“Paying yourself isn’t selfish, it’s sustainable. The goal is to strike a balance that supports your personal life without compromising the growth of your company.” (Salim Omar, CPA and serial entrepreneur) Many founders see skipping their own salary as a noble way to fund growth. In reality, underpaying yourself often Read more
“Taking bold action on climate change simply makes good business sense. It’s also the right thing to do for people and the planet.” (Richard Branson) Climate change impacts the fundamentals of business operations. Rising heat affects productivity, floods and storms damage infrastructure, droughts disrupt supply chains, and new regulations increase Read more
“Accounting is the language of business.” (Warren Buffett) Increasingly, banks and other organisations are requiring businesses to submit up-to-date management accounts when applying for finance. This is because these compact financial reports enable business analysis even when the latest annual financial statements are not yet available. Management accounts also offer Read more
“Finance is effectively the rhythm section of a company. It creates the company cadence that every company needs.” (John Baule, CPA and ecommerce expert) You can’t grow a business without a clear handle on your numbers. But too many business owners still confuse bookkeeping and accounting. These roles do have Read more
“Financial planning causes a struggle between the rational brain and the emotional brain.” (Michael C. Finke, author of Money Management Skills) You didn’t start your business to become a psychologist. But understanding the way emotions creep into your decisions could be the difference between plain sailing and struggling to stay Read more
“Networking is not about just connecting people. It’s about connecting people with people, people with ideas, and people with opportunities.” (Michele Jennae, business coach and author) Most entrepreneurs know they should be building a network, but not many know this should be a core business strategy. Building and maintaining the Read more
“Too many businesses only realise the value of intellectual capital when a key person leaves – or a competitor copies what they’ve built.” (Alicia Mendes, author of Futureproofing Through People) In the rush to raise capital, improve profitability or streamline efficiency, business owners often miss what truly drives their success: Read more
“Defining your target market is about understanding motivations, challenges, and goals. Without this, your messaging falls flat and your marketing budget burns fast.” (Elena Kwan, Founder of MarketLens Consulting) Fundamentally, businesses start because business owners believe they see a gap and aim to fill it. Their target market is built Read more
“When people are financially invested, they want a return. When people are emotionally invested, they want to contribute.” (Simon Sinek) Employee engagement. It determines so much about the direction of a company, its staff productivity and how likely it is to succeed. According to a Gallup poll just 23% of Read more
“Trust the young people; trust this generation’s innovation. They’re making things, changing innovation every day.” (Jack Ma, Co-Founder Alibaba Group) South African businesses are always looking for ways to foster growth and innovation while still reducing costs. One way to achieve both is to employ young people. Young workers Read more