BY Evans Manyonga < 1 MINUTE READ

A four-year degree completed in three years, with 18 distinctions, while working three jobs. Smart, goal-driven and dedicated, Erna Basson is flying the flag for young serial entrepreneurs.

“I sold my student vehicle to start my first company at the age of 22. It was a marketing and events agency. I had no investment capital or bank loans—I only had the R30 000 from selling my car and a bachelor’s degree. But I was hungry for success and I built that company into a multimillion-rand business and increased our profit by 100% year-on-year. I then started my second company at 26.”

Basson has sold both these companies in the last six months, bringing the total in her business portfolio to eight. The three major entities are involved in hair extensions, business coaching and public speaking. She has also formed lucrative partnerships with world-renowned serial entrepreneur JT Foxx (who is also her business coach) and Ndaba Mandela, co-founder of Africa Rising and one of BET and ICON MANN’s 28 Men of Change.

This year has been a groundbreaking one for Basson, and the apex of her career in terms of accomplishments as well as both personal and business growth. Among other accolades, she has been nominated for the 2017 Africa’s Most Influential Woman in Business and Government award; she was the first South African woman to be featured on the cover of Global Women magazine; and emcee’d one of the biggest events of the year, Tycoons of Wealth. And as from 2018, she will be a mentor for the Nelson Mandela Entrepreneurial Programme.

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