Miss Universe South Africa’s Entrepreneurship Project | #DestinyDesigned Sponsored by MaxProf

When MaxProf and Natasha Joubert decided to partner up on the #DestinyDesigned project, it seemed like an odd proposition. A clothing design project partnering with a financial services company specialising in VAT is not a combination we often see, but our Miss Universe South Africa’s cause was much bigger than that. It reminded us of where we started twenty years ago with only five employees and a dream. Today, MaxProf employs over 60 employees, in  its four  offices across different provinces in South Africa.

What we really liked about this project by Natasha, is that she was tackling an issue that is not only current, but also relevant to many people today. The impact of the pandemic on household incomes, the issue of unemployment in South Africa and the creation of jobs through entrepreneurship. In a meeting, Natasha describes her childhood to us, telling us of how her father lost his job while she was still in high school. He then passed on, sadly, and she was raised by her single mother, who resorted to making clothing garments in order to provide for her children. This kind of story is one that resonates with many South Africans, many of which have to start businesses as a result of their circumstances. Nonetheless, these are our entrepreneurs – The backbone of our country’s economy.

Arriving at twenty years has not been without its struggles, but as a leading company today, we thought some advice from “someone who has walked the path” would prove useful to the talented individuals chosen for the #DestinyDesigned project. In an effort to help these entrepreneurs succeed in their businesses, we sponsored the #DestinyDesigned initiative, which assisted in the logistics of getting the designers to Gauteng and helping them prepare for the show. We also compiled a presentation based on our own experiences to help them grow their enterprises.