Tshoarelo Glen Machabaphala, the founder and current Chief Executive Officer of 4Gy footwear is an Engineering and Business school graduate who was born in Limpopo. Referring to himself as a child of God, Tshoarelo comes from a poor background just like most of us coming from disadvantaged backgrounds and poverty-stricken families.
Tell us about your footwear brand: “4Gy is a Mzansi brand that honours ubuntu, winners, movers and the G’s from all walks of life. We intend to make a contribution to youth employment and generate possibilities. It is a Mzansi footwear brand that represents hope and spirit of winning”.
“The winning culture inspired the champion’s brand sneakers. It also encourages people to persevere in the face of adversity in order to make their dreams a reality and to keep note of the necessity to forgive oneself in order to begin winning in life”.
How do you think South Africans can own back the township economy? “Our economy needs more small businesses, which employs more people as they rapidly grow and drive significant change. Furthermore, making our people economically active and eradicating extreme poverty. We need to be spending and buying more local products and services”.
When did you commence with your sneaker business and what inspired you to start? “The footwear was started in March 2020, Rejection from corporate was just what I needed to reroute and fulfil my destiny. God is still in charge. My parents wanted me to work for a large, well-known corporation, especially after so many years of study. For me, working would imply I would only be able to add a specific number of people based on my pay. They later realized the goal was larger than just a job”.
What are your business highlights so far? “The amount of work required and the passion to do what you love and believe in – it's a high for me”.
Who or which company you would be interested to collaborate with in future and why that person/company? “We definitely believe in collaboration and creating opportunity for our people. We are still monitoring a person/company of interest. But for now, we are focusing on growing the brand to create more employment and bring significant and sustainable change”.
When not working on your brand, what do you do to keep sane? “Honestly, I’m always working or at least thinking of new ways of doing things and creating sustainable change”.