From Survival to Strategy: How Vula Vula Transformed into a Confident, Growth-Driven Business

From searching for direction to leading with clarity, Vula Vula’s partnership with Grow Impact helped the business evolve from survival mode to strategic growth. Under the guidance of Grow coaches Thilo Makrelov and Richard Flack, CEO Tony Malgas and his team discovered not only how to grow their business but how to grow themselves as leaders, thinkers, and collaborators.

Vula Vula’s journey is one of transformation from a small, township-focused research agency to a confident, purpose-driven business. Founded by CEO Tony Malgas, the company has always been driven by a belief that research rooted in real communities can help brands make better, more inclusive decisions.

The business grew steadily through its early years, building credibility and resilience project by project. But like many small businesses, growth brought new challenges, particularly the need for structure, systems, and leadership capacity. Tony realised that for Vula Vula to thrive, he needed to step back from the day-to-day and lead with more focus and intent. That’s when Grow Impact entered the story.

Tony was first introduced to Thilo Makrelov from Grow Impact at a time when leadership felt heavy. “I didn’t have a sounding board,” he recalls. “I often second-guessed myself or delayed decisions because I wanted everything to be perfect.”

Working with Thilo gave Tony what every leader needs, clarity and confidence. Together, they redefined Vula Vula’s strategy and identified its sandbox which defined the areas where the business could play to its strengths, differentiate itself, and grow sustainably.

This shift changed everything. The team learned to focus on the right opportunities rather than every opportunity. They began setting quarterly priorities, tracking execution, and creating a rhythm of reflection and improvement.

“There’s power in pausing to ask, what matters most right now?” Tony says. “That focus helped us get out of the whirlwind and start working on what truly drives progress.”

Thilo also guided Tony to delegate more effectively and involve his team in strategic planning. Accountability became a shared responsibility, and as a result, both Tony and his people grew in confidence. “We stopped operating reactively,” he explains. “We became a strategic, focused business.”

In 2024, Vula Vula’s growth entered a new phase when Tony began working with Richard Flack from Grow Impact. This time, the focus was on building a sustainable, structured sales capability something the business had never had before.

“When Richard and I started, I was the only salesperson,” Tony admits. “We had no process; no rhythm and sales were ad-hoc at best.”

Richard worked with the leadership team to define what a great sales organisation looks like, from structure and discipline to culture and communication. They developed a clear sales process, created the “perfect pitch,” and introduced weekly meetings to track calls, leads, and conversions.

Beyond the structure, they also worked on mindset. “We started seeing sales not as chasing targets, but as helping clients solve problems,” Tony says. “That’s when things started to change.”

Within a year, the results were visible. Vula Vula grew from three to six major clients, secured one of South Africa’s leading telecommunications companies, and began delivering projects in Ghana through strategic partnerships. “That was a proud moment for us,” Tony reflects. “It showed how far we’d come as a team, as a business, and as leaders.”

The most meaningful transformation, though, has been personal. “I’m not worrying as much,” Tony says with a quiet smile, a simple phrase that captures the calm confidence he’s gained as a leader.

Today, Vula Vula is more focused, more capable, and more grounded than ever before. The team has doubled in size, their systems are stronger, and their culture is built on shared accountability and belief.

A vision board hangs proudly in their office. It reads: We are going somewhere.

And they are. With clarity from Thilo, structure from Richard, and belief from within, Vula Vula has evolved from a small research firm into a focused, confident, and growing business, one that’s only just getting started.