What began as a non-profit initiative to give survivors of gender-based violence a functional way to release their stress and anger has evolved into a thriving paintball business for Martin Mokapala, founder of Ghost Paintball in Mamelodi. From humble beginnings as a small, community-focused project, the initiative has grown and transformed into a thriving regional event and team-building enterprise.
Martin has set his sights on significant growth by year’s end, with an ambitious expansion plan in motion. His vision includes adding two boats, developing a paintball venue close to Rustenburg, and launching events on an already secured site in Limpopo.
When asked what he loves most about being an entrepreneur, Martin says: “When I go to an event, I’m not working. I love what I do.”
A different kind of game: From employee to entrepreneur
The seed of Ghost Paintball was planted during his days as a professional paintball player. At the time, he was employed as an Area Group Leader manufacturing cars at the Ford Company. Despite his dedication and hard work, he felt constrained by the limitations of his role. He also realised there was a ceiling to the salary he could earn. Seeking greater opportunities, Martin embarked on his journey into entrepreneurship.
Growing up in a family of small business owners, he began exploring business opportunities. While still working full-time, he started his first venture selling atchar in his local community. When his business was financially sustainable, he resigned from his job to focus on his entrepreneurial ambitions.
Faced with doubt and criticism from his family, Martin persevered in his entrepreneurial pursuits. It was while playing paintball that he saw a gap in the market which sparked the birth of Ghost Paintball. He wanted to bring the expensive niche sport to the black community.
Paintball as therapy: A groundbreaking idea
Ghost Paintball started when Martin was involved in a community organisation supporting gender-based violence victims. After several sessions of listening to them, he decided to take an alternative approach to healing these deep wounds.
“When people talk about their problems, the problems don’t go away. They are still bottled up inside,” he explains. He knew the importance of releasing these pent-up emotions, and an idea was born. His business started out as an NPO, where he did a trial run so that the victims of rape could express their emotions in a safe environment by playing paintball.
As people started healing, the interest in the game grew. He started training more people on how to play and started offering on-site team building and other events with his Paintball Mobile solution, which brings paintball to customers wherever they are. He realised his charity wasn’t sustainable and joined the Nedbank-funded Building Businesses programme facilitated by Ranyaka.
While the Building Business programme itself taught him the basics of running a successful and compliant business, the initial loan from Nedbank allowed him to purchase the necessary equipment to take his business to the next level. Only a year after the programme, he makes as much per single team-building event as the value of his initial loan.
Beyond the programme: The lasting impact of a mentor
Makera, Martin’s assigned mentor from the Nedbank-funded Building Business programme, has had a lasting impact on his entrepreneurial journey. He vividly recalls her words of encouragement, saying, “She was the one who told me to go out and get what I want for my business.”
”Don’t wait for customers. You have to stop running your business as a charity. Please don’t give what you don’t have,” Makera advised. “It’s going to take a while, but you’re going to make it.” These are the words that impacted him most on his journey.
Makera continues to support Martin long after completing the Building Business Programme, providing Martin with ongoing guidance and support. The most valuable takeaway was the importance of promoting his business every day. The programme equipped him with a comprehensive understanding of business fundamentals, complemented by practical tools and expertise, which have collectively transformed his capacity to operate his business.
It was after Martin completed the programme that things really started to change for him. Looking back, he had an event here and there, but now, he has a lot of people calling him and in the past year his social media following has grown from around 500 to 2.2k followers on Facebook alone. His local community-focused business has evolved into a regional team-building and events paintball business.
Proud of My Town: From dumping site to enabling space that fosters healing and play
When asking Martin what he is most proud of as a result of his business venture in the local community, he remembers with gratitude the incredible support he received from the community. With limited resources, he needed help transforming an old dumping ground into a usable space for paintball when first starting his venture. He turned to the local community who responded with enthusiasm, everyone lending a hand to bring his vision to life.
Today there is no evidence of a dumping ground. The space has been transformed into a place where children and adults alike come to play and heal. His plans for the future include involving the community to further beautify the space by planting plants and vegetable gardens to create an even more inviting and sustainable environment.
Small steps today, giant leaps tomorrow
Martin’s advice for aspiring entrepreneurs is to start small. “There are too many challenges you might not think of when you initially start” he explains. “It’s better to learn how to run a business with a small business. If you can learn how to be good with finances, you’re good to go.”
Images: Lizelle Lötter Photography