Legends Barber: Sheldon Tatchell

Sheldon Tatchell is the founder and CEO of Legends Barber Corporation.  He has been pursuing his passion for barbering and entrepreneurship since 2011.  His business operates over 70 barbershops across South Africa, Botswana, Zambia and Lesotho.
Sheldon's mission is to empower the next generation of barbers by providing them with quality training, mentorship and opportunities.  He has since established 16 active training centers across the region.
Sheldon holds a certificate in Entrepreneurship from the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship.  Sheldon follows his dreams and inspires others to do the same.

Transcript

00:00:00 Lifuo Makhele: Sheldon, thank you. Thank you very much for coming to the podcast. I've got such big feelings right now. I feel so excited and I'm full of gratitude for you to come here because I know that we are all going to learn so, so much from you. You are quite an inspirational human being. Thank you. Thank you for coming here.

00:00:26 Unknown: Thank you very much for having shown the floor.

00:00:30 Lifuo Makhele: Let's get right into it. ASHA And you started your end up in narrow. Jenny at about 12, 14 years old.

00:00:38 Unknown: Yes.

00:00:40 Lifuo Makhele: What wonderful can you work at? Walk us through that experience.

00:00:44 Unknown: Yes. So, yeah. No, thank you very much for. For allowing me to share my story on your show. I think I think at age of 12 years old, that's that's about to end. Encryption is about to kick in. And back then, I never knew what the Premiership was. So I

00:01:02 Lifuo Makhele: Mm.

00:01:02 Unknown: used to be the kid that Dad used to use. He's he's allowances that the gods can experience save

00:01:10 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:01:10 Unknown: that very often and, and go and buy ice cream, resell it at school and, and

00:01:18 Lifuo Makhele: Hey.

00:01:18 Unknown: always coming up with creative ways in terms of how can I actually make money? And for me it was just to actually which was a hobby. But also what happened was that because I saw that there the problem of not having money in our household to understand

00:01:40 Lifuo Makhele: And.

00:01:40 Unknown: and finding a solution to how how can I play my part in this whole thing. So I think that's waiting to finish food and and

00:01:48 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:01:49 Unknown: so opportunity at the age of 14 years old and I was like, you know what? Instead of being able to sell products, I can actually sell my time. Because you can imagine 14 years old, you have so much time on your hands and

00:02:02 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:02:02 Unknown: you think of, So what do I do when I get home after school? What can I do on weekends? So then

00:02:10 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:02:11 Unknown: I learned a skill of getting there and I learned the skill was visiting different barbers in my community,

00:02:20 Lifuo Makhele: Mm hmm.

00:02:21 Unknown: came in knowledge and all day they were cutting in the methods that they were using, coming back home, practicing, giving kids free goods in order to

00:02:33 Lifuo Makhele: Mm

00:02:34 Unknown: get

00:02:34 Lifuo Makhele: hmm.

00:02:34 Unknown: to school. And then then they were realizing that, you know, I could actually make something out of this. And there was I charging ten grand for that. And that's and that's how the journey started out.

00:02:49 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah. Yeah. And then why here specifically was there someone who in the community who was cutting people they knew you looked up to them.

00:02:58 Unknown: Yes. Yes, yes. So. So in our community, I think I think there was there was two things that I saw. The first thing was that the bubble was seen as as the person. That's the euro. That that will make you look good. He's the person that that can change you. Right then. Then and also the negative. The other issue that I identified was with regarding them not being consistent as as as in when people would want them to be. So the Bible

00:03:35 Lifuo Makhele: Mm.

00:03:35 Unknown: reviews that and this was all over where I seem that the Bible would do things and obviously it's informal, but you'd do things as and when you wanted do so. So for

00:03:49 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:03:50 Unknown: him, it wasn't like a job or a career. It was much more as as I'm doing my customers a favor. And

00:03:57 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:03:57 Unknown: and I think that's that's when I saw, you know what, if I could maybe tweak that, maybe I'm not the best barber or I have the best skills, but if I can

00:04:08 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:04:08 Unknown: solve those issues, then I'm definitely onto something here.

00:04:14 Lifuo Makhele: I imagine that at that age that that is quite amazing. And then you went on like that ushered in. Up until you opened your first now official barbershop, did you use all your savings? You have you had, you know, collected as capital to do this? Or did you source funding externally?

00:04:36 Unknown: So how I actually started was that obviously when I matriculated at school, I, then I, then I thought to myself, you know, barbering is not actually going to be able to understand. I think

00:04:51 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:04:51 Unknown: I could write

00:04:51 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:04:53 Unknown: in a corporate job. And I went on to go work at Standard Bank and, and, and, but, you know, something that you're passionate as much as you still do it on the weekends. But then I saw my cousin open an Internet cafe. This was in Park City, and I asked him if I can make use of his stoop to mimic a proper barber. And he agreed with the condition that I only come on weekends. I said good shot because I. I only have weekends to come there. And I started out this was back in 2011. All I had was a clapper and a chair. There was

00:05:32 Lifuo Makhele: Well.

00:05:32 Unknown: no yeah, that's all I had. And, and I decided just to give it a shot, you understand? I literally just started as small as possible. And

00:05:43 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:05:43 Unknown: and we started out. Things begin to grow. I didn't realize that, you know, there's actually a queue that is building up. So people are waiting anticipation each and every region for me to actually given make up and realize what what makes me different what makes me different from

00:06:01 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:06:01 Unknown: the barber that's road from for me about it. It's been in the industry for much longer to my assumption. I then went across to me and went to go see what used to be. I didn't

00:06:14 Lifuo Makhele: Uh huh.

00:06:15 Unknown: realize that, you know, it was much more of a moment of transition for you where you was just getting paid to get done Whereas for myself it was much more of a relationship building exercise. So,

00:06:28 Lifuo Makhele: Mm

00:06:29 Unknown: so

00:06:29 Lifuo Makhele: mm.

00:06:29 Unknown: what I, I would take note of each customer, write down their name, the conversation that we had some few key points. And next time I look at it person, guess what? I'm making reference to that conversation and that's

00:06:45 Lifuo Makhele: Well.

00:06:45 Unknown: how the person felt belonging to their barber. Because with this being said, I do believe that I'm not the most talented barber, but being able to build relationships that sustainable. Now people realize why I feel so attracted to my barber, because he knows me personally and and I think that's where to Jamie of of me actually getting into our first store started so so right not far away from where the stoop was. There

00:07:18 Lifuo Makhele: Yes.

00:07:18 Unknown: was a small school. There was like a space, about 30 square meters.

00:07:23 Lifuo Makhele: Mm

00:07:23 Unknown: I

00:07:24 Lifuo Makhele: hmm.

00:07:24 Unknown: didn't use the. So what happened was that the frame of mind came on board. You could also cut the action, move conjoin while we shook

00:07:32 Lifuo Makhele: Well.

00:07:32 Unknown: hands. And we and I said to him today, you, my partner. And then it was just one of those things. But

00:07:41 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:07:42 Unknown: no, then down the road, down the road we went down the road from the stoop. There was a space about 50 square meters. And I didn't ask, I don't know the landlord if we could maybe lease here. We use the profits of this to do to invest in the operation of of that first actual location. And, and then we launched on the 1st of September 2011, and then we recruited guys from the community, showed him how to get there. And what we've done was so intentional because we went out to to the schools, to the old age homes, redundancies, a way just to give back by then.

00:08:29 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:08:30 Unknown: Looking at just looking at just looking at it. We then we didn't enjoyed going to the auditorium so much. We decided why not name the barbershop after the old people? Because the actual allegiance of our community and that's and that's where

00:08:44 Lifuo Makhele: Oh,

00:08:46 Unknown: the

00:08:46 Lifuo Makhele: God.

00:08:46 Unknown: main legitimacy comes of is actually serving the people from the from

00:08:50 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah,

00:08:50 Unknown: the from

00:08:51 Lifuo Makhele: yeah, yeah, yeah. That's interesting.

00:08:54 Unknown: was doing this.

00:08:57 Lifuo Makhele: That was a first because because, as you say, from from your cousin's Internet shop stoop

00:09:04 Unknown: We're.

00:09:04 Lifuo Makhele: to now having 70 stores

00:09:07 Unknown: Yes.

00:09:07 Lifuo Makhele: nationwide. Even out of out of the country. You're know you you you mentioned it so well that to you it wasn't just about hey have have a sit down cuddle her you were building relationships so it seems you took what seems like on the surface to to to ask looking on the outside looking in like it's just an ordinary service. Ababa is Ababa, you know,

00:09:32 Unknown: Yes.

00:09:32 Lifuo Makhele: you just cut

00:09:32 Unknown: Yes.

00:09:32 Lifuo Makhele: head and you and you positioned it into a brand that that stands out just

00:09:38 Unknown: Yeah.

00:09:38 Lifuo Makhele: by being so dedicated and and loving your customer and building your relationship. I feel like that is so amazing.

00:09:46 Unknown: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you very much. So. So it's been an interesting journey because because if you look at if you look at that first store, I

00:09:56 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:09:57 Unknown: actually failed because because of my partner, she ran away with the money. And when I came back from on the moon shop was closed and then I lost. I feel like I lost everything. But

00:10:09 Lifuo Makhele: The pattern that the pattern I shook hands with.

00:10:13 Unknown: you can imagine. And

00:10:14 Lifuo Makhele: On.

00:10:15 Unknown: then. And then looking at this, just looking at it in hindsight, I mean, we then re we launched agents 2014 and when we really launched in 2014, I didn't use that that phrase as lessons to go to put in a new direction because looking at looking at what I'm doing and what I'm prepared for, that's exactly that's exactly that's exactly what the vision was back in 2014.

00:10:43 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm. So you didn't give up on your vision and you say, you know what I've learned? You know, I fell island, and now I'm going back. And having learned from those lessons because it's so easy, you know, to just give up and say, okay, let me just go back to the bank or do something else. But but you didn't let that deter you.

00:11:03 Unknown: No, definitely. Definitely. Because I think I think being able to through is is a blessing in disguise.

00:11:11 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:11:11 Unknown: And I think most years they shy away from failure because they are too scared to be burned. But in business, you are about it is part of the process. It is part of growing. It is part of a journey that you have to go to these stages because of one, because you are unable to go through your stages. Guess what? You won't

00:11:35 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:11:36 Unknown: be able to know the true value of what you can stand, because you must be able to be that person that so strong and so bold enough that when failure comes, then you take you down as a challenge to willing to learn. And I think that's exactly what I, I took on and not taking it personally, but looking at how am I able to change this around and make it positive?

00:12:01 Lifuo Makhele: Mm hmm. And and, you know, in one of the the conversations you had with someone I know something that you say that I found quite profound, that you knew quite early on in your life that you didn't want to have someone determining your your net worth or how much you should and should, and this is how much you should take home. I found that so, so profound if you really,

00:12:27 Unknown: Yes.

00:12:27 Lifuo Makhele: really think about it deeply. Can you expand more on that?

00:12:33 Unknown: Yes. So I think so. I think one of the major things for me personally is is is is ability to to take full accountability and

00:12:43 Lifuo Makhele: You.

00:12:43 Unknown: because. Because because most of the time most of the time, we tend to blame situations and problems that that might lead us from achieving certain things. And that is actually that actually limitless in our thinking, in our belief system. But if you're able to have the stance because there's this one quote that I've learned while I went through the process of learning a fairly narrow it's one book that I read that says that I am the captain of my ship, I'm the master of my ship. So that means

00:13:15 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:13:16 Unknown: that everything that happens to me, it's because of me. Yeah, I understand. So?

00:13:20 Lifuo Makhele: Mm.

00:13:20 Unknown: So waiters. Waiters. So we don't go into a situation if if I am in this situation, it means that I can do something

00:13:27 Lifuo Makhele: It.

00:13:28 Unknown: about how I respond to you, see, not how other people perceive how I should respond Because that's exactly taking full accountability of each and every action that you want to do moving forward. So I think accountability for me is volumes because now you you are able to do things in a certain way that is that is counterproductive to what the world sees because everyone to blame, it's easy to blame. It's easy to do.

00:13:57 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:13:57 Unknown: So I blame I blame the government. I blame I blame this. I blame everything that shouldn't could possibly happen. But why

00:14:06 Lifuo Makhele: But.

00:14:06 Unknown: you start using that and say, you know what, how am I going to change my way of doing things and take full accountability for each and everything? And then then opens your your thought process starts change and everything that you do starts changing. You understand, like,

00:14:25 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:14:25 Unknown: for example, if we are like, like I've been on, I've been on a weight loss, I've been on a weight loss journey for the past year. And

00:14:35 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:14:36 Unknown: and I think this one moment this one moment when I took a picture of myself in the mirror and I saw myself and I'm like, now this this totally can be me. I can

00:14:47 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:14:48 Unknown: be this overweight. I mean, I was weighing about 128 pages,

00:14:54 Lifuo Makhele: So.

00:14:54 Unknown: which

00:14:54 Lifuo Makhele: Okay.

00:14:54 Unknown: is quite big. And and I then made a decision to take full accountability of what they eat, what they do,

00:15:02 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:15:03 Unknown: because things that you can control is things that you can make changes because now because the change process is so painful. But guess what? When you see the rewards afterwards and when you see what happens afterwards, then like,

00:15:17 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:15:17 Unknown: you know, being able to take that responsibility that that I needed as I needed to change everything that I going to do moving forward.

00:15:26 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm. Hmm. Well, that is that is quite profound. And and and when in the agenda. I like that part. I like that part about taking accountability to not blame the system, to not blame the environment or your situations like, oh, what am I going to do? I'm not I'm not finding a job.

00:15:43 Unknown: These.

00:15:44 Lifuo Makhele: What am I going to do? My parents are not rich or you know, I

00:15:49 Unknown: You.

00:15:49 Lifuo Makhele: just I just thank you. Thank you for for

00:15:52 Unknown: No.

00:15:52 Lifuo Makhele: for that for sharing that out and

00:15:55 Unknown: Thank you. Thank you very much.

00:15:58 Lifuo Makhele: and many in the agenda now with legends. Babar, did you realize, hey, there's a there's a surge in growth and out there is something changing? I you know, I my business is tipping. There's this

00:16:11 Unknown: Yeah.

00:16:11 Lifuo Makhele: book I like at a Tipping Point to Buy by Malcolm Gladwell at Gladwell's Dam, explains. According to him, the tipping point is, you know, a magic moment when an idea or trend or even a social behavior across a certain threshold,

00:16:31 Unknown: Yes.

00:16:31 Lifuo Makhele: it tips and then it spreads like wildfire, he says. Usually there are people involved that that he calls, you know, the mavens, the sensation that people, the connectors. He says this people are special. They have that gift of bringing the world together. But it not it's that should be met with some someone working hard and dedication on your part, you know.

00:16:56 Unknown: Yes. Yes.

00:16:58 Lifuo Makhele: Do you do you do you somehow relate to that when you realize, you know, I think my business has now, Richie reached a tipping point. Do did you experience something like that?

00:17:08 Unknown: Yes. Yes, no, definitely. Definitely. And I like the book as well because it speaks about books, about this book, about being able to to solve problems and basically looking at how are we able as human beings to change our behavior and doing things in a certain way. So

00:17:27 Lifuo Makhele: Mm.

00:17:29 Unknown: it's one thing I can definitely relate to that book is, is a is an experience of dread. So. So I had an experience where where my goal was to open five stores in five years. This was back in 2014. And

00:17:45 Lifuo Makhele: Right.

00:17:46 Unknown: what happened was that so, so

00:17:48 Lifuo Makhele: Or.

00:17:49 Unknown: so we opened our first store and then open our first store. The goal and one to play it all out to my mind. You know, when you play something out in your mind, you do

00:17:58 Lifuo Makhele: Mm.

00:17:58 Unknown: open for you open the store and you limit yourself according to how you you see yourself growing. You understand you really a forecasting your growth. But then

00:18:12 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:18:12 Unknown: I came into a point, it came to a point where you realize that there is code that you experience is beyond your expectation. And

00:18:22 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:18:23 Unknown: this was around 2018 to 2019 where we start seeing a influx of customers from all over South Africa celebrities. You should

00:18:35 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:18:35 Unknown: never assume that you can think about is getting a copy of legends. And this just just to change the trajectory of our business now where people who are customers of the business like like all of these celebrity soccer players,

00:18:55 Lifuo Makhele: You.

00:18:56 Unknown: the stars are like now they are also buying franchises within the business. And then

00:19:01 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:19:03 Unknown: you're onto something here because this is this is really something special. And I think

00:19:08 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:19:08 Unknown: that that's where the tipping point after and the problem that's particularly and and and it's during that time when I decided you know what for me to control all of this, I need

00:19:20 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:19:20 Unknown: to to to think about different ways and means because children can be it all the stores all the time. So now

00:19:28 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:19:29 Unknown: it's the methods in terms of how am I going to do this? So then I started investigating how does franchising work always franchising or what certain procedures do we have to do in order to create a successful franchise and being able to adopt the perfect franchise for your business, which is so, so crucial. And I think once once we are able to to look in this and look at look at your business model, where your business model starts evolving and being something that is not only for yourself but for the growth and the betterment of others, then I feel like that was my tipping point either.

00:20:12 Lifuo Makhele: Wow. Wow. Sheldon And can you walk us through your approach to building your brand identity now? As you say, you and I had to look at franchising such as, you know, color schemes in the shops. So the ambiance or even the tone of of of voice of when it land works in my my cousin's sister cuts her hair every now and then. Then she goes to a certain legends barbershop.

00:20:39 Unknown: Yes.

00:20:39 Lifuo Makhele: So I know how she raves about it. And she's obviously she's a girl. She

00:20:45 Unknown: We've.

00:20:45 Lifuo Makhele: wants that treat when she wants that. Nice. You know, how how how did you reach that point? What is it that you did?

00:20:52 Unknown: Yeah.

00:20:53 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:20:53 Unknown: Yeah. So I think it's I think the simple principles that it obviously you have to understand that certain things are fundamentals that you have to put in place and understand that, that, that information is a journey. So.

00:21:07 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:21:08 Unknown: So just to give you context is this is verse in the Bible in Colossians 323 that says, whatever you do, work it into the Lord as you working for the Lord and not for men. So this particular verse for me actually symbolizes everything that we do in our business. So. So if you look at you look at the type of culture that we created within our business where we're window, guys are able to not only shop in the shop, but they go out into the community still today, you still have a responsibility to to go to all these homes, to go to the schools

00:21:44 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:21:44 Unknown: and be on the stand. But they do

00:21:47 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:21:47 Unknown: this not for themselves because this is free goods, but they do this through for God because they believe that everything that they do is is under God. You understand now you created this culture within the organization that is that a foundation is built on certain principles. And in our case it's both and price. So you know, training centers, we we we get guys from different communities so we get guys, guys and girls from different backgrounds. But in order for them to be able to grounded in trade, we take them through. So we basically take them through how to live their lives not not in the stores only, but on outside. You understand, how do you portray yourself? But also because remember that you are the brand, you are a person that God is called for now, but you have to be able to deliver in a certain way. I understand. And that's exactly I think I think the main fundamental principle for us is putting Christ within our business, because then we realize what is our redemptive purpose on this earth as a business. And that speaks volumes. And I know many business wouldn't like to take the religious approach, but

00:23:04 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:23:05 Unknown: what we have decided, you know, organization and it's not that you don't accept other religions. It's it's just the fact that this is our principle that we have we have grown our business on for many, many years. And we see that it has to be some sort of foundation and some principles that we go from the beginning.

00:23:27 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm. You say that it was in Colossians three, 23,

00:23:31 Unknown: Yes. That certainly.

00:23:33 Lifuo Makhele: 423. So. So it's not just about business and making money as your saving that person.

00:23:39 Unknown: Was.

00:23:40 Lifuo Makhele: You it's servitude also to God.

00:23:44 Unknown: And

00:23:44 Lifuo Makhele: So

00:23:44 Unknown: so.

00:23:44 Lifuo Makhele: you take it and not up. It's not it just doesn't end with a transaction, a deal. Hey, give me money. Go your way.

00:23:52 Unknown: What's.

00:23:53 Lifuo Makhele: It's more than that. You even go to the community. But also it has to reflect in how you carry yourself and in your life as well.

00:24:02 Unknown: That's. That's partly

00:24:03 Lifuo Makhele: That's so amazing.

00:24:05 Unknown: because

00:24:06 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:24:06 Unknown: it's because of you. Because our our mission is to change people's lives so

00:24:12 Lifuo Makhele: Mm hmm.

00:24:14 Unknown: that people's lives. So this is all we do. We tell you to look at.

00:24:17 Lifuo Makhele: You.

00:24:18 Unknown: So if you look at our training into that's that's a one key element within our business where we take where we're able to give guys in their communities free education and how to become barbers and give them the opportunity to either work at bluejeans or to start their own business. And they can. Now, if you adopt this mindset and you're giving back to the community and you're doing it in a certain way, guess what happens? Now the community starts seeing what you're doing, everyone can notice it, and you still go back within that same community and you're able to give back. You still go to the schools. You still go to the old age homes, and you still continue to make a difference. And that, to me, I think I think is one thing that people can remember me by, is being able to have the vehicle in order for us to create that impact in the different communities that we find ourselves.

00:25:18 Lifuo Makhele: This gives goose bumps. No, this is addre. I tell you, Sheldon, these days, it's all about what's in it for me. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for that.

00:25:30 Unknown: Was.

00:25:32 Lifuo Makhele: You know, Legends Baba also offers its clients, you know, its ancillary hair care products that you can buy in store, you can buy externally from e-commerce sites and all of that. I presume this is to offer clients a more comprehensive experience also of how to take care of their hair opposed to the grooming and the cutting and then this additional revenue for the business, obviously. How did this now come about?

00:26:02 Unknown: Yes. Yes. I think that's such a vital question. So so I think when we when we started looking at the and going into our own product lines, I didn't started out with products that we were using. So we would so we would then look at what are the products that we can manufacture for usage. So then come up with great color which and fibers. These are the things that we do using the store. But then our customers started asking us our own are able to achieve a certain install and then we scratch on ads and find out, you know, what we have

00:26:39 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:26:40 Unknown: to go and do inputting and actually formulate products that our customers can can use. Because at that particular time, there was no product that was sold in that particular problem that our customers was facing. And we said, you

00:26:55 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:26:55 Unknown: know what, we're going to take that chance. We are going to be able to do our research and let us come up with products that actually work for our customers and and, you know, been so passionate because because I think, like another thing about me is that each and every product that we develop I'm so involved in it because I tested, I go through

00:27:17 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:27:17 Unknown: it one customer's reviews on feedback. And I also want to ensure that we, we create a product market fit because if you create something that's not product market fit, you might need to run a Q Don't you understand? So, so we ensure that the product that you create you use is going to be the one for the product. And then we started seeing traction with our stores and then we started

00:27:43 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:27:44 Unknown: people actually later to these products and people saying, you know, these products are actually quite good. And and then we start seeing the growth within the products and and we use that could we use that data analytics and really approach and we approach the retail chains and we're like, guys, these are are we selling our products within our stores? These are our numbers can see this. Are we able to list within your particular retailers and then then they start to be green. So then we start adding our products, being listed in your desk games, your tweets, your sports

00:28:23 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:28:25 Unknown: drug recently as well, the Malcolm's group. And and

00:28:28 Lifuo Makhele: Who?

00:28:29 Unknown: then we started looking at it, all of these distribution chains. Now we're making it much more accessible to to collaborate with different partners in order for them to distribute our products, which which has grown tremendously. And I consider that it is a reason why the product range would do well because of the type of research and work that has gone through over the years.

00:28:53 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah, yeah, yeah. And it all started by just listening to the customer.

00:29:00 Unknown: Yes. It's

00:29:01 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:29:01 Unknown: easy

00:29:03 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:29:03 Unknown: listening to mine. Also creating a product market, I think. I think

00:29:07 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:29:07 Unknown: most of the time entrepreneurs sometimes do get ahead of themselves and create products which could be futuristic and is not right for the consumer that you saw. So you

00:29:19 Lifuo Makhele: I.

00:29:19 Unknown: need to understand who is your customer service and what does your customer need right now and will they be able to latch onto that particular product that you service and them more understanding, a different story. It's a different story. Just being able to put products out there. But creating a product

00:29:39 Lifuo Makhele: And.

00:29:40 Unknown: takes a lot of time and effort, and that's exactly what you need to do.

00:29:45 Lifuo Makhele: I see. I see. And what were some of the biggest challenges, if any, you've faced in your in your business? And how did you overcome or deal with them?

00:29:56 Unknown: There's been a lot of challenges. I mean,

00:29:58 Lifuo Makhele: I.

00:29:59 Unknown: just to take you back, just to take you back to I mean, we experienced covered,

00:30:03 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm. Yeah.

00:30:05 Unknown: but the

00:30:05 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:30:06 Unknown: industry was actually closed down for four months. And during

00:30:10 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:30:11 Unknown: the four months short, like, it's not like people are no longer going to cut anymore. People are learning to take it home and it felt like everything was crumbling down because now

00:30:23 Lifuo Makhele: And.

00:30:23 Unknown: we are losing out on so many potential customers. And during this time, like I said, that, you know, things work in in in a way, because I believe that it was a crisis for us personally. I understand. And and the one thing that that I see is that good companies, especially as we should be looking at, are the good the bad companies that are destroyed by this crisis. And and COVID was a typical example of that. So so you have the good companies that are destroyed by COVID, but then you also have to note the bad script by crisis, by the good companies that survived them because there was a number of companies that survive go with. But then when it gets to Legends was like one of the great companies that actually improved during this time. They did really thrive because of certain things that were doing during that four months that we were that had down. So just to give you an idea for that, the

00:31:36 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:31:37 Unknown: on we're looking at how best can we serve our communities, our business, can we make a difference within our communities? And I just feel God's kingdom is like, no, it did 90,000 dead that you have within your account given

00:31:51 Lifuo Makhele: Mm

00:31:51 Unknown: all

00:31:51 Lifuo Makhele: hmm.

00:31:52 Unknown: the different regions and make sure that we are feeding the people on the ground, that we are doing initiatives to to make a difference on the ground. Because don't worry, if you if you come back, we can always make a way. But but make sure that the people because people are going hungry and things

00:32:11 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:32:11 Unknown: were so really bad and we rallied all our guys and guys were going to go in the communities to buy food parcels and we had to give it out to the needy. Ever needs food parcels or to let us make a difference. And this is what we've done during COVID. We've done it like every single week or every second week until until our payments was depleted. And guess what happened when

00:32:36 Lifuo Makhele: Wow.

00:32:37 Unknown: in fact, when we came back from when we came back from our when we came back from COVID, we came back from COVID. And we decided I can remember the day that it when we came back, we said, what we are going do, we are we are going to give free it out when people

00:32:58 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:32:59 Unknown: do something the days. So we said yes, but only in order for you to get Africa is to bring a grocery parcel so we can think that through supplies to realize that the need within the community are so big and

00:33:15 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:33:16 Unknown: retail shops flocking, flocking. And there was queues of people just wanted to give food parcels out to the needy. And we had like so many and, and we went out and we went to give the community. But just see how God works because, because,

00:33:32 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:33:33 Unknown: like if we were not obedient, all of those things, we would have not seen the crude as it is today. It then we only had 12 stores today we standing on over 70 stores in five countries and and

00:33:48 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:33:49 Unknown: realizing that that that if you're able to just just make a difference in the community, find yourself to sow the seeds to defeat come back in some way your full but just being obedient to the voice

00:34:03 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:34:04 Unknown: you.

00:34:05 Lifuo Makhele: I wonder, Sheldon, did the vision ever scare you at some point and you doubted if you will ever achieve your goal?

00:34:13 Unknown: Yeah. Yeah, no, definitely. Definitely. We I've experienced I've experienced this so many times because this is the season that I make that

00:34:26 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:34:26 Unknown: with. I wondered to myself, is this really going to succeed? Is this really

00:34:30 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:34:31 Unknown: is this really going to pan out the way? I think it's not. And then you asked yourself, wow, like like just to give an example of recently, recently we decided to manufacture our own eclipse and something that's really new to me from the standpoint

00:34:50 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:34:50 Unknown: of being able to do this, because we see the need within the communities, not only in Legends Barbershop, but also in different barbershops across our industry. We guys don't have the funds to buy professional clippers, and now being able to converse and say, You know what I would do? Take on this vision. And my vision is to every barber has a professional clippers that we can serve as the customers, which I think

00:35:21 Lifuo Makhele: Love.

00:35:22 Unknown: is one of the things that I experienced this year. I don't do myself. But guess what? When we launch the Clipper in the space of 2 to 3 months, you know, it's three months, not a time to travel. And we

00:35:36 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:35:36 Unknown: are sold over 2000 clippers to do all these different barbers. And and we've also gave back in the communities and so many barbers do actually have professional

00:35:47 Lifuo Makhele: Her.

00:35:48 Unknown: clippers. So I think so. I think there's a there's

00:35:50 Lifuo Makhele: How?

00:35:50 Unknown: an element of there's element of fear, but there's also an element of being able to risk it for the greater

00:35:58 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:35:58 Unknown: good.

00:35:59 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:36:00 Unknown: It's for the greater good. I think God or we see you had to go to the more based on based on what your desires. I can see it will come to pass.

00:36:11 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah. Yeah. Because going back to the COVID conversation, I don't know, because when they called it the novel coronavirus, they did it was a new thing for the whole world to shut down. And many businesses you don't know, how am I going to get out of this? You know, when the economy and and eventually opens up, how am I really going to go about it? But you you took your reserves during that time

00:36:40 Unknown: Yes.

00:36:41 Lifuo Makhele: and and start giving to the people and saying people are hungry, which was a reality. And you just kept on going and going. And whereas many was like, okay, holding on to whatever you have and thinking, okay, we don't know when this is going to end people way, you know, hoarding and putting things. And if you own a business, you're thinking, okay, I need to strategize

00:37:06 Unknown: Yes.

00:37:06 Lifuo Makhele: with this little money I have when now we finally do open, how am I going to go about it? I'm going to scale down. I'm going to. But you took your money and started giving to the people. I feel like as much as you are talking about fear,

00:37:20 Unknown: There's.

00:37:21 Lifuo Makhele: you also have that deep sense of fearlessness. And I don't know if it also is coupled with trusting God. I

00:37:29 Unknown: No.

00:37:29 Lifuo Makhele: just find this amazing that.

00:37:32 Unknown: Because. Because I think that's how we should live our lives. Because it's contrary to what everyone believes. Because once

00:37:40 Lifuo Makhele: And.

00:37:40 Unknown: you Google the dream, because many people believe, like, for example, like Google where you have to hold on to the results you can't spend

00:37:48 Lifuo Makhele: Oh,

00:37:49 Unknown: your camera

00:37:49 Lifuo Makhele: yeah.

00:37:50 Unknown: on because you don't know what's happened to the future. But

00:37:53 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:37:54 Unknown: we have to have your assurance in God. And knowing that God is your future, then you're able to do things contrary to what everyone thinks is is actually the wrong thing to do at a particular time. Because in business sense it really doesn't make sense, but

00:38:11 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:38:11 Unknown: you think it's from a different point of view. And so, you know what? I'm glad I'm able to do so to see that I'm able to do and step out of the boundaries and guess what? Open doors start open and things that's happening beyond your imagination. And I'm a testimony of this because I've seen

00:38:28 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:38:28 Unknown: it so many times where without fear steps in. But, you know, because you have God on your side, then all things are possible.

00:38:39 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah. Wow. You. This is so profound. You left it in the hands of God. Did business, science, scientific. Well, this doesn't make sense, but

00:38:51 Unknown: There's

00:38:51 Lifuo Makhele: my

00:38:52 Unknown: not.

00:38:52 Lifuo Makhele: future belongs to God. You

00:38:53 Unknown: And

00:38:53 Lifuo Makhele: know,

00:38:54 Unknown: that's.

00:38:54 Lifuo Makhele: it takes me back to. Yeah, it takes me back to 2 to 1. This. I have no idea where it comes from, but it goes like we plain as humans. But it's God who actually establishes our steps. We can blend as much as we like and have a brilliant brain and whatnot. But it

00:39:13 Unknown: Yes.

00:39:13 Lifuo Makhele: is God who is.

00:39:14 Unknown: Well,

00:39:14 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah,

00:39:15 Unknown: and

00:39:16 Lifuo Makhele: I

00:39:16 Unknown: that's

00:39:16 Lifuo Makhele: just think.

00:39:17 Unknown: also true because because many of the times we in our minds really want to dictate how God should work in us and through us. And many other times, it's not the way that God intended, because you start desiring them out towards these places

00:39:33 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:39:33 Unknown: nowadays. So you things is not our. We think limited resources and with all resources unlimited and and and and looking at this, if you are able to to implement these principles within your business and and do things according to our own are not the world would want you to go because everyone everyone always looks at it wants to trends that suddenly up and become a jump onto the trends come and see what's happening in the world so I can be the first one or be the one that's taking on that. But, you know, once you are able to stick to what you know and how you do things like, for example, like Bob Graham was never fashionable, Bob, but wasn't

00:40:17 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:40:17 Unknown: wasn't a it didn't go to like people always asking why are you doing this? Do you know you can be doing something else? You know, you can do what can be, you know, you can do X, Y and Z. But

00:40:28 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:40:29 Unknown: not everyone is being able to decide what you are gifted with because everyone does have a goal in everyone. There is something deep down within themselves to say, No, I'm going to do this and I'm going to do this. It doesn't matter what comes my way. I'm going to have that that maniacal focus that I'm going to be the best at what I do. And things happen, maybe will happen, but people are going to find me doing the same thing. And that's

00:40:58 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:40:58 Unknown: good

00:40:59 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:41:00 Unknown: until I

00:41:00 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:41:00 Unknown: get to school. And

00:41:03 Lifuo Makhele: Well.

00:41:03 Unknown: that's exactly what that's exactly, exactly. But I think that, you know, our times as entrepreneurs shifted and drifted away from from your ultimate purpose. And

00:41:14 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:41:14 Unknown: ultimate purpose is not to follow trends. Ultimate purpose is not to follow the norm. You are going to do something great, but you have to stay in your lane, work to sustain what you do consistently, no matter. Sometimes it doesn't look like it's working out because. Because I've seen days where I feel demotivated. But guess what? If you latch on to your source and you say, I'm going to trust God because I know that I am going to do this, and you constantly remind yourself of the things that you're doing and and you build it self confidence and you start seeing things unfold and then you realize that, you know, things are actually working out good and God plans and this is not

00:41:56 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:41:57 Unknown: doing.

00:41:58 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah. Wow. So emotional right now. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you for saying that. So motivation professional. And you are speaking to me and and I know to everyone is listening to us now. And do you have any advice for anyone out there listening, looking to build or even elevate rent or or even start or start a business?

00:42:25 Unknown: Yeah. So yeah, I'm, I think I think there's there's definitely there's definitely a few things that I have that I've done within within my businesses is, is I think I think for anyone out there, the number one thing that I've learned is to constantly stay curious. You know, curiosity is one

00:42:49 Lifuo Makhele: I.

00:42:49 Unknown: of what I love so much because. Because I'm always acceptable to learn something new. I'm always acceptable to be the one that's asked me questions, that's willing to do research, that's willing to find out what it is. How can I do things at all? Am I able to learn something new in my industry? Am I able to do something different? And once you are curious enough and you constantly ask questions, I mean, there must be a day gone without you. Ask him a certain question, but you don't know how interesting we

00:43:25 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah. Yeah.

00:43:26 Unknown: are going through it. And I think that's so important. The next thing is humility. For me, humility plays a big part

00:43:34 Lifuo Makhele: Mm hmm.

00:43:35 Unknown: in you as a person because remember, the Bible says that every living soul themselves will be on your rambles themselves will be exalted. So if you are humble yourself and you take on the process of humility to say, I am I am actually going to approach whatever I do in humility will. It's my customers. It's the people around me, my lives. I want to be humble and I'm going to be arrogant around that and thinking that I am this person, I'm the greater person. It's always because guess what? People want to do business with people. Get on the damn bill. And once you're able to do humble yourself, even when you bend bell instead of throwing stones

00:44:23 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:44:24 Unknown: around, it's to remain humble. And the last thing I would say that taken the form as being the mess with the naysayers in your prose, just be tenacious in whatever you find yourself. You

00:44:39 Lifuo Makhele: And.

00:44:40 Unknown: know, the thing is that that many of us would in finish up, there's no 9 to 5 and many people think that, you know what, now I'm just going to work from a certain time to a certain time to switch off. But

00:44:54 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:44:54 Unknown: it

00:44:55 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah,

00:44:55 Unknown: that mean

00:44:56 Lifuo Makhele: it's

00:44:56 Unknown: you initiative

00:44:57 Lifuo Makhele: true.

00:44:57 Unknown: this your life so you have to give it your all you have been afforded 24 hours in a day. What are you doing with every split second of the days? Are you making a difference? Are you able to work as hard as you can possibly can? And being able to, to show the world out there to move, to show up in a mood, to give you tomorrow, or you're just going to wait for things to fall on your lap. And I think

00:45:22 Lifuo Makhele: And.

00:45:22 Unknown: those are those are definitely the 3 to 3 things that I believe are so crucial for is is curiosity, humility and tenacity.

00:45:35 Lifuo Makhele: Huh? Awesome. And then. Thank you. Thank you for that shirt. And now today, with running over 70 stores and

00:45:43 Unknown: Yes.

00:45:43 Lifuo Makhele: with over 600 members, I presume maintaining some sort of a mental agility must be crucial for you. So what habits or practices do you incorporate into your daily life to keep your mind sharp and focused?

00:46:01 Unknown: Thank you. I think that's crucial because you as an entrepreneur, you are actually you actually especially when you starting out, you become the lifeblood of your organization. You

00:46:12 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:46:12 Unknown: are the thing because everything goes back to the same that did that. I am the captain of my ship and the master

00:46:20 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:46:20 Unknown: of my speaking at full responsibility. So, so my daily routine each and every day when I wake up. So I wake up at four in the morning at 430, I go on. So basically from 4 p.m. to 430, there's a time that I use to pray, to meditate, and from

00:46:38 Lifuo Makhele: Okay.

00:46:38 Unknown: 430 I will then go out and go run. And I do this on a daily basis. I think my morning routine is so crucial because because it anchors my day, that's the time when I get to spend with my self and and with my maker to understand, you know, the day that's coming ahead of me, anything can go wrong, anything can happen. But because I have faith that things will work out according to plan, so so I'm engaged in that from the beginning. 5pmi, I go on the run and would like each and every day. Then afterwards I wouldn't take my kids to school and then get

00:47:19 Lifuo Makhele: Mm hmm.

00:47:19 Unknown: to know is what I also do when I'm spending time in traffic I'm always learning. I'm always I'm always learning. So I have I have audio books that's displayed

00:47:36 Lifuo Makhele: Ask them.

00:47:37 Unknown: on. I have soon as we get to the office, there's I have a bookshelf. So I'm surrounded by knowledge each and every day. So

00:47:47 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:47:47 Unknown: when I need some time, I can make reference to certain things that I've learned because there's, you know, there's, there's always a book out there that you can just pick up and you can just learn from certain principles that you can

00:48:00 Lifuo Makhele: True.

00:48:00 Unknown: say, This is what I need right now. And then it becomes a letter that you're actually

00:48:05 Lifuo Makhele: Well.

00:48:05 Unknown: reading to yourself. And, you know, these are the changes happening and taking on that debt. And, and I mean, like, that's the most important part of my day. Then things happen from a world point of view. So I think

00:48:19 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:48:19 Unknown: your take on this so important,

00:48:23 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah. Yeah.

00:48:24 Unknown: I.

00:48:24 Lifuo Makhele: Wow. And and thank you. And talking about books. And in closing, Sheldon, do you have a book that impacted your interest, another Jenny or just your favorite book that you can you can share with us?

00:48:38 Unknown: Yes. So there's a couple of books that I personally like the that that I've also leaned on for many years. There's a book by Napoleon Hill that you can reach. I think

00:48:53 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah. Yeah.

00:48:55 Unknown: temperature's been able to alter the way you think as an individual, to change your mindset in the way that you are. You are adaptable and you can be resourceful. Want to watch your apps. And so I

00:49:09 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah.

00:49:09 Unknown: think that book for me is such a big role then. Then there's other books like this, other books that I can mention, like 48 Laws of Power that teaches you the principles of how to behave, the digital, the principles of about how to how to do things in a certain way. Because as as as an individual, you have to learn from what has been done in the past for data as a foundation along the journey of what people have done in the past and, and the principles that they abuse through to actually to actually make those changes within themselves. And yeah, it is a couple of books. I mean, I mean, I can go on and on. But

00:49:54 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah. Yeah.

00:49:55 Unknown: the most important book for me also use the Bible because it's application I use on a daily basis the Bible. For me, it's, it's, it's there, it's, it's relevant to this day and things

00:50:09 Lifuo Makhele: Hmm.

00:50:09 Unknown: that I do to do things that I'm struggling with. I just reach for the Bible as well. From a personal background, it just angers my friends so much.

00:50:19 Lifuo Makhele: Yeah. Well, Sheldon, thank you. That has been so amazing, so educational, so inspirational. I don't know. I feel so overwhelmed, and I'm so grateful for you. I thank you so, so much for coming to to talk to us today.

00:50:35 Unknown: No, thank you. Thank you very much indeed. Very much for.

00:50:40 Lifuo Makhele: All right.