Scribe with a Knack for business
Mothusi Soloko was once an accomplished journalist at Information Services writing business stories for Kutlwano magazine.
The 2015 Media Institute of Southern Africa Botswana Print Journalist of the year award winner decided to quit his job after a decade to follow his ambition of being a successful businessman.
He currently owns butcheries, restaurants, retail businesses and sells cooking gas in Thamaga, Metsimotlhabe, and Mochudi villages.
However, the 38-year-old Thamaga born scribe is not lost to the media as he is currently freelancing as a Sports Presenter for the national broadcaster, Botswana Television. (BTV)
Seloko recently published a book titled, ‘Thus Spoke a Statesman’ which is a collection of quotes from late Botswana’s second president. Sir Ketumile Masire.
Our reporter Portia Mlilo had a chat with the ambitious author about his new book and plans to expand his businesses.
Q. What inspired you to write a book?
A. We have many great leaders whose stories have never been told.
They have done a lot for this country and we need to appreciate them.
Sir Ketumile Masire was one such great leader who was not given attention after he left office, I think.
He made great speeches during his tenure.
I thought of looking for those quaotable quotes in his speeches, compile them and publish a book.
This will give those who were young or not born during his time a chance to read and appreciate of the phenomenal leader he was.
Q. What was his reaction when you first told him about your idea?
A. He told me he felt he had never been appreciated enough.
When I offered that opportunity, he gave me his blessings and worked with me on the project.
He started calling people he worked with to assist with his previous speeches.
I went through all the speeches provided and looked for those powerful quotes.
There is a bit about his thoughts on the media which I found very interesting.
I worked on the book under his guidance and the former Kutlwano Magazine editor, Thomas Nkhoma edited it.
Q. Why did you take long to publish the book?
A. He was looking forward to this book unfortunately he died before it was published.
I remember on Sunday before he fell sick, he called me in the evening in the company of his businesses manager, Peter.
It was around 8pm and asked me. “Moths ante beak e kae?
Kana nna ke a tsamaya. (Mothusi how far with publishing the book?
My days are numbered). We were to publish the book the week he passed on.
It was not easy because the family was still mourning and I needed their support.
I also thought of waiting to add more information from the speeches from the funeral.
I agreed with his daughter Matshidiso to launch the book at the end of March unfortunately there was Covid-19 outbreak, which disrupted our plans.
We decided to release it and we will launch it next year.
Q. Who is your target audience?
A. Anyone who can read.
Young or old people can read this book.
When you listen to our Members of Parliament, they quote leaders from other countries and hardly use quotes from ours.
I just wish they read this book and start using quotations of our own.
They can also learn from it how they can tackle some challenges in leadership.
We are in the process of taking the book to the national library and also ministry of education so that students can read it.
The book is sold at Exclusive Books and Botswana Book Centre for P150.
Q. Any intentions of writing a similar book about former leaders and the current?
A. Yes that is my next step.
In the near future, I will approach former Presidents, Festus Mogae and Ian Khama and see if I can get quotes from their previous speeches.
I have a scheduled meeting with the current president; Mokgweetsi Masisi soon and I will use the opportunity to express my intentions.
If he agrees to share his speeches, we will document them and when he finishes his term, we can publish a book.
Unfortunately for Masire this is a fraction of his words, a lot was misplaced.
The first President For Seretse Khama’s quotes it would probably take a trip to the UK to check their national archives because we only know of one quote about a “nation without a culture is a lost nation.”
Q. How easy or difficult was it to quit your journalism job?
A. Media is my passion but I had a calling of owning businesses and I could not ignore it.
When I handed in my resignation letter, our Director Maria Leshongwane was very hurt.
We had a lengthy meeting where she tried to convince me to stay but I had already made up my mind.
It was painful leaving the newsroom because the team was like my family.
Q. Now let’s get into the business side, how did you venture into business?
A. In 2011 I went to a bar in Thamaga with a friend.
I had sold my car during the day for P40 000 so I asked the bartender to do the calculation of all the booze in the fridge so I could buy it all.
I also told that I wanted to buy the whole bar and run it efficiently because they hardly ever had stock.
She called the owner and he agreed that I buy all the booze for P26 000 and they gave me the keys for the bar and the deal was sealed just like that.
The next day I started running the business.
At first, since I was an amateur I would consume all my stock and obviously, the business did not do well because of that.
But as time went on I became more focused and stopped drinking my own beer and went on to make a profit, which I used to open Malerie Restaurant in Thamaga.
In 2014 I had set up three bars and ventured into the gas business.
In 2016 I opened a butchery in Thamaga, in 2017 I bought a butchery in Gaborone, and in 2018 I opened another butchery in Metsimothabe and another restaurant in Mochudi.
Q. Who is your business’s mentor?
A. Satar Dada is my mentor.
In 2017, I bought Braai Pack Centre Butchery from him and since then he said if I needed any help I should call.
His Finance Manager works with my accountants.
He offered that I go to Motor Centre to be the trainee CEO and learn how to run multiple businesses.
He recently visited some of my businesses with President Masisi; In 2014 Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) officers came to one of my businesses and offered their mentorship.
This year their Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Moatshe felt I was ready to go to another level and be a major player in Botswana’s economy.
LEA engaged two consultant companies, Profiles Botswana and Power Play to turn around the businesses.
Things were heading south but since they stepped in, the businesses have started to do well.
Q. What are some of the highlights of your journey in business so far?
A. When I opened Saverite shop in Thamaga and Good Price shop in Metsimotlhabe.
The Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) sponsored these two projects.
Saverite ushered me to serious business and it is the industry where the big guns play.
As a new entrant, you need to be ready for stiff competition.
I became more confident which is why I opened a house brand, Good Price.
Q. What have been your lowlights in business?
A. You cannot believe how many times I have been robbed at gunpoint and criminals made away with lots of cash.