3@1 has signed a master franchise agreement that will enable the opening of its first location in Zambia, with a commitment for another 26 stores over the next five years. The agreement was signed as part of the brand’s African expansion plan. The first Zambian store is set to open in the first quarter of 2017 with more to follow during the course of the year. New franchise stores are also set to open in Maseru, Lesotho, as well as Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Windhoek, Namibia, early in the new year. The brand has earmarked Botswana, Angola, Mauritius, and Seychelles for further expansion. 3@1 franchisees focus on offering a print-to-go service, including colour and black and white digital prints, copies and large format printing, as well as Kodak photographic solutions, DHL international and local courier services, internet, postal and secretarial services, and the sale of peripherals like ink cartridges, flash drives, paper, photo books, block mounting and more.

Gugu Mjadu December is often associated with giving. While business and individual budgets may not be as generous as previous years’ due to challenging economic times forcing many to tighten their purse strings, often a monetary donation isn’t needed to make a meaningful impact, but rather the donation of time, guidance and knowledge.  One particular area in South Africa that can benefit greatly from such a donation is entrepreneurship says Gugu Mjadu, spokesperson for the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS. Pointing to the Nedbank Giving Report, Mjadu says that not enough time is dedicated to upskilling aspiring entrepreneurs to start or grow their own businesses. The report revealed that only 10% of survey respondents supported entrepreneurship, up 2% from 2012, with the largest percentage of givers supporting social and community development (69%). “The need to address South Africa’s social and community challenges is urgent...

BACKGROUND Inspiration for CO. Social Brasserie comes from the most successful venues globally where service culture and the concept of sharing good food and memorable occasions are combined to shape an extraordinary new experience.    COmpany draws on the 25 years’ experience and know-how of the successful Cubaña brand. The staff culture, which has contributed to the success of Cubaña, will be used as a building block to deliver the best customer experience in the business. CO. Social Brasserie has established itself as an innovative concept that is committed to expanding their footprint through franchising. THE CONCEPT The dinner table was the original social network and CO. Social Brasserie’s social tables have resurrected the food sharing initiative where it is all about connecting perfect strangers and friends to an unforgettable dining experience.  CO. Social Brasserie pride themselves on serving fresh and locally sourced produce which adds to...

Reacting to two announcements this week - on the proposed national minimum wage of R20 per hour or around R3 500 per month and unemployment rising 27.1 percent, the highest in 13 years – the franchise sector, which contributes 11.6 percent to the country’s GDP and employs over 400 000 people through its 757 franchise systems and their 35 111 franchise outlets, is keen to find  solutions that will maintain a balance between paying a liveable wage and creating the necessary jobs to grow the economy. This is according to Vera Valasis, FASA ’s Executive Director.  “The franchise sector is unique in that it is represented in seventeen different business sectors – many of whom have their own sector bargaining councils setting their own minimum salary scales. “Whilst we wholeheartedly support the move towards paying a liveable wage, and many of our franchise owners already pay their staff above the minimum prescribed wage, those in the more rural areas where lower sales are realise...

Ryan Harrison and StaceyBrewer The South African education sector has been thrust into the spotlight in recent months, eliciting many questions, debates and varying opinions about the current state of the education sector within the country and the potential solutions to an ongoing crisis. It has been reported that South Africa has one of the highest rates of public investment in education in the world. Accounting for around 7% of gross domestic product (GDP) and 20% of total state expenditure, the government spends more on education than on any other sector1.Yet, innovative entrepreneur and co-founder of SPARK Schools , Ryan Harrison, says that this is currently not translating to tangible results.  He adds that amid all the current negative reports, there are opportunities presenting themselves within the sector to inspire greater outcomes for South Africa’s youth. Recently awarded the Innovator of the Year® title in the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition ...

by Sandwich Baron founder and CEO Sally J’Arlette-Joy Sandwich Baron franchisees can earn a comfortable living, and in some cases an exceptional living, if they adhere to 10 basic rules which have been gleaned from my 20 years’ experience running outlets. Abiding by these tips has seen many franchisees earn reliable livings through good economic times and bad, while not following them has resulted in some franchisees failing. 1.    Run the shop yourself There are not many, if any, instances of successful manager-run Sandwich Baron outlets. You are unlikely to make it unless you are personally running the business on the shop floor. There are examples where franchisees think the business is doing well, only to find once their bookkeeper completes the books that their stock is being stolen to fund somebody else’s business. 2.    Take personal responsibility for the performance of the store ‘Do you plan to run the shop yourself?’ This is always my f...

Although not anywhere near the frequency when load-shedding was in full force, power and especially water cuts have become more and more frequent in the past few months as the drought sets in and infrastructure problems persist.  Even small outages and water cuts can have disastrous effects on unprepared businesses and the Franchise Association of South Africa (FASA) is concerned at the impact that water shortages and cuts is having on its over 700 franchise systems and their over 35 000 franchise outlets. In Ehurhuleni, where water rationing has been implemented, there have been regular water cuts between 9 pm at night and 5am in the morning.  Whilst this on the surface seems logical, this can have an adverse impact on the restaurant and fast food industry, for example, that trades late at night.  This could result in businesses having to close earlier to complete their entire hygiene cleaning procedures before 9pm at night – a move that will lose them valuable rev...

Access to new markets and funding are the biggest barriers to developing or taking female-owned businesses to the next level, according to a South African Entrepreneurship survey by Standard Bank . Jobs and growth in Africa will be dependent on innovation and entrepreneurship, but the survey of 130 South African female entrepreneurs found that most women are still pressured to pursue a traditional career. Yet, if they do, they are then pressured to be the “perfect business woman and homemaker”. According to the survey, which was conducted in October to coincide with the inaugural Lionesses of Africa Annual Conference in Johannesburg, female entrepreneurs are seeking more resources (31%), support (24%) and networking (22%). Interestingly, infrastructure, training and technology were not seen as barriers by this group of women entrepreneurs, but this may be attributed to the sizes of their businesses. Almost all of the respondents had relatively small to medium-sized businesses with...

Mikie Monoketsi Mikie Monoketsi started Mama’s Spices & Herbs , the home of exquisite spices with just R10 000 a few years ago.  How she conceptualized the business might leave you questioning few things you might have read about researching a business idea. Mikie Monoketsi’s research methodologies prior to starting the business were very unconventional in their nature from the beginning. She parked her car in townships she was familiar with speaking to people there and with some allowing her in her kitchens.   Monoketsi was surprised to learn how many people in the townships were using very cheap and poor quality spices with high levels of salt, MSG, preservatives, additives and bulking agents – which all negatively impact health and contribute to the high levels of hypertension and diabetes. The insights she gained from this formed the basis of the business. Mama’s Spices & Herbs almost didn’t materialize even though she had done her research which proved ...

For some people granting an agent an exclusive mandate to sell their home is an intimidating thought.  Giving their home to only one person to market and sell, seems like madness in a world teaming with estate agents who offer radiant smiles and glowing promises. But is placing one of your most valuable investments in an open market really the best thing you can do? Let's then take a frank look at exclusive mandates and answer some of the frequently asked questions many people raise. What exactly is an exclusive mandate? In short, it is sole representation. An exclusive mandate is therefore your commissioning of a single agent who is thereby entrusted to sell your property. Do I miss out on potential buyers if I only have one agent working on my property? The truth of the matter is that a person wanting to buy a home is going to locate their desired suburb(s) and shop around. The more important factor then is how your home is represented and this is where your agent comes...

Christo Botes, Executive Director at Business Partners Two young entrepreneurs, Bahle Nteleki and Mazizi Njokweni, have been crowned the national winners in the 2016 Business Partners / SME Toolkit Global Entrepreneurship Week’s Business Plan Competition for Aspiring Young Entrepreneurs at an awards ceremony held in Johannesburg. The two entrepreneurs will as a result be equipped with the tools and practical knowledge required to turn their promising business idea into a reality. Now in its 7th year, the competition is in celebration of annual Global Entrepreneurship Week, taking place next week 14 – 20 November, and invites youth between the ages of 18 and 35 to submit their business ideas, and attend one of 12 workshops held around the country. These regional workshops focus on teaching the complexities and fundamentals of compiling a business plan, as well as the basics of running a business. All 2016 entrants also received a Sales and Marketing eLearning course from SA Busi...

BACKGROUND Miki Maths Magic was founded with the sole purpose of helping young children make more sense of mathematics. Believing that children should learn mathematics from a young age when the foundation for future success is built, the franchisor set out to create a fun environment with a strong emphasis on developing their leaners’ understanding of concepts. Today Miki Maths Magic boasts 45 franchises across South Africa teaching around 4,000 children a week. With a strong emphasis on product development, the franchisor is continuously working to improve their offering. THE CONCEPT Miki Maths Magic is a structured programme that helps young children, aged three to 12, develop a rich understanding of essential mathematical concepts. The programme is generally offered through weekly lessons at schools and centres. Lessons are taught in small groups by well-trained tutors. Miki's 5–Star Maths Plan A school-based curriculum – The maths programme offered is relevant t...

It is that time of the year again when we all focus on planning our December holidays, and counting down the days till we can take the much needed break. “With all the excitement, of the holiday season ahead, one can easily focus too much on where you will be going and forget about what you are leaving behind” cautions Craig Hutchison, CEO of Engel & Völkers Southern Africa . Even for those not actually going away on holiday – it is still worth taking note of the items below as we all know that December is a very popular time for criminals to be on the prowl, so make sure that you review both your home content insurance as well as the actual security which is in place before it is too late. HOME CONTENT INSURANCE “Insurance is one of those things that very few of us can afford not to have – however expensive it may be” says Hutchison. There are numerous insurance companies out there, who offer a range of options, so it's difficult to choose which one to go for, and often diff...