Tom Alexander is finally living his dream of being an entrepreneur, and it came suddenly and as unexpectedly as the Covid-19 pandemic which brought South Africa’s economy to a near standstill in 2020. Tom had been an employee at Barloworld Power for twelve years. He started there as a junior through a learnership programme and received training to finally qualify as an Electrical Technician specialising in the installation and service of Power Generators. As the pandemic took its toll, in late 2020, he suddenly found himself in retrenchment consultations and facing the prospect of unemployment and an uncertain future. Tom, who is also a Pastor at the Pentecostal Christian Church, leaned on his faith to help him maintain a positive attitude throughout the process. His prayers were answered when he and some of his colleagues were offered the opportunity to establish their own businesses providing services as contractors to Barloworld. He was finally presented with the very opportunity he had been yearning for but could not initiate due to his responsibilities to his family. Tom took the leap into entrepreneurship without hesitation and registered Tilas Steelworks and Construction (Pty) Ltd in September 2020.

Tom’s wife, Amanda, has been there with him every step of the way assisting him to get the Company off the ground. Though employed full-time as a teacher, she is deeply involved in the Company and there is hardly a major decision that Tom makes without first seeking her perspective and counsel. She also assists with admin on a part-time basis which allows him to focus on being on the road providing service in the field.

Barloworld Siyakhula provided Tom with start-up Capital to acquire a bakkie, tools, office equipment and working capital to cover the initial operating costs. The Company also received assistance with branding and marketing material as well as a mentor to help develop and implement a business strategy, and an Accountant for Bookkeeping who trained Amanda in financial administration.

It has now been year since Tom began this journey, which, he says with some surprise, has passed all too quickly. The initial difficulties of getting the operations going have largely been sorted out. He marvels when he reflects on how it has all turned out. He is nonetheless mindful of the challenges that lie ahead, including the high unemployment rate, lack of growth of South African economy, the Covid-19 pandemic and the incessant load-shedding. While he is saddened by the devastating impact on people’s lives, he refuses to dwell on the negative. As a Pastor, he often counsels people that are dealing with difficult personal challenges. He tries to help them find hope through faith and teaches them to focus on whatever ‘silver linings’ there may be and uses his own life experiences as an example.

Tom exudes excitement when talking about his business and the future. He has achieved his first key objective which was to ensure that his primary customer, Barloworld, is happy with the Company’s service. His focus is now shifting to acquiring additional customers and driving growth. Because load-shedding increases demand for Power Generators and his services, he often finds that he does not have enough time to attend to all the orders he receives. Tom plans to recruit a trainee Technician soon to increase his capacity. He looks forward to providing opportunities to underprivileged youths for skills development and a career path that is similar to what Barloworld provided him. But he believes that his greatest impact will come from helping to shape the mind-set of the youth by serving as a living embodiment of the principles that he constantly expresses in discussion - “continuous self-education”, “not quitting”, “never losing faith”, “accepting and learning from your mistakes”.

Back to previous page