The myth of passion

July 21, 2019 Melanie Hawken

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

The word ‘passion’ has become a huge buzzword lately. Experts sharing their tips on how to discover your calling, your passion, your purpose for being on this planet. What I have found is that this is starting to become a destructive word. It creates this huge sense of fear – ‘what if I am not doing the thing I meant to be doing?’ It makes the present moment insignificant, it’s this thing we need to get through in order to get to the next more important moment because maybe we’ll discover it then. It has the ability to create huge self-doubt because the word passion indicates there is ONE thing we should be doing and that we should instantly know what that thing is.

What is holding you back? Your mind is your super computer

July 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

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by Madelaine Gomes (MsC.D)

Many of us are going through our day without even thinking about our mindset or the thoughts that we are entertaining and how these thoughts affect the results that we are creating. 90% of our thoughts a day are spent on past experiences, and only 10% of our thoughts a day is being spent on the actual now and tomorrow! Our thoughts are the most powerful tool and determine the direction and all outcomes of our lives.

4 Ways you can begin cultivating a happier mindset

July 6, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Saajidah Esat

Happiness is a way of thinking and feeling, a way of seeing your world, and the positive meaning you choose to give to the circumstances and situations in your life. Happiness is a mindset. And for most people happiness is not ready-made. After all, research shows that in the determination of a person’s level of happiness, genetics counts for about 50%, 10% is determined by your circumstances, and 40% is controlled by your thoughts, actions and behaviours. Although we may not be able to change our genetics, we can take 100% responsibility for the meaning we give to the circumstances and situations in our life as well as the thoughts and behaviours we practice on a daily basis.

When agony follows ecstasy

July 6, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Clare Appleyard, founder of Katannuta Diamonds

Figures flew before my eyes as my fingers tapped away busily on the calculator. Exchange rate. Tap tap tap. VAT. Tap tap. Supplier costs. Tap tap tap. A number settled on the screen and I looked at it with confusion. “That can’t be right”, I thought, as a mild sense of unease washed over me. Picking up the calculator, I ran the numbers again, more slowly this time. The same number came up. “Third time lucky” I whispered to myself as I hit the keys with deliberate intent. No change!

Navigating the Creative Entrepreneurship Realm

July 6, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Tatenda Kanengoni

In the past two decades, the perception of creative entrepreneurship has shifted, refreshingly so. We live in an exciting time when policy makers are starting to value how creative enterprises can contribute meaningfully to economies, and more than ever creatives have an opportunity to soar.

Choose Your Emotions

June 28, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Laura Camacho, PhD

If you stay in business long enough, you eventually develop the level of mental and emotional fortitude you need to succeed.

Labour law tips

June 26, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Aleshia van der Ploeg, Founder of VDP Legal Consulting, South Africa

Is your business finally growing? Are you hiring more and more employees in order to assist you? One of the greatest challenges facing entrepreneurs these days is employment issues!

The Importance of Self-Management

June 26, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Brigette Mashile, founder of Roka Roko

I have been thinking for almost 6 months about a lot of the processes and events I have had in business; obviously wondering what I have done right and wrong. This is due to the fact that after 5 years I woke up one day and felt like I was depleted. Physically, mentally and emotionally depleted; the kind that needs a holiday with my mom on a quiet island, untapped without WIFI. I’m exaggerating…ok, ok, but I’m not lying.

How To Improve Your Productivity Using Habit Stacking

June 26, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Saajidah Esat

Being productive is key to our success as entrepreneurs, yet somehow, amidst the endless list of tasks that we tackle daily, we still end up with that nagging feeling that we need to be doing more. Whether it’s finding new clients, setting up your online pages, managing them and then some, you appear to be one of the busiest women around, the one that’s always doing something.

Journaling 101

June 25, 2019 Melanie Hawken

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

As the world has gotten more complex and technology more advanced, instant 24/7 communication is rampant. As a consequence, most people take little if any time for introspection. How many times have you heard yourself or others say ‘I wish I had time to think’. For me, journaling is the invitation to sit inside my mind and actually figure out what’s going on. It’s a space of safety; a means to trap my thoughts on paper so I can get out of my own way. Sometimes I don’t really know what I’m thinking until I write it down.

Exploring the ideal of ‘Balance’

June 25, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Phindile Dhlamini-Motshegwa

If you consider it realistically, falling out of balance doesn’t really matter. In fact, I’ll argue that it’s inevitable, bearing in mind the different phases of life we find ourselves in. What I think is more important is how we choose to find our way back to centre – moment-by-moment, day-by-day, week-by-week, month-by-month.

It’s Meant to be HARD!!!

June 25, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Kulani Shiluvane, Founder and Chief Consultant at Shiluvah

Be an entrepreneur they said, it will be fun they said – said no one EVER!!!

And that is because entrepreneurship is hard and guess what, it’s meant to be hard and that is exactly why only a few that start actually ‘finish.’

Why frame Spirituality in the Business World?

June 23, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Nereyda Ah-Hoy

Since I decided to live my spirituality more fully and share it with the world, the most recurrent question I have received has been: "But what does it mean to be Spiritual? And how can you reconcile this with the material part of Life?"

South African entrepreneur disruptor, Benji Coetzee, advocates to privatize Goliath Transnet Freight Rail

June 19, 2019 Melanie Hawken

South Africa is home to a number of innovators, creators and entrepreneurs. We boast the likes of Charlize Theron, Elon Musk, Nelson Mandela, Lebo Gunguluza, Raymond Ackerman, the Oppenheimers – the list goes on. Recently, the country has also seen a significant uptick in technology entrepreneurs. The ecosystem has evolved and although the fraternity requires more support, the efforts by particular parties such as Knife Capital, Kalon Ventures, alongside supportive corporate programmes such as Alpha Code, Standard Bank Incubator, Startupbootcamp, to mention only a few, has been commendable.

The biggest risk for the entrepreneur is being unable to work due to illness, trauma or force majeure

June 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Nthabiseng Mokone, CA (SA), Tax Practitioner, Wealth Manager & Entrepreneur Owner: MMCP Wealth and MMCP Business Advisory Services

The freedom and flexibility of being self employed comes with its own challenges and risks. These can however be mitigated and when that is taken care of, as an entrepreneur you can say you are truly free. Most entrepreneurs are the business and any chance that they are unable to work, will drastically affect their business. As a self-employed professional, I have first-hand experience in the effects of an illness and trauma on my business.

Own your mornings

June 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

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

There is magic in a morning routine. If you can train yourself to wake up even 30 minutes earlier, you open up a quiet space for yourself when the family are asleep. We find ourselves saying, ‘I don’t have time to think’. This time doesn’t open up for us out of nowhere (unless a meeting suddenly cancels) so we have to carve out a dedicated time in our calendar for the things we want to take ownership of and that truly matters to us. For me, mornings are the best place to do this. Exercise is part of my world and has been for over 25 years. The only time I can get this done is 5:30 before I take my kids to school.

Choosing a Name that Counts

June 14, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Seno Namwandi

Names enable us to identify different people, places, countries and things. Birth certificates, title deeds or other legal arrangements often legitimatize these names. Similarly, business names enable us to identify one enterprise from another. Business names are legitimized through the intellectual property system called trademarks.

Run Your Life Like a Business

June 8, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Thandekile Moloko, Wealth Coach & Wealth Manager

Scaling, which is also synonymous with economies of scale, is a business term which in its truest form means expansion. It is being able to be profitable when demand has increased for your services or goods. It is the ability to increase supply and still maintain or reduce costs. In scaling your business, you need to make sure that your expenses work for you and produce the ultimate profits.

Get Real. Get Rid. Get Rich.

June 8, 2019 Melanie Hawken

by Sylvia Walker, author of SmartWoman

Stuck in a financial rut? Maybe too much debt, too much retail therapy, too much of a people pleaser, too little money, or just not sure how to take control of it all? Financial freedom is within your grasp. By changing your outlook, you can change your life.

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