“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself” (Henry Ford) Initiating, setting up and launching a new, typically, small business is a challenge and can be a lonely journey to growth and, hopefully, success. Could developing a partnership or co-operative with like businesses be a pathway Read more
“The pessimist complains about the wind. The optimist expects it to change. The leader adjusts the sails.” (John Maxwell) To be a good leader in the small business environment a person needs to possess a variety of skills, understand themselves and recognise areas where there is room for improvement. The Read more
“Do you know the difference between education and experience? Education is when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don’t” (American singer and social activist, Pete Seeger) Microinsurance refers to an area of cover made accessible to low-income individuals and businesses at relatively low cost. Read more
“Generosity is a virtue, but unlimited generosity is a fast route to bankruptcy” (Bret Stephens) Healthy cash flow is what keeps a company afloat. The ability to pay suppliers and staff, without risking the future of the business, entirely independently of expected new payments, is vital for any enterprise to Read more
“When looking for funding, don’t just look for cash. Look for the right people” (American fashion entrepreneur, Jodie Fox) According to South African Reserve Bank data, the low level of small business financing appears to be emanating from the demand side as “the vast majority of SMEs indicate that they Read more
“What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead” (Nelson Mandela) Nelson Mandela, our former president and world-renowned human rights champion, was born on Read more
“Even if you are on the right track, you’ll get run over if you just sit there” (Will Rogers) In the hostile business environment in which we find ourselves, every small advantage could be the difference between success and failure. While traditionally companies and their shareholders have looked at profit Read more
“Digital is the main reason just over half of the companies on the Fortune 500 have disappeared since the year 2000” (CEO of Accenture, Pierre Nanterme) With the increased buzz around 4IR (the Fourth Industrial Revolution) in the last year particularly, due to lockdowns and “isolated industrialization”, it’s befitting to zoom-in Read more
“You are what you share” (Charles Leadbeater, We Think: The Power of Mass Creativity) Instagram is a popular photo and video-sharing social media platform with over one-billion active users around the globe. Users are able to share photo or video posts as well as temporary “Stories” that exist on their Read more
“The more that energy costs, the less economic activity there can be” (Robert Zubrin) It has been 13 long years since we first experienced load shedding in 2007. Since then, businesses have lost thousands of hours of productivity and significant amounts of money to these “rolling blackouts”. The situation is Read more