We can all acknowledge that 2016 has been a phenomenal year, a year graced with fundamental business lessons, sprouting with opportunities and great networking sessions. So what does 2017 have in store for us? Do you have a marketing strategy in place for the New Year?
Read moreENTREPRENEUR SMARTS: Evolve or Die
Every month I see startups who are failing because they have not evolved. Every startup ecosystem goes through three distinct stages. Startups that do not evolve to fit each stage will die out. So what are these stages?
Read moreA legal guide to starting a business in South Africa
When you decide to start your own business, there are various legalities that you will need to take into account – below is a simple checklist of factors you may need to consider.
Read moreHow do I create my brand?
Imagine your business was a person… What would she look like? How would she talk? What would she say? Which words would she use? Would she talk passionately, using casual language? Or would she employ a more classical and formal tone? Why would people engage with her in conversation? Would she behave consistently and therefor build rapport and trust with others?
Read moreFor an entrepreneur, it's not a matter of how long you've been in business
Ever been asked, “so how long have you been doing this for?” Saying anything in terms of months doesn’t leave the impression that you know what you are doing”. At this point in the conversation, the doubtful voices in your head that seem to follow you everywhere, and get louder. I’ve seen how this question can burst the bubble of confidence at networking sessions.
Read moreBecome obsessed with making your business successful
“Don’t forget: What you are obsessed with will become a reality.” - Grant Cardone --- Do you wake up in the morning, thrilled to start the day, excited to tackle new challenges and take the day head on? Or do you start the day wishing you could have slept in a bit longer, or that you didn’t have to go to a certain meeting?
Read moreWhy All Women Recycling considers replication as a new pathway to scale impact
“Be creative, be unafraid, and take that step off the mountain. I assure you it’s worth it.” This advice from Lynn Worsley, the founder of the successful eco-inclusive enterprise and 2014 SEED South Africa Award Winner All Women Recycling, encourages women who are considering founding their own social enterprise to go for it.
Read moreSetting out your guide for your entrepreneurial journey
One of the advantages of leaving the corporate environment to start a business is you often know so much more of what you don’t want. However, having a clear vision of what you do want to achieve can be both a blessing and a curse.
Read moreLionesses and the Law - A guide to legal entities in South Africa
When you decide to start your own business, FIRST AND FOREMOST, you need to decide which legal entity you are going to use to house your business. Your business entity will depend very much on the nature and size of your business, and should suit your specific needs. Each legal entity in South Africa has different pro’s and con’s, and each entity is regulated by different laws.
Read moreSo, do I have a brand?
As an entrepreneur, you need to be a Jack of all trades. In addition to being a subject matter specialist in your area of expertise, you’re also running a business which demands that you maintain involvement in everything from administration and accounts through to marketing and client relationship management.
Read moreHow entrepreneurs can provide opportunities to the unskilled labour force
One of the greatest challenges in Africa is recruiting the unskilled labour force that makes up the majority of unemployed people. Where we've seen exponential growth in the number of new businesses, in spite of the challenges in accessing markets and funding, skills pose a limitation on the growth of these businesses.
Read moreBuilding sales confidence with a winning mindset
Being an entrepreneur automatically means that you keep learning. You keep developing your skills-sets, understanding new ways of doing business and applying new methods to make your business better. The same principles are applied to sales. If you want to be a better salesperson, with the understanding that all entrepreneurs are salespeople, then you need to keep honing your skills and developing your mindset to have a winning attitude in sales.
Read moreUnderstanding profitability, growth and sustainability
It is my pleasure to embark on this profitability series which will touch on so many aspects of an organisation’s growth and sustainability. In these series, we shall deal with all issues around company profitability, from merely having an appreciation of what it means to understanding how a failing company can return to profitability.
Read moreAdvice from one MomPreneur to another
The idea of being an entrepreneur and a mom at the same time may cause goose bumps in some women, let alone if the business is a start-up or is having some bumpy and rough times in its growth phase. To many women such businesses do not need additional disturbances from family members, be it a husband, children or even relatives, but would rather attend to all business issues 24/7 and 365 days a year without a break.
Read moreENTREPRENEUR SMARTS: Scan the Horizon
It is essential for every entrepreneur to keep “scanning the horizon” - seeing what is new in technology, business, and society as a whole.
Read moreThe Eaglepreneur: How to differentiate yourself
Ever wondered why an eagle is such a unique bird when it comes to the flock of the air? An eagle was created in a very unique way which makes it one of the most used examples when it comes to entrepreneurship and leadership. An eagle has some fascinating characteristics, which when applied in our everyday lives as business women, we find ourselves soaring in high places which we never thought we would venture into.
Read more3 Surefire Ways To Increase Your Business
Sales should always be the hot topic of discussion in your business. Whether you’re having strategy meetings with shareholders or internal staff meetings, the word sales should always certainly come up. Sales is the single most important activity within any business.
Read moreEntrepreneur Smarts: Build a Bicycle First!
I encourage beginning entrepreneurs to rather tackle small, achievable projects first. This allows them to rapidly gain a full set of skills across a complete project, as well as building up contacts, credibility and confidence - rather than getting bogged down, and run down, working on an huge endless project.
Read moreThe Secret to Building Sustainable Businesses
Ever wondered how all these big businesses started and how they came to be what they are today? The likes of Econet Wireless, Delta Corporation and British American Tobacco in Zimbabwe; Sasol, Standard Bank and MTN. I believe each of these companies has a story to tell, and from those stories we learn a lot about running a sustainable business. To some people business is all about making money, to some it’s all about fulfilling a calling, to some it is all about providing solutions to the current problems, be it social or economic ones.
Read moreENTREPRENEUR SMARTS: Don't Be the Squirrel!
Many startups become isolated and insular, focusing on their product to the exclusion of all else - like the squirrel in Ice Age, who is so preoccupied with his nut that he never really interacts with any of the other animals. This is not good, or healthy. These startups are cut off from the support, camaraderie, flow of ideas, and connections that can prove so vital to a product’s success, and from a vital source of ideas for new offerings.
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