by Lizl Naude, founder of Lilly Loompa

Are you working really hard to build your business? Are you always on the look out for new opportunities to get income? Do you constantly follow up on clients and try and persuade them to buy your product/service? I have a newsflash for you… you’ve been hustling! Yes…you are a hustler!

I’m sure that raised your eyebrows! And I hope that didn’t conjure up thoughts of adult magazines or street con-artists! Hustling has such a negative connotation, but it is actually the breakfast of a serious entrepreneur. Countless to-do lists, constant follow-up, networking and late nights are among some of the daily processes needed to start-up a business. And to make it profitable requires perseverance and lots of grit! All of these attributes are what makes for a great entrepreneur and business.

I never thought I’d admit it…but I have unknowingly become a hustler. In the pursuit of making your business profitable, this art form becomes part of you.

Why you should keep hustling:

As you build your business, you cannot rely just on one source of income. You need to find alternative ways of creating income to relief the pressure as you build your dream!
Hustling is being resourceful in every aspect. You push yourself to find alternative ways to execute tasks
Running a business is the most exponential way of maturing and growing as a person. The daily decisions and creative solutions I sometimes come up with, sometimes astounds me!
If you crave the unconventional, hustling is certainly not the conventional way. It is anything but the safety and comfort of a normal run-of-the-mill job.

Besides being a wife and mother, being a solo entrepreneur is just one of the hats I wear. I am also a Director of a Non-profit Company, called The Chosen Foundation. I am a writer and motivational speaker and I am also part of the creative team for TEDx Cape Town. Recently I have also started running an AirBnb room from my home. This is quite a lot to manage and I do not have an Office Manager - yet! This requires a lot of planning and being organized.

Most of the above is part of my purpose, thus I am very passionate about it. I have been wired and made by God to create. As I give every minute of my time and talent, to build this dream, I do it with vigour and passion. It is this passion that drives me to not give up, even if making this business profitable is sometimes gruelling and slow. It is a God-given dream and I know it is not to benefit myself only, but many other families. These are the motivating factors that help me to continue. On days I get tired and overwhelmed, I remember my dream. And I continue to hustle! Keep on pioneering guys!

Lizl Naude is the founder of Lilly Loompa in South Africa, a company that creates beautiful and usable products made with recycled material. Lilly Loompa's “Rubbish Range” is the result of Lizl's craving to deliver pieces that are completely "green". Lizl is a self-taught designer and initially started designing and making furniture because she couldn’t afford to buy new pieces to furnish her home. She started to scout and source for budget material and quickly realised that most people discard of very usable materials. The company manufactures a variety of products, from storage holders, lamps, to dinner table accessories, among others. All materials are carefully sourced from waste and sustainably reimagined as beautiful, yet purposeful products. Eco-friendly, handcrafted and 100% South African, each Lilly Loompa piece, once trash, is now a meaningful piece of treasure.