ABOT Technology is a software development company based in Johannesburg. It helps companies monetize their data through the use of tools such as websites, data analytics, mobile apps and user experience design. The ABOT Team assesses company needs and where the gap is from where they currently are and where they want to go. “Most companies don’t realise, and have neglected, the amount of customer and employee data that they have internally,” explains co-founder and CEO, Ngwana Matloa. ABOT Technology, after assessing the business strategy of such companies, creates a plan that shows how this data can be monetized.
Having started in 2007, Matloa describes the roots of the business as “a one-stop shop for SMEs”. Reflecting heavily on the transition from working in the corporate space to being an entrepreneur, she notes that in comparison to entrepreneurship, there is very little to worry about in the corporate world. “Incorporate, IT companies provide you with laptops and the likes, and you don’t really need to worry about things like branding,” she says. “But as soon as you start your own venture, you need a brand. And that’s made up of logos, business cards, banners… All the marketing collateral.”
There are so many things that entrepreneurs have to worry about when they start. Through a unique form of mentoring, guidance and advice, ABOT Technology seeks to help entrepreneurs make that all-important move from the corporate environment.
Matloa began her career as a software developer. It was within that space that she realised she wanted to pave her own path and engage with people more than her job was allowing. More than anything, her journey epitomises the magic that happens when years of practical expertise meet the innovative mindset of an entrepreneur. Realising that working as a software developer had made her “too technical”, Matloa began to supplement her knowledge of IT and Information Systems with alternate industries, like finance.
Leaving the corporate world to disrupt the tech industry involves knowing your strengths and weaknesses, recognising the never-ending opportunity to grow and making sure the timing is right. But how do you know when you’re ready to take the leap? Matloa suggests that “You never really know when you’re ready; it varies from person to person.” What eventually pushed her to making the big move was a retrenchment which forced her to jump into ABOT Technology, which she had been considering for a long time. Getting retrenched was more a blessing than a curse. “Even so, it’s always really important to have an exit strategy,” she says.
Now that she’s navigated this space for well over 6 years, Matloa admits that it is not without its challenges. “Being a young black woman in business is particularly difficult. Some people refuse to believe that you are competent.”
Nonetheless, Matloa soldiers on with a head held high enough to lose sight of all the naysayers. She cites mentorship as one of the main reasons for her continued motivation.
“You can never say you know everything, so mentorship is always a necessity,” she says.
With an optimistic outlook and a visible love for what she does, Ngwana Matloa is set to make continues waves in the tech space.
Company: ABOT Technology
Age: 36 years
Turnover: between R800 000 – R1,5 million
Startup funding: R100 per member/per month for 2 years before were active in the business. We have been bootstrapping the business