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Nqobile Nkosi gets so caught up in the creative world of precious metals and stones that he finds himself with a safe full of jewellery, but nothing sold.
“I often make the mistake made by many creative people – getting caught up in the sheer pleasure of making something beautiful, and not always attending to the business part of things,” he says.
Nkosi is a jeweller who has his workshop in Soweto, but he sells his creations at the Bryanston Organic Market and online as NQ Jewellery.
“I have an experienced businessman as a partner to help me. Although he is not a jeweller, he knows what needs to be done to run a successful business. This allows me to make my creative contribution.
“He sometimes takes me in hand to make sure I deliver products that can be successfully marketed and sold,” he laughs.
Nkosi says he learnt entrepreneurship from his mother.
“When I was small, my mother would buy sweets and cold drinks and resell them. It did not take long before I started doing the same thing.”
Nkosi had the opportunity to be trained as a jeweller by Anglo American.
“I could not believe I was able to make something so beautiful when I looked at the first wedding ring. That’s when I realised I could make anything.”
After completing his apprenticeship, he was given the opportunity to continue to use the workshops where training was offered.
“The equipment you need to make jewellery is really expensive. But if you work hard, you can make a plan,” he says.
In the early years, he focused on repairs.
“My friends and I almost landed in trouble when we created a very informal workshop at an exhibition. I admit that the power connections to our ‘stall’ were not approved. However, it was the long queue of people who wanted their jewellery repaired that drew the organisers’ attention.
“People could not believe that we could repair their jewellery so quickly and neatly,” says Nkosi.
He won a competition for entrepreneurs a few years ago and immediately invested his prize money in his business.
“My friends were very surprised that I bought machinery rather than a new car. But today I have a workshop where I can teach young people how to make jewellery,” he says.
His dream is to own a proper factory and to open stores in major centres.
“I am very grateful for the opportunity to sell my products at the market and online, but in the future I want to educate people and send my products into the world,” he says.
Most of all, he likes to work with rose gold, but because it is often expensive, most of his jewellery is silver.
“As long as you have a real passion for what you do and persevere, you should make a success of your business. And if you do not make it, ask for help; it is often the first step to success.”
*Find Nkosi’s jewellery online at nqjewellery.co.za or at the Bryanston Organic Market in Johannesburg
