Many entrepreneurs miss the importance of having a marketing strategy and a plan. Some don’t understand the difference between the two, and some feel that it is only important once you have a bigger brand and you can afford to hire a marketing manager with the skill-set to create and manage all marketing activities. But it is actually crucial to have one in place.
Read moreWhen life happens, make a plan
Growing up my parents worked in retail. My Dad at Pick 'n Pay and my Mom at Clicks. For the most part of my childhood we never had a car at home. I remember how my mom would take her lunch break at work to fetch me at school so she could walk with me and drop me at the taxi rank. Even though we didn’t have a car, my parents always made sure that I never missed great opportunities. Whether it was participating in sports, cultural or academic activities, I always saw my parents make a plan. Either they asked close family and friends for lifts or they taught me how to use taxis.
Read moreA legal guide to contracts in South Africa
Many entrepreneurs will enter into many contracts in their lifetime. Unfortunately, some are not even aware that they have entered into a contract, and some have no idea of what they are actually signing. The law of contract is important because it gives importance and enforceability to a promise.
Read moreWhat learning to swim late in life is teaching me about being innovative and conquering fear
I CAN’T SWIM! At the age of 38, that is an embarrassing confession to make. Three weeks ago, I decided to finally change that narrative and started taking swimming lessons!
Read moreBBBEE – how will this impact small businesses in South Africa?
If you are a small business owner in South Africa and struggling to understand how the new BBBEE codes of good practice could impact your business then read on….
Read more11 Tips for Coping with Stress at Home as an Entrepreneur
We are all products of our environment. Family and home environment is an important area for developing basic stress management skills. The home is where behaviours, habits and core beliefs are learnt, and stress triggers a myriad of emotions. When parents handle stress well, they’re likely to teach their children to do the same. Conversely parents who are anxious, panic and stress excessively; the probability children will emulate them is high. In his book, Biology of Belief, Dr Bruce Lipton explores the importance an environment plays in shaping beliefs, behaviours and habits.
Read moreWhy Relationship Building in Sales is so Powerful
The importance of building relationships in business cannot be stated enough, because people buy from people. You need to be authentic in sales, you need to be yourself. Your prospect will come to trust you and that link that you’ve built is called relationship building.
Read moreUnderstanding the Difference between a Business Strategy vs a Marketing Strategy
To date I’ve had a couple of clients who seem to be confused as to the reason one should have a Business strategy or a Marketing strategy - do you need both or will one or the other suffice?
Read moreHow to Build a Global Brand like Oprah
Many people have dreams of creating a global empire as successful as Oprah has done, but many fail to realize that her brand was not built overnight, in fact Oprah has been building her brand for the past 40 years and it took many failures and pivotal moves to get her where she is today. Below we will look at 5 Steps Oprah has taken to build a global brand: ready...set...go!
Read moreThe only stupid fundraising question is the one you don’t ask
When I started considering fundraising for Little Pim many years ago, I was instantly overwhelmed by everything I didn’t know and had so many questions that I didn’t know who to ask. Many of the women I speak to today have the same questions and fears....
Read moreThe power of punctuality
Recently, I had the honour of being interviewed on a local radio station in Johannesburg, Radio 702, to share my entrepreneurial journey and passion for youth development with the Friday presenter stand in for the popular Redi Tlhabi show - Mr Frank Magwegwe. The interview was scheduled for 11:00 am and the producer requested that I arrive at 10:45 am on that Friday. What transpired was a testament to the power of punctuality.
Read moreUnderstanding the Basics of Key Financial Ratios for Entrepreneurs - Part 1
During the past 5 weeks I have been representing the Tariro Foundation at the first Lionesses of Africa Accelerator Program - and what a privilege it has been. Throughout these sessions one of the reiterating messages coming from the room has been around the many hats which we must wear as entrepreneurs, be it sales, marketing, HR matters, and not forgetting accounting.
Read moreSo what’s wrong with calling your business, your baby?
Have you ever wondered why so many entrepreneurs refer to their businesses as their baby? I sometimes find myself having to ask the question: “does the baby ever grow into an adult?”
Read more8 Ways to attract more clients to your business without breaking the bank!
Starting any new business can be daunting, as the time and money it takes to start your venture can be a challenge at the best of times. The hardest part though, is to entice and keep clients for the longevity of your business. For entrepreneurs, building and maintaining relationships with your clients is the most important aspect when it comes to offering the best service in your field.
Read moreWhy empowering your team is key to successful business building
We rely so much on the people we work with that losing a team member can be difficult to imagine. Studies show that the more you empower your staff, the less you worry about losing them. How do you do that on a tight entrepreneur’s budget?
Read moreHow do you respond to stress as an entrepreneur?
In my previous article, I touched on stress being a motivation for some people, while others simply fall apart under the same stressful circumstances. Therefore, self awareness and self understanding are key components of successfully dealing with and managing your stress. It is important to learn how to recognize when your stress levels are out of control. Being able to discern, and know when you feel the effects of stress creeping up on you well before it takes hold, is fundamental. This level of awareness is vital.
Read moreENTREPRENEUR SMARTS: Protect Yourself with Icebergs
You have a great idea and have developed a product. Now you want to protect it. When I ask entrepreneurs how they will do this, they usually talk about patents and continually improving their technology. They're focusing on the wrong thing - the tip of the iceberg only.
Read more6 Easy ways to apply creativity to your business
When I get a creative idea, it feels like the inside of my brain is having a fireworks display. Little pockets of colour and excitement explode non-stop and the only way to calm this euphoric sensation is by executing my idea. Sometimes it is easy to bring the idea to life, sometimes the execution becomes an experiment. Either way, I love this process. It allows me to explore unchartered territory, or even unusual ways of doing things.
Read moreBe the specialist, not the generalist
As a service provider you are a specialist with a particular skill or resource. As an entrepreneur, you spot an opportunity to use your skill to solve a problem. There are countless articles on how to be a successful entrepreneur – often listing things like reading, waking up early, and exercising. While these activities may help you be more alert, they are by no means the key. You could do all these thing to prepare for a marathon. You could do all these activities and still not excel. Simply because none of these create structure to support your business model.
Read more6 Tips for handling stress in the workplace
In today’s world where high powered economic drive and corporate profiteering are the order of the day, the stressful pressures of even the most ordinary job or workplace are probably the biggest source of one’s daily stress. Demanding bosses, impatient clients, and every increasing deadline pressures put most people under enormous pressure. Today’s work stress and pressures are on the increase.
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