A passionate teacher by profession. Nicholas Smit has been teaching for 13 years and runs two small companies. The first one is Straight A Tutors. The other is an award-winning, wheelchair accessories and disability awareness company, which is the first of its kind in South Africa, called Smergos.
He is also an accomplished speaker who is part of the PSASA (Professional Speakers’ Association of South Africa). He co-hosts a podcast and has presented a variety of workshops to an array of audiences including schools, universities, organizations and companies. His inspirational sessions relate to the power of the mind, creating your own reality and Growth Mindset.
What sets him apart from many others is his physical disability as a result of a car accident when he was 6 months old. He is a very determined and positive person, perceiving the seemingly impossible as challenges waiting to be overcome. Instead of his disability becoming a weakness it has become his strength, an empowering tool.
Please tell us a little bit about your company – what is Smergos all about?
Imagine leaving your house knowing that you’ve taken your car keys and cellphone but when it comes to using them they’re gone…
Imagine standing in a crowd of people talking to each other but no one is talking to you…
Imagine making a cup of coffee and having to drink it in the kitchen, in front of the kettle because you can’t move…
Imagine being well prepared for a big interview but getting there only to find that you can’t get into the office building…
These are some of the challenges that those with disabilities face on a daily basis. Smergos is co-owned by Nicholas Smit and Nicole Vergos. Both Nicholas and Nicole have had to live with their own disabilities and overcome unforeseen challenges. Their unique personal experiences have instilled an acute awareness and understanding of what people with disabilities need and how the current marketplace is failing to meet many of those needs. Through founding Smergos, Nicholas and Nicole task themselves with bridging this gap.
Smergos is driven by the need for change and changes lives by designing, manufacturing, selling and donating accessories for wheelchairs. Their mission is to create products that meet the needs of those with disabilities; give those with disabilities a platform to express themselves and their personality and be an advocate of the breaking down of barriers between those with and those without disabilities.
Tell us a little bit about your background and how you started your company?
The Smergos story began one morning as I (Nick) was thinking about what I could give Nicole on her next birthday. I recognized that she often struggled to carry or keep her belongings on her lap while using her hands to push herself in her wheelchair. A wheelchair bag was the obvious solution. It would be functional yet also original and distinctively Nicole.
The more I thought about the idea, the more I began to see the vast possibilities. I then called Nicole and said “Be at my place at 3pm if you’d like to make something that could change lives.” I then hung up the phone as I like being a man of mystery. Luckily she arrived that afternoon and the concept of Smergos was born.
What are your plans, how do you plan to grow this company?
We strive to create a more inclusive and accessible world for all and with this in mind we want to grow our product range to support a wide range of people with disabilities.
As our company slogan is – Inspiring Motion – we aim to create a movement, not only by providing products that improve mobility but by also shifting mindsets within society. To do this we created Smergos Social which hosts networking and other events with the aim of breaking down barriers between those with and those without disabilities. As COVID-19 hit South Africa we launched a weekly platform via Zoom that encourages open and meaningful conversations with the help of various guest speakers that present on a wide range of topics.
A large portion of the South Africans living with a disability are unemployed and thus do not have the disposable income to buy the specialized products that they need. We at Smergos cannot sit idly by while these people suffer and so plan to launch a non-profit company, or similar, called Smergos Inspired. We will ‘package’ a range of projects that businesses or other can select from. Different projects will focus on different groups, areas, etc. For example, one may focus on education and be looking for a company to help fund school bags. Another project may be looking to support a wheelchair rugby team get much needed equipment. These projects are created in this way to help align with the different focus areas of the different companies or an individual’s interests.
We have also recently partnered with a 3D printing company and will be investigating the possibility of creating a range of products or proto-types using this medium.
What were the top mistakes you made starting your business and what did you learn from them?
Spending too much time focusing on the ‘invention’ and neglect other aspects of the business.
As Smergos and all of its products were our brainchild we found ourselves often focusing on how we could improve the existing products instead of releasing the products and focusing on the other aspects of the business.
At the beginning of this journey we had no experience of pitching and we often made our pitches more like product sales pitches rather than business pitches.
With the help of accelerator programs and experienced and knowledgeable mentors we learnt to release products that were ‘good enough’ and learn from our small mistakes rather than seek unattainable perfection. WE learnt to focus on all the different aspects of the company when pitching and making sure that we included all of these by working through check-lists that we developed.
How do you separate yourself from your competitors?
As we are people with disabilities we are acutely aware of the injustice and marginalization that people with disabilities often face. With this in mind we are not driven by profits but by the need to make a real difference. This means we are closely connected to our target customers and often involve them in the R&D process as well as seeing them as merely customers but real people.
We also have far bigger dreams and aspirations that include but are not limited to more specialized products, job creation specifically for people with mental and physical disabilities, online and in person social events, awareness and sensitivity training and much more.
With the launch of the United Nation’s SDGs we also aim to align ourselves with more and more of these as we grow and expand on a local and global scale. We are currently focusing on two of them – “Decent work and economic growth” and “Reduce inequalities” but also have our sights set on aligning with “Quality education” next.
What are three books or courses you recommend for new entrepreneurs?
The three books we have chosen helped shape our company in its early stages as well as continue to help or guide us as we continue our journey:
- Simon Sinek – Find your why
- Gil oved, Lebo Gungukuza, Polo Leteka, Vinny Lingham and Vusi Thembekwayo – And for all these reasons… I’m in
- Marnus Broodryk – 90 rules for entrepreneurs
What’s your best piece of advice for aspiring and new entrepreneurs?
This question was a hard one for me to answer, not because I did not know what to say but because I could not just one thing to focus on. With this in mind I have decided to be a rebel, as most entrepreneurs are, and include the following:
See challenges as opportunities
A quick way to develop something that has a chance of being successful is to listen to what people are complaining about. Identify their pain and pleasure points in their daily experiences. Develop products and services that help relieve the pain points and you’ll be on the right track.
Push yourself
You need to be stubborn and motivated. You are going to meet endless challenges and hear from numerous nay-sayers about how you are going to fail. Remain steadfast and push yourself to prove to everyone that you will succeed.
Show before you ask
People like to be able to see and experience things. They want to see some sort of proof or evidence that your ideas will succeed before parting with their hard-earned money. This is a lesson I learned very early on. Most people who enter the entrepreneurial space focus on a ‘money first’ model. They try to convince others that they need the money first and then work on developing the product or service. Create a prototype or run a test program first and securing funding will become easier.
It’s ok to make mistakes
Entrepreneurship is not for the faint-hearted. As an entrepreneur, you are often going to have to make decisions based on limited knowledge or access to resources. Sometimes mistakes are made and you need to accept that. The important thing is to learn from your mistakes and recover swiftly. A phrase that often comes to mind is ‘failing forward’.
Take action
I am not saying go and quit your job tomorrow to pursue the entrepreneur lifestyle. For many years I had a full-time and part-time job while also working on getting Smergos off the ground. Life became rather chaotic before I decided to devote my time to Smergos. You’ll never know if something is going to succeed or fail unless you try it out.
What is your favorite quote?
Mark Zuckerberg says – “The biggest risk is not taking any risk…In a world that’s changing really quickly; the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks”.
2020 was a tough year for everyone. Were there any highlights for Smergos?
So many, but the main highlights:
We met with lawyers at Tabacks. They have offered to bring us on as their pro bono project. This has been an immense boost for our legal department as well as given us clear guidance and legal protocols.
We were selected as field partners for the Emzingo programme twice in 2020.
In June 2020 we were selected by Y-Gap to be part of their Resilient Entrepreneurs program. This allows MBA students from all over the world get to read about your company or venture and can opt to work with you for 6 weeks as part of their MBA journey. It does not stop there, Emzingo also guides not only the students, but the companies they assist as well. These guidance sessions help direct the teams based on both the specifics of the MBA programme and the end goals of the company.
Before COVID hit, we hosted monthly social events. The aim of these sessions was to provide an opportunity to connect with others no matter where you are. However, thanks to COVID, we moved our sessions to a weekly Zoom call. Each week is based on a different topic. We have been running these sessions for almost four months and we are seeing regular “Zoomers”, some from other counties and have professional speakers dotting our line-up over the next 3 months. No matter your COVID circumstance, these sessions offer a safe space to talk, share ideas and break down the barriers between those with & those without disabilities.
Are there any past achievements or moments that stood out for you?
In 2017 Smergos was accepted into the YGap International Incubator Programme. We also placed joint 2nd in the SAB Foundation Social Innovation and Disability Empowerment Awards.
Following that in August of 2019, we were ranked 4th out of 60 delegates at the Prosperity Games in Cape Town. The event was held by the UK’s Department for International Trade’s (DIT). It fell under their Global Entrepreneur Programme in collaboration with the UK-SA Tech Hub and the Department for Digital Culture, Media, and Sport. We were also awarded the “Business with the biggest potential for impact”.
In September 2019 we were invited to attend the S.A. Innovation Summit. There we made it through to the finals of the Inventor’s Garage competition.
Smergos has gained nationwide exposure through various radio and television interviews. We have also exhibited at may key events such as the DTI (Department of Trade & Industry) Annual Disability Rights Conference, GSEN (Global Social Entrepreneurship Network) Summit, SA Innovation Summit and the ABSA SME Disability Day.
As if that was not enough, our co-founder, Nicole Vergos, was selected to present her research paper on disability at the finals of the S.A.M.R.A. event in Mauritius.
How can we get in touch with you?
We are always eager to connect with new people and grow our community. If you would like to find out more about us please feel free to visit, my website www.smergos.com and social media channels Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube. or email nick@smergos.com
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