The founder & CEO of Bathu shoes shares his highs and lows

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ailing all the way from Phake near Hammanskraal, 28-year-old Theo Baloyi identified a gap in the shoe retail industry which prompted him to pursue his vision to build a shoe brand Africans could relate to. His vision was turned to reality as Bathu is the new sneaker brand covering South African celebrities’ feet.

The name Bathu is derived from the township slang word for shoe. Baloyi says his choice of name was based on its roots in the Sophiatown days and he wanted something ordinary South Africans could relate to.

In order to establish his business, Baloyi claims he saved up his salary. “I am an accountant by profession and have spent five years at PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) where I put away my savings which enabled me to start this venture,” he says.

Theo honed his business skills in his second year of BCom Accounting studies where he made door to door perfume sales. This is where he got to learn a lot about business and had his skills further enhanced in the corporate world.

The fashion guru believes entrepreneurship is something you are born with and needs to be nurtured over time. He says some people are born entrepreneurs and others learn about identifying and solving problems as they grow.

Baloyi does not believe in giving up, he was declined 16 times by the factory prior to them approving their flagship design and all of this is due to passion and persistence.

Baloyi’s greatest highlight in his entrepreneurship journey is the recognition he received before being afforded the opportunity to work with well-established brands such as Forbes Africa, J&B Hive, Cape Town City FC, Baroka FC, and others. He built his brand reputation through networking and putting in the work on a daily basis and also by having a strong team behind his vision.

The biggest piece of advice he can give to up and coming entrepreneurs is patience is a virtue. “Patience is life can make people reach for the stars and with it, you can avoid making hasty decisions,” he explains. Baloyi also said he owes his success to God, his parents, mentors and most importantly the customers.

His business consists of a wide range of brightly colored mesh sneakers with a blue, white and red sole, produced in Durban.

If you are interested in slaying with Bathu shoes you can order at www.bathu.co.za or 071 854 7323 (WhatsApp & calls).