CAPITAL: The Voice of Business Issue 1, 2015 | Page 65

PCB AWARDS

the Year, Lumen Pillay at his premises in Hoosen
ness for himself changed Pillay’s life for the better.
ry du Plessis.

dbank PCB
reneur of the Year
his lifestyle, says Pillay, and after anguishing
over it for a year, he eventually took the
leap.
“It was very scary,” he admits. “Nobody
wants to move from a secure job to
something uncertain.”
But it turned out to be the best move he
has ever made, explains this 28-year veteran of the Mercedes-Benz brand, who has
worked for Mercedes dealerships across
the province since beginning his apprenticeship as a trainee mechanic in 1986.
Before his first year in business was over,
Lumen’s Auto Services had reached R1m in
turnover, says Pillay. By eight months into
his second year, that number had climbed
to R2,5m. “And,” he grins, “today I actually
work fewer hours and I’m very happy. I can
even fetch my children from school during
the week.”

Pillay’s wife, Sheila, left a job with
Standard Bank after 25 years to join
him in the business and now runs the
administration and marketing function
of the business, leaving Lumen “to do the
dirty work” he laughs. The husband-and,
wife team run the business together and
Pillay says that he is now trying to make up
“for all those years I lost with my family” He
.
has a son and two daughters of 18, 15 and
seven, respectively.
Lumen’s Auto Services is a “one-stop Merc
shop” says Pillay. “We can repair anything
,
on a Mercedes — engine, gearbox, air
conditioning, electrical ... We save our
customers a lot of money.”
They will work on any make of vehicle,
but specialise in Mercedes and Pillay
claims to be the only privately owned
Mercedes-Benz specialist workshop in
Pietermaritzburg. Presently, the company
processes ar