The Retail Capital story

From kitchen table to boardroom table

Retail Capital was born on a serviette as our three founders sat around a kitchen table.

That was in 2011. Since then, the kitchen table has become a boardroom table, and we’re building the future of funding with South African business owners – which may still involve a serviette or two.

See, we started small, so we know the opportunities and crises that small businesses face daily.

But our growth over the past decade means we understand the needs of larger business owners too.

Basically, we’ve grown to sit around the boardroom table without outgrowing the kitchen table where it all started. We know what business owners need and are in a position to provide it.

At our core, we are proudly South African.

We believe that the future of our country and economy lies at the hands of South African businesses. We also know that those businesses often fall within the funding gap, meaning they are denied funding because they haven’t been trading long enough or don’t have the collateral.

Enter: Retail Capital.

We’re here because we believe in South African businesses in a way traditional lenders don’t. We’re here because we believe in people who believe in themselves.

70 000+

SA businesses
funded


R10b +

Capital
funded


70% +

Return
customers

Business is the lifeblood of the economy and small and medium businesses are the growth engine for the future. It is vital they have the resources and the skills to grow. Our approach, as alternative funding providers since 2011, has always been to lead with technology and work alongside our clients where their repayments are based on their monthly turnover, not a set fee. This is what sets us apart from the get-go, as clients see us more as partners in their business than bank-rollers.

Karl Westvig
Retail Capital Founder & CEO

At our core, we are proudly South African.

See this? It’s so much more than just a logo. It is a reminder of our purpose.

This nifty little thing is a gyroscope. For years, it has provided stability for navigators as they steer their course. Now it forms an important part of modern technology, in drones and cellphones.

It has stood the test of time.

As business owners ourselves, we understand how difficult it can be to navigate towards success in economic uncertainty. We don’t know where the interest rate is going, what’s going to happen with the exchange rate, or what politicians are going to do. But we can certainly be clear about how we react to those things and keep the ship steady despite strong headwinds.

Building on the vision of founders Karl Westvig, Stephen Leonard and Dave Lewis, Retail Capital provides stability and guidance to business owners.

We create certainty in spaces of uncertainty.

We’ve funded more than 70 000 South African businesses with over R10 billion over the past decade.

You’re one application away from making your vision a reality.

Want to know more about business funding? Read more here.