Gift, who was retrenched from his job when Covid-19 hit, started 'Pots about Plants CT’ in his backyard in May 2020.
Gift who is a Hout Bay resident has found a passion for pot making and design. Prior, Gift had no experience in pot making but developed his passion for it by looking for something that he could do and create a much-needed income for his family.
Gift states,
“I started by planting succulents. In the beginning, I was using plastic cups to put my plants in, and then put them on social media. Someone approached me and showed me how I could use moulds and cement to create pots for the succulents”.
Gift didn’t see himself becoming a pot-plant maker but has said he’s found more of himself in it-
“The money that I was getting from my job was too little, now that I am doing this, I am a lot happier and have the chance to make more for my family. I feel that God has opened up another path for me and allowed me to start this”.
Gift only started with 5 moulds and is now making up to 30 pots a day depending on the weather. Gift explains that in the winter months, the cement takes longer to set compared the summer months, and this slows the process down. “But with more moulds, I can make more pots and allow them to set for longer”, says Gift.
Pot-plant making isn’t without its hardships - “Sometimes it is hard. When you are mixing the
cement, it is tough on your hands if you do not use gloves and can leave them very rough. I do find that the gloves get in the way of the process, you can’t feel the texture and fully place yourself into the process”.
During lockdown, Gift was retrenched and like many other SME’s couldn’t sell his products within the early stages of lockdown. Though, he has still kept busy building pots and growing plants for them.
“Right now, I am very busy, I have a lot of orders online, but I’ll get through them. I’ve been making a lot of hexagon pots and think at the end of the week I will get some different moulds to create different designs. It will also help me make more at the same time so there won’t be so much of a backlog!”.
Where do you get your plants from?
“I buy them locally to support people in my area”.
What is your superpower?
“I would have to say focus. Now that I am focused on something that I enjoy and something that can bring in money to my family, it has allowed me to see my path clearly. I have a vision for where I am going and it has kept me focussed. You have to be strong and can’t give up on your vision, you must keep going in order to reach your goal”.
What do you love about Africa?
“I was born in Africa! Africa is my home. There isn’t just one thing I can use to explain why I love Africa. I support my fellow Africans every day and Africa is just the best”.
What made you take the step into the unknown to become an entrepreneur?
“During lockdown, my life changed drastically. When I was retrenched, it forced me to become an entrepreneur. If it was not for COVID-19, I would still be working the same job I did before and not have tried to achieve at something. Now I am on my own, and an entrepreneur I can do things that mean something for people and I can support others. I can give people hope now that they too can become an entrepreneur and make a change in their lives”.