Interest rate cut. Take advantage.

April 10, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Ronel Jooste CA(SA), Financial Consultant, Speaker and Author of ‘Financially Fit and Wealthy’

The South African Reserve Bank (SARB) has announced an interest rate cut of 1% (100 basis points) effective from March 2020. The interest rate cut brings the repo rate down to 5,25% and the prime lending rate to 8,75%. This follows the previous cut of 0,25% that was announced three months ago in January 2020 bringing the repo rate to 6,25%. The cut in the interest rate is in response to a South African economy struggling for quite some time now.

From the heart and mind of a Social Entrepreneur

April 10, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Natasha Singh-Ally, Founder: Business Ecology

Together we are conceiving of the complexity and fragility of the living ecosystem we have always been a part of, but perhaps never before so harshly experienced.

Adapting Our Businesses

April 9, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Catia Mondlane

The new Coronavirus pandemic has forced most of us to stay indoors, and having to work from our homes seems to be the only way out to survive the current situation. As bad as things seem to get, I truly believe that there is a bright side out of the bad news we have been seeing and hearing about what is going on around the world.

Post Pandemic: Restructuring in a Restructured Economy.

April 9, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Mandisa Makubalo, founder and managing director, Unlimited Experiences SA (Pty) Ltd

Pandemics may take months, sometimes years, to reach their full destructive potential. Let us look at how small businesses can re-structure themselves in a restructured marketplace. It would be rather risky and naïve to neglect the fact that COVID-19 has resulted in a restructuring across the globe from an economic, social and political perspective.

How to show up when you are feeling just plain lost

April 9, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

We all wear many hats – the parent hat, friend hat, work hat, child hat, etc. most of us identify strongest with our work hat because this takes up most of the day to day actions. We spend most of our time at work and therefore this shapes us greatly. If I ask you to tell me about yourself, you will probably answer ‘I’m a marketing manager, I’m an Executive, a PA, Sales Manager, etc. but what happens when this has been taken away from you or the role has shifted dramatically. Some people have completely lost their jobs during this time or their roles have been shifted to online and made them feel obsolete. For some people, like coaches or trainers, the transition is pretty smooth. But if your job was face to face or required you to be in a physical location to operate, your whole world has been rocked upside down.

Resist!

April 8, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Eldari Visser founder of Picketfence Life

For the longest time I have been playing with the idea to write this blog. Then time and Covid-19 got hold of me.

It’s Business as Usual for female entrepreneurs

April 8, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Tania Reid

The world has been caught up with a new challenge in the form of COVID-19, which has brought about a disruption in the way we do things. The old way of doing things has changed forever, and new things like social distancing, self-isolation, business unusual, church unusual, ‘everything’ unusual, have become the norm. The old saying, ‘The only constant is change’ has become so relevant in these ever-changing, uncertain times, and we have all realized that there is no room for anything as usual anymore.

What can we learn from this turbulent time?

April 8, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Gabrielle von Ille, Founder and Managing Director of Lifa Communications

In the world we used to know we measured a country’s wellness simply by its GDP; mother nature cried out for help giving us various signs we ignored; we worshiped the wrong heroes; mental issues and pills were on the rise; our food consisted of E numbers; we created only with the intent to monetize or go viral; we were materialistic beyond measure; and most importantly, our values seemed to be completely out of whack. Surely, we were connected through technology and social media but actually we were more disconnected than ever.

The Coronavirus crisis requires leaders at all levels of society to rise up

April 8, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Thato Mokhothu-Ramohlanka

The Corona Virus outbreak has quickly introduced a new way of living that most of us never imagined possible. While some people are better prepared for unknown eventualities such as the Covid-19 pandemic more than others, many others will find that they have not prepared adequately for the weeks ahead. Unfortunately, the playing field is not always level. In some instances life does not provide us with the tools to help us prepare for tough times. Unemployment is one of those brutally unfair conditions that deny people the opportunity to provide security for times such as these.

The world is in ‘shut-down’ mode. Financial and Business Lessons.

April 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Ronel Jooste

The year 2020 was earmarked to be the ’20-plenty’ year. A year filled with great expectations, abundance, growth, achievement and joy. The outbreak of covid-19 brought those expectations to a sudden halt. It almost feels unreal that a virus can have this significant impact on the entire world. The world is in ‘shut-down’ mode. No more travelling, schools and multiple businesses are closed, many employees work from home, big events are cancelled etc. The impact of covid-19 on the economy, businesses and individuals will be phenomenal.

How to make working from home work for you

April 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Tapiwa Matsinde

Social-distancing, self-isolation, and lockdowns have forced us to change the way we live and work. One of the biggest adjustments brought about by the pandemic is the overnight shift from going into the office to working from home. And the sudden change means not everyone is prepared, not to mention parents who are also having to work around home-schooling and keeping their kids entertained.

Thinking outside the box

April 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Lelemba Phiri, Operating partner and Fund Manager of Enygma Ventures

Earlier this year in January we selected 11 female entrepreneurs to be part of the first cohort of our investor-ready programme. We flew them all into Cape Town from various SADC countries to participate in an intensive weekend of training and exciting strategic planning. We could not have imagined nor foreseen that a few weeks down the line, we would be faced with the global Covid-19 pandemic and the ensuing health calamities, national lockdowns and global economic turmoil. All the polished strategic plans we had put together were effectively thrown out of the window in the last few weeks! We had to go back to the drawing board both as investors and entrepreneurs as we try and navigate completely uncharted territories.

Lioness Launch / South Africa’s The Joinery launches TOGETHER campaign with a new tote bag

April 5, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Lioness Launch

This week sees South Africa’s leading sustainable and ethical product design brand, The Joinery, launching its new TOGETHER campaign. Founding sisters, Kim and Natalie Ellis, are asking customers and supporters to join them on their journey to making a difference. This initiative was created to support those in need with food parcels, as well as to support local farmers that can no longer supply to the restaurant industry due to COVID-19.

Managing liquidity: a key consideration as businesses deal with the Covid-19 crisis

April 5, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa / by Justin Schmidt, Head of New Sector Development, Absa Retail and Business Bank

While COVID-19 is first and foremost a global health crisis, the brutal reality is that the measures to “flatten the curve” have had a devastating impact on many businesses already – and will continue to in the medium to long term. The need to quickly conserve cash and to alleviate inefficiencies that may have crept into business in the good times are more important than ever, with revenues being down substantially due to these shocks. Acting quickly to manage your liquidity is essential in these uncertain times.

Show up ‘your way’ by letting go

April 1, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

There is so much advice on how to tackle our new way of being. One of which is to ensure a well-organized schedule for your time as well as your kids. Now I am the preacher on using your calendar to schedule work and life tasks to ensure they get done. My mantra is – ‘If it gets scheduled, it gets done!’ There is a huge ‘however’ coming…HOWEVER….this philosophy has been tested to its limits in the last week. I planned the week ahead knowing exactly what outputs and deliverables I wanted to achieve and then sat down to make an ‘excellent’ schedule for my children ages 5 and 7. Day 1 did not work out too well….

Effective brand communication during uncertain times of COVID-19

March 31, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Kelebogile Makhafola

The saying that goes, “you cannot manage what you cannot measure” proves to be earnest in such a time. Marketing managers, brand leaders and business owners are not only having to deal with the core sustenance of the business, but also forced to figure out how best to keep their brand healthy and helpful in such a time. Effective brand communication during uncertain times is vital for stakeholder management and brand impact. Below are 5 ways to keep your brand engaged and empathetic to its’ customers as we globally navigate uncharted territory.

The influence of COVID-19 in South Africa’s work environment

March 31, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Nomihlali Ntsunguzi

In the last week prior to and during the lockdown, the number of people working from home increased, some were sent home on unpaid leave. This has distinguished companies that have started adapting to the 4IR through proper systems, from those that haven’t adapted at all. Jacques du Preez (IOA) says, “those quickest to utilize the new technologies that come with the 4IR will reap the most benefit. Some estimates place the profits reaped by early-adopting firms at almost 120%, with a measly 10% for those who only adopt the new technologies later on”.

8 Ways Designers Can Adapt During The Crisis

March 31, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Tapiwa Matsinde

The pandemic has forced us to rethink the business plans we set out for the year ahead. While we cannot control what is happening we can control how we choose to react and for designers and creatives that includes adapting the way we work. Conversations with designers in my network have revealed the ways in which they are pivoting and I share theirs and my suggestions with you.

How I keep my spirits up, while adapting to a new reality

March 31, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Alice da Silva

The global Covid-19 pandemic has forced us to live differently. I am noticing that many people are very distressed about changes to planned goals and activities. The social distancing and self-isolation is causing many to be apprehensive and frustrated at home. I have decided to share how I keep my spirits up, while adapting to a new reality. I’m no expert, and what works for me may not be everyone’s solution, but maybe some of this will inspire others with their own ideas.

Stress management is boundary management

March 31, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

Prior to the Corona pandemic, you were battling to ‘balance’ work and life and that’s when work and life were at least separated geographically (for most of us anyway). Now you find yourself in a situation where the boundaries are completely mixed up.

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