Denic Cabinets
What does your company do?
We design, manufacture and install customized, luxury Kitchens and built-in-cupboards for the Residential, Retail and Corporate Sector. Our manufacturing factory is based in Wynberg, Sandton. Our products include: Kitchen cupboards, wardrobes, walk-in-closets, bar units, tv units, bathroom vanities, wall panels, storage units, display units, reception counters, bookshelves, office tables and other wooden office furniture.
What is your biggest success?
2020- nominated for standard bank's young achiever award
2022 - first black women to exhibit at the Decorex exhibition under kitchens and bathrooms
2023- received an award by the general consulate of India in SA, for being an outstanding business woman
2024 - was able to unlock funding from NEF - national empowernment fund for my business
2024 - received an award by the Graca Machel trust for being an outstanding business women
2024 - was invited by the AFDB - african development bank of southern africa to go speak at the African Investment Forum on funding for SME's
Have completed cross- border projects in Zambia, Zimbabwe and DRC
Have represented SA with the Brand SA team, by exhibiting in France, La Rochelle
What has been your biggest hurdle?
1. Access to market when it comes to the Corporate and Retail Sector. those sectors are very closed off to small business owners like myself. Access to procurement opportunities is a daily challenge. The fact that we are expected to have huge capital/ cash-flows to complete projects without any payments or deposits upfront and still wait for 90-120 days after completion, to get paid is very strenuous for small businesses like mine, sometimes nearly impossible.
2. Access to technical mentorship from someone who has walked a similar journey as i have, being 1 of the very few black women entrepreneurs trying to build a successful business in the Carpentry manufacturing sector, which is predominantly a white and male dominated industry. There is not a lot woman who i can look up to and require business advise from. As a result, the only way to learn is to make lots of mistakes along the way and learn from those lessons, if though they are quiet expensive mistakes sometimes.
