PHAKS FURNITURE DESIGNS CASE

STUDY

CASE STUDY ASSIGNMENT

KESAOBAKA MOSETLHANE 201701819
PHAKS FURNITURE DESIGN’S
INTRODUCTION

Phaks furniture designs is a manufacturing company of furniture’s, owned by a local entrepreneur

called Mr. Thata Phatshwana. This company best aim to fulfil its clients with quality wood and metal
furniture’s of simple and yet elegant designs. Mr. Phatshwana started his company in 2017 at the
backyard of his place with just few resources and equipment’s to commence with.

When Phaks furniture designs started, Mr. Phatshwana hired four man to help him with manufacturing
process so that he can meet the supply demand well in time.

Mr. Phatshwana is a Design and Technology teacher at Itekeng Junior Secondary School at Gantsi. He is a
family man of one child, a boy, and the woman he lives with. This man was very good at playing
Marimba during his school days and it helped him to travel a lot, exploring different places. Although he
enjoyed playing Marimba at some point he had to leave and focus on schoolwork since it took most of
his time. Mr. Phatshwana managed to graduate as a Design and Technology degree holder. He taught at
different school, but it was at Itekeng Junior Secondary School he found the need to venture into
business. Not only is he a Design and Technology teacher he is also a Badminton coach.

He always felt that the salary money he earned from his teaching it was not enough to cover all his
expenses as he was not only a family man but also a farmer. The money was not enough to take care of
the family and take care of his livestock, most importantly paying the man who took care of his livestock.
Due to lack of time and operating place Mr. Phatshwana did not have a way to curb the issue he was
into, up until the President of Botswana gave a speech that gave him an idea. The initiative that said
Batswana will be allowed to do business from their homes without the need of licenses. ‘Citizens of
Botswana will soon be allowed to run businesses without licenses, so long as they do so from the
confines of their homes’, President Mokgweetsi Masisi said[ CITATION Jer19 \l 1033 ]. This initiative
encouraged Mr. Phatshwana to put his Design and Technology skills into play. Although he did not have
money to jump start his business idea, he looked for ways he could get startup capital for his business
idea. He started joining metshelo, asking help from families and friends but it was not enough.

Mr. Phatshwana decided to sell one of his livestock to add onto his savings and the money he got from
families and friends. He then managed to buy necessary equipment’s to start his business at home. He
made a story from with metal roof sheets to store his equipment’s. Every time he knocked off from
work, he would work on clients demand and made sure he meets the deadline set. He did not rest until
he got the work done. He hired four man to speed up the process and they would work on weekends
and holidays to get the business running and flourishing. Mr. Phatshwana now has made a small Town
called Gantsi happy with his designs and fair prices. His business is slowly growing, and he managed to
hire two more unemployed youth making a total of six employees. Mr. Phatshwana is now happy that
with the little his making he can now take care of his family well and his livestock.
CHARACTERISTICS AND TRAITS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP THAT ARE EVIDENT IN PHAKS FURNITURE
DESIGNS

1. They take what they do seriously with passion. Phaks furniture designs truly understand that the
success of the business ultimately rests upon how much effort they put in. Passion is what keeps them
going and what makes them to take their work seriously so that they deliver the best quality products. It
also gives them courage when they are discouraged, it simply motivates them to keep going and never
give up. ‘Passion is fuel for successful entrepreneurship’ said Peter Daisyme [ CITATION Pet15 \l 1033 ].

2. They make the big decisions carefully. Before Mr. Phatshwana ventured into this business, he did a
market research first, to see if whether his business idea will sell. He did not just venture rashly in this
business just because he had the qualifications to run and manage it. He found out that many people
complain about the high prices from furniture shops, people wished they had their own designs
manufactured and also found out that pallets are being thrown away when they can be used to make
furniture’s that results in low prices .In business decisions has consequences, whether good or bad. Over
time, they can determine the success of a business or the downfall of the business. ‘Entrepreneurs who
are successful take note and carefully identify the potential long-term effects of each decision, while
seeking counsel before making major decision’ said Sujan Patel [ CITATION Suj15 \l 1033 ].

3. They are creative. Phaks furniture designs not only give option for their clients to bring their own
designs they also give them alternative to choose from unique designs they already have. They make
unique, simple, and beautiful designs. They use what others see as waste and turn it into something
beautiful and creative. For example, the use of worn out tires to make chairs. Sujan Patel says
‘entrepreneurs are not satisfied with the status quo. They think outside the box and look for
opportunities to come up with new solutions’ [ CITATION SUJ17 \l 1033 ].

4. They are confident with the quality they provide. Mr. Phatshwana educational background gives him
confidence in what he does, he is confident to produce good quality products with smooth operation
and less hiccups. Confidence is a very vital element to possess as an entrepreneur for without it you end
up loosing hope in what you do. ‘Without confidence or self-belief, entrepreneurs cannot possibly
succeed’ said Nick Rojas [ CITATION Nic16 \l 1033 ]

6. They invest in themselves. There is a saying that you cannot make other people better unless you
make yourself better first by learning. Entrepreneurs who are successful make a goal to make out time
from their calendar and money from their budget to invest in themselves. Investment may be further
education or a well-earned vacation. Either way, successful entrepreneurs find ways to boost and drive
themselves further.

7. They are constantly learning. There is always something you do not know and something else that
has just been revealed. One cannot build a business around something he or she does not know about,
and you cannot improve products and services using outdated methods. Entrepreneurs are always on
the verge to learn more about what they do and what the competition is working on. Mr. Phatshwana
learns from his students and this helped him to have more unique ideas he could use in his company.

8. They are not afraid of risks. The best things in life are usually found on another side of a worthwhile
risk; in that way, the best business you could possibly build may be on the other side of possible failure.
Entrepreneurs do not shy away from the unknown. They know that is where the future sales pulas and
profits are. While unpredicted risks can cause terrible consequences, predicted or calculated risks are
the sweet position of a new business venture

9. They are willing to experience failure. Very few successful entrepreneurs have made it without living
through some breakdowns, large or small. They realize disappointment and failure is just knowledge
about what does not work, not the end of the trip. They continue trying long after most would have
given up and they keep on being persistent. Phaks furniture designs faced breakdowns, either a
customer changing preferences and no longer wanting the produced product and failing to pay
jeopardizing the business. Sometimes products getting damaged during transportation or during
manufacturing process leading to major costs and loss, this did not stop the company from getting on its
feet and try again.

LESSONS LEARNED FROM THE CASE STUDY

This case study taught me that being persistent in what you believe in will eventually pay off and reap the
benefits. Mr. Phatshwana did not give up on his idea even when he had no money to start the business, he
found a way. He kept on going when the manufacturing process went wrong, he kept on being persistent
and patient. I also learned the virtue of being confident in what you do. If you venture into business with
no confidence chance of that business being successful are low. Another lesson learned in this case study
is that one must be careful when making decisions in business for every decision has a consequence either
bad or good. In other words, to run a business and increase its chance of success, one must be strategic
and evaluative. One thing I also learned is that we never stop learning and we should always continue
learning and trying different approach that might help improve the operation process of the business and
lead to an increase in revenue.
HOW THE ENTREPRENUER EXPERIENCE IS LIKELY TO INFLUENCE MY FUTURE
ENDEAVORS AS AN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN GRADUATE
The entrepreneur experience has changed my way of thinking in such way that I should always find a way
to accomplish what I want to do whenever I want to venture into business. Mr. Phatshwana lack of place
to operate his business did not hinder him to find alternatives, his lack of capitals did not discourage him
and made him to give up rather he found a way. In the future when I want to venture into business, I will
do the most important part which is to research whether my business idea will sell. I would discover a
business idea, do a market survey and research concerning the business idea, ask for sponsors from
companies like CEDA and look for a place I can operate.
References
Daisyme, P. (2015, August 24). DUE. Retrieved from 7 Characteristics of Successful Entrepreneurs:
https://due.com/blog/7-characteristics-of-successful-entrepreneurs/

Omondi, J. (2019, August 12). Africa cgtn. Retrieved from Botswana to allow citizens do business from
home without licences: https://africa.cgtn.com/2019/08/12/botswana-to-allow-citizens-do-
business-from-home-without-licences/

Patel, S. (2015, September 28). Entreprenuer. Retrieved from The 12 Characteristics of Successful
Entrepreneurs: https://www.entrepreneur.com/article/250564

PATEL, S. (2017, September 2). Inc. Retrieved from 10 Essential Characteristics of Highly Successful
Entrepreneurs: https://www.inc.com/sujan-patel/10-essential-characteristics-of-highly-
successful-.html

Rojas, N. (2016, October 27). Vistage. Retrieved from 5 characteristics of an entrepreneur:

https://www.vistage.com/research-center/business-leadership/20161027-5-characteristics-of-
an-entrepreneur/