A Rising Tide

Sisters and business partners Nadia and Zahra Rawjee are bolstering South Africa's SME sector through genuine bonds, community consciousness and prosperous consultancy services – one business at a time.

BY FARAH KHALFE

Business-savvy sisters Nadia and Zahra Rawjee are the co-founders of Uzenzele Holdings, a niche consulting firm that specialises in helping established businesses gain access to finance. “We help businesses identify their financing options, determine their growth goals and specify the stage in which their business is in.” The process of developing banking documentation like business plans and financial models is a complex one. Thus, Uzenzele Holdings develops a customised approach for each client, tailored to the specific requirements of a business or funder. With adequate funding, businesses are able to build massive capabilities and reach their growth targets much faster.

The sisters grew up in a family of entrepreneurs and bared witness to their grandfather running a small seafood importing and exporting business from an informal spaza shop in 1937, to their father and his brothers expanding it into the third largest privatelyowned food distributor in the country.

“From an early age we were able to see the benefit in owning and growing something of our own,” they emphasise. However, growing too big too fast came with its own set of challenges. This is when Nadia and Zahra were approached by their father to take on the task of understanding and gaining government funding to assist in the business’s growth trajectory.

Unsurprisingly, this was not an easy feat. “We found that the requirements to unlock the funding were not readily available within our father’s business and neither were the necessary skills needed to develop them.

Despite being well established and an industry leader, the business had not prepared itself to attract funding. It was actually an onerous process.”

Yet, through navigating these challenges, they identified a gap in the market. “We realised that knowledge of the SME financial ecosystem was extremely limited and most businesses were completely unaware of the enormous offerings in the market. We wanted to be the hand that guides these businesses in capitalising their growth.” This was where the journey to their current business began, and in 2012, Uzenzele Holdings was formally established.

“SMEs should be the backbone of the economy and a significant contributor to jobs – we’re far from where we need to be,” they say. Uzenzele Holdings aims to contribute to a prosperous SME sector in South Africa through helping small businesses achieve their goals and reach new heights with adequate financial backing.

In order to do this, the business operates on a philosophy of trust and meaningful bonds. “Our clients put their businesses in our hands and trust that we will handle them with care. In the same breath, we need to have trust in our clients, that they are being honest about their business, their challenges and their prospects.”

When dealing with clients, they also draw on their experience of balancing familial ties within the realm of business – a factor which they believe, sets them apart from their competitors. “Because we come from a family business, we are able to connect with our clients in a way that consultants who have only known corporates are not able to. We find that this unspoken understanding fosters a relationship with our clients that is comfortable and makes it easier to work together.”

Being business owners as women of colour in a predominantly white male space is another factor that distinguishes them from the rest.

While clients may appear sceptical at first, Nadia and Zahra insist: “We let our knowledge and experience in the field pave the way forward.” The self-assurance they exude stems from the nurturing they received from their father during childhood. The wisdom he imparted – which, according to the sisters, would normally be reserved for the sons in an Indian family – equipped them to feel comfortable and excel in a male-dominated industry.

This confidence not only comes from within but is fed externally whenever they see their clients succeed. There is a sense of victory in getting to witness the difference their work makes and the sisters maintain that this continues to be the highlight of their careers, despite how much success they accumulate.

Allowing businesses to be productive through their services starts first with being productive themselves – and they place great importance on wellness and peace of mind to ensure this is possible. “Our mornings start with prayer before getting into our daily routine. Once we get to the office, we have our freshly made green juice and vitamins waiting for us,” they say. “We start every morning with a team meeting to set our priorities and make sure everyone is on track. A good team spirit definitely impacts our productivity.”

In order to fuel motivation, celebrating a win – whether big or small – is another vital practice within the Uzenzele Holdings environment. “As a team, we celebrate all wins. This keeps us motivated to always do more. This is really important. Sometimes you get so caught up in a project and forget to refuel.”

Outside of work, Nadia and Zahra both have their preferred escapes when taking time off. “If there’s travel involved, I’m happy. Any excuse to take a trip is fine by me. I’ll have my bags packed and ready to go in an hour. Throw in some retail therapy and I’m in heaven,” says Zahra. Nadia’s more inclined to discover new places, food and culture. “Traveling to exotic and interesting countries where I get to learn and experience diversity is a blessing. I also do love to dance, it’s my happy place.”

When it comes to time management, they are both avid planners, using their diaries and schedules as a method of making all aspects of their lives an equal priority – be it quality time with family, work commitments, personal engagements or voluntary community service.

This organisation definitely comes in handy when planning and conceptualising the future growth of their business. “The challenges faced by SMEs in South Africa are not unique. We would love to see our business grow into Africa and eventually the rest of the world,” they reveal.

Nadia’s personal mantra of “paying it forward” encapsulates the ethos that underpins how Uzenzele Holdings operates as well as the services it provides – that is, helping businesses to help themselves.

Inspired by the Aga Khan, the co-founders suggest that their businesses was borne out of more than just an opportunity to make money, but rather an innate desire and consciousness to elevate both individuals and enterprises for the greater good of society.