Chickens pay for guest house

First a hair salon, then a booming chicken business, and now serial entrepreneur Nthabiseng Moshoeshoe has opened her own guest house in Mfuleni, Cape Town.

Phoofolo Guest House, the only guest house in Extension 4, officially opened in May with money Moshoeshoe generated from the chicken business she started in 2010.

“My startup was a hair salon operating from a shipping container, but because there was so much competition, I was not making any profit. I got introduced to the chicken business by a friend of mine who is also doing it. It became such a success,” says Moshoeshoe.

“I am a person who likes travelling. So in my travels I would stay in different guesthouses and that is how the idea of owning my own guesthouse came about,” she says.

Moshoeshoe was renting out four flats in her backyard. When one of the backyarders moved out and left the room vacant, Moshoeshoe renovated the room and built an extra room. It was the start of her guesthouse.

She has five rooms now; three rented out to tenants and two for guests.

“I took the money I make from my chicken business, added the money that I get from the renters every month and the money I get from my stokvel. I bought material and the rest is history,” she says.

Named after her clan name, Phoofolo Guest House charges R400 a night for a room that sleeps two. She advertises on Facebook. Moshoeshoe says she has had guests from Johannesburg, Polokwane, Limpopo and Mthatha.

The spotless rooms have whitewashed walls with African ornaments and paintings, and bathrooms en suite. Rooms have television and a bar fridge. There is a security guard. The premises are close to a local car wash and places to eat.

“I do all the housekeeping myself. So I am forever busy, not forgetting that I still need to look after my chickens,” says Moshoeshoe.

“My dream is of course to expand,” she says. She would like to have a two-storey guest house.

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