As an employer, you are responsible for maintaining a working environment that is safe and without risk to the health of your employees while they are at work; this is as per the Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) Act 85 of 1993 Section 8 — General duties of employers. Unfortunately not many franchisees truly understand their obligations and how to adequately fulfil these requirements. Being party to a franchise arrangement does not lessen the health and safety obligations of the employer, and while Operations Manuals are generally silent on this subject and provide only limited, if any, information, it is imperative that franchisees understand the OHS act, its regulations and the importance thereof. The Act outlines the duties of all those involved within the workplace. Generally, the duty of the employer/franchisee is to ‘so far as is reasonably practicable, provide and maintain for employees a working environment that is safe and without risks to health’. In simple terms that

Success or failure of retail franchises primarily depends upon local marketing initiatives. In addition to the franchisor’s marketing efforts, success comes when a franchisee markets his or her business among the local community. Failure is usually a result of a franchisee believing he’s bought a business for which everything is laid on for him. Sally J’Arlette-Joy, founder of Sandwich Baron , says the key to success lies in a corporate marketing strategy dovetailing with a franchisee’s local marketing strategy. J’Arlette-Joy has a number of proven tips for franchisees. These are relevant to any franchisee, even though tailored for Sandwich Baron’s 49 outlets nationwide. “Much of our focus has been on maintaining a strong Internet presence, and we would similarly recommend this to franchisees. When you google ‘sandwich’, ‘Sandwich Baron’ is the first website that comes up. But to maintain that search engine presence requires constant updating. My advice is: first put aside a

B ACKGROUND In the digital world we live in, the question is often asked whether physical barriers are still relevant and the answer is a definitive, yes! Although the electronic age offers numerous audible warning systems, a physical barrier remains the last physical line of defence against criminal activity — much like the safety belt in an automobile. Maxidor is a leading physical security barrier manufacturer in southern Africa and has been a presence in the physical security barrier industry for over three decades. The company’s well-known trademarks include the original Maxidor Slamlock™, Inscape security concept and, of course, their now famous 10–Year Buy-Back™ Guarantee. By developing products in line with criminal modus operandi their dedicated research and development facilities have ensured their position at the forefront of physical security barrier development, arguably offering some of the best physical resistance against criminal attack. THE CONCEPT  Over and

Howard Arrand Let’s start with KZN Not withstanding the struggling South African economy, the tourism industry is providing a glimpse of hope as one of the critical sectors that will boost growth and promote job creation. The sector posted positive growth numbers in a year where world markets were depressed.  Businesses in this sector should be prepared to take advantage of the opportunities presented by local and international developments. Howard Arrand, Provincial Head of FNB Business in KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) says “the tourism industry contributes an estimated 3% to the national GDP, employing an average of one-in-25 people in South Africa - significantly more than most industries”. He argues that tourism is the ‘goose that lays the golden egg’, we should be focused on growing the sector exponentially. South Africa has remained a popular luxury destination for many international travellers; especially as it offers a world class experience from shopping to pristine beaches and

Business Partners Limited outlook for SMEs in 2017 From a small and medium enterprises (SME) perspective, the current economic environment is more conducive to growth and opportunity than it was a year ago. This is according to Ben Bierman, Managing Director of Business Partners Limited (BUSINESS/PARTNERS) , a specialist risk finance company for formal SMEs. “2016 saw a shift in terms of global politics and economic issues, specifically in South Africa, which brought about stronger cooperation between the private sector, government and civil society to better foster and increase the success of SMEs in 2017.” In the year ahead SMEs can expect better economic growth, inflation that will not be as severely impacted by rising food costs and an interest rate environment that will at worst not show dramatic increases in the prime rate, says Bierman. “These improved conditions should provide a more solid platform for local SMEs to grow and pursue their objectives in their respective sectors

BACKGROUND Oasis Water was established in response to the growing global need for a reliable clean water source, a fact that has enabled them to expand their footprint across South African borders into Botswana and Namibia. Oasis offers would-be franchisees a viable business opportunity that will allow them to also make a positive difference in their community. By using the public distribution system as its water supply, Oasis Water is able to keep material and purification costs to a minimum, resulting in a truly viable and attractive franchise opportunity. THE CONCEPT In terms of the franchise agreement, Oasis Water franchisees are granted a controlled right to trade under the Oasis trademark, using the franchisor’s proven system. The franchise package comprises everything needed to establish the franchise and the franchisor provides continued assistance to inexperienced business owners as they learn the ropes of running a successful business. Oasis Water is not your aver

Christo Botes 2016 was a tough year for many South Africans – and small businesses took a hard knock as the local economy experienced many challenges to overcome. Despite this testing environment, there are certain sectors that are ripe with opportunity for astute entrepreneurs to capitalise on in 2017. This is according to Christo Botes, spokesperson for the 2017 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS , who identifies technology, communication and education as some of the sectors that are set to grow in 2017. “In addition to the sectors that traditionally perform well in South Africa, such as tourism, there are definite opportunities being identified in other, less traditional sectors which show ample entrepreneurial potential.” Botes says that the first of these thriving sectors is telecommunications. “Currently, there is a lot happening in the telecoms sector, with the expanding national rollout of fibre driven by the growing uptake o

BACKGROUND BizzBooks aims to ensure that every entrepreneur they teach or work with will go on to grow smart, successful, profitable and compliant businesses that pay their owners well and creates employment opportunities. As a BizzBooks franchisee you will be required to coach your clients, and explain what your services entail and how they can benefit the entrepreneur. Reasons for joining forces is simple — two is better than one. The more resources that are pooled into the group, the stronger we become. BizzBooks has the expertise, brand, technical support and business know-how. Founder and CEO, Karen de Villiers, is a seasoned accountant with more than 14 years’ practice experience. THE CONCEPT BizzBooks is a group of professionals working together towards a common goal, inspired by the idea that every business owner should have an FD-On-Call. Franchisees work with start-ups, and small and medium enterprises, providing sound financial knowledge and planning to help them g

Dr. Yudhvir Seetharam A positive outlook on a tough year for business  According to National Treasury, the GDP growth rate is forecasted at an estimated 1.3% for 2017. The outlook points to a tough year ahead for business; however, there are a few trends that promise a positive narrative for businesses during the year. “It isn’t all doom and gloom: Yes, the economy is slowing - however businesses that want to gain any wins in the market place in 2017 will have to operate in a more astute manner” says Dr. Yudhvir Seetharam, Head of Analytics at FNB . Seetharam shared his outlook on a few trends in various industries that we can expect in 2017. Growth in the pre-owned car market spurs on SME’s in related markets The new car market will most likely continue to slow in 2017 as cash strapped consumers continue to opt to keep their cars. The saving grace for this sector will ultimately come from the pre-owned and spare parts market, and through it we are likely to see an increase in

Head into the year with a goal-setting mindset and a daily plan to help you achieve success. Contributed by Gary Epstein The beginning of a new year always heralds change and gets us thinking about the bad habits we need to break and the good ones we want to cultivate. This type of thinking can be channelled into your work life to get your year off to a great start. Be realistic Unrealistic goals will almost surely doom you to failure. Picking a small, realistic goal for every day and a larger, ultimate goal for the year, is more likely to deliver results. Someone who never exercises, for example, won’t be able to run 5km every day, but they might be able to manage a ten minute walk. This is an achievable daily goal that can then be extended as they feel stronger and fitter. Choosing a goal you can get excited about will make it easier to stick to your plan. If you need a little more encouragement, look around for someone who is knowledgeable about your goal and ask that pe