Recently, TCB (Taking Care of Business) celebrated its 15th birthday alongside the grand opening of its new building in Midrand, Johannesburg. This celebration marked not just an anniversary, but is testament to the power of strategic partnerships. The purchase of this new building was made possible by a third building loan from Inyosi.
The TCB story began in 2010, when two visionary women, Tracey Chambers and Tracey Gilmore, driven by a desire to uplift unemployed, disadvantaged mothers, launched TCB. Starting from humble beginnings in a double garage in Salt River, Cape Town – made available by the Cape Town municipality – and supported by an initial and generous clothing donation by Woolworths – they began training unemployed mothers in South Africa to build sustainable livelihoods.
TCB’s impact grew rapidly. Equipping unemployed South Africans and aspiring entrepreneurs with essential skills and resources, they facilitated access to the circular economy, breaking cycles of poverty. TCB provides its beneficiaries with the tools and knowledge needed to run successful, sustainable small businesses. Over the next fifteen years, TCB expanded to Johannesburg, Durban, and East London. Despite potentially crippling setbacks, including a fire in 2019 which razed their Cape Town premises to the ground, and the existential challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 on their beneficiaries, TCB demonstrated remarkable resilience, continuing to maintain steady and sustainable growth. As a Level 1 BEE accredited business, TCB’s commitment to empowerment is clear: they employ 100% unemployed South Africans, with 100% Black
More recently TCB launched Grow ECD, an early childhood development transformation initiative. TCB have also launched a Repair Programme which offers repair and entrepreneurial training for unemployed men. This suite of offerings shows the truly remarkable ability of the TCB team to identify and implement sustainable and life-changing interventions for their beneficiaries. TCB’s phenomenal story has been widely recognised, and they have received both domestic and international awards, acclaim and recognition for the work they do.
Inyosi has been a key partner in TCB’s journey. Inyosi’s mission: to provide access to funding, access to markets and access to skills for black-owned businesses is symbiotic with TCB’s own mission. Inyosi initially provided funding for TCB’s first building in Cape Town. This was followed by another building acquisition loan in Durban as TCB expanded their footprint. This third building loan is testament to TCB’s sustainable growth and Inyosi’s capacity to support them every step along the way. Inyosi remains a strong supporter of TCB and their globally renowned model for uplifting unemployed mothers and nurturing and developing entrepreneurs with a bright future ahead of them.
Inyosi’s investment strategy focuses on established Black-owned businesses with a three-to-five-year track record. Inyosi recognises that access to capital is crucial for growth; their financial support often plays a catalytical role in its Beneficiaries growth providing a cash injection into a well-run business, starved of growth capital. This funding often allows a smouldering/struggling business to flourish. much like “pouring petrol onto a fire,” enabling businesses to burst into life and grow and thrive.
Speaking at the ribbon-cutting event to mark TCB’s latest acquisition of the Midrand, Johannesburg building, Evan Jones, CEO Inyosi Empowerment, said “ This latest TCB building highlights a vital principle: property rights and ownership are a powerful tool for economic empowerment.
As economist Hernando de Soto argues in The Mystery of Capital, title deeds enable individuals to leverage their property for economic advancement, such as securing loans for business growth. Inyosi understands this, viewing property ownership as one of the critical stepping stones towards financial freedom.”
Tracey Chambers, opening the ceremony said “This 15th-anniversary celebration is more than just a milestone for TCB; it’s a celebration of the fruitful partnership with Inyosi.” Together, TCB and Inyosi are building a legacy of empowerment, driving economic transformation, and creating opportunities for countless South Africans.