Thank you for following the 2017 ENGEN Pitch & Polish entrepreneurial workshop and competition. The final was held in Johannesburg on the 30th of November and the winners announced. First place went to Bruce Diale, from Polokwane, second place went to Refilwe Matsaneng, from Welkom/Bloemfontein and third place to Renschia Manuel, from Cape Town. 

Please support the growth of entrepreneurs in this country by sharing this good news with your audience. Below is the release with images attached. Please let me know if there is anything else I can assist you with. On a personal note, I wish I could encapsulate the electricity, magic and excitement from the night, which is the culmination of months (and years) of building entrepreneurs, for the future of this country. Thank you for coming on the journey with me, I so look forward to hearing from you. 

Become the number one pitch hustler

The word “hustle” comes from a Dutch word that means “to shake things up”. Traditionally, the English word “hustler” was used to describe a dishonest person, who would do anything to make money. Hustling is, however, no longer a dirty word; nowadays, a hustler is someone who makes things happen. Hustling is about movement, activity and shaking things up in a positive way – the very things that entrepreneurs need to succeed! 

Successful hustlers exist everywhere, and all entrepreneurs have much to learn from those who have mastered the art of the hustle! Whether they are building a business, selling a product or offering a service, hustlers focus on their goal and do whatever it takes to achieve the goal. Hustlers put in the hours and don’t waste time doing things that don’t contribute to their success in some way. 

Hustlers grab every opportunity to pitch their business to potential funders and clients. They are seasoned pitch artists, and having secured the opportunity to pitch, know exactly what they want to say. Hustlers present a polished pitch! For this reason, the ENGEN Pitch & Polish programme, hosted by Engen Petroleum Ltd and Nedbank, powered by Raizcorp and supported by national media partner, Caxton Local Media, is based on teaching entrepreneurs to present a winning pitch that is clear and focused. “With us you are number one”, the headline sponsor Engen’s slogan, could just as easily apply to the hustler’s attitude towards his clients and business. Hustlers put their clients first. Their elevator pitch is ready to go and hustlers, always thinking on their feet, can adapt their pitch to meet the needs of different audiences.  

Nedbank, a co-sponsor of ENGEN Pitch & Polish, encourages people to “make your money hustle for you”. Hustlers know how to do this. They think carefully about their pricing model, know how to calculate profit, and make their money work for them! 

Hustlers do not give up when they hear “no”. They see rejection as an opportunity to be overcome, not a roadblock. At ENGEN Pitch & Polish, entrepreneurs are subjected to many “no’s” as they learn to perfect their pitches. Those who learn to use this feedback to their advantage - are the hustlers! 

The pitch that was delivered from the heart, with the greatest ease, confidence, and precision - as well as energy and enthusiasm - were the qualities that caught the eye of the judges, and resulted in Bruce Diale, from Polokwane, winning the 2017 ENGEN Pitch and Polish programme, at an exclusive and prestigious event, held in Johannesburg, on 30th November. Bruce’s Agri-consulting business has developed, and patented, Gardenizly, an innovative vegetable gardening product, which is both water and space efficient. 

This was not the only reason for his victory. “We chose Bruce as this year’s winner,” says Joe Mahlo, GM for Sales and Marketing, from Engen Petroleum Ltd, who was one of this year’s judges, “because he was clear on the value that his product and business will add to his clients and, indeed, to the world.” This is yet another indispensable quality of the hustler. Watch this space. A hustler has been born! 

Second place was awarded to Refilwe Matsaneng, from Welkom, for her hair products business, GloLooks. Third place went to Renschia Manuel, from Cape Town, for her portable urban veggie growing boxes, GrowBox, business. 

“It’s intimidating and unnerving to ask for money,” says Grace Govender, Head of New Business and Support for Relationship Banking, Nedbank. “To overcome this, entrepreneurs must focus on being properly prepared and authentic.” 

To further help the entrepreneurs, Caxton Local Media, with over 140 publications, whose roots, too, are deeply embedded in the country, awarded the winner with R20,000 in advertising. “Caxton is firmly established in, and supportive of, local communities in South Africa and the partnership with ENGEN Pitch & Polish, along with Engen, Nedbank and Raizcorp, is a natural fit. We all believe in building small business, from grassroots up,” explains Dejane Poil, Head of Innovation at Caxton. 

There was magic on the night as esteemed guests offered these three entrepreneurs further opportunities for growth and expansion. 

ENGEN Pitch & Polish’s power lies in its ability to identify, through their pitch, the entrepreneurs that are number one hustlers. “These are the entrepreneurs who demonstrate the ambition to excel and the motivation to put in the work,” says Allon Raiz, the originator of the Pitch & Polish concept, now in its eighth year of identifying entrepreneurs who truly understand what it means to up the hustle! 

For more information, visit www.pitchandpolish.com -

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 In the group photo (left to right): Mervyn Pillay (Nedbank) Bruce Diale (Winner) Allon Raiz (Raizcorp) Joe Mahlo (Engen) 

ABOUT

The annual programme is called: ENGEN Pitch & Polish.

Engen Petroleum Ltd is the headline sponsor. Nedbank is a sponsor.

The programme is a Raizcorp initiative.

The national media partner is Caxton Local Media.

For editorial purposes, the spokesperson and project manager is Bronwyn Echardt from Raizcorp.

The PR Contact is Jodi Lynn Karpes from GreenQueen Communications, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.