The unbelievable story of a 21-year-old business owner
As of the first quarter of 2025, South Africa’s youth unemployment rate (ages 15–34) has climbed to a staggering 46.1% according to Stats SA, an increase of 9.2 percentage points over the past decade. This makes it one of the highest rates in the world, highlighting the severe challenges young South Africans face in the labour market. But amidst the crisis, stories of hope are rising. One of them belongs to Nothando Senamile Zwane, known affectionately as Bluey.
At 21, most young people are still figuring out their futures. But one Ivory Park-born entrepreneur has already done what many spend decades chasing. She owns her own business.
Nothando joined The Unlimited, an authorised financial services provider, straight after high school. She had no formal qualifications. No business experience. Just a deep hunger to do more with her life. “I didn’t understand much at first. I was an MC, had gigs on the weekend, and didn’t know how to sell. But I kept showing up. I was eager to learn, had a big dream, and refused to quit,” she says.
At just 20 years old, Nothando became the youngest female Franchise Owner in The Unlimited’s history. She now leads her team and trains ordinary South Africans how to sell insurance and run their own businesses. She has upgraded from a one-room rental to an apartment, helped her mom build a home in KwaZulu-Natal and got her Code 10 driver’s license.
She says what helped her stay the course was The Unlimited’s simple, proven System that empowers ordinary South Africans to shift their lives and make their dream possible by owning their own business. “The biggest lesson for me was that you don’t train from the head, you train from the heart,” she explains. “I learnt that people don’t care how much you know until they know how much you care. So, I spent hours investing in those around me, and it paid off!”
Nothando’s story is extraordinary. But it shouldn’t be.
“The truth is that young people in South Africa face huge barriers when it comes to work. In fact, Stats SA reports that nearly 1.9 million young people have simply stopped looking for work. As corporate South Africa, we have a responsibility to step up. Business must do better. One of the ways we believe that we can do that is by creating real opportunities. Opportunities that are not dependent on background, race, age, or where you come from. And we aim to do that by offering young South Africans the tools to build and grow sustainable businesses so that they can unlimit their life,” says Thobeka Sibiyya, Head of Brand Strategy & Growth.
Nothando’s journey highlights a bigger picture. As Youth Day prompts reflection on the future of our country, Nothando’s success is a reminder that potential is everywhere. It just needs a place to grow.
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