No matter how tough the battle is, Geoffrey Coetzee doesn’t give up.
It never ceases to amaze how much time people waste searching endlessly for magic shortcuts to entrepreneurial success when all it takes is the belief in yourself and as Geoffrey Coetzee sagely puts it, “finding your purpose”.
When launching Malmesbury-based close-protection company Jabulani Security in 2015, it set in motion the domino effect, thanks to his mantra of “opportunities multiply as they’re seized”. The following year K9 Intervention was founded. Although the basis for this business stemmed from Geoffrey’s military experience, it simultaneously fulfilled his deep-rooted love for dogs.
“In addition to providing private and social owner dog training with agility, obstacles, nose and detection courses, we also manufacture and supply dog accessories,” he explained. “Dogs inspire me and what an honour it is to spend time with these remarkable creatures, developing them to realise their full potential. But importantly, we enable families to have a well-adapted, sociable dog.”
Marksman’s Nest
And so it came to be that the third domino toppled a few months later. That’s when Geoffrey established Marksman’s Nest Firearm Training Centre and Shooting Range. “Because of my extensive defence force background, it actually was a no-brainer to launch this company. Apart from providing competency in firearm use, we teach thorough know-how in close-quarter self-defence handgun training and tactics and safety awareness, training each and every client to the highest possible level. However, there’s an entertainment element too. Our fun outings, such as team-building, birthday celebrations and clay pigeon shooting, are extremely popular.”
As a former mechanised infantry captain in the SANDF, he notched up extensive military operational experience over the course of two decades, in addition to training recruits, troops, as well as junior and senior military staff.
Furthermore, as an occupationally directed education training and development practitioner (ETDP), he’s taught numerous ETDPs; facilitators, assessors, moderators, course designers and skills development facilitators across several South African SETAs.
A new direction
Unfortunately, the nature of his job required him to spend weeks, and sometimes months, away from home. So in 2011, when Geoffrey realised that he hardly knew his daughters – then aged 9 and 11 respectively – he decided enough was enough. “It was a difficult decision, but the time had come to put family life first,” he said.
In effect, subsequent to spending four years as a security analyst and HR trainer for a Malmesbury-based company, he realised that he had a keen mind for business. And the rest, as they say, is history. But watch this space, because not only has Marksman’s Nest grown by leaps and bounds, Geoffrey also has additional business ideas up his sleeve.
His inspiration? “Give me a challenge and I’ll seize it with arms outstretched. It’s my privilege to surmount every trial. Because I am a warrior.”
But such a busy mind needs respite and this he gets from pottering around on his own. “I only relax when no-one else is around.” Oh, not forgetting the support and companionship of his beloved canines – a round half-a-dozen of them no less: two Maltese, two German Shepherds, a Rottweiler and a Malinois.
FAST FACTS
Married to Aloise, a retirement home matron
For relaxation, I braai
My sport is target shooting
My pet place on the West Coast is Velddrif
Favourite restaurant is any place with a good seafood platter
I love eating lamb shank or crayfish
Best read is The Art of War by Sun Tzu
On TV I enjoy NCIS and Blacklist
Contact Geoffrey at Marksman’s Nest: 082 7172197.
