The story of BNA Motors is so much more than just a number of dealerships in the world of pre-owned cars. It is a story of dedication, hard work, backing yourself and when success arrives, to plough back into your community.

Dealerfloor spoke to Andy Cornelius, sole owner of BNA Motors stepping into the automotive retail world from a banking background. Getting to the banking background as a stepping stone to his business, does not tell the whole story.

“I grew up very poor and I sold potatoes back then since grade ten in Elsies River to earn some extra money. I continued with this till a year after matric,” Andy tells us. He says he got a permanent job in a factory working shifts and asked his mother to keep half of is his income to enrol at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology for a Diploma in Marketing.After four years and with the qualification in hand, he knocked on Capitec Bank’s door en after just six months he become the bank manager and did duty at various branches because of his meteoric rise and skills set when it comes to managing a bank branch. “Here I saw what hard work, dedication and the example set by leadership can play in preparing you for your future,” Andy says.

“Many of our clients were vehicle dealers, and after eight years in the banking industry, I decided to venture into a partnership and established BNA Motors in September 2015,” Andy tells Dealerfloor. Within six years he bought out his partner and became the sole owner of BNA Motors. Today, BNA Motors has three branches or dealerships in Goodwood and two more in Parow that stretch along the famous Voortrekker Road, which more than 90 different dealers, new and used, call home.

“I am currently in negotiations with some major players in the automotive retail landscape, and my vision is to get a national footprint with a BNA Motors dealership in every province. It takes time to find the right partners or associates and to ensure that you have a constant supply of good vehicles to sell. We will also increase our floorplan to accommodate our stock,” he says.

Currently, BNA Motors sells about 200 vehicles a month through the five dealerships, which all cater for different customers in various price categories and vehicle body styles. “New buyers are our most important target market, and vehicles like the VW Polo and VW Golf are immensely popular.

Roughly 80% of BNA Motors’ sales are in the R160 000 to R250 000 price range. Interesting enough, between 65% and 70% of the dealership’s sales originate from outside the direct geographical areas where the dealerships are located. Online sales across the country represent the lion’s share of the overall business.

“Basically, all our sales are financed, which means we have a cut off age date and do not sell vehicles older than ten years. Vehicles that have not done more than 20 000km a year and newer vehicles with full and verifiable service histories with part of their warranty still valid are what we are looking for,” he adds.

Andy tells us that BNA’s staff component is around 112 people, most of them from previously disadvantaged communities. Basically, all the people who started out with me ten years ago are still part of the business, and it is wonderful to see how they have grown and risen above their circumstances. Empowering your staff is the backbone of the business, and our success is theirs more than mine,” he says.

“We give back a lot and allocate a budget every month to assist where the need arises. From community projects like providing meals to assisting people studying, are but a few of the projects we are involved in,” Andy tells us.

It is clear that Andy’s dedication and the fact that he never forgot his own struggle to come out on top, have influenced his approach to business and the way he treats the people around him.