The Good, The Bad and The Ugly when it comes to social media

June 18, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Nicolene Schoeman-Louw

In recent years, the rise of social media has revolutionised the way in which we communicate and interact with each other. While social media can be a great tool for staying connected with friends and family, it can also be used in harmful or unlawful ways. We will explore how undesirable social media usage can fall foul of three key South African laws: the Protection of Personal Information Act 4 of 2013 (“POPIA”), the Electronic Communications and Transactions Act 25 of 2002 (“ECTA”), and the Cybercrime Act 19 of 2020 (“Cybercrimes Act”).

The Basics About VAT

June 18, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Ronel Jooste

What is VAT? VAT is an abbreviation for the term Value-Added Tax. It is an indirect tax on the consumption of goods and services in the economy. It is a tax on the end consumer, but it is collected by businesses on behalf of the government.

How healing your inner child can grow your business

June 10, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Emily Kandanga

As a business owner or manager, we have to deal with a lot of stress. And you need to be strong and may not always know how to overcome your own internal worries and problems, leaving you exhausted and low on energy. But there are ways to address these issues, and a major one comes through understanding that these feelings of being overwhelmed, being stressed and making poor decisions can come from the same root cause: the inner child.

Don’t let funding fool you

June 10, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Margaret Hirsch

When one is starting a business, the word on everyone’s lips is FUNDING, “I need funding for this that and the next thing”, but what they forget about is not only MARKETING which is the most important thing of all but ACCESS TO MARKETS to ensure that their business is not only successful but more importantly sustainable.

The upside of mistakes: how failing forward helps you serve customers better

June 10, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Catia Mondlane

Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone knows how to use them to their advantage. When it comes to customer service, failing forward can actually help you serve your customers better. Failing forward means taking risks and making mistakes but learning from those mistakes and using them as opportunities for growth. It's about embracing the learning process and not being afraid to try new things.

Compliance For Success

June 4, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Kathryn Main

What do you think I mean if I have to ask you the question; “Is your business compliant”? Most new business owners don’t understand what compliance is required in their type of business. Compliance will be different for different industries and income brackets.

Two Types of Funding. Which option is best for you?

June 4, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Ronel Jooste

Funding refers to the financial resources that are available to support a particular project or endeavor. It can take many forms, such as loans, grants, investments, or other forms of financial support. Funding is often necessary to start or grow a business, for research and development, or to launch new products or services. The type of funding that is chosen can have a significant impact on the success and viability of the project, so it's important to carefully consider the options and choose the one that best fits the needs and goals of the business or individual. Equity funding and Debt funding are two primary types of funding that business owners can use to raise capital.

Are Your Employees Questioning Their Roles?

June 4, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Paula Quinsee

Many employers and managers underestimate just how much employees are struggling with their well-being: According to a recent Deloitte survey, one out of three employees and executives reported struggling with fatigue and mental health - and it's only continuing to get worse.

An unstoppable entrepreneur

June 4, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Josefa Massinga

Dear Lionesses, today I challenge each of you to look for the inner lionesses that exist in you and drive you to be unstoppable. Let’s identify the lionesses within ourselves and advance as much as we can by being true to ourselves. Many people are good at what they do. Some are even elite. A few are completely unstoppable. I would like us to be in the group of those who are completely unstoppable in their own world, those who don't compete with anyone but themselves. Are you unstoppable? If not by the end of this blog you will be!

Seaja uma empreendedora impáravel

June 1, 2023 Melanie Hawken

por Josefa Masinga

Queridas Leoas, hoje eu desafio a cada uma de vocês a buscarem as leoas interiores que existem em cada uma e sermos impáraveis. Vamos nos identificar e avancarmos o maximo que podermos sendo nos mesmas, ora vejamos…

If Time Is Money, Why Don't You Manage It the Same Way?

May 28, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

If you want to make sure you come out on your monthly salary, you plan and budget accordingly. Why not apply the same thinking to your time and create a time budget? Creating a budget for your spending is not a punishment but a way to give you peace of mind. Managing your day should be the same. Your calendar is your budgeting tool - plan your week before you are in it to allocate sufficient funds to the relevant tasks. The last thing you want is to run out of time and then eat into next week's allocation.

Self-Love; A New Phenomenon, or Is It?

May 28, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Margaret Hirsch

Being brought up in a strict Baptist home, we had very strong principles to live by. However, we were taught to look down on anyone who remotely thought they were good enough! As a child I was told that children should be seen and not heard, that I should only speak when spoken to, and if I did something that went against the grain, I was told to be ashamed of myself - AND I WAS! If I said anything out of place, I had a harsh - WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE? thrown my way.

Who are the Big 5 in your business and how do they affect you?

May 28, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Eldari Visser

We’re all familiar with the Big 5 in nature. Majestic, strong, fierce, but yet so vulnerable because man has figured out a way to make money from each species that makes up the Big 5. Which makes it so sad is because in their world they reign, kings of the animal world, matriarchs of big clans, and tenacious mothers - seemingly unstoppable. Such is life.

Master the Art of Making a Memorable First Sales Impression

May 28, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Catia Mondlane

First impressions are essential in sales as they can make or break a potential deal. Customers often make judgments about a salesperson within the first few seconds of meeting them, based on their appearance, body language, and communication skills. To make a good first impression, it is important to do your research, have all the necessary materials, practice your pitch beforehand, dress professionally, arrive early, and learn how to read people. Additionally, it is important to be confident and personable, as first impressions are crucial in sales.

What I've learnt about personal growth from my 8-year-old daughter

May 20, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

My daughter came out of her dance class in tears. I assumed one of the girls said something nasty to her, but she assured me it wasn't the case. Eventually, she admitted that she was upset because the class was challenging, and she struggled with the new moves. My children are constantly my greatest teachers; this situation reminded me of how difficult it is to experience challenge and discomfort for the first time.

Taking the pain out of payroll with six simple steps

May 20, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Anja van Beek Consulting: contributed by Jeff Ryan, MD of AWCape, a leading Sage business partner for HR, payroll and financial solutions

The payroll team is one of those invisible functions that runs quietly in the background of a business, not attracting much attention unless something goes horribly wrong. When it does, the impact on the business can be severe, ranging from angry employees who didn’t receive their correct salaries on time through to penalties for late or incorrect tax submissions or heavy losses to fraud.

The 3 Fundamental types of people who will shift your growth and the trajectory of your life

May 20, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Ntsoaki Sibiya

All of us want to accelerate our growth across landscapes of whatever our chosen craft is. When you are building yourself up, whether it be in business, sports, entertainment, or whatever your chosen craft may be, if you really want to accelerate your growth and development, and to take yourself to the next level of your capabilities, there are 3 kinds of people you need in your life. You need a Coach, a Mentor, and a Sponsor!

Creating Cash Flow

May 19, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Kathryn Main

When I started my first business, I considered the financial side of things as “boring accounting stuff” – something I was not keen on initially. My feelings on the matter soon changed. Financial structures in your business are much more than mere accounting practices. As important as it is to manage your income and expenses, there is a lot more to setting up your financial structures than you may expect.

7 Ways to help create an accountability and ownership mindset

May 14, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

What do you do when someone doesn't do what they committed to? They were due to deliver something, but when you follow up, there's always an excuse or someone else to blame - 'they never replied to my mail, finance is too slow or fill in the blank’. Most people don't say anything, and then the passive-aggressive behaviour begins. When there is no consequence for non-delivery, it becomes culture because, ultimately, silence is permission.

Harnessing my biggest strength

May 10, 2023 Melanie Hawken

by Brigette Mashile

My biggest strength in running a business in South Africa is that I am multilingual. I can comprehend Sesotho, Sepedi, Setswana, isiSwati, Xitsonga, Tshivenda, isiXhosa, isiZulu, English and Afrikaans. I am struggling with isiNdebele, and lately Shona; the reason for Shona is merely the fact that we have over 700 000 Zimbabweans living in SA, and a portion of them are definitely Shona. If they are Ndebele, I can comprehend it too as it sounds (to me) close to isiZulu.

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