Carefully read the case study below and answer all the questions

When Lebo Gunguluza arrived in Durban in 1990, he had no more than R60.00 and perhaps a boatload of courage on him. Today, he is a successful entrepreneur, motivational speaker, and one of the youngest black self-made millionaires in South Africa. The young man had arrived at the University of Natal determined to enroll for a B. Com programme, even though he couldnt afford the required fees. Life had done a number on Lebo and the rest of his family when his father died so early in his life. His mother earned a meagre salary as a nurse, and despite her best efforts at catering for the needs of the family, she often came up short.

So having managed to put Lebo and his siblings through high school during the turbulent times that accompanied her husbands demise, tertiary education was always going to be out of reach. And Lebo had learnt this early enough. However, he had made up his mind to brave the odds and try regardless. And thats precisely what he did. Lebo was a bright student, and even from his high school days, he had his heart set for business studies and his tenacity was the driving force. He had been accepted into the university, and he wasnt going to let his financial struggles prevent him from getting in.

So, he made that trip from Port Elizabeth to Durban, and even though he hit a brick wall the first day, he did have some things go his way. Lebo had no friends or family in Durban, but he managed to hit it off with a compassionate individual who took him in for a few days while he tried to get around his money problems. Luck left it late as it wasnt until the final day of registration that providence caused his path to cross with a benefactor who took an interest in his case and helped him out. With the support of his funder, he was able to secure a bursary and pay for his studies at the Pietermaritzburg campus.

That spelt the beginning of an inspiring but turbulent journey. At the middle of the academic program, his funder relocated from South Africa, and just like that, the only support system he thought he had in place had been cut off. Now, he was stranded and had to figure out a way around yet another challenge. Sheer resourcefulness and the determination to stick it out until the completion of his degree helped him find a way out. He took up a sales agent job at Edgars, and he was earning a small commission for every new customer he signed up. It wasnt much, but he was able to get by.

Because he put his heart to it, his efforts didnt go unnoticed, and he soon started working in-store. Despite working by day and catching up on his studies at night, paying his fees was still a struggle as he had to take up student loans to pay for his studies. When Lebo Gunguluza graduated in 1994, he was neck-deep in debt. He had a backlog of loans to clear, but this time though, he could summon a university degree, some work experience, and an impressive sales ability.

His first job was a position at the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC) as a Sales Agent He rose through the ranks swiftly, and by the time he turned 24, he had become Marketing Manager at Metro FM and had received four promotions within two years.

By that time, he was already taking care of his entire family back home in Johannesburg and even though everyone thought he was making a lot of money on his new job, he wasnt earning much in reality. Lebo recognised that he needed to do more if he was ever going to be as successful as he wanted to be. He had known so much lack that he always felt poverty breathing down his neck, and it didnt help that there was nothing left as savings after taking care of his needs and that of his family. To earn more, he needed to be more. And that meant travelling to the United States of America (U.S.A.) for a few weeks for a specialised course in broadcasting. The idea was to become a big deal and start earning big, but the plan changed upon his return.

True to his initial intentions, he got a relatively lucrative job with an advertising company called Herdbuoys as soon he got back from the States, but even though he was now earning twice what he used to, he wasnt making much headway and thats because he wanted more than just waiting for a fixed pay-check every month.

And before long, he called it quits with Herdbuoys. His friends and family thought it a crazy decision at the time after all, it seemed like a very profitable job but perhaps, only he knew what he desired. Lebo Gunguluza soon started his own company Gunguluza Entertainment and the inspiration for the company couldnt be more unlikely. He said to himself - I was good at throwing big parties at home. Why was I getting all these people to eat my food and drink my alcohol for free when I could be making money from them? What Lebo lacked in financial firepower, he made up for in people skills, and all those years as a salesman had helped him develop an uncanny ability to leverage situations to great use.

Since he didnt have the money to get his business off the ground and keep it running, he knew he had to make it happen some other way. And luckily, an opportunity presented itself. He got into talks with a Sandton-based night club called Insomnia. The club hadnt been doing so well, and he offered to bring the crowds if he was allowed to take the wheel. Lebo gave the club a new image as a hotspot for young and trendy black people, and since there werent any similar spots in the area at the time, the effort proved rewarding. He made R7000 on the first night.

Soon he realised he was headed for success and opened a business account. He started saving up the cash. He did pretty well for a while, averaging R5000 per event for four months and saving most of it. That was until a new-kid-on-the-block came along and stole most of his business. The club numbers were plummeting, and there was a need to switch lanes quickly. And he did it in style, booking artists he had come to know over the years and building a reputation for himself as a talent manager. By now, he was talking on the radio all the time and taking home up to R100 000 per event.

You would think he had finally hit the big one, but he had eyes for more. About the same period, the South African entrepreneur caught wind of a new radio station that was about to launch, and he jumped at the opportunity. By the time he had talked the radio station into allowing him to handle the launch and leveraged his connections in entertainment, he had thrown a big party that drew attendance from some 15,000 young people. He took home R1.5 million for his efforts. That experience reinforced what I found out early on in the business. You dont always need money to acquire things its often possible to use your resources and barter when you dont have cash. Without funding, tenders or loans, I had made my first million at the age of 27, he says.

Well, he took to a life of luxury soon after and that became his undoing. Instead of putting the money to good use, he squandered it on lavish cars and parties, and within one year, he had hit rock bottom. Lebo got his second chance by venturing into media and communications. He worked with Penta Publications for nine months before setting up his firm: Corporate Fusion. The company grew in leaps and bounds, and some years later, it was grossing up to R14 million annually. But then he dropped the ball once more. Travelling the world and living a lavish lifestyle became the order of the day, and it was only a matter of time before he lost touch with his companys operations. All it took was one botched event for one of his biggest clients, and he had lost up to R7 million worth of business in three weeks. A couple of months later, he was staring down the barrel as the business had plunged into debt to the tune of R4 million. Salaries could no longer be paid, and some downsizing had to happen.

He had to close shop. He sold his office complex and with the money from the sale, he set up a restaurant. He ran the restaurant with his wife and groomed it into a successful enterprise that attracted the prestigious people in Johannesburg. He also managed to settle his debts. When he severed ties with his wife in 2008 due to irreconcilable differences, the restaurant became hers. But by then, he was already nurturing a new venture that had already turned in R2 million by the time the divorce proceedings were concluded.

That move laid the groundwork for Gunguluza Enterprises & Media (GEM) Group of Companies which currently has holdings in media, hospitality, technology, property, and investment. He has also acquired interests in several hotels and launched a car hire company. GEM has grown into a multimillion-rand business of a dozen companies, employing over 200 people. As of 2015, the company was worth R300 million (USD 19 million).

At the age of 27, he became one of Africas youngest self-made black millionaires, without any funding or tenders from government and overcame tremendous odds in his entrepreneurial journey to build a multimillion-rand empire over the years. He is one of the key founders and President of the South African Black Entrepreneurs Forum (SABEF), which supports and addresses issues facing black entrepreneurs in South Africa. The organisations membership has grown to 30,000, and he has become a sought-after spokesperson for black entrepreneurs, as well as a popular motivational speaker with an inspirational story. He was honored by the Millionaires Club with the African Leadership Award in May 2010 and later received the Bethesda Business Award for his contribution to the development of Entrepreneurship in South Africa. Its been a tumultuous journey for the South African entrepreneur, but hes managed to ride out the storm and steady the ship a lesson in persistence, resilience, and getting back in spite of mistakes. Source: speakersinc.co.za

Question 1 [5]

You have studied different personalities and have a clear understanding based on that knowledge - do you believe that there is a typical entrepreneurial personality? Why or why not? Support your answer.

Question 2 [5]

What personality type do you think Lebo Gunguluza is? Support your answer.

Question 2 [15]

Todays employees are very contemporary in nature, more assertive and active in managing their careers and want to have more control over their careers and their lives. They are more flexible and adaptable. Does the need to understand career management from an individual perspective fit the characterisation of Lebo Gunguluza based on the observations of the changing workforce by behavioural scientists? Defend the need by means of the five observations and justify it with evidence from the case study.

Question 3 [15]

Incorporate the general factors to reflect and propose how they influenced Lebo Gunguluzas pursuit of an entrepreneurial career.

Question 4 [10]

How does an entrepreneurial career differ from an organisational career?

TOTAL [50]