Mindhatch: Youth Development Fund success story
Ulla Setswalo | Monday July 6, 2015 18:04
With a Bachelor of Arts degree in Graphic Designing and a Diploma in Television (TV) and Film Production, Nthule is fully equipped with knowledge that has put him on a golden path. Like many Batswana youth, Nthule has a passion for creative ideas and he started his company in his parents’s home.
In 2012, he applied for the YDF grant and was awarded P90,000, which he says he managed to repay the 50 percent loan part of it in less than a year and half.
As the name states, Mindhatch aims at hatching creative ideas and making them into extraordinary realities.
The artistic minded Nthule is in his early thirties and he is the brain behind the one stop advertising agency that always makes its clients happy.
The company has six employees and they are based in Gaborone. Inspiration behind Mindhatch started when Nthule worked for Synergy Advertising under his role models Gerald Mashonga and Losika Seboni.
“ I have always had a burning desire to own my own business because I always wanted to change the advertising industry with my creative ideas’.
He also told The Monitor Business that he saw the lack of innovation in most adverts that keep being made by other graphic designers and the ordinary ideas that were given to consumers.
He further noted that, “ I always think of extraordinary ideas that can incorporate our rich culture, humour and that consumers can relate to as our national identity.”
Mindhatch was started using an Apple mini Mac computer whilst staying in Nthule’s parents’ servant’s quarter.
Now Mindhatch has many advanced Apple computers that make the advertising magic happen in their office as they bring their creative ideas into life.
With the TV production side of Mindhatch, clients can get quality adverts that have been made in-house as opposed to other agencies that sub-contract designers or producers.
Although competition is tough, Mindhatch is afloat and striving for success because they are big on saving and having almost to none debts or loans.
“The best way to run a business is to reduce debts and uptake of loans,” said Nthule. Mindhatch will soon be expanding to other countries as Nthule is determined to see that goal to pass.Some of Mindhatch’s huge projects include Ministry of Health advert about Sexual Transmitted Diseases, BomAid’s adverts, to mention a few.
The Mind hatch team is busy working on re-branding and re-strategising to grow their brand and keep their accounts impressive.
According to Nthule, plans are underway for expansion and he will be buying new equipment for TV production plus they will be doing radio jingles in-house.
Dumi Lopang of Yarona Group Holdings is one of the people that inspire Nthule especially since his company opened a radio station in Zambia.
This move by Lopang has made Nthule to dream bigger and know that anything is possible even for Mindhatch to go across borders and compete with other agencies.
Mindhatch has now applied for another youth grant, Project Management Office at the Ministry of Youth Sports and Culture.