A recent BCom graduate from Stellenbosch University (SU) is hoping to inspire other students to “just go for it” through her entrepreneurial mindset.
The 22-year-old Simóne Jardim opened up her shop, The Waffle Mill, in partnership with her older sister Julia, in mid-June of this year.
The 22-year-old Simóne Jardim said starting The Waffle Mill was both exciting and challenging. “Once the shop was physically up and running, we had to think about suppliers and where we were going to get our stock from and how we were going to present the food… All these little things that we really had to think about,” she said. Pictured above from left to right are Yolanda Booysen, Jardim and Simemosahke Dube. PHOTO: Jessica Hillier
Jardim graduated from SU in April. She said that her prior research conducted while obtaining her BCom in logistics and marketing, and her ability to network among her fellow students, allowed her to identify a gap in the Stellenbosch market.
“We thought we’d give it a shot and see how it goes,” she said. “But also, at the same time, I have a very big sweet tooth – I love me some gelato, and I love waffles.”
According to Yolanda Booysen, one of The Waffle Mill’s two chefs, their waffles are handmade to order, while their fudge, coffee and gelato are from external suppliers.
Joshua Knapp, boyfriend of The Waffle Mill owner, Simóne Jardim, said he was “stunned by how seamlessly Jardim was able to transition” from the end of her third year into coming up with, designing and running her own business. “It really demonstrates the depth of her talent, which is evident when you walk through the doors,” he said. “I couldn’t be prouder.” PHOTO: Jessica Hillier
No easy feat
Jardim emphasised that starting her own business was both taxing and challenging. She added that experiencing several teething issues, especially loadshedding, meant that she and her sister had to learn how to adapt very quickly.
“I was very scared to do it but I think, once you have that mindset that you can actually do it, then you realise you’re capable of doing more than you think,” she said.
She warned students who may be endeavouring entrepreneurship to be conscious of not underestimating the workload and self-discipline required to stay motivated.
“Looking at your sales, looking at your store when it isn’t as busy as it is during the weekend, and just having that motivation to keep thinking ‘okay, this is going to get better, it’s going to grow’ – it’s very difficult to have that,” she said.
Simóne Jardim (pictured above with Simemosahke Dube, the head waitress) opened The Waffle Mill restaurant in Stellenbosch in partnership with her older sister, Julia Jardim. “We trust that our food, service and customer experience will build a good reputation for our business,” Julia said. “We offer products of the highest quality and are positioned in a great spot in the food hub of Stellenbosch.” PHOTO: Jessica Hillier
The Waffle Mill currently sees between 10 and 70 customers per day, Jardim stated.
Helping hands
“I definitely had a lot of support from my parents,” Jardim said, attributing some ease experienced in the business’s establishment to her entrepreneurial parents.
Jardim said that the best part about operating her own business has been getting to know the people she works with – her four employees.
“I enjoy working here a lot,” said Simemosahke Dube, the head waitress at The Waffle Mill. “I love my team. My colleagues feel like friends, and I just love working with people.”
“I definitely had to do a lot of research on what we would want the shop’s look and feel to be,” said Simóne Jardim, co-owner of The Waffle Mill, regarding designing the physical layout of her shop. “I designed the whole retail experience and the inside of the store with a feature wall for Instagram and everything. It really came out quite cool, and it took about two months to do that,” she added. PHOTOS: Jessica Hillier
In spite of some struggles and learning curves, Jardim’s sister Julia said that in her view, their business holds great potential.
“I am optimistic about what the future holds for The Waffle Mill,” she added.