There’s more talk about support for woman in tourism than actual assistance, but a lack of support didn’t deter Clarissa Carsten, co-founder of International Convention Solutions, an event management company.
Carsten says that while there’s a perception is that the road is “paved for women”, she and her partner, Tsholo Wesi, have built there business without any financial support from government. “It’s not easy out there; you must have hair on your teeth.” She adds that anyone wanting to crack into the sector needs to have tenacity.
The pair knocked on the doors of government and developmental agencies, but no capital was forthcoming, while for the most part request go unanswered. Carsten says access to capital remains the biggest barrier to entry for any business. Access to capital is crucial for a business to take calculated risks and expand, she says.
With little to no assistance, the five year old company is the result of hard work and sleepless nights, all while raising children. Any capital investment is taken on an overdraft. One thing that has helped Carsten is support from suppliers.
“Events companies pop up like mushrooms and they don’t have the capability, experience and attention to detail required to put together a successful event,” says Carsten. Between Carsten and her partner, the pair boast 45 years of experience in managing events.
The company manages events national and internationally, ranging from corporate events to weddings and festivals. The team has put together the “Diamonds and Dorings” music festival for the past three years. The company has put together events catering to 25 000 attendees.
The pair also manages the Mittah Seperepere Convention Centre in Kimberly in the Northern Cape, which can accommodate 2 500 delegates, and also two guest houses in the region.
This article is part of a series where Tourism Update highlights small, medium and micro-sized enterprises in the tourism sector. This series is brought to you courtesy of South African Tourism.
