Umbell Botswana set to fly Botswana's flag higher

JOHN CHURU
Correspondent | Friday February 22, 2008 00:00

 

To conceptualise her dream she formed her 100 percent citizen-owned company called Umbell Botswana.

The 28-year-old Tsimako has had to forego other traditionally female jobs to concentrate on her chosen path. Her corporate branding business, which she founded first as a pastime at college, has grown within the space of a year to something that even detractors say is something to wonder at in Botswana's competitive arts industry. The beginning, as Tsimako says, was child's play.

'I started by making key rings, calendars and taking pictures at college just for fun. Soon there was a demand for the things that I was making and people started asking that I also do a variety of articles for them. I then went into designing business and invitation cards. With growing interest, I diversified into printing logos and other things such as mugs and t/shirts. I got so inspired that I started saving my allowances and the other cash that I got from the jobs that I did and bought the machines that I have at the present moment,' Tsimako says proudly. Umbell Botswana was launched on April 2 last year. 'My dad, Emelang Tsimako, chipped in with some cash, even though he was sceptical about the idea of getting into business seeing that most businesses were always 'doubtful starters and stressful'.

Today Umbell Botswana specialises in personalised printing, gifts and promotional products. Products such as mugs, t-shirts, clocks name badges; logo designs, business cards, letterheads, booklets, posters, and catalogue labels their stock in trade. 'There are many different promotional gifts available to use as incentives and giveaways. It is our aim to offer our clients access to them all. Whether you require the popular promotional bug or a far more elaborate and bespoke business gift we are confident in our ability to source it for you at a reasonable price,' she revealed.

Tsimako revels in the feeling of getting her company to reach the highest level. 'I hope to take Umbell Botswana very far. 'As of now I want to open more outlets in the major villages like Serowe and Maun and towns like Francistown because there are lots of our clients there and it is really hard for us to do business from here in Gaborone. We are still processing the orders that we got from that part of the country last year and we have very supportive clients,' said Tsimako.

Apart from spreading its wings to other towns, Umbell Botswana is also geared for franchising, if all goes well. 'We want to keep Umbell Botswana as the holding company while we branch into other portfolios. My perceived line will be a photo studio where I hope to help those in the modelling profession realise their dreams. We want to go into franchising with other interested partners,' she said.

Umbell Botswana has so far not disappointed as an emerging company. Last September, the company was the first sponsor of the Botswana Darts Association (BODA). This was in the form of T-shirts and a P10, 000 cash injection.

The fledgling company has clients in diverse organisation as Boitekanelo Training Institute, Bavaria Services in Orapa, Botswana Postal Services, to name just a few. Umbell Botswana has a team of sales personnel who are the lifeblood of the glowing entity.

However, Tsimako herself, who did a degree in graphics and communication does most of the production work. Her assistant, Mmapula Molefe, is the other cog in the wheel of the company whose services cannot be underestimated. The two will stop at nothing to fly the 'Buy Botswana' flag, and as Tsimako says, 'only imagination limits what you can do.' 
(Sila Press Agency)