Entrepreneur Month Interview South Africa

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#EntrepreneurMonth: The passion project that is Koffie Met Katryn

Katryn Kruger is an international model, motivational speaker, entrepreneur and founder of Koffie Met Katryn, an events initiative where she shares her own stories, aiming to inspire and motivate women of all ages, races and religion, to follow their dreams and aspirations, all in a safe space.
Katryn Kruger, founder of Koffie Met Katryn
Katryn Kruger, founder of Koffie Met Katryn

Through this passion project, she also wants to offer the space and opportunity for women to inspire and support one another. Koffie Met Katryn is a series of intimate events hosted by Katryn herself at a small venue for up to 20 guests.

It's Global Entrepreneurship Week (#GEW2019) and so we chat with Katryn Kruger as part of our #EntrepreneurMonth...

Can you tell us a bit about Koffie Met Katryn?

Koffie Met Katryn (KMK) is aimed at getting women from all different walks of life together, and to offer a platform for them to share their stories, dreams, fears and challenges. These women’s events are hosted by me, where I share my own story (I was scouted by a modelling agency at the age of 15 and then left school at 16 to work full-time, travelling the world and working with the biggest names in fashion), as well as share the life lessons I’ve learnt over the years.

These events have become wildly popular and usually sell out within a few hours.

KMK offers a safe space for women to connect, inspire and empower!
BizcommunityWhen, how and why did you get started?

I started KMK this year and we had our first event in Feb 2019. Since then, the demand has grown so much that I even travelled to Pretoria to host a KMK there.

I started KMK as a way of doing motivational speaking, but on a much more intimate and personal level so that women can feel heard if they choose to tell their stories or participate in the topic discussions (these topics always centre around womanhood). I then quickly realised women want and need to connect with each other and that fueled my passion to grow KMK into what it is today.

What is the core function of Koffie Met Katryn ?

To inspire, empower and connect women!

View this post on Instagram

Wát ‘n spesiale oggend! #KMK Dis so belangrik dat vroue vir mekaar ‘n veilige en gekoesterde spasie kan bied waar ons na mekaar se stories kan luister. Deur dit te doen gaan ons mekaar inspireer, begmagtig en bemoedig! Wat ‘n voorreg dat ek dit kan doen met KMK! Video is deur die talentvolle @jeanrossouwza - dankie, ou! Dankie aan elke dame wat saam kom kuier het! En dankie aan elke persoon/besigheid wat bygedra het tot ‘n lekker oggend: @jeanrossouwza @cake.patisserie.studio @thefrostedraspberry @soet_society_cafe @dandocoffee @ridgebackwines @sarietydskrif @flowersbymoondrops @lady_bloom__ @flink.sa @thecottoncompanysa @tash_pops @lara_pienaar @carissa_bosman @marisafourie_ @janavdspuy . . #KMK #prepandpray #vrouebemagtiging

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BizcommunityWhat are some of the obstacles you've had to overcome since starting out?

The biggest obstacle was believing I had something to offer and putting a monetary value on that. This is especially difficult if one, as in my case, is not selling a tangible product or service. However, with support from my loved ones, my team and my audience I soon realised people wanted to hear what I have to say - I do indeed have something of value to offer, and it is okay to ask for money in exchange for it.

What advice would you give to other aspiring entrepreneurs?

Connect with your fellow entrepreneurs! It is inspiring to hear other people’s stories, experiences and opinions. And then use that connection to lift each other up, whether it is through collaborating or maybe just by having coffee with that person. In return, you will soon find yourself surrounded by dynamic and passionate business people who will be there to support you.

What has been your proudest achievement thus far?

Receiving beautiful emails from women who have attended KMK events and who tell me how much it meant to them. These emails may seem small in time where followers and likes have become a currency. But to inspire and connect is my goal and receiving confirmation that that is indeed what I am doing, is greatly rewarding.

What does the future of entrepreneurship look like to you?

Statistics show that more and more people become entrepreneurs or “self-employed”, which shows that our economy and our nation is growing despite bigger issues. Therefore, I think entrepreneurship will become, or already is a beacon of hope and a goal chased by the young and the old.

I also think the future of entrepreneurship will develop in line with the boom of technology and especially social media.

What would you like to see changed in the South African startup landscape?

I think there needs to be a bigger sense of community and support. There's a place for each of us, so we shouldn’t compete but instead connect.

What do you believe are the traits an entrepreneur needs in order to succeed?

Grit, passion and devotion. No-one cares more about your business than you. Therefore, you need to work diligently to turn your passion into a business.

Tell us about your biggest struggles as an entrepreneur, as well as some major highlights.

As mentioned before, my biggest struggle was actually putting a price on what I had to offer. The first two KMK events were free, which made it feel like a passion project or a hobby. Then I made the decision to sell tickets to these events and it was quite a challenge to change that mind-shift and believe that I have something to offer.

One of the highlights so far is seeing that people actually buy my tickets! It shows that they support and agree with my idea of placing that monetary value on myself. It’s been a real journey of self-love and it is a great confidence booster and idea-generator.

Why would you encourage someone to become an entrepreneur?

It is so extremely rewarding doing what you love, and doing it on your own terms. It’s not always easy, but it is always worth it
BizcommunityWhere would you like to see Koffie Met Katryn in the next five years?

I would like KMK to grow in numbers, have more events per year as well as host workshops. I would also like to tour to a select few places in SA to offer KMK all over the country.

Let's do Biz