When Katlego Mashilane lost his job as an electrician in 2015, he never imagined that the setback would spark a journey taking him from the streets to one of the world’s biggest jewellery trade exhibitions in New York City in the US.
Mashilane, who hails from Bushbuckridge in Mpumalanga, founded Beadz by Flex that same year after identifying an opportunity in Johannesburg’s bustling tourism hub.
“There was an influx of tourists in Maboneng, and I decided to take advantage of that… I knew what kind of products tourists liked,” he said.
With just a few beads from local shops, Mashilane began crafting simple bracelets and selling them to tourists. “Sales picked up very quickly, and the products were well received. We grew and became a recognised brand in Maboneng. We had a stall there from 2015 until 2020, when the Covid-19 lockdowns came into effect.”
Before the pandemic hit, Beadz by Flex had already grown beyond the street markets.
The brand was supplying three Tourvest stores – part of one of Southern Africa’s leading integrated tourism groups – and collaborating with the Ekurhuleni Jewellery Project, a non-profit business incubation centre launched in 2009.
“Joining the incubator was a game-changer for my business. I started developing my products further, moving from simple beadwork to working with metals like brass and silver.”
His technical background gave him an edge.
“My millwright training and my childhood passion really helped me. I did engineering drawings. A millwright combines mechanical and electrical skills, so I’ve always been good with my hands.”
The business, however, faced severe setbacks during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“When Covid hit, I was supplying eight clients, and I lost all of them.”
Despite the challenges, Mashilane’s determination kept Beadz by Flex alive. His first international exposure came through department of trade, industry and competition trips to the United States in 2019 and 2020.
“A lot of our sales came from tourists, mainly from the United States and Germany. From one of those trips, I secured a client who has kept my business afloat. Without that collaboration, I would be out of business.”
This year, Beadz by Flex was among 10 SA manufacturing jewellers who showcased their designs at the JA New York Exhibition, held at the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center from October 26 to 28, in collaboration with the Jewellery Council of SA.
“The trips to the United States of America have been very helpful,” Mashilane said. “They’ve kept the business alive – and the dream too.”
Mashilane is also giving back. “I recently signed up two learners under the Youth Employment Service (YES) programme. I’ve been working alone all along, driven purely by passion, but it’s time to start managing and mentoring others,” he said.
This story was first published in GCIS’ Vuk’uzenzele.