His shoe business has been an inspiration to many since he started almost six years ago. He started off selling the popular Mash sneaker edition, which remains any sneakerheads’ favourite. Bathu footwear owner Theo Baloyi tells shares the ups and downs of keeping his business afloat.

A NEW RANGE

He recently revealed his new sneaker range titled Khalanga at a classy gathering at Four Seasons Hotel in Westcliff Johannesburg. The name Khalanga is taken from his clan name. The accountant-turned-sneaker dealer says he wanted this range to encourage Africans to embody who they are. "I want them to really know their identity and not shy away from celebrating who they are. So, we can be able to take that t the rest of the world," he tells ZiMoja.

STILL GROWING

In business for five years going on six, Theo says that he has been able to employ over 400 staff members and open 35 stores across the country. Besides the motivation, business acumen, and resilience, his staff has been the driving force and helped to keep his business afloat. "The good people at Bathu are really an amazing team. They genuinely care about the business" he says. "Our customers have also supported us even in unfavourable times and especially with these tough economic times. With the little money they have, they still come through," he adds. 

Theo says that the economy is unfavourable and that certain things are beyond the control of business owners and entrepreneurs. "We can see the ever-increasing interest rates. The increasing price of food and livelihood expenditure. It’s the same in business. It has been tough," he says. "The loadshedding is not making it easy for us to continue trading. There has been a lot of political instability that directly affects us as entrepreneurs."  

WEIGHING IN ON DRIP STORE CLOSURE

Not long ago, Drip Footwear boss Lekau Sehoana announced the hardships faced by his businessman and having to close down his store, Kiddies Republic at Mall of the North Polokwane. This is after failing to keep the business afloat. Despite being competitors, Theo says that he and Lekau are good friends and colleagues, and he understands his struggles. "It has not been easy for all of us. Lekau and I are in the same industry, we are peers and also competitors. We come from a similar background. But far beyond the call of trade, we are brothers," he says. "I gave him a call a few weeks ago, just to encourage him and bounce some ideas, engage and we really leverage off each other. We are brothers. Even when he has an opportunity for me, we share ideas and help each other out and visa versa." he says. Theo says despite the hardships, the future of the shoe and footwear business is still big. There is still an appetite for footwear brands. " It is amazing to see other brands on the rise. When we started, there was nothing like this in South Africa. The sky is too big and not even the limit, not even in the footwear industry but in retail. Bathu is a pure demonstration of that," he says. "The one big achievement is the impact we have made. People talk about the Theo Baloyi and Bathu story but the people who work at Bathu have been inspirational. Some people started out as drivers and are now e-commerce managers and leaders in their own right and have done so much for their families and have become role models."