The Old Diocesan Issue 13 - Magazine - Page 20
Q&A: JARRED KOWEN
Older ODs would be amazed at the entrepreneurial spirit running through the boys
at Bishops these days. We spoke to the current business trailblazer Jarred Kowen
In 2020, still in Grade 6 and facing
Covid-19 lockdown, Jarred Kowen
(F) went into business. He started
JK Golf Carts, selling customised and
second-hand golf carts in Cape Town
and George. The business focuses on
custom specifications, restorations
and premium pre-owned models.
Not just a nice way for Jarred to
learn some business skills, it is an
astonishing success story, with carts
selling for up to R160,000 each.
When you started out, did you have
any idea how successful it could be?
Not at all. It started as a passion
project rather than a business.
I enjoyed buying, fixing and selling
carts, and I never imagined it would
grow to the size it has.
Who encouraged you?
My father was my biggest influence.
During the 2020 lockdown he
encouraged me to make good use
of my time, instead of sitting around.
How did you get going?
My family helped me with the initial
funding, but it wasn’t simply handed
to me. They charged interest, and
I managed to repay it quite quickly.
That taught me the importance of
running a business responsibly.
My first customer was a neighbour
at Fancourt. He bought a cart from
me for R34,000; today, that same
cart is worth around R90,000.
In the beginning I stored the golf
carts in our garage at home. Later,
I moved into a warehouse that now
has space for 40 carts. Things started
slowly and there were challenges, but
we are now the biggest second-hand
golf cart dealer in the Western Cape
– and I have sold more than 300 golf
carts to date.
What are your major expenses?
The biggest expenses are labour and
warehouse rent. All the mechanical
work is outsourced, and everything
else is done by me!
How much time do you spend on it?
It’s quite time-consuming. I spend
about six hours a day on it, Monday
to Saturday.
Have you had to shelve your other
interests, hobbies and sports?
Not really. During Grade 11, I had to
take a small step back from rugby
because of injuries and the pressure
of balancing academics and the
business. Now, in my matric year,
I’m back playing in the First XV.
Where to from here?
JK Golf Carts has been incredibly
rewarding and provides a solid
income, but I don’t necessarily
see it as my lifelong career. In the
next few years, I see myself building
something even bigger while still
keeping JK Golf Carts running as
part of my business portfolio.
Jarred hands a donated golf cart
to S&C coach Mogammad Manuel
in the Bishops Sports, Performance
and Wellness department.
16 | THE OLD DIOCESAN
Do you play golf yourself?
Not really! Golf takes a lot of time,
and I’d rather be focusing on rugby,
business and my other interests.
