We’ve all heard it said that young people are the seeds of a country’s future, and that’s just as true here in South Africa as it is in the rest of the world. Young people aren’t afraid to push the boundaries of whatever they do, and it often pays off immensely, both financially and in terms of economic development for the country.
Alexander Fourie is one such young innovator. Back in 2006, he started a small business from his res in Stellenbosch University called iFix, specialising in fixing broken and faulty Apple products.
The reason he did it? Because he spotted a gap in the market when he attempted to get his iPod fixed, only to be told that nobody could do it locally. So he took it upon himself to change that, and out of that determination, iFix was born.
When his little enterprise mushroomed into a far larger venture that included fixing Samsung and Huawei smartphones, it was renamed WeFix.
WeFix today has 36 stores across South Africa, employs over 500 people and services over 4000 clients a month. The company’s profile states:
“We’re born fixers. We fix laptops and phones, tablets and drones and things in-between. We do it fast and well and it gets us noticed. weFix has grown into a nationally known brand, respected as the most experienced Apple, Huawei and Samsung repair and servicing provider in South Africa.”
There are branches in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, specialising in more than just smartphone repairs: today, WeFix stores sell a wide range of smart device-related products, from phone covers to screen protectors. They even sell DJI drones and VR goggles.
Fourie’s venture proved so successful, he was named in Forbes Magazine’s list of the top ten most promising young African entrepreneurs in 2014, when he was just 28. Later that year, he was among the winners at the Maverick Awards for South African Youth Entrepreneurship Excellence.
The WeFix website proudly proclaims that it has “690 000 happy customers”, and their tagline is “We make it better”.
Better, indeed. And this is just one example of a young South African entrepreneur making it big. More to follow in the next few days.
[Image: WeFix Facebook Page]
