Founded by Fezile Dhlamini, Green Scooter is the safest and first electric motor-tricycle for the African market. We chat to to him about his brand that has been in business for 6 years. Green Scooter won the Technology category sponsored by MTN Pulse at the Top 16 Youth-Owned Brands Awards.
The Green Scooter Journey
How has the journey been for Green Scooter?
Fezile: Green Scooter has been around for 6 years now. Formally, in the market for 4 or 5 years now and it has been a rollercoaster. The has been a lot of learning and unlearning. There has been a lot of super highs and super lows. You are trying to do something, you are trying to build something; you are creating this entire market in South Africa that is not really familiar.
How do you feel about the nomination?
Fezile: It moves away from how I feel rather how we feel as a company. It reaffirms that we are doing something right. It’s all about building something that people love. It allows young people to dream through you. For the company, it brings excitement, it enhances our vision. I was never a person of awards but getting your award [Top 16 YOBA] changed my perspective.
The Business After The YOBAs
Are you in talks with MTN Pulse after winning a category they sponsored?
Fezile: The award itself and it being sponsored by MTN Pulse it enabled us to have much higher level conversations with the team of decision makers. There are certain discussions we are having that focus on youth because I am also very youth driven when we talk about entrepreneurship.
Insider dubs you as South Africa’s Tesla, how does that make you feel as a team?
Fezile: Compliments like those are very important as how the market perceives you. I say this in a PR level, because if we said we are building something better than Tesla, it really has no impact. We are the Tesla of three wheels.
You can watch the full interview on our Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/tv/CgT7-ztDkEz/
