Running a small business can be a challenge, especially when it comes to acquiring funding for growth and expansion. Business owner, Shereen Crowie shares her testimony of how accessing funding from Inyosi has been instrumental in assisting her business to grow despite the challenges it faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Curviro Trading (Pty) Ltd was founded by Shereen Crowie in 2009 with a mission to manufacture high-quality paper products at affordable and competitive prices.
Shereen first heard about Inyosi through one of her clients who partnered with Inyosi for their Enterprise and Supplier Development requirements. After reading about the company and its offerings, she decided to approach Inyosi for funding to purchase a fully automatic toilet paper machine with a log saw cutter.
Although her initial plans were derailed due to the pandemic, Inyosi continued to partner with her business by financing a new delivery vehicle, a second-hand mop cap machine, and funding for branding and packaging.
In addition to financial support, Inyosi also assisted Curviro to obtain their SAHPRA license through half-grant funding and half-loan funding.
However, access to capital has not been the entrepreneur’s only obstacle. “As a female entrepreneur in the manufacturing industry, which is male-dominated, I have faced challenges from both within and outside the business. However, through perseverance I have shown, both to myself and community, that gender should not be a barrier to success”, says Shereen.
Before starting her business, she worked for the FirstRand Group for almost 20 years as an accountant and business analyst, where she gained valuable experience that she now applies to her own business.
Despite facing tough moments in her journey, including a battle with pancreatic cancer, Shereen remains resilient and is currently training her daughter to take over the business in the future.
Inyosi is proud to announce the deployment of funds to Curviro to aid in their business expansion. This expansion would, inter alia, allow Curviro to increase production capacity and reduce downtime, reduce input costs and improve price stability through bulk purchasing, and increase sales due to improved certification on certain product lines.
Inyosi’s funding has enabled Curviro to expand and create employment opportunities, showcasing Inyosi’s commitment to supporting small businesses in South Africa.
