Winning Engen The Making Of (TMO) competition last year was a turning point in my journey as an entrepreneur. The R225 000 cash prize wasn’t just a financial boost — it was the springboard that allowed me to take real, strategic action in my IT and business solutions company, Clowdy.
I used the funds to kickstart a key project within our core business, which has since helped us expand our service offering and deliver more value to our clients. I also reinvested part of the money into VATII, a startup we had recently brought into our portfolio. That investment fast-tracked its integration into our group of companies and strengthened our position in the market.
Since TMO, we’ve experienced real growth. Our brand visibility has improved, our operational capacity has increased, and we’ve brought more people onto our team. Our revenue has grown significantly and we’re seeing strong momentum.
VATII is thriving. The funding gave us the space to scale strategically, and we’re seeing growth in both our retail and wholesale channels. We’re well on track for a solid financial year.
But my TMO journey wasn’t without challenges. I was voted out of the competition early on — which wasn’t unexpected, as I had been on the losing team for most of the initial challenges. Being voted back in, though, was a powerful moment for me. It reminded me that character and relationships matter just as much, if not more, than early success. That moment reignited my drive and gave me a second wind to give it everything I had — which ultimately led to the win.
Engen The Making Of taught me invaluable lessons. It changed how I approach challenges, business and leadership. I’ve learned that resilience and mental strength are some of the greatest assets an entrepreneur can have. Those lessons have deeply influenced how I lead, how I solve problems and how I grow the businesses I’m responsible for. Solutions can be built much faster than we think – Engen The Making Of was the greatest experiment of Parkinson’s Law in effect. I’m implementing something similar in my organisations where a business problem has to be solved in just four hours.
If I could offer one piece of advice to this year’s TMO contestants, it would be this: focus on the people. TMO isn’t about being the smartest person in the room, it’s about collaboration, connection and shared growth. Build meaningful relationships, engage sincerely, and you’ll find that strong human connections can take you further than any strategy on its own.
As Raizcorp celebrates 25 years of supporting entrepreneurs, I’m proud to share my story as part of that legacy. Engen The Making Of gave me the platform to grow and I hope my journey encourages others to keep pushing, no matter the setbacks.
