Thandazani Dlamini
Founder & Director
"The greatest investment I have ever made was choosing to change my life."
From Rock Bottom to Building Budget Expansion Credit Solutions
"The greatest investment I have ever made was choosing to change my life."
My journey into business did not begin with success. It began with failure, hard lessons, and the decision to take responsibility for my life.
In November 2023, I lost my job at SWU Credit Solutions. It was not due to a lack of ability or opportunity — it was because I was battling alcoholism. At the time, I did not fully grasp how much control it had over my life, but the consequences were already clear.
In February 2024, I was given another opportunity at MH Services. I saw it as a second chance, but I had not yet made the changes I needed to make. I lost that job as well, for the same reason.
By July 2024, I joined Sibiside Finance. This time, I knew I could not continue on the same path. I made the decision to join Alcoholics Anonymous and began the process of confronting my addiction. It was not a straight road. I relapsed more than once, and there were moments where progress felt slow and uncertain.
But everything changed on 28 December 2024.
That was the last day I had a sip of alcohol.
From that day forward, I made a firm decision to pursue sobriety, not just as a goal, but as a foundation for rebuilding my life.
In January 2025, I took a step that would change my future — I registered Budget Expansion Credit Solutions Pty Ltd.
I did this entirely on my own through CIPC. I did not have external funding, and I did not wait until everything was perfect. I simply started.
However, the real challenge was registering with the National Credit Regulator (NCR). The costs were significant, far beyond what my salary could comfortably support at the time. Still, I was determined. With the help of an accounting firm that allowed me to pay in installments, I pushed through the process step by step.
At one stage, I attempted to bring in a business partner to reduce the financial pressure. Unfortunately, that did not work out. The demands of the business proved too much, and the other director eventually resigned.
That experience taught me an important lesson.
This vision was mine from the beginning, and if it was going to succeed, I had to be prepared to carry it.
From that point forward, I took full ownership of nearly every aspect of the business — from funding and compliance to operations.
By October 2025, my company was officially registered with the National Credit Regulator and ready to trade.
I started with just R500 in capital.
There were no investors, no financial safety net — only discipline, consistency, and a commitment to doing things properly.
Despite the limitations, the business began to grow steadily. One of the achievements I take pride in is maintaining a 100% collection rate, something that requires both structure and strong client relationships.
In December 2025, I faced another challenge when I lost my job due to the company closing down. This placed immediate pressure on my ability to fund and sustain the business.
However, this time my response was different.
With the support of my family and friends, I was able to keep the business running. What once might have been a breaking point became a moment of resilience.
Today, my business continues to grow, but not without obstacles.
One of the major challenges I am currently facing involves delays from the service provider responsible for our loan management system and collections. Funds collected from clients are taking up to 30 days to be paid out, creating serious cash flow constraints.
Recognising the risk this poses, I have taken decisive action to transition to a new service provider. Protecting the stability and future of the business is a responsibility I take very seriously.
I do not consider this a finished success story.
I am still building. I am still learning. I am still growing.
What I can say with certainty is that I have moved from a place of instability and poor decisions to one of discipline, responsibility and purpose.
From losing jobs…
to confronting addiction…
to building a business from almost nothing…
This is my journey.
And I am far from done.