Jolène Leeuwner-Maritz (33) must be a master of time management. She has jam-packed days and nights, is frequently juggling several balls at the same time, and has no fear of launching others when she finds an opportunity.
She is a founding partner of Leeuwner-Maritz Attorneys, a legal practice she started in 2008 with her husband, Jan Maritz. She also has several other ventures which reflects her artistic flair and her passion for entrepreneurship.
Leeuwner-Maritz is the 2014 SA Chamber of Commerce & Industry’s (Sacci) women in business & entrepreneur award winner. Though she’s no stranger to awards, this one is close to her heart. “It is a platform that I take incredibly seriously. It’s an important sounding board to voice some of the concerns I have about the business environment in this country.”
Her main concern is the lack of manufacturing capacity. “Everything I want to manufacture is problematic, even something as simple as crockery. SA has an abundance of resources, but our knowledge and our entrepreneurs are exported. I have to import from China and France.”
Leeuwner-Maritz says the solution is a greater focus on entrepreneurship and support for companies that still manufacture in the country. Skills must be developed and retained.
Government keeps saying it is supporting, subsidising and promoting small businesses and entrepreneurs. However, this is not visible on the factory floor, says Leeuwner-Maritz.
Though it is almost impossible to find manufacturers for the range of goods her companies produce, she is not ready to give up.
“I will never give up, but for me to establish manufacturing plants will be incredibly difficult. Therefore it is so important to use the Sacci platform to campaign for growth in manufacturing. I want to hold government accountable on its pronouncements.”
She launched Jolè Designs and its subsidiaries, including Jogi Designs, named after her two daughters Jolaine (7) and Gizelle (5).
She does the graphic designs for the products and her mother, Mart Leeuwner, does the artwork. Her daughters receive an income from Jogi Designs as all their artwork, under the artistic guidance of their grandma, is printed on gifts and handbags.
They have been taught lessons of entrepreneurship from a tender age. They have to plough some funds back into the business, but they also save for their future studies and for property.
Leeuwner-Maritz is a big dreamer. She wants to establish her own independent medical research institute one day. “I know it is an ambitious project, but I believe I can do it.”
She says South Africans give up far too easily. “We are not prepared to make mistakes. People do not fight hard enough to find the solutions.”
Leeuwner-Maritz is deeply concerned about violence in the country. She once considered entering politics, but sage advice from her father, Pieter Leeuwner deterred her. He said: “If you want to enter politics you must have an answer, and for as long as you do not have it, stay out.”
Leeuwner-Maritz says she did not have the answer then so she chose to stay out of politics. She still doesn’t have the answer, but it is something she is working on.
FINANCIAL MAIL
BY AMANDA VISSER, NOVEMBER 20 2014, 08:58
Recent Comments