African entrepreneurs succeed in the competitive glass fitment industry.

With Global Entrepreneurship Month in November, three thriving entrepreneurs from the My Glass network reflected on their learnings over decades of entrepreneurship and growth.

My Glass, a digitally-enabled mobile glass fitment network, has scores of licensees and over 200 mobile fitment units across the country. Its licensees, typically entrepreneurs who have been in the business for some years, say the model is supporting their business growth.

Customer focus builds businesses

For My Glass founder and MD Gary Stieger, the secret of success has been to use digital innovation to disrupt and reinvent a business sector that has remained unchanged for decades.

Stieger’s decision to offer a My Glass licence rather than a franchise model is intended to avoid placing unnecessary constraints on the entrepreneurial flair of the businesspeople who joined him.

Stieger also noted that glass replacement often comes on the back of an unpleasant experience for customers, so the model focuses on making the experience as easy and pleasant as possible.

“Our focus on customer experience is what makes the difference,” he says. “Price and quality are just part of what makes a business successful – the real differentiator is understanding your customers and meeting their needs.”

Finding a gap, and mastering new skills

Jan Kruger, a My Glass licensee with operations in the West Rand, is paving the way to his semi-retirement plans with new branches in Knysna and Mossel Bay. He has a staff of 36 people across offices, and a fast-growing customer base.

Kruger’s first steps into the world of entrepreneurship happened after a restructuring at the company where he worked as a corporate learning specialist.

“I decided to move on and start something for myself. At that stage there was a gap in the automotive glass market in the West Rand. I started as a one-man band with a qualified fitter, while I learned about the industry, built the business and marketed it,” he says.

Strategic partnerships have contributed to the business’s growth, Kruger says. He sought out partnerships that would help bring in business from insurance companies, which accounts for a substantial portion of the company’s revenues. “In this industry, you need to work with organisations like My Glass, which help bring in work in the insurance environment, and who help market the licensees’ businesses. They open doors for you,” he says.

Never giving up

Denver Naicker, whose Durban-based business covers KwaZulu-Natal coastal areas from Richards Bay to Port Shepstone, says being an entrepreneur is a difficult road, and not suited to everyone.

“You need to have a passion for business and sometimes, you have to fight to keep going. You can never give up,” he says. “In my 25 years in business, there were tough times when I couldn't make rent and salaries. But you must make a plan: you phone a friend or take a loan. The biggest benefit of having your own business is you don't have to answer to a boss,” he says.

Naicker started his career in the panel beating industry, and later moved into auto glass. With his technical background, a particular challenge for him was marketing the business. “Marketing was very difficult for me, hence we employed a rep,” he says.

In recent years, becoming part of the My Glass network has made a significant difference, Naicker says. “My business has increased by 60-70%, plus I’ve also diversified into manufacturing and fitting aluminium windows for building window claims. My Glass helps with marketing – putting our name out there makes a big difference,” he says.

Strategic growth and delegation

Riaan Van Biljon, a My Glass licensee based in Germiston, has teams covering the East Rand and Johannesburg.

Having worked for glass fitment companies, he ventured out on his own in 2012. While his business is growing solidly, he cautions against growth that isn’t strategically planned: “I could quickly buy bakkies and say we are going to grow. But in my experience, just going from two to four teams is a big change – you need to get new departments and processes in place to support the bigger business. Growing too quickly can backfire. You need to think about whether you can handle it with the same or better turnaround times, and fewer complaints,” he says.

Van Biljon also says a common fear many young entrepreneurs have is employing a manager. “One of the hardest things is to delegate and take a step back from managing everything yourself. But if you invest in a good manager, you will be able to hand over certain duties, take a breath, and focus on improving the business. You want to do everything, and at first you need to handle everything. This is important so that you understand every role in the business. But when you get to a point where you are too busy and you cannot grow, then you need to accept its time to move over. You may have to pay a manager and take a bit less for yourself, but this won’t come as a surprise because most entrepreneurs are last on the list for payment while they grow the company.”

Enabling entrepreneurship

Stieger, who has walked the same road as most entrepreneurs, says he understands the challenges. “Our licensing model is designed to support like-minded entrepreneurs, helping bring in business and market their services, while also allowing for independence and creating a community of experienced business people who can collaborate and enable each-others’ growth,” he says.