Real-world business savvy

“Entrepreneurship fits with our business model,” says Nick Johnson, Vice President Sales: West Europe, Middle East and Africa at Nu Skin Enterprise SA.

“These entrepreneurship students want to be their own bosses or business owners one day, and we are a direct selling company. Our distributors are also independent salespeople, who use the typical ‘overhead’ services provided by our corporate office. Providing bursaries to future business owners helps us too,” he says.

The company currently provides bursaries to four UJ entrepreneurship students.

“We have our corporate force for good day in June every year where we give back to communities, but we wanted to do something ongoing, not just once-off. And we think the youth are the future of our country. Add to that, we wanted more presence in the majority demography of the country, which is represented by the University of Johannesburg,” says Marise Groenewald, General Manager at Nu Skin Enterprise SA.

Shadowing experience

“If you’re an entrepreneur, a lot of people will say no to you, but the yeses you get are the strong ones. The key to a successful business owner is to never stop, to never give up. What we offer to individuals is a business opportunity with a strong compensation plan,” says Groenewald.

The two selected students will accompany top Nu Skin sales leaders to meetings in the field, with new prospects and weekly business opportunity meetings, she says. They will also work at the South African corporate office in Pretoria. This work-shadowing will take place during the University holidays.

Operating a business: Lefa Mabusela’s story

“I am a 5th year student at the University of Johannesburg. I began studying at UJ for the Extended National Diploma Small Business Management in 2011.

In 2014, I completed my final year in Entrepreneurship but I didn’t know if I could come back because my parents couldn’t afford to pay for University anymore. I decided to venture out for a bursary although I didn’t have hope because I had never had a bursary in my life. I never thought I could get one, but with hard work and motivation, good grades and determination, it finally paid off.

I saw a bursary advertisement from Nu Skin Enterprises, an American direct selling and multilevel marketing company which develops and sells personal care products and dietary supplements. I saw it in the passage at the Department of Business Management, close to Entrepreneurship offices.

I applied for it, and when I got it, it changed my life. I am able to continue studying for my post-grad and fulfil my wishes in knowing how to operate a business fully. I am able to say I am proud to have studied Entrepreneurship and continue learning how to run a business with full control capacity.

Nu Skin has allowed me to pursue and persist in my dreams in education. In life you don’t get what you want, but what you are.”

“My name is Lerato Semeno. I’m 21 years of age and currently pursuing a national diploma in Entrepreneurship at the University of Johannesburg at 4th year level. I have been admitted to the extended entrepreneurship program. My lecturer, Mrs. Joyce Sibeko informed me about the Nu Skin bursaries.

I was born and bred in Soweto, where I was raised by my single mother and enjoyed my childhood with my older brother who is currently unemployed.

The Nu Skin bursary has paid for my registration fee, tuition fees, meals and accommodation. The bursary has taken the financial burden off my single mother, who no longer pays for transport on a daily basis or pocket money.

Currently, I live at a UJ residence and I buy my own groceries, and help at home with the meal allowance.

Living at res has allowed me to focus a lot on my books as I don’t have to worry about the last taxi leaving. I lead a more comfortable life with my family because we no longer have to worry where the next R10 000 will be coming from to pay for tuition.

I would like to thank Nu Skin for my bursary. I promise them to be the best I can be academically in return.”​​​​​​​​