A graduate of Lerotholi Polytechnic (Fokothi) Khotso Motlomelo, who owns a small biltong-making outfit, says he has never been so content with his business since he quit his formal employment a few years ago.

Motlomelo, who distributes his products from Ha Mabote, Maseru says, unlike when he started a little while ago, he now sees a light at the end of the tunnel.

 “To start a business, is the hardest and yet the most important part of any business story. You have to be determined and willing to put in the extra work. I realised that most of the youth got a wakeup call at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and their mindsets changed for the better. I wanted to become part of that change, so I decided to go for it” Motlomelo says in a recent interview with Metro.  

Motlomelo began his business as a student at Lerotholi Polytechnic, after realising that the National Manpower Development Secretariat (NMDS) stipend was not enough to sustain his life.  

The 26-year-old entrepreneur then started thinking of a way to generate his own income.

He thought of entrepreneurship and decided on things he could sell considering of course, the environment where he spent most of his time.

After a lot of research and contemplation, he finally decided to sell biltong around the college campus and only as he began his business journey, did he realise that he had waited way too long.

At the time, he had a supplier who provided him with biltong ready for market. He remained in business until he graduated from college.

After he obtained his Diploma in Construction Management, he struggled to find a job and when he eventually got one, he had to ditch his biltong-making business to focus on the new full-time employment.

But the calling of being an entrepreneur and operating his own business kept haunting him.