We are in the final quarter of 2018 and it is a fact that the economic situation in South Africa presents a huge challenge for all of us. Job- uncertainty and the huge number of jobless people make everybody a little bit scared.  If there was ever a more critical time to sharpen up your computer skills to enable you to stand out in the workplace, this is the time! Do not let any opportunity to improve your job prospects, slip by in this last quarter of 2018. With Creative Minds® computer short courses, you can get positive results quickly. Just call your nearest Creative Minds® branch for a consultation and find out how easy it is to make a huge difference in your computer skill set! Creative Minds® offers the complete range of end-user courses on Microsoft Office 2013, 2016 and Windows 10. These courses are aligned to the Unit Standards of SAQA (South African Quality Authority) and accredited by MICT SETA. Courses available at Creative Minds® are: Windows 10, Level 1 + 2, 10

Stiaan Scheepers (middle) with his 2nd place trophy at the Junior Mental Calculation world championships 2018 A+Students learner Stiaan Scheepers (9 years old) achieved a 2nd place at the Junior Mental Calculation World Championship against stiff international competition. The World Championships which are held annually in Bielefeld Germany took place on 24 September 2018. Chairlady and founder of A+Students was the first to congratulate Stiaan on his momentous achievement only minutes after he received his award saying “You have done me proud, you have done A+Students proud and you have done your country proud but most of all you have done yourself proud – well done young man” The Junior Mental Calculation World Championship tests the Mental Calculation capabilities of the children in 3 age groups: Junior 1 (8-11), Junior 2 (12-15) and Junior 3 (16-19). At only 9 years old Stiaan was up against competitors who where up to two years older than him including the 11 year old wi

H2O International SA recently held its annual Franchise Meeting, where heads of branches came together to connect, learn and meet some of the groups international suppliers. One of the highlights on the Franchise Meeting calendar is the evening Gala Dinner and Awards Ceremony, where top performing franchisees are celebrated. The 2018 Top Performing Franchise was Century City, Cape Town – they broke all previous records by being the first H2O International SA franchise in history to sell more than R2-million worth of products and services in one month. Top Performers: Top left to right is Adrian Schoeman, Ken Lister, Carolyn Scholtz, Heather Phillips and Tony Marchesini. Bottom left to right is John Docherty, Ignatius Ferreira, Chris Le Mesurier and Mike Oosthuyzen. Along with Century City, other 2018 Top Performing Franchises include Durban North at #5, Somerset West at #4, Mpumalanga at #3 and Atlantic Seaboard at #2. Top Franchisee for Turnover: left to right is Ken Li

Nico Viljoen Written by Nico Viljoen, Executive Director The Tax Shop The Tax Shop Franchise Group, tailor-made for accountants and tax practitioners, uses three big mental shifts to develop inter alia thinking capacity and capability.  The main objective of the mental shifts is for The Tax Shop franchisees to have more freedom, money and time. From linearity to complexity Management systems and processes tend to be linear (assume similar inputs result in similar outputs). Though, The Tax Shop has a more nuanced view of the world as it involves people.   We continuously reflect on the franchise and ask questions such as: What motivates people, what are their interests, what are their needs and how engaged do they become? Mechanical systems may be linear but as soon as the human element becomes involved, the system becomes complex, adaptive and dynamic, which means that similar inputs may bring about wildly divergent outputs. Mechanical systems may be linear but as soon as

Cash Converters Bedworth Park Ubuntu is a treasured part of South Africa’s heritage – but it could be better applied in parts of the country’s business sector, believes Richard Mukheibir, CEO of Cash Converters. “Businesses operate most sustainably when they are entrenched in and care about the community that surrounds them,” he says. “Ubuntu means we are people through our interactions with each other and I firmly believe that a people-centred approach like that should be a strong thread in sound business development.” Embedding yourself in the community is also good for business – as long as you authentically and truly work at being your neighbourhood’s best buddy, he says. “Be about helping people get on with life, about making their lives easier,” he advises. “We always encourage new franchisees to take a fresh look at the neighbourhood where they are setting up so that they can be active participants and not just providers or suppliers.” Corporate social responsibility

Tony da Fonseca Planning to start a business but not quite sure whether you should go it alone or invest in a franchise? If so, you are not alone. It is safe to assume that franchising has the highest public profile any business model has ever had. That’s why many prospective entrepreneurs see investing in a franchise as a passport to instant riches whilst a few are convinced that franchises are a con. Both groups are wrong. This article explores the pros and cons of becoming a franchisee. What does the term ‘franchise’ mean? The modern definition of franchise is “being in business for yourself but not by yourself.” For a franchise to exist, it must be based on an existing and highly successful business. Several other criteria apply and will be discussed in another article. Let’s just say at this point that a mere idea can never form the basis for a franchise. How does franchising work? The main stakeholders in a franchise relationship are the franchisor and the franchisee.

The recent announcement that South Africa is in its first technical recession in nine years has dominated conversations from the newsroom to the watercooler. However, according to Herman van Papendorp, head of investment research and asset allocation at Momentum Investments, there’s really nothing technical about a recession and investors should stick to the basics to protect their investment momentum and ability to generate wealth in these pressing times. He points out that recessions are unfortunately a fact of life – and we need to structure and manage our investments accordingly. “To cope with the inevitable volatility – regardless whether recession or boom - that characterises investment markets from time to time, you should always be appropriately diversified across asset classes, investment strategies and mandates to smooth the investment journey as much as possible,” says Van Papendorp. He explains that a technical recession simply means that the South African economy has

ActionCOACH team South Africa ActionCOACH celebrated their 25 year anniversary in Hamilton Island, Australia at their annual Global Conference on August 10, 2018. The Global Conference is ActionCOACH's premiere event where their Coaches are recognised and celebrated. ActionCOACH, the world’s number 1 business coaching firm, was established and founded in Brisbane, Australia by Brad Sugars in 1993 when the concept of business coaching was still in its infancy. Since franchising the company in 1997, ActionCOACH has helped business coaching become more mainstream and has grown the company presence in more than 70 countries worldwide. ActionCOACH specializes in coaching small to medium sized businesses as well as executives, and their teams. ActionCOACH maintains it’s growth and strategic alliances by continual development of cutting-edge innovative technology, proven business processes, and systems to add value, satisfaction and additional income streams for it’s franchisees

Dawie Kriel How companies can shrink their water footprint by rethinking their refrigeration Refrigeration is an invaluable part of almost every business in the food and beverage industry, and the resources required to effectively operate and maintain these systems are significant. According to Dawie Kriel, Head of EP HVAC&R, part of Energy Partners , conventional refrigeration systems are often the biggest users of water in industrial and commercial applications. He states that the ongoing drought and severe water restrictions in parts of the country, have made businesses painfully aware of the amount of water they require on a daily basis. “This has already affected many businesses in South Africa, making the need to save water even more crucial. Many companies in the food and beverage industry make use of evaporative condensing in their refrigeration systems, since they are still the most energy efficient. These systems also consume massive amounts of water, and some c

Veronica Motloutsi Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Smart Digital Solutions, Veronica Motloutsi, was conferred not one, but two prestigious awards in recognition of the milestones she has achieved in the information and communications technology sector (ICT). Motloutsi was selected as the overall winner of the Top 50 Inspiring Women in 2018 and the Standard Bank Top Entrepreneur of the Year. Motloutsi founded Smart Digital a year ago to assist organisations and homes to transform into the digital age. Smart Digital has forged a partnership with Software AG to provide smart solutions to homes and businesses by leveraging the power of data analytics, big data, software and connectivity. The smart solutions that Smart Digital Solutions offer include fiber to the home (FTTH) connectivity and remote security surveillance for homes, and connectivity, Cloud and Office 365 for the enterprise customer. The Johannesburg-based company has seven full time employees, and consultants

Spring is on the way and Cash Converters is celebrating the season of renewal with a bigger than ever Spring Clean Sale – and this year it gives you two very different opportunities to cash in. The second phase of their Spring Sale Clean-up started on 3 September.  Cash Converters returns the favour by giving away R200 000 over 20 days! A total of 100 customers will win cash prizes in this Spring Clean Special Draw of R10 000 per day from 6 to 25 September. To enter, all you need to do is sell Cash Converters an unwanted item that you have decided to spring clean. Sorting through your cupboards for items that are in good condition but rarely used and that you are ready to sell could put you in line to be one of the lucky winners of a fistful of cash that will make your budget stretch further or give you a head start for early Christmas gift buys. If you have not yet managed to act on this year’s resolution to declutter your space, here is an excellent incentive to make good on

Christo Botes According to recent research conducted by the Small Business Institute of South Africa, local small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are still economically fragile, with approximately 70% of emerging small businesses failing within the first two years of operation. While there is no quick-fix to the economic challenges that continue to plague South African small businesses, there are strategies that local SME owners can adopt to make their businesses more resilient to improve their chances of success. One widely-publicised success story that is testament to this, is the growth of Ethiopian Airlines. In a region where most airlines have struggled to survive, Ethiopian Airlines surpassed its initial goals set in 2016 to become an award-winning international carrier. Christo Botes, executive director at Business Partners Limited (BUSINESS/PARTNERS), says that there is a lot that local small business owners can learn from the airline’s success. “Although Ethiopian Airlin

Vulcan Catering Equipment has recently completed an extensive refurbishment of The Bull Run restaurant in Gauteng. This well-established steakhouse, located opposite the Johannesburg Stock Exchange and a short walk from the Sandton CBD, has built an excellent reputation and a loyal following since it opened in 2000. Vulcan was selected to bring its high-end kitchen design and equipment expertise to the redesign of The Bull Run’s kitchen. The client’s broad brief was the redesign of the kitchen according to the chef’s requirements, the installation of the latest kitchen technology and the introduction of a new area to be known as the Dollar Bar. Vulcan needed to preserve the restaurant’s ambience while opening up the kitchen to diners, giving them a taste of the excitement and drama of the “food theatre” experience. All changes had to take place within the existing building envelope. As no previous design plans were available, once the site had been stripped, the Vulcan team r

Priya Naicker Good intentions can be like rainbows. Clear and bright one minute, faded and forgotten the next. In fact, some surveys suggest that only 20% of people stick to their New Year’s resolutions past February each year. While it’s possible to quick-fix fitness or social commitments, allowing your money goals to slip can have a significant negative impact on your current and future financial wellbeing. To be fair, you may not have anticipated the impact of a 1% increase in VAT, or an 82 cents increase in the petrol price. Rising prices can make it harder to stay on track. Yet according to Priya Naicker, Advice Manager at Old Mutual Personal Finance, making financial planning a part of your lifestyle can help overcome the challenges associated with fluctuating prices and uncertainty. In much the same way that an academic report card can identify strengths as well as areas in need of improvement, having a financial plan that you regularly review can help do the same for your

Gugu Mjadu Over the month of August, South Africa has celebrated the women of the country, shining a spotlight on their achievements, while also bringing to light some of the challenges that they still face. Despite decades of significant progress made towards female empowerment, many challenges still remain and achieving gender equality in the workplace is evidently one of these. This is according to Gugu Mjadu, executive general manager: marketing at Business Partners Limited, who refers to a survey recently released by PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) which reveals that women represent just 20 percent of senior management and executives in South Africa, and that 61 percent are paid less than the median of the sample. Business owners have a noble responsibility of contributing towards society achieving gender parity, she says. “Starting within their own businesses, business owners need to play an active role in managing the process to minimise tensions between men and women in th

Charl Du Plessis It is expected that Solar photovoltaic (PV) energy generation power will be the fastest growing renewable technology by 2022, and recent years have seen many countries increasing their reliance on PV generation for their power grids. According to Charl du Plessis, Head of Project Development at Energy Partners Commercial Solar, a division of Energy Partners and part of the PSG group of companies, PV generation has also witnessed exponential growth in the private sector, with industries ranging from manufacturing, retail, mining and fast moving consumer goods, to agriculture adopting solar energy at an increasing rate. “The cost of PV systems has reduced significantly in the last six months. In addition, the cost of grid-based power continues to rise in South Africa, which is why we have seen interest from companies in increasingly diverse industries to provide PV generation solutions. We have even been approached by companies in areas like KwaZulu Natal (which

Signarama , the world’s largest signage franchise, celebrates its one-year anniversary with their marketing agency, The Brand Cartel, this September. Since the partnership came into fruition, Signarama and The Brand Cartel have both enjoyed incredible success over the past 12 months and continue to break boundaries and enjoy ongoing positive results. The Brand Cartel have executed two successful campaigns for Signarama’s brand strategy in the last year. The ‘Need A Sign’ campaign brought a sense of humour to seamless campaign and signage solutions for customers whilst keeping the integrity and high quality intact that Signarama is best known for. Showcasing the actual product is of utmost importance for Signarama and with the partnership with The Brand Cartel, customers were able to experience the product with its innovative ‘Inception’ campaign. As a customer, quality and assurance is a necessity and Signarama were able to give their customers the confidence to make the right

Byron Jeacocks With the first day of spring officially behind us, it’s important to remember that it’s not just your home that stands to benefit from a good spring clean. Small and medium enterprise (SME) owners are urged to take a moment to revitalise and streamline their business with a thorough review of their operations This is according to Byron Jeacocks, regional general manager at Business Partners Limited (BUSINESS/PARTNERS), in reference to The State of South African Small Business in 2017 report, released by Xero in partnership with World Wide Worx, which reveals that 22,5 percent of SMEs cited keeping up with the competition as one of their biggest challenges. “The business landscape is ever evolving and, as such, it is imperative for business owners to ensure that their processes are up to date and that they have plans in place for the upcoming seasons. This will ensure that they can stay ahead of their competitors.” Jeacocks lists the 10 key areas that SME owners s

Portia Mngomezulu Written by Janine Caradonna on behalf of Pick n Pay Portia Mngomezulu was awarded Pick n Pay’s 2018 Small Supplier of the Year award Local entrepreneur Portia Mngomezulu, founder of Portia M Skin Solutions , was awarded Pick n Pay’s 2018 Small Supplier of the Year award for her business’ exceptional growth performance and job creation. The annual award recognises and rewards the company’s top performing small supplier in the country across various categories. When Portia gave birth to her son in 2010, she not only embraced motherhood, but also entrepreneurship. After developing stretch markets during her pregnancy, her mother-in-law suggested Marula oil to treat the scarring. The results were so impressive that Portia wanted to share it with those closest to her. Investing R200 initially, Portia bought Marula oil directly from rural women in Limpopo, bottled it herself and began selling it as a side-business. The profit she made on each bottle was reinvested