The importance of options

February 12, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Brigitte Mashile, founder and ceo of Roka Roko

I have been to so many events where people feel the need to ‘pop bottles’, and to be specific, ‘Moet’ bottles. Moet is not cheap, and it is attached to an affluent life; the life of the better than; the life of those who have arrived. I personally have had Moet like 3 times in my life, and no, I did not purchase it in any of those events. I fell in love with the Nectar Imperial. I also knew, very well, that I was not about to buy a bottle of this brand - it is not cheap.

How to Start that Critical Conversation

February 9, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Dr. Laura Camacho

It’s not fun bringing up the topic of difficult conversations, but just this month I’ve had two clients ask for workshops on the specifics of crafting those critical, or difficult conversations. Critical conversations are the ones where the stakes are relatively high (even if only for you) and opinions vary.

Do you have mobile app fatigue - and if so, what can you do about it?

February 9, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Lynette Hundermark, managing director of Useful & Beautiful

8 years after the global app-splosion, even in a country like South Africa where smartphone adoption took a little longer than the rest of the world to catch up, “app-overload” aka “app-fatigue” is now a thing that we are all faced with in this digital and mobile age.

Navigating change: No two journeys are the same

February 9, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Leigh Ann Gowland, founder of Employee Driven Change

Managing change within corporates can be compared to changing the direction of an aircraft carrier set on its course with momentum, size and speed contributing to the resistance to any change in bearing. There is usually time to plan, mobilise the crew, and adapt to the weather conditions. By comparison a small business would be a canoe turned by a single paddle but also threatened by winds, currents and the strength of the oars-person.

3 Ways to have a Courageous Conversation

February 8, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Paula Quinsee, Relationship Expert and Author

There are times when we need have to have a serious conversation with someone whether it is our partner, a friend or a work colleague. It’s one of those conversations where we need to be open and honest, not only with ourselves but also with the person in front of us. It could be about an incident, something they have said or done (or not done), non performance or non delivery.

The Good, the Bad, the Bitcoin

February 8, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Sylvia Walker, author of SmartWoman

Did you invest in Bitcoin and have you made some good money? Or is your investment worth less than what you put in? Either way, Bitcoin and cryptocurrencies in general have taken the market by storm, despite warnings from some of the world’s oldest and most reputable financial institutions.

To reach your destination you have to focus on the journey

February 7, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Eldari Visser, managing director of Picketfence Life

I love travelling. Looking for a new destination is a great hobby of mine. I have also learned that meticulous planning is crucial. Many people have a travel bucket list. Maybe you want to conquer the highest mountain or take a sabbatical, visit a bustling metropolitan or journey through the African bush and the great amazon!

Own your mind-set

February 7, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner: author, entrepreneur, thought leader and founder of Beyond the Dress

I regularly go to gym on a Saturday morning at 8am, I have been doing it for years. My weekly gift to myself is my trainer who is mainly there to be my motivation when I start convincing myself why I should stay in bed. As it happens, my daughter was sick on the Friday night and I was up with her most of the night. She still decides to wake me at 6am despite the disturbed sleep. I contemplated cancelling my work out for a good thirty minutes and then decided I wasn’t about to let a few hours of sleep break my habit and let down someone who is also getting up early for me.

5 Ways to make your story shine brightly

February 7, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Mignionette Fair, founder of Edita Services

Have you ever sat down in front of your computer to write a blog or newsletter and then… your mind goes blank! It’s a terrible feeling to watch that blinking cursor appear and reappear… like it’s taunting you. The good news is, it’s happened to the best of us. The better news is, there are certain principles, tips, and tricks you can apply to make your story shine brightly every time.

When was the last time you flexed your company’s core (value) muscles?

February 7, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Julia Pimsleur, author, speaker and coach, and the founder of Little Pim

No matter what size your company is now, growing it in a smart, lean way and recruiting the best people is – or should be – one of your top priorities. Maybe you’ve already started building your team, or you’re just beginning to think about making your first big hire. Either way, establishing your company’s core values helps you make smarter decisions in moving your business forward and creates a foundation for your company’s culture.

A crash course on the law of contract

February 7, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Aleshia van der Ploeg, founder of VDP Legal Consulting (Pty) Ltd

We enter into contracts every single day, most of the time, not realising we are doing it! When it comes to your business, it is very important to know when you are entering into a contract or an agreement, and what the terms of the contract/agreement are, as this can have an impact on your business.

Did you make your 2017 targets?

February 7, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Brigette Mashile, founder and ceo of Roka Roko

Did you have targets for 2017? I remember sitting with my friend, who is an accountant; feeling very silly making goals for 2017. I was wondering how am I going to achieve these crazy numbers? And what is the guarantee that we can have such numbers? Anyway, my friend had more faith in this business and less fear than me. So, we did revenue, expenses, monthly and weekly budgets for 2017.

How To Make Networking One Of Your Top Skills This Year

February 5, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Karen Wessels, co-founder of SnappSales and VA Connect

I have a love-hate relationship with networking. Sometimes it makes absolute sense to me and at other times I feel no benefit at all from networking. Reflecting on why I experienced these two extremes on an activity that really should be fun and beneficial, I was able to determine where I, and most people, go wrong with networking and how we can make it one of our top skills going forward.

The day I had a PEP talk with myself

February 5, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Lizl Naude, founder of Lilly Loompa

It was 12 September 2015, and I had hit rock bottom. I remember the day clearly. I was a visitor at a ladies church conference in Sandton, and with every speaker that took the stage I seemed to feel more and more confronted by my flaws. It was like they were speaking directly to me. These ladies were well rounded, well dressed, confident, and experts in their respective fields. It was their whole demeanour, paired with God’s message that actually gave me a wake-up call!

How nature can steer you towards success

February 5, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Eldari Visser, Managing Director, Picketfence.Life

Ask any child of Africa what a thunderstorm over the plains smells like. Crisp, clean and the promise of life. Nature itself rejoices when rain is near. It brings joy and deep gratitude to man and beast.

Create your inner entrepreneur survival kit

February 4, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Tania Reid, Chief Experience Officer, Ithemba Office Solutions

We recently came up with an idea to create a ‘morning after’ survival kit, to help conference attendees recover from a team-building event the night before. So there were SUPER C sweets (to replenish the vitamins lost) and Orbit chewing gum (to help them stick with the programme) and it got me thinking that if there was an entrepreneur survival kit, what kind of things would I want in it?

The fabulous hat of a change agent

February 2, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Leigh Ann Gowland, founder of Employee Driven Change

Entrepreneurs wear a variety of interchangeable hats every day. Business owner, customer service, sales, marketing and finance are only a few. Imagine if while juggling all the hats of an entrepreneur a new hat is introduced; the change agent hat.

Mobile First: What Consumers Want in 2018

February 2, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Lynette Hundermark, managing director of Useful & Beautiful

Never under-estimate just how fiercely personal your mobile device is. It may be hard to believe, but it’s 7 years since the explosion of the smartphone market, and with the increased availability of low cost smartphones there is now a phone in almost everyone’s hands. But…before we can start talking about any trend, as marketers we need to understand that mobile starts with an understanding of how fiercely personal this device is. It has become more of an appendage rather than a device.

Kickstart your financial freedom in 2018!

February 2, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Sylvia Walker, author of SmartWoman

I am not a great believer in New Year’s resolutions, as they generally tend to be forgotten within a week or so! But what each new year does bring us, is a time of reflection, and from a financial point of view, a desire to perhaps improve ourselves over the next twelve months.

We are always Becoming….

January 28, 2018 Melanie Hawken

by Nokubonga Mbanga, founder of Self Insights

Every January magazines (online and hard copies) have an article about the new year it usually reads: “New year, New You/Me”. So, naturally I am thinking about what I think this year should achieve, aka: New Year’s resolutions….

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