A SOUTH AFRICAN SUCCESS STORY
Pres Les was founded in Cape Town, in 1971, on the belief that exceptional quality linen should be made available to those that desire and cherish the finer things in life.
More than 49 years later, Pres Les continues to grow and is one of the best-known direct selling companies in Southern Africa. Pres Les designs and creates exclusive products of exceptional quality and offers superior service to our Customers and Sales Consultants. We consider it a privilege and a blessing to offer the opportunity to earn additional income without reservation to anyone with the motivation to make their dreams come true. Thousands of Pres Les Sales Consultants can attest to the difference Pres Les has made in their lives.
The Pres Les Story
1960s
Courtaulds began producing a new fabric called polyamide sheeting (later known as Nylon sheeting) as an alternative to cotton sheeting in England.
Courtaulds produced polyamide fabric to be turned into bed sheeting by Mount View Fashions to be sold under Domestic Textiles, known as Domestex.
Domestex tried to sell polyamide sheeting in retailers but without the product explanation, the Customer did not understand the product benefits.
1971
Sydney Rudolf Rhys started selling easy-care, non-iron, polyamide bed linen under the pseudonym “Mr Rudolf”.
Sydney Rhys’ housekeeper came up with the name Pres Les while ironing the new sheets. She said they were wonderful and “e-pressless!” – less pressing.
Domestex’ name changed to Pres Les within Mount View Fashions, afterwhich Mount View Fashions was officially changed to Pres Les PTY Limited.
In 1971 the original Pres Les logo used a “bubble font” to showcase the fullness and quality of Pres Les products, with a subtle hint to the sweat dreams our bed-linen promised.
1972
Pres Les was the largest marketer of eiderdowns, and became a market innovator, introducing polyester cotton, printed and coloured sheeting and duvets and duvet covers to the South African Customer.
Pres Les was one of six companies that founded the DSA (Direct Selling Association of South Africa), and the product was sold at house parties and demonstrations.
Courtaulds decided to dis-invest in South Africa due to Apartheid, however, Costas Scamvugeris, the Chairman of the Courtaulds group in South Africa, created a consortium to buy Pres Les.
1976
The Apartheid Era changed the Pres Les Consultant demographic. The sales force diversified and became predominantly black women.
1991
The AMC Group bought It’s a Pleasure.
Most of the factory was moved to Epping and traded under one banner of “Pres Les / It’s a Pleasure”.
1992
By 1992, Pres Les was well established and growing from strength to strength. The Company now provided a real opportunity for women to earn, and the logo was updated with a more flowing look, to reflect the feminine side of the business.
1994
Les Rührmund took Pres Les as a private company.
Pres Les gained its independence and was restructured to suit its own identity.
2000
As we entered the new millennium, the Rose became the Pres Les icon, symbolising love, faith, beauty and timelessness.
The logo font was again changed to reflect the new era and portray a more serious and professional business outlook.
2014
The rose quickly became a symbol of Pres Les, and was modernised in 2014 to reflect a cleaner, more sophisticated look.
2015
The main factory was severely damaged by a fire on 27th October.
There was massive collateral and structural damage, but thankfully no one was hurt, and there was no loss of life.
2016
About 2 months after the fire, the temporary factory was built and Pres Les was back in business with the exceptional support of the Pres Les staff, suppliers, Consultants and Customers.
2019
In 2019, the logo was given a complete makeover.
A unique corporate symbol was designed, with an abstract rose used to indicate delicate femininity, and the clean, elegant design reinforcing Pres Les’ positioning as an inspiration Brand.
The Pres Les font and colour were also updated to offer a greater appeal to both men and women.
2020
Pres Les has an entirely new factory, with the most sophisticated machinery in Southern Africa, and continues to be a market leader, offering bespoke, high quality products.
Pres Les House
Pres Les moved into their new home in Claremont, Cape Town in 2010 after the building was extensively customised to accommodate the Head Office staff. Today, Pres Les has extensive capabilities in a variety of departments, including sales and marketing, design and product development, I.T., computer operations and system design, customer service, finance and accounts, human resources and distribution.
Pres Les Atlantis
The Pres Les factory is in Atlantis and manufactures 85% of Pres Les products. This state-of-the-art factory features one of the most sophisticated quilting machines in the world. Additionally, the manufacture of each bespoke product involves personal handling by numerous experienced machinists, providing meticulous quality control throughout.
A Distribution Centre is located 2km away and is equipped to pack and dispatch up to 1000 parcels per day.
Pres Les Sales Field
Pres Les is marketed and sold through Independent Sales Consultants and Sales Managers throughout Southern Africa. The bulk of the Sales Consultants are women who rely on their Pres Les sales for additional income to finance their children’s education, cars, home improvements, family holidays and savings. While many Consultants will sell Pres Les for a limited duration to finance a specific goal, many others have been selling Pres Les for many years (the longest serving Consultants and Managers have been with Pres Les for over 35 years).
Ntemby Mabula
My name is Nontembiso Mabula, affectionately known as Ntemby. I was born in a small town of Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape and now residing in East London.
I started selling Pres Les in 1983. I was a student nurse at the time at Rietvlei Hospital. I was never recruited by anyone, instead I asked someone if I could sell as well. I started on a small scale, then grew up gradually in sales. In 1990, after seven years since I had joined Pres Les, I became a manager. I was a very good manager, I can say, as I was recognised as a top manager for many years in the company. I earned great commission and received lots of gifts.
Pres Les changed my life in a tremendous way. Through Pres Les, I became financially independent and I travelled almost the whole world, something that I do not think I would ever had managed on
my own.
In the years 2003 and 2004 my team of consultants grew very well, to the point that I even decided to quit my job as a nurse and was appointed as a Regional Manager.
I am very passionate about my job.
Ntemby Mabula
Executive Area Manager
E Cape & W Cape
Nontle Mnguni
Pres Les makes dreams come true.
I was a High School Teacher when I joined Pres Les in 2006 and my Pres Les commission was supplementing my monthly income. In 2012 I had the opportunity to travel to Beijing, on my first overseas trip as a Top Achiever, and it was amazing. In 2016 I became a Unit Leader and in 2018 I was promoted to an Executive Area Manager. What I love about Pres Les is that it gives you the chance to dream, and to dream big.
Through my Pres Les Business, I’m currently able to put my two children through University and the last born through High School. The Pres Les quality allows me to sell with confidence as I know my Customers are buying a prestigious product. As a Pres Les Consultant, you can offer your Recruits the ability to write their own pay cheque. Pres Les changes lives for the better.
Nontle Mnguni
Executive Area Manager
Eastern Cape North
Molly Govender
No formal education is needed to start your own business and travel the world.
I joined Pres Les in 1987 when I was only 18 years old. I became a Manager in 2013; I worked hard, met my monthly targets and qualified as a Top Achiever that same year. This status gave me the opportunity to travel overseas and since then I’ve never stopped traveling around the world. Now I’m an Executive Area Manager in Kwa-Zulu Natal North. Through Pres Les I’ve liberated so many people and at the same time, I was liberated.
Molly Govender
Executive Area Manager
Kwazulu-Natal North
Tshidi Moloi
I joined Pres Les in September 1999. I just wanted an extra source of income. In the eighteen years that I have been a consultant I discovered that it was more than an extra source of income but a lifestyle. From 2001 I started travelling overseas with Pres Les as one of the Top Achievers and have never missed a trip. I enjoyed the double diamond status and was one of the Top consultants throughout the years. I have never looked back since I made the decision to be part of the Pres Les family, it has helped me live out my dreams.
In 2018 I was appointed as an EAM for Area 6 and it has been a dream come true.
Tshidi Moloi
Executive Area Manager
Free State
Julia Mokgautsi
My journey with Pres Les started in 1997, as a consultant, although I wasn’t active every month, and as work demands grew my ability to sell fell short. I re-joined Pres Les in 2016 and became a branch manager. I was amazed at the success of the company and that it was still acclaimed for its quality and exclusivity. In 2018, vacancies for Executive Area Managers had become available and with the encouragement of my regional manager at the time and my peers, I applied for the post. I was interviewed and a few days later was awarded the position. I have been running the south-west area in Gauteng for two years.
Pres Les has changed my life in more ways than one. For years I had created a box for myself, and was comfortable in that box, but Pres Les stretched me and propelled me to heights I never thought I would ever be able to achieve. In my four years of working for the company I, together with some of my consultants have qualified to go abroad to attend our International Top Achievers Conferences. Pres Les tore down that box and opened my eyes to new possibilities, experiences, and unveiled a potential within I never knew I had.
The future of Pres Les is exciting as the company has embraced and incorporated digital platforms to grow the business.
Julia Mokgautsi
Executive Area Manager
South West Gauteng
Lillian Ngubeni
I am Lillian Ngubeni, and I live in Brakpan. I worked as a full-time teacher before I joined Pres Les in 1973. At first, I was only helping a friend to get orders from Customers and had not registered as a Consultant. I happened to be with this friend one day when she received her commission. It was at that point that I decided to join Pres Les. The salary I received as a teacher was not enough and I had two small children to take care of. It seemed like a good opportunity to earn extra income.
Since joining Pres Les, there have been major changes in my life. I was able to send my children to better schools and I was able to buy a brand new car so that I could reach as many customers as possible. My Pres Les business also presented the opportunity for me to travel overseas. Growing up, I had always wanted to become a businesswoman and to make a difference in people’s lives. Pres Les has not only taught to be independent but has also taught me how to empower people in my community. With everyone I meet, I see potential to recruit more Consultants to join the business. Through Pres Les I have accomplished my goals and dreams.
Lillian Ngubeni
Executive Area Manager
East Gauteng
Petro Fourie
I have travelled the world through Pres Les. I joined Pres Les in 1992 as a Branch Manager and I was later promoted to Executive Area Manager. I’ve seen spectacular parts of South Africa, stayed in five-star hotels and travelled overseas many times with Pres Les. I love the work I do, I love training new and existing Sales Consultants and seeing them grow their businesses. Pres Les is a company that takes you places.
Petro Fourie
Executive Area Manager
North Gauteng & NW
Saartjie Nkuna
Pres Les gave me financial security.
I joined Pres Les in 1997. I worked as a Primary School Teacher at the time and sold Pres Les on the side for an extra income. After my very first commission, I never looked back. During the first year as a Pres Les Sales Consultant, I got to enjoy one of their incentives and stayed at a luxury hotel in Port Elizabeth by taking my first ever flight. I was promoted to Branch Manager and then promoted to Executive Area Manager in Limpopo in July 2018. What I love about Pres Les is the fact that it gives you a chance to grow yourself. As a Manager, I’ve never missed a Top Achievers international trip. My slogan is “it starts with me, if my goals don’t scare me, they are not big enough”.
Saartjie Nkuna
Executive Area Manager
Limpopo
Pres Les Cares
Pres Les has been committed to empowering women since its foundation in 1971. Core to the company’s philosophy is an ethos of caring. Pres Les believes in sharing its success, and annually distributes a percentage of profits through charitable contributions and local community development projects.
“The needs of our country are daunting,” says Les Rührmund, former Pres Les CEO, but in the words of Blessed Mother Theresa: “If you can’t feed 100 people then just feed one”.
Pres Les encourages its Consultants to dream, believe and achieve. This philosophy also applies when it comes to the organisations that Pres Les supports. Through its charitable donations, Pres Les recognises that it has a responsibility to support and enrich the communities where its employees live and work.