Yamkelani Ncumoluhle Menyo, the founder and CEO of Yam Light Candles, is a leading light in business.
The candle-making business she started in 2022 and officially registered in 2023 is rapidly growing thanks to her creativity, vision, hard work and entrepreneurial zeal.
“I started having a vision of owning a business during my final year of studying for a Diploma in Management Studies at Walter Sisulu University,” Menyo said.
“Working part-time for someone who ran an event decoration business inspired me. After events, I would collect excess candle wax, and it appeared simple to make my own candles from it.”
Menyo was inspired and began experimenting with candle-making at home. As her talents improved, she began to add scent to her candles, elevating them to new heights. “I simply enjoy being creative and making crafts. Candle-making allows me to express myself creatively,” she said.
Yam Light Candles now sells a variety of products, including scented candles, diffusers, cannabis-infused candles, and skin care items, all aimed to help customers “relax, rejuvenate and radiate positivity”.
Menyo, who was hails from Qumbu in the Eastern Cape, runs her business from Mthatha, where she handles day-to-day operations.
Her business has a loyal customer base in Mthatha,where it mostly supplies Airbnb' s, bed and breakfast establishments, hotels and lodges. Individual buyers, however, are the biggest source of the company’s revenue.
While Menyo manages the business on her own, she employs two part-time employees to help with large orders.
Yam Light Candles success has not gone unnoticed. Menyo received a significant boost in December 2023 when the Small Enterprise Development and Finance Agency (SEDFA) awarded her R172 000 in funding. Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams, Small Business Development Minister, presented her the SEDFA cheque at a machinery handover event for micro, small, and medium enterprises in Mthatha, as part of the Asset Assist Cooperative Development Support Programme.
“This funding has been a game changer,” Menyo said. “Last year, I received three tranches of government funding: R50 000 from the National Youth Development Agency, packing materials from SEDFA, and the Asset Assist programme. I’m so grateful because this support allows me to expand my business.”
As she continues to expand, Menyo remains focused on growing her business and creating more opportunities. “I’m excited for what’s ahead and the chance to grow this business to its full potential,” she said with confidence.¥
For more information on Yam Light Candles,
call or WhatsApp 079 372 0261 or email yamlightcandles@gmail.com. You can
also find Yam Light Candles on Facebook.
To get in touch with SEDFA, visit www.sedfa.org.za
Email
Facebook
Twitter
WhatsApp