Customer experience design and an agile approach

March 22, 2020 Melanie Hawken

There is a marriage made in heaven between two practices that have been around for a while, and it is time to formally unite them. Welcome to the merger of Customer Experience (CX) and Agile management practices.

Are you a Trader? Then you need these Top Cash-handling Tips

March 15, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Receiving payment from a customer for a sale should be a relieving and fulfilling moment for any retailer. Stock is moving off the shelves and you‘re able to cover costs incurred to procure that item. However, successful businesses need to continually look for ways to optimise their cash and margins.

What is an entrepreneurial mindset?

March 7, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Entrepreneurs are those innovators among us who identify a need, any need, and meet it.

Individuals with an entrepreneurial mindset are often drawn to opportunities, ingenuity and new value-creation, and have the ability to take calculated risks. They also accept the realities of change and uncertainty.

Women in Leadership

February 29, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Our brave new world demands brave new leadership - leaders who understand their purpose in life and in business, and who are able to inspire and motivate others. But how do you make the shift, find your purpose, and successfully transition from manager to leader. Tina Playne shares her insights on what makes great leaders who can move business forward.

Creating new hospitality powerhouses

February 23, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Nyeleti Mushwana of Karibu Leisure Resort and Conference Centre shares how Absa is helping her expand into a nationwide hospitality powerhouse.

Building a company for longevity

February 15, 2020 Melanie Hawken

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You’ve done it. You took that first step, raised funding and ventured into the world of entrepreneurship. Operating in our current environment though is not easy. With growth in emerging and developing economies likely to remain slow, other possible challenges such as late payments impacting your cash flow and/or lackluster demand from buyers – building a business requires boldness and resilience.

Sofra Istanbul, a recipe for success

February 9, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Zohra Teke, founder of Sofra Istanbul (South Africa)

Zohra Teke of Sofra Istanbul in Durban, South Africa, shares her first-hand experience of how Absa can help a restaurant deliver the exotic tastes of Turkey to local food-lovers’ doorsteps.

Avoid the pitfalls of franchising

February 1, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Absa’s Wholesale, Retail and Franchise Sector always strive to exceed the need of our franchise customers. Therefore, we display leadership in the industry by providing market leading solutions that will give you the opportunity to focus on your business.

South Africa’s High Growth Women Entrepreneurs Lean In For Business Success

January 26, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Over the past 5 years, women entrepreneurs in South Africa who are looking to grow their businesses have harnessed the power of the Lioness Lean In events to expand their business networks. In the second half of 2019, a new impact partnership between Lionesses of Africa and Absa, took the Lioness Lean In Enterprise events to a whole new level in the country.

Working capital considerations for growing businesses: PBM Group

January 19, 2020 Melanie Hawken

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“Revenue is vanity, profit is sanity and cash flows are reality”. This phrase may sound like a cliché, but it is a really important consideration when businesses move into their next growth phase. A major contract may look great from a revenue perspective, but if there are mismatches in the working capital cycle (timing differences of cash going out and cash coming in), the growth may not be worth it.

Supporting women in business

January 12, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Anna Phosa, founder of Dreamland Piggery

Anna Phosa of Dreamland Piggery shares how Absa helped her grow from a small-scale farmer into a big enterprise.

South African entrepreneur, Anna Phosa, was always a go-getter and proved it’s never too late to reach your goals and exceed even your own expectations. From humble beginnings, born in the Free State and raised by a single mother of seven children, Anna rose against adversity and today she’s the award-winning owner and managing director of Dreamland Piggery and Abatoir.