All I want for Christmas is a franchise Yolandi Ferreira For anyone who wants to become the master of their own destiny, purchasing a franchise presents the ideal escape route from corporate life.  And what better time to consider making a major life change than the end of one year and the beginning of a new one? Maxi’s Marketing Manager, Yolandi Ferreira, looks at what it takes to run a franchise and why Maxi’s is a wise and exciting option. If you’re dreaming of giving yourself a franchise for Christmas, there are few things you need to be mindful of.  Being a successful entrepreneur takes drive, determination and passion. The success of any entrepreneur hinges on recognising the right business opportunity and investing time, money and skills into turning a proven business concept a successful reality.  However, the franchise business model remains one of the safest ways of becoming a business owner as it is guided by tried and tested processes, underpinned b...

Soweto Sandwich Baron is the first step into a potentially profitable new frontier The Sandwich Baron group has seen some remarkable successes in the last while. Aside from expanding on the growth of the business, with the introduction of new stores and owners, the esteemed sandwich connoisseur even gave a deserving entrepreneur the opportunity to win a franchise. In 2013, Sandwich Baron, in association with the Franchise Association of Southern Africa (FASA), announced the competition to give one, hardworking, driven and passionate entrepreneur the opportunity of owning and managing their own Sandwich Baron store. To participate, all entrants underwent various stages of review, where they had to present not only financial records and background information, but also a comprehensive business plan on how they intended to manage a Sandwich Baron store to ensure its success.  Trevor Mashabane and Gloria Mautloa While the worthy winner was appointed and has since been running ...

Maxi’s Mokopane spearheads community fundraiser for medical expenses Maxi’s is well known as a restaurant brand that really cares about its local communities. So when its Mokopane franchise owners, Johan and Adri Potgieter, heard about a local woman in need, they immediately set about raising funds through an innovative and effective initiative. Elmarie Kruger was diagnosed with colon cancer in February 2014 and doesn’t have medical aid. She is the only working family member, as her husband lost his job in 2009. He is also chronically ill and is only able to do part time work.  Although Elmarie’s family have arranged events to raise money to keep the family going, the medical costs are causing great financial difficulties. Maxi's Mokopane stepped into the gap three months ago to rally the locally community with a “Mokopane Cares” campaign that asked all its customers to add R2 to the total when they paid for their meals. “The Mokopane Cares campaign is just one of several ...

An incentive can make all the difference in business It is no secret that having something to work towards in business is vital to keep it moving forward. Without a goal to aim for, we’re just stuck in a rut are we not? The problem is, however, in working fervently to achieve these goals with gusto, we sometimes lose that drive to make it to the finish line. The fact is, no matter what time of the year, fatigue can set in fast when it comes to reaching for those milestones. The answer? Incentive programmes. Jan de Beer, Managing Executive of The Fish & Chip Co. shares more on incentives in business and why these are important to enhance productivity. Working towards a goal means nothing without something to urge you on, which is why incentive plans are ideal as they not only provide those taking part with the needed motivation, but also offer recognition and reward to employees for meeting pre-established goals or objectives. No matter what form the incentive takes on, whet...

The Fish & Chip Co. puts a student on the fast track to success Student life. A time filled with little sleep, lots of fun and sadly, very, very little funds. While some students are lucky enough to have their own wheels, making life a little more accessible, those who don’t own their own mode of transport have certainly come to appreciate the friends who do.  Fortunately for the recently graduated Mechanical Engineering student, Daniel Molokomme, the days of catching a lift are over – as he is the proud new owner of a Chevrolet Spark Campus thanks to The Fish & Chip Co.  Molokomme, a 22 year old Mokopane resident, thought nothing would come from his entry into The Fish & Chip Co.’s ‘Win a Car’ competition.  “After buying a small fish and chips combo from my local store, I entered the competition, just to try my luck,” shares Molokomme. “I would never have thought that this meal would actually end up being my ticket to mobility. It still feels like I n...