Willpower, expertise and passion not enough to succeed in business Ravi Govender Developing a business plan is a strategic investment in the future and sustainability of your business Business owners often mistakenly believe that passion and a basic understanding of finance is all that is required to make a new business succeed.  The launch episode of the Standard Bank 'Think Big - Building Business Champions' show proved that placing an emphasis on business plans is an invaluable planning tool that can help businesses of all sizes to succeed.  The show encourages aspiring entrepreneurs to ‘Think Big’ about conquering challenging realities that new businesses face on a day to day basis, with an opportunity to win a R 1 million cash injection into their small businesses so that they can realise their dreams.  Commenting on the first episode of ‘Think Big’, which concentrated on the catering and service industries, Vuyo’s Kitchen and Vibe Events, Ravi Govender...

Is your focus on the right place in your business? Jan de Beer Many small business owners, including those in franchising, are faced with so many different business elements to manage that they often tend to place too much of an emphasis on one area. While it is important to spend quantity and quality time to develop a specific business element, entrepreneurs cannot put all their efforts into one focal point alone as there are many other factors to consider that will contribute to their success. Many owners seem to predominantly focus their energies on either being product centric or customer centric when it comes to managing their brand. The question remains, which option, if any, is the right one to zone in on?  Managing Executive of The Fish & Chip Co, Jan de Beer believes a franchised business needs to focus on both.  It goes without saying that the business is nothing without the product or service. With nothing to sell, what is the purpose of trading? Equa...

Maxi’s gives a helping hand to the Door of Hope In 2013 Maxi’s started a Facebook campaign to show their loyal customers that they care by giving back to the local communities in which they operate. The monthly campaign encourages their Facebook fans to interact with Maxi’s and the person who engages the most, is named the “fan of the month” and gets to choose a charity of their choice who will receive support from Maxi's.  Justine Burden, from Polokwane, was chosen as the Maxi’s Facebook fan for the month of May. Burden chose to help the Door of Hope organisation and with Maxi’s help, they arranged a surprise visit to the head office in Glenvista, Johannesburg with bags full of needed goodies.  The Door of Hope seeks to help in meeting the needs of abandoned, abused and orphaned children in South Africa, by providing loving and stable Christian environments, so that they may grow up to be people that have a positive effect in South Africa and the world. In cooperatio...

Maxi’s heating up Forest Hill community Food lovers in Forest Hills are celebrating the fact that Maxi’s will soon be opening up in Forrest Hill City Mall.  There are people who live for the challenge of setting goals and working tirelessly to meet them. Phuti Ntlhane is that kind of person. The ambitious Centurion entrepreneur has set himself the task of opening five new restaurants in five years. Ntlhane has always been loyal to the brand and wondered what it would be like to own his own Maxi’s franchise. The thrill of a new challenge and his entrepreneurial spirit was what eventually drove this young man to become his own boss. “I am a person for new things, I love things that challenge me mentally and physically and for me, opening a Maxi’s Forest Hill was the best decision that I could have made to date.” Having recently completed his LLB Degree, Ntlhane knows all there is to know about long hours, hard work and dedication. He believes that the key to running a succes...

Why franchising is still a good idea for the modern South African entrepreneur  While it’s tough to make it as an entrepreneur, many South Africans can still benefit from the franchising model. So says Graeme Liebenberg, Fruit & Veg City’s Property and Business Development Manager.   “Franchising has helped many retailers to expand and has created major success for franchisees. Think of the fast food industry, as well as clothing, and supermarket chains - while it gives the entrepreneur a safe and established framework in which to operate, it works for the retailer too as it is a great way of creating brand awareness and reaching the target market”.   Food Lover’s Market, the leading fresh produce retailer and crown jewel of the Fruit & Veg City Holdings Group, is an example of a franchise system that works as it continues to show meteoric growth, having expanded its store compliment steadily over the past few years. From humble beginnings in 1993 with a st...

Traditional Conservative Bank Lending Models Are Not Supporting SA Small Business Owners  Small businesses in South Africa provide more than 65% of the country’s total employment and contribute over 50% towards the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP). However, accessing finance from banks is a particularly difficult process that often doesn’t have a positive outcome. In fact, if you consider that five out of seven SA SMEs fail in their first year of trading, mostly due to cash flow problems; it is clear that improved financial support could empower more SMEs to realise their potential and significantly grow the South African economy. Yet, South African banks are not challenging the historical lending processed to provide innovative solutions to support SMEs with improved access to finance. They remain locked into process and security driven lending models that systematically exclude many SMEs. At the core of the issue is the inflexible, heavy weight of banking structure and...

Investing in a franchise Franchises in shopping malls Sorbet has revolutionized the face of beauty in South Africa and is growing at an unstoppable rate. As one of the leading beauty franchises in the country, the nail and skin brand is defined by convenience, professionalism and reasonable price points.  Opportunities for growth in the retail space in growing. According to figures from the South African Council of Shopping Centres at least 25 new shopping centres, are expected to be added to the market between 2013 and 2016. “The retail space has become a core business hub. We find that many brands have established themselves in the retail space. If not planned properly, the costs incurred could be high and detrimental to your business,” explains Morne Cronje, FNB Head of Franchising.  “I invested in the franchise from past experience. I was impressed with the concept from a customer perspective and decided to investigate the prospect of investing in a franchise of my o...

Why franchising is a viable business opportunity Bronwyn Oliveira Being a successful entrepreneur takes drive, determination and passion for what you do. The success of an entrepreneur all boils down to recognising the right opportunities and of course, investing time, money and skills into making a proven business concept a successful reality.  The concept of franchising is not a new one, and many entrepreneurs have been able to achieve great success, as this business model remains one of the safest ways of becoming a business owner due to tried and tested recipes for business success. Owning a franchise can be a viable business investment opportunity, if it is supported by an enthusiastic head office team, a proven franchise dynasty, and a loyal consumers following that will support you along the way. But what does it take to be a successful franchisee? Bronwyn Oliveira, brand manager of Maxi’s, discusses that makes the franchisor of a nationwide chain of family restau...

Bidvest commits to South Africa beyond Mandela Day Bidvest agrees with the principles of Mandela Day, which seeks to promote education, peace and reconciliation in South Africa, as well as driving awareness that each person has the ability and the responsibility to change the world for the better. However, instead of just celebrating Mandela Day one day of the year, Bidvest’s Corporate Social Investment (CSI) strategy entails giving back to communities through its various initiatives, every day. Former president Nelson Mandela said, “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”. Bidvest lives this philosophy and continues to assist its communities by supporting projects that make a difference to their lives and puts their needs first.  “While education is a basic need, quality literacy levels have a key role to play in South Africa’s future pr...

The importance of Mandela Day Nelson Mandela International Day has been inspiring people across the country - and the world - to take action and effect some change, even if only for 67 minutes on 18 July each year. In honour of our late president, individuals and companies alike make the most of this day to demonstrate their commitment to social change, with some going over and above what they usually do for the community. But what is the big deal with Mandela Day anyway and why is it worth taking part? Managing Executive of The Fish & Chip Co, Jan de Beer, shares his thoughts on the idea of Mandela Day and why businesses should become more involved in social initiatives.  Mandela once said; “there can be no keener revelation of a society’s soul than the way in which it treats its children”, We couldn't agree more. In business, the concept of corporate social investment (CSI) is no longer viewed as a simple charitable donation. CSI is about more than P...

Mandela Day: Eliminating poverty one step at a time The National Development Plan (NDP) focuses on the elimination of poverty and the reduction of inequality through uniting South Africans to unleash their energy, ensure economic growth by building capabilities and enhancing the capability of the state and leaders to work together to solve the country’s complex problems. Norman Mbazima, chairperson of Anglo American’s flagship corporate social investment programme, the Chairman’s’ Fund, is working with government to reach the goals of the NDP. As the nation celebrates Mandela Month, he explains how corporate South Africa can make a significant change by aligning with the NDP in order to help build South Africa in partnership with government. The objectives of the NDP are to reduce the number of people who live in households with a monthly income below R419 per person from 39 percent to zero as well as reduce inequality, from 0.69 to 0.6 as measured by the Gini coefficient, by...

Fresh food with a dash of trendiness, only at Mezepoli  As the world progresses to a more health conscious state of mind where people are becoming increasingly concerned with what they eat, the healthy food market is booming. Focused on fresh, unprocessed food served in smaller portions, consumers are taking greater care when choosing where to dine and what to eat.  With this in mind, a number of food service providers have chosen to start preparing meals that meet consumers' portion and kilojoule count requirements, and more importantly, have begun serving healthy food that actually has a good flavour and taste.  Mezepoli Tapas & Wine Bar is one such establishment that knows just how to add a burst of crisp, healthy flavour to all their meals, which their customers can enjoy in style at either of their on-trend restaurants in Camps Bay and Melrose Arch. Since its establishment in 2009, Mezepoli’s customers have been treated to the finest Mediterranean mea...

A well thought out franchise Establishing your franchise in a fast changing economy The rapid pace of urbanisation has created a greater concentration of economic activity in South Africa and has in turn affected the franchise industry holistically. “The franchise landscape has been shaken up with the proliferation of local franchises competing with the more established local and international franchise brands. From sit down to fast food restaurants, the industry has seen an increase in the number of local and new franchise concepts that have permeated the market,” says Morne Cronje, FNB Head of Franchising. Amina Bassa, owner of RJ’s on Florida Road in Durban agrees. She believes that “the restaurant franchise business is a fast paced industry. I looked for a franchise that would cater for everyone’s needs, including the halaal community. However, with its warm street vibe, and local and international visitors opening a franchise on popular Florida road was no easy feat.” ...

Why franchising is a viable business opportunity Being a successful entrepreneur takes drive, determination and passion for what you do. The success of an entrepreneur all boils down to recognising the right opportunities and of course, investing time, money and skills into making a proven business concept a successful reality.  The concept of franchising is not a new one, and many entrepreneurs have been able to achieve great success, as this business model remains one of the safest ways of becoming a business owner due to tried and tested recipes for business success. Owning a franchise can be a viable business investment opportunity, if it is supported by an enthusiastic head office team, a proven franchise dynasty, and a loyal consumers following that will support you along the way. But what does it take to be a successful franchisee? Bronwyn Oliveira, brand manager of Maxi’s, discusses that makes the franchisor of a nationwide chain of family restaurants so successful...