Herholdt is the CEO of Herholdt’s Group, a company that has 32 years of experience in the electrical, lighting and renewable energy industry, comprising various branches in Bloemfontein, Cape town, George, Kimberley, and Johannesburg.
They have recently decided to include a DIY and Lifestyle Department at their Bloemfontein branch.
Heine says his job is like the quote from Forest Gump, “Life is like a box of chocolates; you never know what you are going to get”. He never knows what the next day is going to bring and he has to be able to adapt to every situation. Heine shares the same belief Steve Jobs had: it is never about the product itself, but rather the impact the product has on people’s lives. That is why he lives by a Steve Jobs quote, “I have looked in the mirror every morning and asked myself: ‘If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today? “And whenever the answer has been ‘No’ for too many days in a row, I know I need to change something.” He shares that going into the renewable energy business has been one of the best decisions he has ever made, at the same time admitting that the decisions he has made in the past, for example like doing business with people that do not share the same vision or core values as he does, were the worst.
Heine does not see other companies as competitors, but as an inspiration to grow and better the Herholdt’s Group. When asked what he enjoys most about his job, he smiles, “Changing people’s lives and being able to feed 167 families.”
Heine dedicates his alone time to lifelong learning as he believes this is what has contributed to his success. The one piece of advice he would give to anyone starting a business would be, “Learn everything from everybody. Listen to hear, not to reply.” When facing obstacles, Heine conquers uncertainty by involving staff members. “When in doubt, I like to create hypothetical scenarios for staff members or peers and hear how they would handle the situation. After that I will decide and push through.”
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Text by Corn Koteli
