Seven Entrepreneurs Who Succeeded Without a Degree

Mario Joseph - Director of Joseph Plumbing Services

Plumbing, sanitary facilities, water heaters, taps, water pumps, Mario Joseph, 53, knows a lot about them. It must be said that he has been practicing this profession since he took a job at the age of 19 in a maintenance company (plumbing section) when he left college after Form IV. Today, he has been at the head of Joseph Plumbing Services since 1998 and currently has two employees.

“I started on my own because it was hard to make ends meet. There were ups and downs, but with perseverance, I have nothing to complain about today,” says Mario Joseph, who has reason to be proud of his career. He has a child who is studying abroad, while his son, whom he trained, teaches plumbing in a technical school. Mario Joseph is also driven by a passion for passing on his know-how to young people. Two of its former employees are now flying on their own because they have set up on their own. “I like to train young people,” he says.

Meticulous and perfectionist, Mario Joseph aims to expand his business and recruit other young people. "If they have the will, the discipline and are attentive, they will become good workers," he says.

Sony Mawooa - Director of JKN Mawooa Food

This 43-year-old resident of Floréal, with only a School Certificate in her pocket, has worked in the hotel industry, in a diamond factory and as an optician's assistant. A jack-of-all-trades who finally found her way by opening her own business in 2012 where she is supported by her husband Jugdish and her brother Manoj. Her company – JKN Mawooa Food, in which she serves as 'Managing Director', specializes in the processing of spices that she sells in supermarkets, at the National Women Entrepreneur Council incubator or even to individuals. who place orders with him. Recently, Sony, in partnership with its cousin, has also been offering its customers wedding pastries (marzipan, nan katai, sultafine, etc.). The young woman is also targeting the export market and initially has England in her sights to export her products. “I will then have to recruit people,” Sony is already planning.

However, building his business was not easy. “At the beginning, I only offered six products, today I have a range of 25 products. But, before reaching this stage, I had to work hard. To start on your own, you have to be determined, creative and go for it to make your place in the sun and be successful. Nothing is impossible for those who want to achieve their goals, ”concludes Sony.

Nushrat Toorab - Al-Saabah Collection store manager

The year is 2013. Nushrat Toorab, who studied up to Form V, is a new employee in a store. She only receives a salary of Rs 3,000 and her employer does not make life easy for her. However, one day, while throwing garbage in the trash, she meets an acquaintance who puts her in touch with the manager of a store. The latter turns out to be a customer of the store where Nushrat had worked for 9 years before being forced to leave after the death of the owner. A nudge of fate or a manifestation of luck, the store manager, who has decided to close his store, goes against all odds to make an offer to Nushrat.

"Why don't you take my location to open your own store?" he throws at her. Advice that Nushrat decides to follow. And so it was that in the course of the same year, the 34-year-old young woman opened her store – Al-Saabah Collection which is strategically located in Curepipe – with the support of her family. “Having my own store means a lot to me. It's not only my livelihood, but also a way to stand on my own two feet. However, it was not won in advance. I had to make sacrifices to have the store especially since I was not eligible to obtain a loan from a bank. But, in the end, I was able to get a loan from a cooperative,” says Nushrat. Nushrat does not intend to stop on such a good path.

"I intend to offer more items to my customers in the future - the store specializes in the sale of clothing and accessories -, review the decoration and recruit at least one person", indicates the young woman. For Nushrat, his career illustrates very well that anyone can succeed in their professional life even if they have not had a higher education. “Not everyone can succeed academically, but everyone has their abilities. We don't know what life has in store for us. I will advise young people to save. Who knows, this money could be used for them to set up their own businesses, ”concludes our interlocutor.

Feroz Deen Mohamed - Director of Deen & Deen Catering

At 59, Feroz Deen Mohamed, director of Deen & Deen Catering, feels the enthusiasm of a young man every time he talks about his professional career. After studying up to sixth form, Feroz Deen, born into a family of eight children, got his first job in a hotel at the age of 15 with a monthly salary of Rs 347. He did everything: dishwashing, catering and many other jobs before finishing as a bartender.

“Life was not easy. Sometimes I had to do two jobs to support my family,” he says. Today, this former employee of the Hotel Paradis – he has a 36-year career in this hotel and has a good command of English, French, Italian and German – is fully dedicated to his company – Deen & Deen Catering – since he retired in 2004. His company, which has about thirty employees including his two right arms who are both named Roshnee, offers Indian, Chinese, Creole, gourmet for occasions such as weddings, birthdays, baptisms and first communions.

“The work is going very well. It must be said that we give 300% because in this job there is no room for error, ”he argues. With its business partner Noor Nawoor, Feroz Deen provides its clients with a reception hall with a capacity of 650 people called Mumtaz Mahal, which is located in Curepipe. A journey he hopes will inspire young people. “You have to go for it and persevere to succeed in life. To want is to can ! he said.

Parvez Hematally - Director of Famous Printing

The company has six employees, loyal customers and a head full of projects. A sentence that sums up the current life of Parvez Hematally. At 40, this resident of Calebasses has been director of Famous Printing for three years. The company specializes in the printing of books, magazines, wedding cards, notebooks, calendars, business cards, among others. However, nothing predestined Parvez to be an entrepreneur.

“During the school holidays, while I was in Form II, I worked in a printing house. I immediately liked the job (Editor's note: At the time, he received a salary of Rs 600). So I gave up my studies which did not interest me, even if I was doing well, to the chagrin of my parents who were not happy, ”he says. And so it was that over the years, Parvez worked successively in several printing houses – 15 in total – accumulating experience until the day when the company where he worked went out of business.

"I didn't get any financial compensation, but in return, I got a printing machine," explains Parvez. And it is thus little by little that Parvez finally manages to open his own printing press with the support of his mother. “The work is going well. I can not complain. I also plan to expand the printing plant and create more jobs if I have funding, ”says Parvez.

Rajwantee -  Director of a snack company

Rajwantee was a bright student in elementary. Her parents were flabbergasted and, moreover, did not hide their anger when Rajwantee, a teenager at the time, decided to abandon her studies when she had had excellent results at the SC. "All I was interested in was having a business," says Rajwantee.

In 2002 at 40, Rajwantee is currently at the helm of a company specializing in appetizers (banana chips, cheese baguette, moulkou, etc.) and has 6 to 7 employees. The company operates seven days a week and its products are sold in supermarkets and hotels. She also counts private individuals among her clients. “Sometimes we have so many orders that we have to refuse,” says the businesswoman who is sometimes helped with the delivery of products. A 'success story' that Rajwantee savors without forgetting the obstacles that presented themselves to her before being able to set up her business. “For seven years, I did not work. Finally, I decided to open a shop which did not work because of the tough competition from supermarkets.

At the time, my husband had lost his job, I had just had major surgery and my house had been put on hold because we couldn't repay the loan taken out to open the shop, "says she. Far from giving up, Rajwantee will then put into practice what a friend once taught him: making appetizers. And so Rajwantee's business was born. “At the time, we worked day and night with only two containers to cook appetizers. Finally, we were able to remove the house from the bar and gradually pay our debts. It did not all happen overnight, however. It took me three years to make a name for myself in the sector before my company knew its cruising speed,” she underlines. Like what, perseverance, will, patience and hard work pay off. A success that Rajwantee also attributes to the support of those close to him in difficult times and to the contribution of his employees.

Michel Kwon - Director of Ico Heal

2013 is the year that Michel Kwon, currently 56, took early retirement after 37 years of service in the private sector. With a School Certificate in hand, he began his career as a sales representative at IBL where he then held the position of 'Sales and Marketing Executives' before landing at Courts where he rose through the ranks, starting as 'Branch Manager ' to eventually become 'Executive Vice President' of the logistics department. A busy career except that Michel Kwon is not one to remain idle.

“I realized that I needed another challenge,” he explains. And this is how he is today at the head of Ico Heal, a company and distributor agent specializing in health equipment and natural food supplements. Why start such a business? "People are more 'health conscious' today and then there is a craze for natural supplements that have no side effects," he explains.

Among his projects, he plans to find distributors to expand his product range and reach as many customers as possible across the island. To young people who wish to go into business, Michel Kwon, who has obtained a Certificate in Management UK over the course of his career, advises them: “Not everyone can shine academically. On the other hand, we all have, young and old alike, innate talents that we must exploit. Once you have set goals, you must never give up, have the will to succeed and learn from your mistakes. »