Member Feature

Monique Smit - Venditor Auctioneers

Continuing with our feature on the women of SAIA, we have the lovely Monique Smit- Managing Director for Venditor Auctioneers, based in Pretoria.

At just 19 years old, back in 2007, Monique joined Venditor Auctioneers as an administrator responsible for organising auctions. In 2009, she left, but returned after 11 years. She spent that time building up her experience in the auction industry, and when she returned, she stepped in as Director and shareholder of the company. “For me, this opportunity symbolised completing a full circle and the right time to pursue a higher career within our industry,” she said.

Being in the industry for 16 years, Monique says she is always pushing herself to reach new heights and to do better than the previous year. “I always want to progress into the next phase and move beyond the boundaries that I set for myself,” she said. She reached that point in 2020 when she wanted to put her experience gained to better use, and in a managerial position. This is what inspired her to be in the position she is today.

In 2020, Monique, along with Koop Styger, made the decision to revamp Venditor Auctioneers, who have been a long-standing presence in the industry since 1996. “Our goal was and is, to establish a resilient and prosperous auctioneering firm through collaborative efforts,” Monique stated.

Over the last three years, they have had to navigate through many challenges, but Monique says that they have been extremely rewarding on a personal and professional level. The most daunting challenge is having a stable client base to generate work from. Just as important, Monique says, is educating the public at large about the benefits and nuances of purchasing via an auction. “The South African economic environment, being one of the most volatile economies in the world, also poses unique challenges and in order to stay relevant, you need to know, on a daily basis, what is happening where,” Monique stated.

“Nothing within our industry is purely simple. Every auction has its challenges, and every auction has its advantages. To navigate through that successfully is what excites me about the next auction,” Monique said.

Her favourite parts of auctioneering are seeing the process through from start to connecting a willing buyer and willing seller through a successful sale, as well as the interaction and professional relationship with her clients. “To render a professional service, you need to know and understand your client and their needs.”

Monique says she has been very privileged to have had various mentors over the years, ranging from well-established auctioneers to other mentors in the industry.

Focusing in on liquidations, insolvencies, and deceased estates of commercial, residential, industrial and agricultural properties as well as furniture, vehicles and equipment, Monique says the company’s biggest achievements have been selling one of the biggest abattoirs in the southern hemisphere as well as the sale of one of the largest food processing plants in Gauteng.

Monique definitely has plans to expand the business. “The significance of continuous growth remains paramount, and our daily efforts are dedicated to achieving this goal, without compromising on the standard of our service delivery,” she said.

Her vision ties in nicely with our theme for the month – being committed to fostering greater participation and leadership among women in the industry, empowering them to take prominent roles and make significant contributions. “My aspiration is to establish a business that thrives on sustainability, anchored in unwavering integrity and exceptional service at every level,” Monique concluded.

We are grateful to have a powerful woman like Monique as one of our members at SAIA – empowered women empower women.