BY THANDI SKADE Co- founders of Kunene Makopo Risk Solutions, Dumi Makopo and Siyanda Kunene,are striving to grow their business into the biggest black Brokerage in South Africa After completing a Bcom in insurance, Risk Management and Economics at Wits University, Dumi Makopocut his teeth at Hollard before treasury offered him a job as a senior financial analyst. He spotted a gap inthe market for an insurance company that caters specifically to the low-income market and black ownedbusiness. He was later introduced to Siyanda Kunene, who has a background in accounting, and the pair decided topartner to launch Kunene Makopo Risk Solutions in 2006. Pioneers of changeIn a sector that is dominated by multi-national companies, the co-founders initially found it challenging toSecure clients and establish a name for themselves. Mostepe’s ARC bets big on black-owned stock brokering company“In the beginning, we complained about the unfair market and structural racism in the sector, but we quicklygot over it,” explains Makopo. “We played to our strengths and focused on delivering to the few clients thatwere willing to give us an opportunity. We decided not to play according to industry norms, but to be moreclient-focused. We concentrated on developing new products for our clients through a consultative process.” The pair later hit found themselves in a bind when they were unable to pay the rent for their office. “Losing the space forced us to learn some hard lessons and it turned out tp be a blessing. We were forced toWork out of our cars and being in such an unstructured environment pushed us to be creative. We spentMore energy on creating leads, taking on new challenges and putting our plans into action,” says Makopo. The business partners became more accountable, solution-driven and creative in researching the clientsThe wanted, finding gaps in the service their clients were being offered and seeking new methods to addvalue. Over the years, the company has grown originally and it currently comprises 80 employers, withoffices in Cape Town, Newcastle, Durban, Ermelo, Thohoyandou and Johannesburg. Lebo Gunguluza Launches Africa’s first 100% black –owned digital bank The business is contracted to three major unions with membership nationally and it has commercial clientsWho are across South Africa’s nine provinces. Forward-thinkingLooking ahead, Makopo and Kunene aim to establish a national presence and provide financial servicesthroughout Africa and they believe they are in a right track to achieving their goals. What advice do they have for aspiring entrepreneurs? “Do not be afraid to fall. When you have identifiedwhat it is that you want to do. stay focused, ignore the noise around you and stick to it. Success takes time,so be patient and give it all you’ve got!”