Business with foresight
[caption id="attachment_34594" align="alignright" width="405"] SMALL BEGINNINGS: Truesight Communications CEO Ongama Mtimka specialises in corporate communications, also publishing Hluma Magazine. Picture: FREDLIN ADRIAAN[/caption]
Former spokesman for the Nelson Mandela Bay municipality Ongama Mtimka has proven that there is life after working in government. Mtimka branched out into running his own business, Truesight Communications.
He employs three people and has two freelance writers who work for Truesight, a company which specialises in corporate communications.
"We started doing business plans and feasibility studies part-time while I was still working in late 2012. We ran a contact centre before in 2010 but closed it within three months after it failed to generate revenue.
"The business plans and ad hoc consulting work we do is being moved to another company so our messaging may be consistent in the market," Mtimka said.
He also worked at the Coega Development Corporation (CDC) in marketing and communications and in the office of the chief executive of the CDC, as well as at the Ubuntu Education Fund as external relations manager.
"Besides the fact that I grew up in a family business, I had one year serving the chief executive and executives at Coega. I took minutes at executive management meetings, participated in strategy development and support services streams and worked on special projects while continuing to assist the communications department.
"This had a major impact on my career. Now that I have not gotten to do my MBA, I console myself by saying I got a practical one under Mr [Pepi] Silinga at Coega," Mtimka said.
After completing his Masters degree in South African Politics and Political Economy at the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in 2010, Mtimka lectured political journalism part-time at NMMU and taught Economics and Business Economics at a matric finishing school run by Victory Ministries International.
Throughout his business and academic ventures, Mtimka said he had the full support of his wife, Nonkazimlo, and son, Anga, 5.
"In essence we are a multi-billion rand company but we're going through the thousands at the moment. And we despise not the days of small beginnings. It's all possible with God on our side," Mtimka said.
Truesight Communications publishes Hluma Magazine, which Mtimka describes as a guide to business opportunities in the Eastern Cape.
He said despite small businesses and start-ups having options when it comes to support in terms of small business development services, the processes of applying for funds are unpredictable, cumbersome and inaccessible.
"Our vision with Truesight Communications is to help entrepreneurs start and run thriving business ventures in the province. We want to encourage intra-provincial trade and economic growth," he said.
Mtimka grew up in Peddie and matriculated from Emfundweni High School, before completing a BA degree at Rhodes University. - Cindy Preller
