Beauty is only skin deep, but a paper cut can slice you right to the bone. A big toe, stubbed on a rock, can feel as agonising as a war wound, and a nick with a razor while shaving can really ruin your day.
For such emergencies, every household needs a pack of sticking-plasters in a bathroom cabinet or first-aid kit. Ask any parent of an adventurous toddler: a well-applied plaster can work miracles.
But there’s just one problem with these medical must-haves. They tend to come in one shade only. Pale. Which, in a country where most people are not, struck Lize Hartley as very odd.
Based in Cape Town, Lize did some research and spotted a glaring gap in the market for a more diverse range of sticking-plasters.
Today, she runs a fast-growing business that manufactures and distributes a brand called Plasta. We caught up with this dynamic young entrepreneur to find out more about her thoughts on change, innovation, the politics of sticking-plaster, and the art of daring to go for the gap.
Q: If you could change one thing about yourself for the better, what would that be, and why?
I would probably make myself more patient. Impatience can create an urgency that can be useful in business, but I am so impatient that it tends to be detrimental. I easily end up being frustrated and angry, which isn’t constructive.
Q: What do you love most about change?
It’s always exciting to navigate something new, plus it keeps boredom at bay.
Q: Where do you go when you feel like a change of scenery?
It’s so easy in the Western Cape. You can drive an hour in any direction and end up somewhere entirely different. If time isn’t on my side I love driving the coastal road to Hout Bay.
Otherwise I love exploring small coastal towns on weekends where I can get away, especially in winter when it’s cold and rainy. But my favourite route is just getting stuck into a good book.
Q: What was the greatest fear you had to overcome when you set out to become an entrepreneur?
Fear of failure. I’m still trying to overcome that every day. It’s a combination of telling myself that that fear is not constructive, and that maybe this will fail and that’s okay, too.
Q: What is your earliest childhood memory of having a plaster applied to help heal an injury?
I wasn’t a very adventurous child. You know, those kids who are forever climbing trees and falling off their bikes? In fact, I was, and still am, a giant nerd.
But something I do remember is my heliophobic mother applying small round plasters to any moles on my back to prevent sunburn. It’s not the first use that comes to mind when one thinks of a plaster, but it’s useful and necessary! And it’s great to think about all the various ways in which plasters are a really practical everyday product.
Q: Aside from being able to apply a plaster in an emergency, how good are you at first aid procedures?
I don’t have any first aid training. But I have the ability to stay very calm and clear-headed in stressful situations so in that sense I am useful!
Q: What is the secret of making your mark as a startup in an industry that is dominated by well-known brands and pharmaceutical giants?
I’m still learning every day, but I get asked so often “What stops a big brand from copying you?” And the answer is: Nothing. But there isn’t a business out there that won’t face competition, so there’s no point in focusing on that.
All of those giants were little guys once upon a time! My advice is to put your head down and work hard, and make sure you have good distribution because it doesn’t help to market a product that isn’t widely available.
Q: What’s the single biggest lesson you’ve learned about life and change from your involvement in setting up and running Plasta?
There are countless things I’ve learnt in terms of business. But something I’ve learnt that is a bit more personal is that true wealth is owning your time.
Q: How have you managed to cope with negative attitudes to the notion of plasters for a broader range of skin tones?
It’s been tough because even though it’s business, it feels personal. I’ve coped by reminding myself constantly that you will never please everyone. Verashni Pillay from Mail & Guardian once told me something that will stay with me forever, which was to remember that the naysayers are the outspoken ones.
It may seem like there are so many people out there who are negative about what you’re doing, but the truth is they are by far the minority. They just make a lot of noise.
Q: Who is the entrepreneur you admire the most, and why?
My dad. He came from a very poor background and he had to overcome obstacles every step of the way to get to where he is today. He is very smart, but he also worked incredibly hard, always.
His work ethic and determination coupled with his exceptional business nous have been the reasons for his success entirely, and I hope I can be a tenth as successful someday.
Q: What was the single biggest and scariest change you have ever made in your life?
I tend to really think things through and rationalise until I’m happy, so I’ve always logiced myself out of fear when it comes to making changes. I don’t know whether that’s a good- or a bad thing!
Q: What advice can you give aspirant entrepreneurs hoping to make it big in South Africa and around the world?
Focus on working hard, focus on your bottom line, focus on all that boring stuff instead of getting caught up in “start-up culture”; networking and press coverage and buzzwords. Those are not the things that will make your business succeed. Don’t be fooled by the idea that entrepreneurship is a glamorous fairy tale.
Be prepared for more hard work, more frustration and despair, more doors shut in your face, and less sleep than you could ever imagine. That said, try keep things balanced. Make time for exercise, seeing the people you love, doing the things you enjoy.
A break does wonders for productivity and thinking, whether creatively of logically. Plus, you’ll need to stay sane if you hope to be in it for the long run!
Q: Where do you see yourself as an entrepreneur in five years’ time?
I hope Plasta will be available in the rest of Africa, possibly even around the world, and that we will have expanded our product range.
If the company is still running in five years’ time, if it has grown, created jobs, and is turning a profit, even if that profit is small, I will see the business as a success.
Q: What inspires you most about living in South Africa in the 21st Century?
I think technology is going to be a vehicle for huge, positive change, especially in Africa. Seeing technological innovations coming out of South Africa, some from kids who are still at school, is so inspiring, and I’m looking forward to seeing what the future holds.
(Pictures sourced from Neal Tosefsky and emmajanenation.com)
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