Ricky Ruthenberg has truly taken a ground-up approach to his career. Adapting to opportunities as they present themselves is clearly a powerful skill. From waiting tables at Col’Cacchio to helping launch the first Bootlegger in Sea Point, he’s gone on to build the team that runs a national chain of nearly 100 Bootlegger restaurants.
From espresso to enterprise, this is the story of building something from nothing. Hard work, perseverance and self-belief are the ingredients in this delicious recipe.
On episode 5 of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec, Ricky talks about what it takes to grow a local brand into a national success story.
Episode 5 covers:
The hard work required when opening a restaurant and why owner involvement is critical in the early days
Building the Bootlegger brand and overcoming challenges along the way
Why the group runs a mix of corporate-owned and franchise stores and how that creates opportunity
The pros and cons of having master franchisees vs many individual franchisees
How the retail store model helps drive brand awareness and loyalty
How his role has evolved from cooking and closing up the first store to leading a national team as CEO
Managing coffee price volatility and the strategies behind it
How the Bootlegger survived COVID and thrived afterwards
The value of Capitec as a franchise funding partner
Chapters
(00:00:00) - Bootlegger's Success Story(00:01:09) - Which keeps you up more at night? Strong coffee or a newborn(00:01:44) - Coffee Bootleg(00:04:29) - Bootlegger's story on becoming an Equity Partner(00:06:41) - Bootlegger Coffee Co.(00:08:28) - Bootlegger's secret to success(00:10:16) - Peter and Ricky Bloom on Their Early Years(00:12:00) - The Coffee Chain's philosophy(00:15:02) - Bootleggers Coffee: A National Brand(00:17:12) - Keurig Coffee: Going Mainstream with Retail Stores(00:20:09) - When I was CEO, my role changed(00:24:31) - How Hard Do You Work In the Morning?(00:24:55) - Bootlegger's hybrid franchise model(00:29:49) - How to start a business with multiple stores(00:31:47) - Input costs in the coffee business(00:35:46) - Bootlegger's story of survival during the Covid Pandemic(00:38:46) - Franchise Banking: Capitec Funding(00:40:38) - What Keeps You Motivated?(00:42:17) - Support Your Local Bootlegger
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43:16
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43:16
Ep4: A dose of inspiration with The Local Choice Pharmacy
Hugh Cunningham is as passionate about customer service and product assortment as he is about medicine. As the co-owner of The Local Choice Pharmacy Harmelia, Hugh focuses on business management, while his wife and co-founder Yolandi ensures the dispensary runs smoothly.
On episode 4 of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec, Hugh shares excellent insights on specialist retail and how pharmacies really work.
Episode 4 covers:
Why separation of duties and having a clear decision-maker is critical
The importance of doing proper financial analytics in any business
How pharmacies make money and the differences between independent and corporate pharmacy models
The benefits of being part of a franchise network
The future of the pharmacy industry and how independent pharmacies can stay competitive
Chapters
(00:00:00) - The Finance Ghost(00:00:45) - Pharmacist Business Podcast(00:01:18) - Married to a Pharmacist(00:08:26) - Exploring the pharmacy business with Discim(00:09:19) - Local Choice Pharmacy(00:14:16) - Front Shop Pharmacy vs. dispensary(00:17:19) - What is the restriction on sales in the front shop?(00:18:56) - Risks of disruption to the retail pharmacy market(00:24:08) - Medical Aid and working capital(00:27:51) - How Hard Is It to Get a New Pharmacy License?(00:29:47) - What's Your Biggest Mistake?(00:30:51) - Interview(00:31:57) - Thanks to Capitec Business Bank
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33:31
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33:31
Ep3: Blueprints to breakthrough with Legaro Property Development
With a background in law and economics, Obaratile (OB) Semenya’s approach to property includes exposure at practically every part of the value chain.
From developing high-end residential projects through Legaro Property Development to driving sales at his real estate agency, Natural Property, he’s mastered the full property journey.
And with extensive experience working closely with Balwin, OB also knows his way around the biggest developments around.
On episode 3 of The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec, he talks about building the world he wants to see around him, all while ‘nerding out’ on the business and sector he loves most.
Episode 3 covers:
The risks and rewards of the property sector
Lessons from working across the full value chain
Insights from balancing development and real estate sales
Why passion for what you do often makes the rest fall into place
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44:28
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44:28
Ep2: A business glow-up with Rabia Ghoor from swiitchbeauty®
Rabia Ghoor, founder of swiitchbeauty® and winner of multiple awards, is one of South Africa’s most celebrated young entrepreneurs thanks to her fascinating backstory of starting the business at the age of 14 and dropping out of high school shortly thereafter.
But in the decade or so since then, Rabia has built a powerhouse of an eCommerce business – a business that deserves the limelight beyond its founder.
On episode 2 of The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec, we gave the business lessons from the journey building swiitchbeauty® just as much attention as Rabia’s story.
Episode 2 covers:
The entrepreneurial DNA in Rabia’s family and how an upbringing surrounded by the hustle contributed to her brave and unusual decision in high school.
The initial innovation that sparked the business, namely the use of Instagram and other social media channels in a way that traditional competitors weren’t doing.
The value of building an authentic online community over a long period and using that as the foundation for a brand.
Curating a product range over time and developing key differentiators, with the importance of ‘just starting’ without necessarily knowing all the future answers.
The advantage of building a business on a foundation of low personal overhead and responsible risk-taking.
Advice for businesses on how to get the most out of social media.
The biggest mistake made along the way.
Chapters
(00:00:00) - South African entrepreneur Rabia Ghoor on her journey to(00:01:55) - Rabia On Starting a Business At 16(00:08:20) - When I Dropped Out Of School(00:12:36) - What Makes Switch Beauty So Successful?(00:16:34) - How Facebook Made Beauty Personal(00:19:27) - What's Your Brand's Differentiator?(00:21:33) - How to Start a Business(00:27:51) - The Real Face of Makeup(00:28:19) - The Risk of Starting a Business(00:33:19) - Follow Your Lead on Social Media(00:36:57) - What's been your biggest learning from the Supply Chain journey?(00:38:16) - Rabia on The Biggest Mistake of All Time(00:40:13) - Plugged in with Capitec
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40:15
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40:15
Ep1: Bootstrapping a brownie business (TheHungryMute)
Makomborero Mutezo, founder of TheHungryMute and winner of the Capitec Rising Star award, is in the early stages of building a food design empire.
With a mix of culinary and design skills, plus a curious mind, he shares delicious insights in episode 1 of The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec.
Major points covered include:
The backstory to the business - how travel to Germany inspired a love of food design and connecting cultures.
The critical importance for entrepreneurs of being curious about the world around you.
How a combination of skills can create a unique business, but makes it more difficult to scale.
The long-term value of bootstrapping a business.
The biggest (and most expensive) mistake made along the way.
How family support makes such a difference to the process.
The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec is made possible by the support of Capitec Business. All the entrepreneurs featured on this podcast are clients of Capitec. Capitec is an authorised Financial Services Provider, FSP number 46669.
Chapters
(00:00:00) - The Finance Ghost plugged in with Capitec(00:01:16) - TheHungryMute(00:04:02) - Starting a business with just a few ideas(00:07:08) - Starting a business after travel(00:12:41) - The search for a unique combination of skills(00:19:10) - Finding a person to help in the business(00:21:02) - Getting access to finance for SMEs(00:21:38) - Why bootstrapping is good for business(00:25:06) - What's your biggest mistake?(00:28:22) - Conversations about the future(00:31:43) - The role of family
The Finance Ghost Plugged in with Capitec is hosted by entrepreneur and ex-investment banker, The Finance Ghost. From side hustles to success stories, the podcast explores what it really takes to build a business in SA. Whether you're starting out or deep in the journey, there’s something for you.
South Africa