Three friends 'mesh' for business

JUNE is usually a time to celebrate youth, particularly the class of 1976. And this month, three young black women from Durban will be marking a year since establishing their company, Mesh Events.

The brains behind the stylish events company are Zizipho Beshe, Pearl Lugomo and Namhla Sithole, all just 27 years old.

Sithole and Lugomo met at Westville Girls’ High School, while Beshe, who went to Danville Park Girls’ High, clicked with Sithole while studying at Vega in La Lucia.

Namhla Sithole, Zizipho Beshe and Pearl Lugomo are the ladies behind Mesh Events. Picture: Supplied

The trio turned their friendship and what started as a hobby, organising family functions, into a business which is now established and well-run.

They have already even been of service to one of President Jacob Zuma’s wives.

How did it get to this?

“For me, (planning) events is something I’ve done since I was a kid,” says La Lucia-born Beshe.

“I come from a big family of 14 nieces and 14 nephews, so whenever someone had a birthday it was always my job to put everything together.

“The big moment was when my sister was getting married,” she said.

Beshe was tasked with co-ordinating the bridal shower, bachelorette party and planning the wedding.

“When I saw how young and old responded to the bridal shower, I realised I had a talent for it. I was told it was something I should take seriously because I was so good at it,” said Beshe.

Some of the decor they have done. Picture: Supplied

After a function for Lugomo’s grandmother, they got their first outside client - a request to organise a surprise 40th birthday party.

“The client entrusted us to handle everything. He had no budget limit. He wanted the best surprise party for his wife,” said Beshe.

Beshe and Sithole are Vega graduates with arts degrees in creative brand communication, while Lugomo is a University of KwaZulu-Natal law graduate and a practising lawyer.

While they share a vision for their company, they also bring individual qualities to bear.

Beshe, with her bubbly personality, is good with presentations and at executing plans; Sithole brings her creativity; and Lugomo, who grew up in Westville, has an eye for beautiful things and helps with her legal expertise.

“I show them what can work when co-ordinating an event and draw up the contracts for clients,” said Lugomo. We all kind of balance each other with the skills we have.

“We are a small business with big plans and have done a good job for our clients so far - we’ve never disappointed.

“We all sit down to plan. It’s important to know what the client wants, because that basically informs everything we do. We are client-centred,” she said.

Mesh, the business name, is derived from the meaning “to intertwine”.

“It stands for the intertwining of the various talents and disciplines of the founders in that we each bring something different to the table that benefits the business.

“It also stands for the intertwining of what we do and love, as event planners, for our clients.

“We work towards not only planning beautiful events, but beautiful events that are imbued with our client’s essence, hence our catchline ‘Your essence, our passion’,” said Beshe.