JASMEENA PATEL SHIBA ON WHAT IT TAKES TO MAKE YOUR MARK IN BUSINESS
Royal Tyres has been partnered with Continental Tyres SA for over forty years, most recently as part of the BestDrive by Continental franchise network. Several years later, this business continues to be recognised for its commitment to staying ahead of industry best practices and delivering the best possible service and satisfaction. “Therefore, it’s no surprise to their clients and business partners that they were recently honoured with a Standard Bank award.”
In July 2024, Royal Tyres of KwaZulu-Natal achieved a significant milestone when it was named KZN Top Business at the prestigious Standard Bank Top Business Awards. This accolade marked a moment of immense pride for the family-run enterprise, highlighting the exceptional achievements possible in the fiercely competitive and challenging tyre industry. Particularly noteworthy is the role of Jasmeena Patel Shiba, a dedicated and astute female director whose leadership stands out as we celebrate Women’s Month this August.
Founded by her forefathers in 1939, the company had long been a pillar of the family legacy. Jasmeena, an IT analyst by profession, spent 13 years in the UK, building a life in London and never anticipated being involved in the business. However, in 2011, an exciting opportunity led her to leave London and return to South Africa, where she embraced the challenge of joining the business with enthusiasm and determination.
In this exclusive interview with SA TREADS, Jasmeena shares her inspiring journey and the extraordinary transformation of a household brand that, while continuing to thrive, needed younger leadership and technological innovation to push forward, ultimately leading to national recognition and acclaim.
Jasmeena, tell us what led up to your return to South Africa and to you joining the family business.
Yes, my transition from the corporate world in London to joining the family business in South Africa was unexpected. It happened organically. I had never aspired to join the business, especially as I had no knowledge of the automotive industry. Having moved to London at the age of 23, I had carved out a successful career in the IT space, where I also happened to meet my husband. Together, we had established a comfortable life for ourselves. Our children were born in the UK. We were settled and had no intention of uprooting our lives and returning to South Africa. But then, I got a call from my dad, who asked us to consider returning to South Africa to assist with the business, which was short on manpower and required strong leadership to take it to the next level. After much deliberation, we decided to heed the call to action, give up our established lifestyle in London, and head back.
What happened next?
The company has been a proud member of the RMI since 1955, and when I joined in 2011, I began leveraging their invaluable support to navigate the complexities of the industry. Over the years, I deepened my knowledge and built a strong foundation in the field, greatly supported by the tremendous mentoring I received from my dad, who has been in the business since 1973.
In 2023, this journey reached a significant milestone with my appointment as Chairperson for TEPA in KZN and as a member of the RMI executive board. Following in my dad’s footsteps, who served as Chairperson for many years, was a proud moment for both of us, as I continued in the path he had established. These roles have been crucial in strengthening my knowledge in the sector, enabling me to best serve the family business in my capacity as one of its directors, contributing to the ongoing success and growth of Royal Tyres.
Tell us more about the early beginnings of Royal Tyres.
The business was started by my grandfather in 1939, during a time of many challenges. He came to South Africa from India by ship, looking for a better life. With a lot of vision and a strong entrepreneurial spirit, he decided to open a tyre retread plant with one retreading machine that could do two tyres a day. If he could see that a third-generation family member—especially a woman—is now a director of what he created, I think he would be both surprised and incredibly proud. He sadly passed away in 1973 at the age of 57, which is when my dad, then 20 years old, joined the business. Without the privilege of having his father as a mentor, he learned the ropes on his own.
By the time I got involved, the business was already deeply rooted in the community, with a solid reputation and a loyal client base. My dad, who joined the business at just 20 years old, successfully carried forward his own father’s legacy and grew the business into the household name it is today. What it needed was someone to help it evolve with new market trends and modern technology.
When we entered the Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards, we leaned into the rich history my grandfather had built, presenting it in a fresh way to the independent judging panel.
Now, as a BestDrive franchisee, how has their franchise model contributed to your success in business?
BestDrive’s well-structured marketing and product offering, like campaigns and warranties on the tyres, help us remain relevant and top of mind in consumers’ minds.
What makes you proudly BestDrive?
BestDrive partakes in some of our initiatives, such as promoting Women’s Month, which has been exclusive to Royal Tyres. Our Umgeni Rd branch is a 1st Tier branch.
Who nominated your business for the awards?
That information is not disclosed to us, so we have no idea. However, that someone did, and that as contenders, we competed against the likes of Airports Company SA, Bell Equipment, Defy, East Coast Radio, and Illovo Sugar (to name but a few), was the highest honor for us. In KZN, the competition between family-run businesses is intense.
What are some of the criteria behind the awards?
First, only family-run businesses can qualify for nominations and awards in this category. The business would also need to practice compliance, transparency, and universal goodness in all its business dealings, in order to ‘tick the box’. Empowering staff and giving back to the community is another major requirement, and something that as a local business, we take pride in.
Equipping our people with the necessary skills is important to us, which is why we focus strongly on training to address drastic skills shortages. Currently, we are working with TEPA to submit a written proposal to Merseta with a list of upgraded courses that need to be recognized. We are able to run training courses in-house and continue to do so, but in the long term, it is essential that the courses are Merseta-accredited.
How many staff do you employ, and are you looking to expand the operation beyond KZN?
We have four branches in KZN: one on Umgeni Road, Durban, plus another in Phoenix Industrial Park, which serves as our warehousing facility. In January of this year, we opened another warehouse in Johannesburg, which is doing really well. We are also considering our options for expansion to Cape Town. The other two branches are in Port Shepstone and Harding. We are a major shareholder in the company known as Xantium Trading, trading as Long Life Tyres. As for staff, we currently employ around 200 people across our operations.
How did the pandemic impact your business, if at all, and how is the business managing to stay ahead of the economic downturn?
Covid-19 came as a shock to us all. As a business, we were allowed to operate, of sorts, as an emergency services provider, but were unable to open our doors. A stressful time, and one that I believe we were able to survive, largely because we own our premises. My father embraced the concept of land ownership and not being beholden to a landlord, and I am thankful that he did. Plus, we were lucky in that our suppliers gave us a grace period, as they knew that we were good payers and would not falter on our financial commitment to them. Our relationships with the likes of Continental Tyres and other companies span close to 40 years, demonstrating our approach towards building genuine, mutual business partnerships.
Currently, the market is tough, but thankfully, we are a well-oiled machine, with strong buying power and the ability to buy at the right price and the right time. Buying at the right price is crucial, as is upselling, although there is a fine line between making a profit and not forcing an unwanted cost on the customer. Our approach is to make the customer aware of the benefits of the upsell. The decision remains ultimately theirs.
What is the competition from opposition stores in your area like?
There are several tyre retailers in our area, but we do not focus on them, only on our business and on improving our product and service offerings. Our customer base is a mix between repeat and new business.
What other initiatives in place do you credit for your success?
First and foremost, our dynamic leadership team of seven!
- Jay Patel – CEO
- Pranav Patel – Head of Operations
- Gary Nagoor – Head of Finance
- Akshay Patel – Head of Commercial
- Devu Patel – Head of Passenger
- Nayan Shiba – Head of Technology
- Jasmeena Shiba – Head of Administration & Compliance
Each one is responsible and accountable for different aspects of the business, utilizing their different strengths and skills in their respective portfolios. Plus, we are not only a retailer. We also supply and service the commercial market, with both market segments operating independently. This is a further reason for us to consider also opening up in Cape Town, as we are working towards offering our customers a nationwide service.
What would your advice be for fellow females in the workplace?
Have a passion for what you are doing. Embrace your uniqueness, as well as your femininity. You don’t need to display male qualities in business to be successful! Collaborate with other aspiring women and keep on developing your strengths so that you remain on top of your game.
The Standard Bank KZN Top Business Awards, which was established 18 years ago by KZN, is being referred to as ‘The Oscars of Business in KZN’. The list of candidates consists of successful companies that are headquartered or have an office in KwaZulu-Natal and are making a sustained and positive contribution to
the KZN economy. They subscribe to the four governance outcomes, which are:
- An ethical culture – The entity is seen as a responsible business contributing to society as a whole—people, community, and environment.
- Good performance and value creation – A focus on profitability as well as sustained employee wellbeing and the creation of customer and stakeholder value.
- Effective control and trust – Effective management and leadership is apparent along with the transfer of knowledge and skills.
- Good reputation and legitimacy – Good internal and external communication and the distinct brand value of products/services.
As a member of the BestDrive by Continental network, what aspect are you most proud of?
We are thrilled to be a BestDrive by Continental fitment center and brand. This enduring partnership has contributed significantly to building and growing our business. BestDrive also participates in initiatives such as promoting Women’s Month, like the recent event organised by BestDrive at Royal Tyres’ Umgeni Road, our first-tier fitment centre.
