Michelle’s Stanmore Car Wash story: A woman building her business

This Women’s Month, we’re celebrating the women who are building businesses and creating better futures for themselves and their families.

We started the month by celebrating the women at Shop2Shop. Now, we’re turning our attention to the women we work with every day. Women who have taken the step to start their own businesses and are working hard to make them a success.

One of them is Michelle Ramgareeb, the owner of Stanmore Car Wash at Stanmore Engine Garage.

Building something of her own

For Michelle, opening her car wash was about creating a better future for herself and her family. It was also about having the independence to make decisions about her own business and its future.

“The reason for me opening this business was to create a better future for myself and my family. Also giving me the independence to make financial decisions moving the business forward.”

Starting a business is a big step, and Michelle knows that being a business owner comes with its challenges.

The reality of running a business

For Michelle, running Stanmore Car Wash means managing her finances and staff while also balancing her business with her family life. There are difficult days, but she doesn’t let those challenges stop her. Instead, she sees them as part of the journey.

“Each and every challenge that I face has helped me grow and move stronger.”

It’s a lesson she believes other women can take with them too. Her advice is to believe in yourself, stay motivated and, most importantly, don’t be afraid to start small.

Shop2Shop at her fingertips

Having the right support makes a difference when you’re running a small business.

Michelle uses Shop2Shop to receive payments from her customers and make purchases for her car wash. For her, having these services available when she needs them makes managing the day-to-day side of her business more convenient.

She describes Shop2Shop simply as: “The bank at my fingertips.” And when she does need help, she knows she can reach the Shop2Shop team.

“If I have any issues, I just have to WhatsApp them and in not even a minute they reply and the issue is sorted. They’ve always, always supported us during trying times.”

That support is something Michelle values, along with Shop2Shop’s fees and overall service.

“Their fees, their service, everything that they had to offer was best in the market.”

For a small business owner, having convenient ways to manage payments and get support when you need it can make a real difference to the everyday running of a business.

Empowered women empower the nation

Michelle started Stanmore Car Wash to create a better future for herself and her family. Along the way, her business has also created opportunities for other people through employment.

That’s what makes her story so meaningful.

Women-owned small businesses play an important role in communities across South Africa. When a woman starts and grows a business, the impact can reach her family and the people she employs too.

Michelle’s journey is a reminder of what this year’s Women’s Month theme, “Empowered Women, Empower the Nation,” is all about.

At Shop2Shop, we’re proud to support women like Michelle who are working hard to build their businesses and create a future for themselves.

We’re not the reason for their success, they are. Our role is simply to be there with the tools, convenience and support they need along the way.

This Women’s Month, we’re celebrating Michelle and the many other women across South Africa who are choosing to build something of their own.