WATCH | The rise of Lesedi Bogacwi: From failing matric twice to being a job creator with 11 employees

From failing matric twice to being a founder of a multiservice-offering company which has employed more than 10 people, this is the story of 23-year-old Lesedi Bogacwi from Pretoria.

Bogacwi owns ByLight, which offers services that help with everyday tasks such as babysitting, running personal errands, meeting and greeting guests at the airport, housekeeping and cleaning, among other tasks.

Her pivot into entrepreneurship came as a result of academic challenge. In 2021, Bogacwi’s dreams of pursuing a degree were shattered when she could not secure space at a higher institution because of her poor 2020 matric results.

“I got 37% for maths and physics; it was bad. I had applied to study biokinetics, but every university I applied for rejected me,” she said.

Bogacwi then found employment as a social media manager at a luxury shoe brand owned by Mathapelo Pitsi.

“She taught me everything that I know about social media,” Bogacwi said.

While working for Pitsi’s company, she registered to rewrite her matric exams but failed again.

“In 2022, I used the money that Pitsi used to pay me to fund my higher certificate at Mancosa [a private higher education institution], where I did a paralegal course,” Bogacwi explained.

“There is always a way out; just try.” — Lesedi Bogacwi

Her boss pushed her to start her own marketing company, as she believed Bogacwi was worth way more than what she paid her.

“In 2023, I started my degree in information and technology management, and I graduated last year,” said Bogacwi.

While studying towards her degree three years ago, Bogacwi received a call from a friend who had double-booked herself for a babysitting job.

“She is a teacher and au pair. So on that Saturday she had double-booked herself and called me to ask if I could help — and because I love children, I had no problem with it.”

“I babysat two kids for six hours, and I got R1,000.

“I swear, this was the easiest way I ever made money,” she said.

The babysitting expanded to meet-and-greet assignments, which came about when a colleague from overseas asked her to meet some guests who were travelling to SA.

As her business expanded, she started asking her close friends to assist, and she now employs some of them.

“We have two cleaners, seven babysitters, an assistant and one person employed for the meet and greet.”

Apart from being the founder of ByLight, Bogacwi works for an international credit bureau and prepares social media content for them.

Reflecting on how her life has changed from failing matric twice to being a business owner, Bogacwi emphasised the importance of just showing up.

“I was just trying to grab onto any little thing or opportunity that I could get just to try and get myself out of the situation.

“There is always a way out; just try. Don’t give up fighting. If any little opportunity shows up, DM every brand. They say employers no longer take hard-copy CVs. But go there and hand in your CV. Knock at every door,” she said.

Sowetan