Reflecting on the start of his journey, Director of Bloem Eye and Operational Manager at Bloemsec – Dylan Coetzee credits his mother as a major influence in shaping his career as a businessman.
“My mom has a big influence on my career. With her background in the business, she helps a lot to expand my knowledge. If I get stuck with something or it comes to making big decisions, I can always go to her for a second opinion,” he said.
Coetzee shares that he always knew from a young age he wanted to be involved in the family business, although he wasn’t sure where to begin. “The idea was always to continue with the family business, but the other question was when I would start. I had the idea to go and study something like business management for two or three years and then start working. The other idea was that I start from the bottom of the business and learn the roots of the company. So at the end, I decided to start as a technical wireman and work my way up,” he explained.
Despite the demands of his dual roles, Coetzee makes it a priority to spend time with his family. He acknowledges the round-the-clock nature of the security industry, where being constantly available to clients is essential. Still, he believes in maintaining a strong work-life balance. “It’s very difficult to balance the business with my personal life. It’s a 24-hour business, so I am expected to answer my phone when there is a problem or if a client needs help. We do have managers on duty every week, so on weekends I try to stay away from my phone and have more quality time with family and friends,” Coetzee mentioned.
He concluded by highlighting the significant role the community plays in their business philosophy. Coetzee noted that communities often take the initiative to form their own security groups and then invite security companies to get involved. “The communities start their own security groups where they ask security companies to be part of it. Keeping the group happy and being very active in the group leaves a footprint in their area, and that’s how you get new clients to sign up. Doing that extra for a community always pays off.”
