1 Min With A Superhero: Adesh Naidoo, SEDA Small Business Stars Winner
by Fred Roed on 29/05/12 at 7:30 am
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Adesh Naidoo is the recent winner of the SEDA Small Business Stars, an initiative after Ideate’s heart. Adesh is the founder of Clean Street, which plans to distribute a “green” lamppost-mounted bin that is theft-resistant, provides an easy litter disposal option for pedestrians, and offers the city a new advertising revenue stream.
Adesh, how does it feel to have won the Small Business Stars competition?
I believe it’s going to boost my business to the next level especially with the help of SEDA. It’s a great motivation to have won and it’s given me more confidence in my product and ability
How did you come up with your idea?
It evolved over 2 years from a basic idea to eradicating cigarette litter and bubble gum waste to a bin that fits around street poles and a space used for advertising as well
Your business concept has an environment / social edge to it. Are you a firm advocate of ‘Social Entrepreneurship’ as termed by Richard Branson?
Yes. The object of the product is to eradicate street litter especially cigarette butts which is the number one most commonly found street litter in the world at the same time create jobs in local areas with Clean Street Company who will be maintaining the business
Your idea appears to be a media channel as a way of generating funds. How do you plan to beat out the stiff competition from the established players?
The established players tend to target the high spenders. I target the common working audience. It’s a bigger audience which includes foot commuters as well as taxi drivers
Adesh, finally – what is your definition of an ‘entrepreneur’ – ?
I think someone that knows his product/s while driving his business and making an impact on the economy.
Thanks for making the time to chat to us at Ideate in the midst of all the craziness of a start-up. We wish you all the best and hope to see you again soon!
Fred Roed is the marketing guy in the Ideate crew. Fred is the CEO of web marketing company World Wide Creative and the co-founder of online learning portal Heavy Chef. Fred loves writing about people out there doing marketing right. Follow Fred on Twitter here. View more articles by Fred Roed.
Tags: entrepreneur, seda, small business, South Africa
