Three Lessons Learnt - My life from Corporate to Business Owner of a Franchised Store

January 30, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Teboho Seretlo

A little bit about me. I have worked for more than 25 years in corporates since 1989. These included Unilever, SAB, The Coca Cola Company, Momentum and finally Nedbank. I held various positions from being a technical trainee going through the brilliant graduate programmes of these illustrious companies. These positions offered me very well-rounded general management skills, from logistics, financial management, project management, human resources as well as transformation/B-BBEE.

Nanny Trouble

January 30, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Phindile Ndlovu–Tapula

Moms - Let’s talk nanny trouble! In the midst of a global pandemic, most of our children are home as schools remain closed. This means we have to get help because for most of us, we are back in the office. I, for one, had to get our nanny back.

5 Tips to financially survive Janu-worry

January 30, 2021 Melanie Hawken

By Kathryn Main - Money Savvy Kids

We all know the month of January is filled with countless unavoidable worries of the financial kind. Others may feel it more than others, but we all feel it non-the-less. We make lunch boxes for the first time in weeks, we carpool to work, and we stop buying coffee at that gourmet coffee shop on the way to work and instead make it ourselves. Basically, we go into level 1 of survival mode when it comes to our finances due to the crunch we feel.

Time wasted can never be regained

January 24, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Thobile Nyawo

Invest time now and not tomorrow. The saying that “time and tide wait for no man” means different things to different people. To some, it is precious and important while to many others, it is common and available when the need arises. The right essence of time is really in the doing and not in the waiting. A time spent in doing something worthwhile always comes back fruitfully. What cannot be allocated time is indeed not worth doing. Certainly, a person who invests time reading and writing is expected to acquire sound knowledge and writing skills. Time is life. He who wastes time has not only wasted life but has also injured eternity. A person who wastes time in doing nothing will eventually end up being nothing. There is no two ways about that.

The New Normal

January 24, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Manini Mbongwa

The year 2020 brought about a lot of changes worldwide. Not only did we have to be cooped up in our homes and separated from our loved ones, but some people also lost their love in the fight against COVID-19. People also lost their jobs which meant that they also had to lose their assets like houses and cars, even worse kids had to be taken out of schools not only because of COVID-19 but because parents could not afford to pay school fees anymore.

Making Lemonade

January 24, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Marjon Meyer

When life throws you lemons, make lemonade! We’ve all heard this before, but I had a magnificent enlightenment to make this cliché my slogan for the crazy times we all live in. A dear friend living in Dubai visited us some time ago and presented me with a lemon tree as a gift. The fruits this tree bears is a precious gift!

Fundamentals of WhatsApp Updated Privacy Policy

January 23, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Lufuno Khorommbi

Why are people receiving messages from WhatsApp informing them to agree to the updated privacy policy terms and conditions? What is happening? Facebook has made changes to the current WhatsApp privacy policy to introduce amongst others the integration of three platforms: WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram.

How To Create Micro Wins In Your Life

January 17, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

It's still possible to step into 2021 with confidence!

“The key to realizing a dream is to focus not on success but on significance – and then even the small steps and little victories along your path will take on greater meaning”- Oprah Winfrey

Knowledge as a basis for business economic development

January 17, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Tatiana Casaca

For Alejandro Pávez, knowledge is perception and cognition of the message by the subject around the object. Knowledge is born as a result of the conscious preparation of information. It is a broader concept rather than information, and to obtain it one must ponder, evaluate and relate to the information. This allows us to make predictions, make decisions, and take action.

5-Style and health secrets to help you thrive in business

January 17, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Suret Alive

Female entrepreneurs are often under considerable pressure to not only create businesses, in what was previously known as a man's world, but also to generate steady income all whilst looking beautiful. This adds pressure to the many roles we already fulfill as women.

What does your EQ look like in everyday life?

January 17, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Marjon Meyer

EQ is not natural for most people and needs to be consciously developed. Fortunately, as we grow older, wisdom also sets in. Using simple terms, EQ is being mature and wise.

Are your lack of boundaries between work and life getting worse?

January 10, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

“Your job isn’t to get people to like you but for you to like yourself” - RuPaul

In an article on CNBC.com, a survey showed that 69%, of employees are experiencing burnout symptoms while working from home. Despite work burnout, the majority (59%) are taking less time off than they normally would, and 42% of those still working from home are not planning to take any time off to decompress.

Ideas need brave actors

January 10, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Thembe Khumalo

In the kind of creative space that Brandbuilder operates in, there is never a shortage of ideas. We often think of ourselves as an idea generating machine. The trouble with too many ideas and too much creativity is that you can very quickly end up with nothing but hot air - multiple voices telling multiple wonderful stories, but very little happening on the ground. That makes it really important to have systems for turning those ideas into solutions that clients will be prepared to pay for. That, and a team dynamic that contributes to better results.

Are you an impostor?

January 10, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Marjon Meyer

This sounds like a nasty accusation, yet the impostor syndrome is real! Do you sometimes feel that others’ applause for you is not earned or deserved? This happens when people doubt their accomplishments or a person has a persistent internalized fear of being exposed as a “fraud”, despite external evidence that they are competent. These self-perceived “fraudsters” tend to be highly competent individuals. While both men and women are affected, this syndrome seems to be more prevalent amongst high-achieving women.

Resilience is the Entrepreneur’s Character

January 10, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Sibongile Mtsabe

Entrepreneurship is what Africa needs right now. Africa needs those who would put ideas into implementation and make things happen.

It has never been an easy road but it’s doable. It takes courage, endurance, passion and believing in yourself.

Consulting is a hungry beast

January 3, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Thembe Khumalo

Many people dream of a career in consulting; working the hours they want, with only the people they like, and being in charge of how much money they earn, as opposed to being at the mercy of some rigid salary scale. It almost sounds too good to be true, and in many ways it really is very, very good.

The Best Feeling In The World

January 3, 2021 Melanie Hawken

by Eldari Visser, founder of Picketfence Life

This bee is loaded with the future of his nest. The stuff that yummy honey is made of for the existence of that nest. Bees need this as a crucial part of their future. After and during the time of COVID-19, many people still do not have the slightest idea of where to even start to look for their own juicy extras to make sure their families are ok or will be ok! They have lived by doing the same thing week to week or even day to day. Unfortunately, this has happened to even the most seasoned, experienced bee entrepreneurs. In the blink of an eye, their nests were empty and the panic set in.

5 Steps To Silence Your Inner Critic

December 31, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Usha Maharaj

Do you often hear a negative inner voice that makes you doubt your decisions and your self-worth? You are not alone! This inner voice, your inner critic, may act as an invisible barrier to trying new things, reaching your full potential, or enjoying your life.

Managing performance in the New Distance Economy

December 31, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Screen Shot 2020-12-31 at 5.07.52 PM.jpg

by Marjon Meyer

The future is not what we used to think it would be…our world is literally infected with new ways of thinking and working. With so many staff members working remotely, the way organisations manage performance has to be adjusted. There should also be a bigger focus on re-skilling and constructive feedback to build confidence amongst staff. Problems and challenges need to be solved differently and creatively.

Simple steps to golden results

December 27, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Catia Mondlane

One thing I have learned from the experiences I have had so far is that clients don’t really care about your problems and whatever you are going through that might create delays or bad services, because they just want the product or service. Trust me, I’m a customer too and when I’m not I have to see things from the clients’ perspective to understand them, and this is why it is so important to know your customers.

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