WhatsApp Business: everything you need to know

Entrepreneurial Tips for Enterprises 2 Comments

WhatsApp Business WhatsApp has recently launched WhatsApp for Business, with the aim of targeting small business specifically.  It is important to note that, at this stage, WhatsApp Business is only available for download for Android devices, sorry Apple users, you will have to wait. WhatsApp is an incredibly attractive platform for businesses. With more than 1.3bn users, it’s larger than …

Social Entrepreneurship in South Africa

Social Entrepreneurship 1 Comment

What motivates a social entrepreneur? According to a study released by GIBS, “Social Enterprises in South Africa: Discovering a vibrant sector”, social entrepreneurs fall into 1 of 3 categories. They either motivated by purpose, or profit or both. Key characteristics The key characteristic of a social enterprise is innovation. They think of innovative ways of delivering their product or service. …

Entrepreneurship is lonely

Entrepreneurship Articles 2 Comments

“Two roads diverged in a wood, and I— I took the one less traveled by, And that has made all the difference.” Robert Frost, 1916 We all like the glamour that comes with the word Entrepreneur – striking it out on your own, being your own boss, forging your own path, making it happen…on your own. Yet Entrepreneurship is often …

The benefits of Enterprise and Supplier Development contributions

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WHAT VALUE DO YOUR ENTERPRISE AND SUPPLIER CONTRIBUTIONS HAVE? Most entities leave Enterprise and Supplier Development contributions until the last minute. The finance manager provides the transformation officer with the NPAT targets and they have to run with it. As a result, they likely haven’t put much thought into the benefits of these contributions. Hence, the question arises, what benefit …

What constitutes as Enterprise and Supplier Development contributions?

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What constitutes ESD Contributions? According to the Codes of Good Practice, Enterprise and Supplier Development contributions are monetary or non-monetary contributions carried out to beneficiaries, with the objective of contributing to the development, sustainability and financial and operational independence of those beneficiaries. So why is this so important? SME’s have the potential to make a real difference to the economy. According …

Your Value Proposition

Understanding the Alternatives

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Learn to listen Empathy is the ability to relate to the emotions of others.  I am constantly reminded that empathy is a skill, when looking at the way in which my wife listens, understands and responds to our children.  Empathy requires a level of sacrifice, it requires you to set aside your own stuff (the need to close the deal …

Pricing Decisions for Start-Ups

Pricing during Start-Up

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Have you ever run into a convenience store to buy a drink? Whenever I stand in front of the drinks’ refrigerator I am amazed at the variety of water on the shelf. Some of the labels claim that the water within comes from a rare spring high up in an unpolluted mountain or melted from an ancient iceberg. Despite the common …

Code Series 400 BBBEE Codes

DRAFT CODE SERIES 400 OF 2018

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A draft amendment of Code Series 400, which is the section that looks at Enterprise and Supplier Development, was released on the 15thof June 2018. The amendment effectively increased the targeted preferential procurement that Government requires of companies, with relation to larger companies, but the impact of that will be a decrease of spend with smaller companies. The spend that …

Telling your brand story

Your Brand Story

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Why are you building your company?  For now, let’s set aside the obvious reason – Money.  The money will come if you truly believe that what you are creating will be to the benefit of society.  So, here is the question again, why are you building your company? The rationale for why we do things is caught up in stories.  …

Differentiation in Supplier Development

Supplier Differentiation Necessity for Enterprise Development

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Ask any procurement manager what the first thing is that she looks for when making a purchasing decision and you will hear the words ‘ differentiation ’.  Procurement is looking for a supplier that is good at one specific thing.   This is in line with decades of procurement practices.  The nature of procurement is such that procurement managers like categorising …