Pretoria-based youth entrepreneurs enter sanity pad market
17-year-old Goitseone Maboe and Neo Cholo are the founders of Mosetsana Feminine, a feminine products company that produces Mosetsana Pads.
The name is a combination of ‘Mos’ from Mosimane and ‘etsana’ from Mosetsana. The duo says that the name reminds everyone that sanitary pads are not only for females but males because they are also a target market that buys these for their sisters, girlfriends and even loved ones.
Mosetsana Pads, according to the duo, is about equality, and the team understands equality regardless of the positions they occupy. “We work with the same vision to achieve the same goal which is to become a brand that becomes part of the toiletries of every household in Africa. A leader leads leaders not followers, and that is how we work where all our C-SUITE Executives are leaders led by leaders,” says Cholo.
When asked how the journey to entrepreneurship started, the pair says that the prevalent poverty in their society made them see a need to come up with an affordable sanitary pads brand that will not just be affordable but contributes towards eradicating poverty.
For Cholo, the key driving force to be an entrepreneur at this age is the fact that he can create employment opportunities. “We are faced with a high unemployment rate in our country, it is not about the brand but it is about how many people benefit from the brand.”
Maboe and Cholo believe that for a business to succeed consumers should be a priority. Cholo adds “we provide reliable communication to our clients and have become part of social development through partnerships and student desk. We can provide packets of sanitary pads according to our client’s budget, and also we deliver nationwide.”
As young as they are, they understand that marketing is a key factor for the success of a business. “We focus on marketing and have the resources we need to spearhead this. We have a Chief Marketing Officer and Marketing Director to assist in brand marketing for better brand positioning insights, however, we use social media pages to promote and market our products through working with public relations and marketing agencies,” says Cholo
Cholo says he is motivated by what they do daily. He adds “I have never allowed my age to restrict me from being successful and building a life that I will narrate to future generations.”
Cholo adds that as an entrepreneur, there is no any satisfying moment in business than being nominated and appreciated for your contribution to the creation of jobs and everyone realising that there is still hope in South Africa’s Gen-Z.
The young entrepreneurs plan to launch the ‘sanitary pads student desk’ in high schools and higher educational institutions. This initiative will ensure that more females have access to sanitary pads. “We will be having LGBTQI+ members as part of our student desks, as we believe in exclusive rights for all and want to promote equality amongst young people,” adds Cholo
Regardless of how old they are, Maboe and Cholo understand that success is not what you do, but how you do it and how many people benefit from what you do. Nonetheless, money becomes part of being successful.
Despite this Cholo says that his greatest fear is being an old man living in Mamelodi and not visiting Mamelodi, where I’m an example of those who were once smart.
Cholo deals with his entrepreneurial fears by being dedicated in everything he does and gives his best in everything especially academics and the work he creates for himself.”
Meanwhile, Maboe adds that it is important to invest in a powerful team to be successful, “It’s important to nurture the dreams and take criticism as part of improving one’s strategy.”
There is no two ways about it Maboe and Cholo’s future is bright. They understand that entrepreneurship is a journey, and not a race. The fact that the favourite aspect of being an entrepreneur is seeing how far one has come and, how you keep on improving the brand and growing into the people’s brand. These two are on the right path.
