The innovator behind the innovative Service Hub
Growing up this was the distinguishing part of my story that I believe set up this life question: “How do I meaningfully merge the practise of my passions with my purpose?”
Obonagetse Pataki
In a short interview, meet the founder of this innovative platform – the young and budding South African businessman Obonagetse Pataki. Delve into some of his thinking, influences and visions for the business of Service Hub and the world over.
What is your backstory in business and what motivated you to get into entrepreneurship?
I grew up in Polokwane, Limpopo and have always had a passion and knack for problem-solving; especially where others would assume there was not a problem. I look at my story as a matter of nature and nurture. In terms of nature – I have always loved business and I have always yearned to be the most innovative and creative person in the room. Growing up this was the distinguishing part of my story that I believe set up this life question: “How do I meaningfully merge the practise of my passions with my purpose?” Choosing to study a B. Com in Entrepreneurship seemed like the next progressive step and part of the answer. But at the root of it all is the nature in which I want to do business. I want the focus of the business I engage in to be empowering for Black South Africans, especially those in the youth that are equally inspired and engaged in entrepreneurship. As cliché as it may sound – one realizes the truth in the tale the “the youth are the future” when we can strongly correlate our volatile economy with the high youth unemployment rate. So, in a nutshell that is why I am in business, and that is the driving force of Service Hub’s© offering – to be of service to the majority population using innovation that will connect and grow our country, its businesses, and its economy.
What purposed you to start Service Hub?
Service Hub is a purposeful and innovative response to the urgent crises our country is facing due to high unemployment and failing small-to-medium entrepreneurial ventures. The growth of Service Hub is directly correlated to encouraging and enabling entrepreneurship, growing the pool of potential customers for the businesses that partake in our platform and unifying the customer experience of looking for service providers through a meaningful market experience. It leverages marketing and consumer access to multiple services as an ‘all-from-one platform’. This allows there to be ease of access to multiple types of service providers by customers that will engage these informal, small and side-hustle businesses and allow these businesses to be exposed to a greater customer base as well as feedback from the existing customer base.
If you were on the other side of the platform, who would you recommend to sign-up to Service Hub?
I would recommend that everyone who is unemployed should use their skills and talents to start something that will generate income for them using Service Hub as a marketing tool. I encourage those with limited buying power and capacity outside of their employment to take up side-hustles and list them Service Hub so we can do the heavy-lifting and help them generate another stream of income. Most importantly, I would recommend that small-medium enterprises sign up because Service Hub© will grow and connect their businesses and turn them into potential employers.
Why do you think entrepreneurship is the way to accelerate South Africa’s economic growth?
All developing countries need innovation and entrepreneurship to help with economic growth. The more we produce innovative products and provide services, the more jobs we can create, and the more money circulates. We need more young people to take initiative and start businesses in order to mould a brighter future for the country. We need country mobilized around leveraging innovation, entrepreneurship and connection to uplift ourselves.
Who is your favourite entrepreneur and why?
Sean Carter (Jay-Z). Sean Carter is my favourite entrepreneur because he has been able to diversify effectively. He is a visionary. He also invests in the visions and businesses of other entrepreneurs and helps them grow. This is a sentiment I resonate with deeply and envision for the future of my company, First World Holdings (Pty Ltd). He embodies the reality that Black excellence is a unified cause that emulates from a reality of service and exchange such as the one that Service Hub strives to create.
