Furthering one’s education is always a good idea, particularly if its to advance one’s career and while MBAs have been lauded as one of the greatest career boosters, is it really worth the effort and expense?

Peter von Loesecke, CEO and MD of The MBA Tour, says it is.

“With the growing digitisation of our economies and the increasing importance of technology in our society, I believe that studying towards an MBA and specialised master’s degree is more valuable than ever. These graduates are among the few professionals who are able to speak both the language of business and the language of technology, bridging the gap between these two worlds,” said Loesecke.

Loesecke is bringing the fourth MBA Tour to Johannesburg on 8 October, so prospective MBA students can get as much information as possible before making a potentially life-changing decision.

READ MORE: Where to find the best MBA programmes in Africa

“We are excited to be bringing The MBA Tour back to South Africa for the fourth consecutive year, as well as giving potential students access to some of the best schools globally to consider for MBA studies or a specialised master’s degree. Both the MBA and specialised master’s qualification allows professionals to take their career to the next level by enhancing their skillsets for further growth in the future.”

According to Loesecke, research has shown that studying further, whether it’s an MBA or a master’s degree, offers a wealth of advantages, especially when it’s offered by a top business school with a good reputation. These advantages include getting a higher salary after graduation, landing a top management position, or even becoming your own boss.

“Both an MBA and a specialised master’s are critical tools for employees striving to establish themselves as invaluable assets because the programmes are designed to nurture the soft skills demanded by blue-chip companies – leadership, empathy, and global awareness – as well as understand the nuts and bolts of business.”

He said this year’s tour aims to create a platform for attendees to network with representatives from top business schools and, in doing so, provide them with information to make informed decisions on how they can take their careers to the next level.”

READ MORE: UCT and Stellenbosch programmes named on list of top MBAs in the world

The MBA Tour, founded in 1993, is an independent and high-quality information source that provides independent and accurate information regarding MBA admissions. The MBA Tour serves as a platform for personal interaction between prospective MBA students, potential Master’s students, business school admissions representatives, alumni and other like-minded education enthusiasts, featuring top business schools such as Columbia University, Duke University in North Carolina, MIT, Sloan in Massachusetts, the University of British Columbia and many more. The event will include panel sessions, small group meetings, and presentations from representatives of more than sixteen of the top business schools around the globe.

The tour takes place on Monday, 8 October, at the Hilton Hotel in Sandton between 5pm and 10pm.

The post Here’s why you should consider studying for an MBA appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

After spending almost two decades in the corporate sector, this entrepreneur founded an advertising agency and is planning to expand it throughout Africa.

Established in 2015 and already operating in Botswana and South Africa, Harambee Communications is a 100% black-owned and managed integrated communications agency, with a special focus on activations, events, promotions and sponsorships.

“I only worked in the corporate sector for 17 years,” he said.

Peter started his career at SAB (Now AB-InBev) in 1999 as a marketing trainee and spent seven years working on various brands. He then moved to Nike South Africa and Nedbank, filling senior marketing management roles.

“I then spent seven years at MultiChoice as Head of Marketing for SuperSport across the African continent,” he said.

READ MORE: Murendeni Mafumo: an entrepreneur who’s out to change lives

This is where he recognised an opportunity to launch a pan-African advertising agency. He found that most of the companies doing pan-African work were based in South Africa or using an agency based in the country.

Most of these agencies operating on the continent didn’t have an insight into how the work is done. He saw this as an opportunity not to be missed. “I’ve been dealing with these countries and it made sense to create an agency that would do more work across Africa,” he said.

In the first six months, the business didn’t generate any income, but Peter didn’t give up on his dream. He recalled that it wasn’t easy to secure clients with all the red tape in his way. He had invested some of his savings in the business.

Determined to succeed, he kept going and convincing more clients to take up his services. “The fact that most clients loved my work and what I was presenting to them kept me going, although the process was taking too long,” he said. “I knew that something would come along – it was just a matter of overcoming administration and procurement challenges.”

He said that entrepreneurship is not as easy as people make it out to be. When he was an employee, it was all about him, but now it’s about his employees and the business’s reputation.

The agency focuses more on marketing insight and understanding target audiences in order to stand out from rivals.

“A lot of our competitors in this space are better at executing. We start before that, we try to understand what the client wants, then understand the client target audiences and then execute.”

READ MORE: Entrepreneur Charles Ngobeni on deciphering the success code

He said the challenges of operating businesses in Africa differ from country to country and that it was easier to set up shop in Botswana than in other Southern African Development Community countries.

Cash flow has been one of the biggest stumbling blocks in his business operations. “I have clients who pay me in 30 days, but my suppliers want to be paid upfront. That means I’m bankrolling the clients.

“I’ve started investing money back into the business to overcome that challenge,” he said.

Harambee opened an office in Botswana to service its ever-growing clients from the region, as well as pan-African clients. The business supports 12 employees in its Joburg office and five in its Gaborone office.

The post This entrepreneur is taking his advertising agency across Africa appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

“I know my core skills, and most importantly my own weaknesses, so I ensure that I have the right team in place to complete the loop.  In South Africa specifically, I’ve also found having a strong network to be critical to the success of my businesses,” he says.

Marcus is an entrepreneur who started his first company Sinsation Promotions at the age of 18, building it up to be a real contender in the industry.

At the age of 25, he created The Poker Room, a corporate team-building venture that offered corporates training in poker and game theory – designed to enhance the use of poker skills in business and business skills in poker.

In 2008, he ventured into the world of publishing, establishing luxury lifestyle magazine Live Out Loud in Cape Town.

READ MORE: Avelile Nontanda on creating a platform for black creatives

His latest venture, Magnetic, was founded in 2012, together with business partners Jan Pickard and Korak Kuhnert – who built the app – and he introduced this innovative project management software to marketing and advertising agencies, offering them a platform that has proven to be a vital tool for managing the freelance workforce of experienced professionals.

Growing up, Marcus didn’t know what he wanted, but remembers that he was always on the lookout for opportunities.

“The first one hit me fresh out of school, when I went to a R5 drinks party attended by a small group of people – probably 20 at most. I went to the owner and motivated that he allow us to take over the venue every Monday night.  That’s how my first venture, SinSation Promotions, was born. We grew the company significantly, until it became one of Cape Town’s leading party promotions companies. This kick-started my passion for driving my own future, and I have never looked back,” he says.

Marcus believes Magnetic has helped him diversify his business.

“We’ve created a flexible and open work environment for our team, giving them the opportunity to take part in high-level conversations which contribute to the future success of the company. At Magnetic, our goal is to provide a single solution to managing all the important processes inside a business,” he says.

Marcus says retrenching some of his employees when his previous business failed about a decade ago was the most challenging phase of his entrepreneurial journey.

READ MORE: Entrepreneur Q&A: GetSmarter founder

“We did everything we could to keep the business going, and this was my first – very hard – lesson on how difficult it is to close down a business,” he recalls.

He realised that this challenge was the result of having no clear financial plan and cash flow forecast.

“I’m fortunate to have a business partner at Magnetic now who is extremely financially sound and ensures that we adhere to the budget,” he says.

Magnetic has clients across the UK and USA. Marcus is planning a full UK strategy to replicate the growth path in the local advertising and marketing sector.

The post Dan Marcus on what it takes to be a successful entrepreneur appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

Songo’s Twitter descriptor reads: “A marketer, serial entrepreneur, business speaker and USP fanatic.”

As CEO at creative agency House of Brave, this Wits University and AAA School of Advertising graduate’s worked with industry leaders within the marketing and advertising industry, including the Mortimer Harvey Group, Matoni Visuals and the McCann World Group.

What ignited your entrepreneurial spark?
Studying and reading about business. I also wanted to change my family’s destiny by building a strong legacy for future generations. I believe we can propel the future leaders of this country by creating an impact today.

How can we develop a culture of entrepreneurship in SA?
SA has to focus on developing two key areas in youth: the ability to teach others and the ability to identify and connect with true passion and purpose. These are the qualities needed for leadership. Great leaders know how to build communities around a single idea or purpose. It’s said that passion is the genesis of genius. Entrepreneurship is the biggest personal discovery journey anyone can ever take.

READ MORE: Tim Hogins: From security guard to serial entrepreneur

What advice would you give your 18-year-old self?

• Maximise ideas and actions within 24 hours, at most.
• Get married sooner, rather than later.
• Contribute to your community as much as possible through time, actions and any other possible way.
• Consume information about everything as though you were being paid to do so.

How did you find funding for your venture?
My first business was started by borrowing R31 000 from a friend. It turned into a R20 million company by the time I was 26. The best form of funding is from customers through the door.

READ MORE: Calvin Mathibeli: Gardener-turned-successful-entrepreneur

What advice would you give young people starting an entrepreneurial journey?

• Create a routine to remind yourself of your goals, while caring for your mind and body – for example, running while listening to talks by successful people.
• Make sure you’re in a good emotional space before you start a business.
• Have trusted people around you to support you on your journey, as it can be tough and lonely at times.
• Teach yourself or learn the skills you require.
• Aim to be the best, not the biggest.

The post Karabo Songo on what influenced his entrepreneurial spark appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

Manzini Zungu was raised by his grandparents, who involved him in farming activities from an early age – planting vegetables and selling the harvest around the township. “Those years cultivated the entrepreneur in me quite early, so I always knew that my path would lead to owning businesses,” he says.

Zungu’s career in marketing and communications has spanned more than 25 years and has included leadership roles at Blink magazine, Quilter International, Hamashe Media, Hamashe Energy and Hamashe Projects. In 2011, he took the leap and established his own consulting firm, Pacinamix, using the R50 000 pension he received after resigning.

“It wasn’t much, but it helped me invest in resources that were crucial to the day-to-day running of the business,” he says. “The company needed its first project to operate and once that was clinched, the wheels started turning. We started as a communications and marketing business, but we expanded because we realised we could offer more to our clients.”

READ MORE: Sharing the wealth

Pacinamix went on to gain the trust of successful brands such as the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union, McDonald’s SA, the City of Tshwane, Rand Water, Vodacom, the Mandela International Film Festival, BP, Media24 and Absa.

“Wealth can only be created if we have ownership of the things we do,” says Zungu. “For a business owner to create sustainable wealth, they need to make a point of re-investing in the business and growing it. That includes growing the skills base and becoming part of the global community to remain at the top of your game for yourself and your clients.”

Zungu believes that an insatiable desire to learn is an integral cornerstone of entrepreneurship. “You can’t grow if you refuse to expand your thinking beyond a limited vision. My decision to keep learning has automatically broadened my horizons in a way I could never have imagined. Knowledge always leads to personal and financial growth.”

READ MORE: What happened to SA’s black corporate wealth?

He advises people entering business for the first time to treat entrepreneurship as a long game. “Know that it’s not a short-term endeavour. A business needs to pass the three-year mark in order to have a chance of flourishing, but you’re likely to fail at your first attempt. Keep trying. And don’t be hard on yourself if things don’t work out – if you don’t succeed in the entrepreneurial space, there are other opportunities to create wealth.

“From personal experience, I’d also advise aspiring entrepreneurs to remember that the money the venture makes isn’t their own. It belongs to the business.”

The post Manzini Zungu: Secrets of wealth creation appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

When looking to get extra cash flow to start or grow your business, it is important to research exactly what your business needs before making a request to a bank, or any other institution or person, for that matter, for funding.

According to Yoco, a fintech startup company, there are six important criteria to consider when looking for finance.

Here’s what to consider:

• How much money you’re looking for
• The interest rate when having to repay the loan
• The manner in which you ask for funding (face-to-face versus email etc)
• How easy it is to apply for the funding
• The terms of the loan
• The repayment terms

READ MORE: Why is your request for funding being declined?

The post INFOGRAPHIC: 6 considerations when looking for funding appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

According to Yoco, a fintech startup company, most entrepreneurs dip into their personal savings when looking for startup capital for a business.

Depending on what the business is, and the size of the business, some people require between R20 000 to R500 000 for startup capital.

Research done by the company suggests that 47% of entrepreneurs first access their personal savings to start a business. About 33% use personal finance while 30% reach out to family members for loans. Surprisingly only 9% of entrepreneurs go to the bank for access to funding.

And while many might think starting a company needs casts amount of cash, according to this study 30% of entrepreneurs needed between R20 000 and R100 000 to start their businesses.

READ MORE: What to consider if your start-up is looking for funding

The post INFOGRAPHIC: Where entrepreneurs look for funding appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

The Bull Ring, a stylish new racecourse, restaurant and event venue in Randjesfontein, Midrand, was co-founded by Tumelo and Celeste Matsose.

The dynamic couple recently bought the Ranjesfontein Training Centre with a view of turning it into the lively space that it has now become.

The couple are business partners in Bullish Beer and the Bull Ring – Africa’s first black-owned racecourse

Tumelo describes himself as an “accidental academic” with over 14 years’ experience in the investment and asset management space, working with large financial institutions.

READ MORE: Tsikwe Molobye: SA’s prince of craft beer

This entrepreneur holds an MBA from Gibs, a BCom degree in marketing and business management and an international marketing management diploma from IMM. He grew up believing that he could not complete a degree and chose to start working instead.

He walked into a learnership interview at Liberty Life uninvited and convinced the interviewers that he would be hardest-working employee if they took a chance on him and was selected alongside 11 degreed learners were selected.

He was the top student in the programme and became a manager at a very young age, leading older colleagues.

Two years into his career, he was involved in his first restructuring programme and left Liberty to join Old Mutual. He started studying, adding a Gibs MBA to his list of educational achievements. He also enjoyed stints at Bentley University and MIT in the USA.

It was in the USA that he met other hungry pioneers and was introduced to crypto-currency. Eager to start his own thing, Matgal Capital was born.

He now spends every waking moment building his company and continuing to learn.

He recently developed the first retail crypto-currency LISP fund, making cryptocurrency investment accessible to the average person by reducing customers’ specific currency risk.

READ MORE: This is how Yamkela Kiviet started a string of businesses

The 150-seater Bull Ring Grill and Bar boasts stylish industrial decor and an extensive menu. It caters for all occasions – from business lunches and after-work drinks and tapas, to chilled family dinners and nights out with friends.

“We envisaged a lively locale where people could mingle and have fun in a relaxed outdoor setting out in the country and away from the city. One of the things we loved about the property is the sheer size of it, which provides the flexibility for clients to use the space in a vast variety of ways. They can utilise the existing infrastructure of the Grill and Bar, spill out into the more casual beer garden terrace outside, or we can bring in infrastructure to host massive events on the expansive lawns and racetrack,” said Celeste.

“We have ambitious plans for the Bull Ring and look forward to hosting many thrilling events here,” she added.

The post Tumelo Matsose on founding SA’s first black-owned racecourse appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

Vere Shaba, an award-winning green building innovator, made a big mistake when she entertained an offer from a Spanish company.

The entrepreneur, who is the director of engineering consulting firm Shaba Green Building Design and Engineering, always wanted to be a green engineer and worked hard to get there, but she got sidetracked (and lost a friend) when she chose to sell a product from the Spanish company instead of focusing on her business goals.

READ MORE: Self-sabotaging business blunders to avoid

• Is this worth my time?

“If you remember why you started out in your career or business in the first place, you will know when to say no. “No” is a complete sentence; it doesn’t require justification or explanation. And, you will say it in full confidence, unashamedly, when you keep track of what originally motivated you,” says Shaba.

• Have I got all the legal documentation?

A practical lesson she learnt was that a non-disclosure agreement is not a partnership agreement. She emphasises the importance of working with people whose core business is to advise on specific matters, like a good lawyer. “Don’t rely on Google,” she cautions.

• Is this the change I want to make through my business? 

Her experience also taught her that everyone is out for their own self-interest and that this is OK. “It may seem contradictory, but if more people acted in their own self-interest – with self-love and self-worth – we wouldn’t have such a broken society. You can still be kind, but play by the rules of the capitalist game and score. The more businesses that win, the less unemployment we’ll have in South Africa. We need businesses to win.”
Click here to listen to Vere Shaba’s story.

The post 3 questions worth asking yourself before getting into business appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

An inaugural small business survey released by Yoco – a fintech startup listed state economy and lack of cash flow as some of the most common challenges faced by small businesses.

The Small Business Pulse survey ran in August 2018, with 3 621 responses from small business in Yoco’s database of over 28 000 merchants, suggests that small business operators remain positive about the potential for their businesses to grow and become more profitable, as well as their ability to employ more staff.

On a scale from –100 to 100, with 0 being completely neutral, the overall Pulse score for small businesses sits at 32, indicating a level of optimism.

READ MORE: 5 challenges faced by entrepreneurs in SA

Despite the confidence regarding their own prospects, small business owners do echo some concerns held by larger businesses regarding South Africa’s general business environment.

The main aim of the survey is to provide small businesses with insights into their environment, thereby empowering them for growth.

These nine common challenges faced by small businesses:

• State of economy
• Cash flow
• Political uncertainty
• Inflation
• Currency fluctuations
• Competition form big business
• Poor sales
• Access to finance
• Crime

The post INFOGRAPHIC: Common challenges faced by small business owners appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

Failure may be inevitable, but it isn’t final. Every stumbling block is also a stepping stone to success.

These entrepreneurs who are not afraid of a failure share valuable lessons in entrepreneurship, perseverance and the purpose of embarking on this journey.

The inventor of DryBath and founder of HeadBoy Industries Ludwick Marishane says there are realities that you have to face as an entrepreneur.

He believes that if you face these realities, you won’t fail.

“My personal definition of failure is when you get to the point that you stop trying. There is nothing wrong with that. When there is evidence that a specific idea in a specific market at a specific time will not work, keep an eye on it and, maybe in future, a variable may change. It’s also about timing and luck.

“From the beginning and for the first four years of the business’s life, the problem was that we were actually selling the product to the wrong customers and this was tough to accept.”

One of the key lessons Marishane has learnt along his journey is the importance of the scientific method.

READ MORE: Entrepreneurs taking the lead

“I believe that engineers and scientist make the best entrepreneurs simply because of their process of thinking. A business that has failed is one where you have been a bad scientist. Know why a business didn’t work. If you don’t know why, then you have failed.”

The founder and CEO of Integrico and Mndhavazi Trading Enterprise, Letty Ngobeni left teaching to start her own business and purchased a food franchise in a shopping centre.

She thought that she knew about business, but quickly discovered there is a huge difference between theory and practical application. Early on, she realised that she had been sold a sinking ship.

“I didn’t get advice before buying, I just trusted the franchisor,” she says. She didn’t even know what the process she needed was called at the time, but now she understands the real value of due diligence.

“If I had known about due diligence, and used the right people to advise me, they would have told me not to buy it. I tried hard to make it work for about a year-and-a-half, but the business failed. I learnt a lot.”

Ngobeni has used the lessons she learned to find a new direction on her business journey.

Founder of Apex Media and founding partner of Though Engine Juan Pienaar has developed several award-winning strategies and campaigns for the likes of Microsoft, Bidvest, and Philips, among others.

After building Apex Media and selling it to the largest communications company in the world, Pienaar struck out on his next venture with a plan that has been successful in some areas, but failed in others.

“It went too well too quickly. We brought in a third business partner who feigned interest and integrity and scammed us of millions. We hired staff and not a team. We said yes to anything. We tried to emulate the models we saw around us, but didn’t consider if they were right for us or the happiness of the business,” reveals Pienaar.

He adds that part of the problem was that he tried to be pivotal to the success of the business. “Failing to provide direction and managing the ‘what’ and ‘how’ rather than the ‘why’ is the mistake I made.”

READ MORE: The 10 traits DJ Sbu says you need to succeed as an entrepreneur

He believes that anyone considering being an entrepreneur should imagine they are financially free with all their expenses taken care of. Then, ask, “would I still be doing this?”.

“If the answer is no, change it. You are not serving the world by being mediocre. You’ll be amazed at how much you can do when you focus on a direction that matters to you. My advice is simple: just start. You’ll figure the rest out. There’ll be twists and turns on the journey, and the faster you fail, the faster you learn.”

These entrepreneurs shared their experiences during Entrepreneurship to the Point, hosted by Property Point, a Growthpoint Properties initiative.

The post How failing can put an entrepreneur on the path to success appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

Vuyani Ngidi (33), from Folweni in KwaZulu-Natal, believes that entrepreneurship is all about passion, resilience, being innovative and dreaming big.

Ngidi is the founder of Softex Feathers, established in 2012. This company is based in Westmead, Pinetown, and manufactures bulk toilet papers and distributes them to various retail outlets, including selected Spar outlets and small wholesalers around KwaZulu-Natal (KZN).

“The business is doing well. The demand is continuously growing at a fast pace. The general response and awareness towards our brand has been great and we have further business possibilities in the pipeline, so we are confident about the future,” he said.

READ MORE: Feat of engineering: Mojalefa Mpele’s business journey

When Ngidi started his business, funding was the biggest stumbling block in his way. “This type of business requires a lot of capital for all the equipment needed and we had a difficult time getting funding,” he said.

Without experience in this industry, he sought other means to get the operation going and self-funding was the only alternative to get his company off the ground. Getting the product to the end user was the next biggest challenge.

Ngidi’s business currently employs 20 employees across its various departments. He said they have started negotiating with various economic players in KZN.

“This includes government, state-owned companies and retail chains. Although these negotiations are progressing well, there are still challenges for us as a new entrant in the market, but we are not fazed, as we understand that this is not going to be an easy task,” he said.

READ MORE: Meet the man behind Mash Braai House, Ngwato Mashilwane

He said they have chosen the toilet paper business, as they want a product that will appeal to everyone, without gender or race limitations. “We also wanted something that has an endless demand,” he said.

Ngidi is a qualified dental technologist with a BTech from the Durban University of Technology. He has been in an entrepreneurship for more than a decade and had initiated other businesses before he incepted Softex Feathers.

“I was the founder and MD of Ethekwini Dental Laboratories, which was established after I graduated,” he said.

Although this business is still operating and servicing a number of dental professionals in KZN, Ngidi has since relinquished his responsibilities as the MD.

“I have assumed the role of Chairman in the Softex in order to focus on the task at hand,” he said.

The post Vuyani Ngidi: Entrepreneurship is all about passion appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

Habana has launched Retroactive, a new digital sports marketing and sponsorship agency, which he co-founded with Mike Sharman, co-founder of Retroviral Digital Communications.

While internationally renowned for his sporting achievements, Habana has discovered a passion for digital entrepreneurship over the past few years and recently completed a business management course through the Toulouse Business School during his time with French rugby club Toulon.

He based his final thesis on a social media application that addresses the issue of transitioning from professional sport into the business world.

The company is set to manage fully integrated digital marketing campaigns for customised sports sponsorships and events, combined with its strategic, creative, digital and analytical capabilities that will drive measurable business growth for clients.

The agency’s strategic, creative, digital and analytical capabilities will drive measurable business growth for its clients, and it will help brands connect with the hearts and minds of sporting fans by identifying ways to create genuine value and resonance.

“I’ve been fortunate enough to experience sport from both the player and brand perspective, based on my commercial ventures that I have been involved in during my professional rugby career,” says Habana

READ MORE: Springbok legend Bryan Habana announces retirement

“Retroactive has been inspired by innovative thinking in digital sports marketing that won’t only challenge the rules, but aims to break them. We’re excited to blend our collective experience in sports and digital marketing to achieve exceptional, measurable results for our clients and the players who need to be guided in terms of the commercialisation of their personal brands,” he adds.

Sharman says sport truly transcends all boundaries, in South Africa, and around the world.

“Yet we feel it is the most underutilised brand engagement opportunity available,” says Sharman. “Historically, brands have tended to sponsor a particular sport because the CEO or CMO happens to enjoy or participate in it. Doing so has meant that they’ve missed the opportunity to use sports sponsorship to address or achieve a strategic business or communications objective.”

Habana, who announced his retirement from rugby earlier this year, has been called one of the greatest South African sportsmen of all time by SA Rugby President Mark Alexander,

The former Springbok wing has also invested in a procurement solutions company in South Africa called Procura, which aims to add value to its clients’ procurement cycle in the form of more efficient and affordable procurement and logistics systems.

Sharman’s success in digital marketing is award-winning and well-documented. Their combined professional experience and personal passion for the sport will prove a formidable combination.

READ MORE: Habana talks up Sevens Olympics hopes

Supporting Habana and Sharman in the day-to-day running of the agency is sports authority Ben Karpinski. Better known in sporting circles as The Bounce, Karpinski will fulfil the role of creative director, drawing upon his know-how on the business of sports commercialisation and consumer insights to provide a distinct pulse to the agency.

In June this year, Retroviral announced that Shaka Sisulu acquired a 51% stake in the agency and now assumes the role of Chairman. He will perform the same function at Retroactive, where he’ll once again bring his deep experience and extensive network to the agency and its clients.

The post Bryan Habana’s new entrepreneurial venture appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

One of South Africa’s favourite pastimes is having a braai, be it at home or at a local shisanyama.

This is usually accompanied by watching either soccer, rugby or cricket, a game of 30 Seconds, or simply relaxing with a family or friends.

READ MORE: Meet the owner of Durban’s most popular township hotspot

As this is a treasured national pastime, it is important to find the place that has the best food and atmosphere in the country.

After an extensive and delicious search, these have been named the top eight shisanyamas in the country:

1. Imbizo Shisanyama (GP)
2. Meat Meet (GP)
3. Chaf Pozi (GP)
4. Centurion Shisanyama (GP)
5. Kwa Lichaba (GP)
6. E’Socialink (GP)
7. Eyadini Lounge (KZN)
8. Sensi Z (KZN)

The finals will be held throughout October and the beginning of November and see each establishment judged on the quality of its food and vibe. The winner will walk away with R1 million and the honour of being the best shisanyama the country.

The post Are these the best shisanyamas in the country? appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

Karidas Tshintsholo (23) hails from the township of Ekangala (north-east of Pretoria). His entrepreneurial journey started at an early age, sparked by the need to help his mother provide for the family.

He and his business partner, Matthew Piper (24), have created an app that promises to break down the barriers which have kept hundreds of thousands of black South African farmers out of the agricultural industry.

It’s based on a simple concept: the main reason most emerging black farmers don’t get a chance to supply the country’s big supermarket chains is the lack of enough farmland to fulfil the massive orders these chains typically require. Enter Khula, an app that allows farmers around the country to combine their resources, contributing whatever amount of produce they can to fulfil an order larger than they’d be able to supply on their own. They don’t even have to meet each other or anyone at the supermarket chains they’re supplying: it’s a digital co-operative.

“Khula is essentially a supply chain solution,” says Tshintsholo. “It’s not just an app – it’s an ecosystem which links everyone from the farmer to the logistics, to the warehouse and to the client.”

So now the country’s biggest supermarkets can support the development of emerging farmers without the hassle of identifying and vetting all of them.

READ MORE: Meet the app directly connecting farmers to consumers

Tshintsholo’s no stranger to entrepreneurship, having gone through the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation fellowship for entrepreneurs from the age of 19 and started a financial literacy magazine during his first year of study at the University of Cape Town, where he was pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in actuarial science.

However, the Khula app proved to be so viable that he left his studies in his second year to focus on growing the business. The project’s since evolved into a major national campaign, backed by Old Mutual.

Tshintsholo and Piper have been working on Khula since 2015 and have invested over R300 000 of their own money into the initiative. There are now 175 active farmers on the platform, with whom they trade daily in a pilot programme they’ve run over the past year. The pair are now seeking seed funding in order to scale Khula around the country.

As part of their prize winnings, the pair will be flown to the USA for an all-expenses-paid trip to Silicon Valley in San Francisco.

The post How SA’s best business app is helping emerging black farmers appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

Manzini Zungu was raised by his grandparents, who involved him in farming activities from an early age – planting vegetables and selling the harvest around the township. “Those years cultivated the entrepreneur in me quite early, so I always knew that my path would lead to owning businesses,” he says.

Zungu’s career in marketing and communications has spanned more than 25 years and has included leadership roles at Blink magazine, Quilter International, Hamashe Media, Hamashe Energy and Hamashe Projects. In 2011, he took the leap and established his own consulting firm, Pacinamix, using the R50 000 pension he received after resigning.

“It wasn’t much, but it helped me invest in resources that were crucial to the day-to-day running of the business,” he says. “The company needed its first project to operate and once that was clinched, the wheels started turning. We started as a communications and marketing business, but we expanded because we realised we could offer more to our clients.”

READ MORE: Sharing the wealth

Pacinamix went on to gain the trust of successful brands such as the Association of Mineworkers & Construction Union, McDonald’s SA, the City of Tshwane, Rand Water, Vodacom, the Mandela International Film Festival, BP, Media24 and Absa.

“Wealth can only be created if we have ownership of the things we do,” says Zungu. “For a business owner to create sustainable wealth, they need to make a point of re-investing in the business and growing it. That includes growing the skills base and becoming part of the global community to remain at the top of your game for yourself and your clients.”

Zungu believes that an insatiable desire to learn is an integral cornerstone of entrepreneurship. “You can’t grow if you refuse to expand your thinking beyond a limited vision. My decision to keep learning has automatically broadened my horizons in a way I could never have imagined. Knowledge always leads to personal and financial growth.”

READ MORE: What happened to SA’s black corporate wealth?

He advises people entering business for the first time to treat entrepreneurship as a long game. “Know that it’s not a short-term endeavour. A business needs to pass the three-year mark in order to have a chance of flourishing, but you’re likely to fail at your first attempt. Keep trying. And don’t be hard on yourself if things don’t work out – if you don’t succeed in the entrepreneurial space, there are other opportunities to create wealth.

“From personal experience, I’d also advise aspiring entrepreneurs to remember that the money the venture makes isn’t their own. It belongs to the business.”

The post Manzini Zungu: Secrets of wealth creation appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

Congratulations go out to Tbo Touch, also known as Thabo Molefe, whose new line of gin is now available in some of the biggest retailers in the country.

Following his departure from Metro FM, Molefe launched his now online radio station called TouchHD and looked to further his entrepreneurial reach.

He also has a line of wines – Touch Reserves – on which he collaborated with Wilderkrans Wine Estate in Stellenbosch.

Molefe took to his social media platforms to announce 48gin was now available at Pick ‘n Pay, Ultra Liquors, Tops at Spar and Norman Goodfellows stores nationwide.

During an interview with Radio 702 earlier in the month, Molefe spoke of “the first black-owned pure gin” that he launched recently.

“I don’t think you understand how emotional I am right now! Damn, after a year of back and forth, trying to get the recipe right! Sleepless nights on the farm. That young black boy from Sharpeville made it happen, yes,” he wrote.

READ MORE: Tbo Touch to become a player in the video-on-demand market

The gin was dedicated to everyone who had been “marginalised, criticised before, put to (the) test, declined by investors and banks (because )of your historical economic circumstances! Guess what, the boy from Sharpeville made it happen against all odds!”

I’m so emotional right now after a year of back and forth flying to the farm, we can finally walk into @PicknPay @ultraliquors @TOPSatSPAR @normangoodfello everywhere! That Black Boy from Sharpeville made it happen! pic.twitter.com/ZevFM4wel0

— Tbo Touch (@iamtbotouch) October 26, 2018

View this post on Instagram

I don’t think you understand how emotional I am right now! Damn after a year of back and forth trying to get the recipe right! Sleepless nights to the farm. That young Black Boy from Sharpeville made it happen yesss @48gin #whatatimetobealive #48gin

A post shared by Tbo Touch (@iamtbotouch) on Oct 26, 2018 at 10:42am PDT

View this post on Instagram

We are shooting movie tonight boys called #48gin co produced by my boys @julius.malema.sello & @shimza.dj #whatatimetobealive

A post shared by Tbo Touch (@iamtbotouch) on Oct 28, 2018 at 1:01pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

Somebody captured this moment and I will never have the right words to articulate the depth of gratitude and joy in making this #48gin . This goes out to everyone who’s been marginalized, criticized before, put to test, declined by investors and banks cause of your historical economic circumstances! Guess what the Boy from Sharpeville made it happen against all odds! We didn’t do it! We dit the BEST. #whatatimetobealive

A post shared by Tbo Touch (@iamtbotouch) on Oct 28, 2018 at 1:42pm PDT

The post Tbo Touch gin now available nationwide appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

The findings of the second quarter 2018 SME Confidence Index reveals that 76% of small businesses owners surveyed indicate the pressure of running their own business can sometimes be overwhelming.

This could sometimes limit an entrepreneur’s potential.

With October being Mental Health Awareness Month, regional GM at Business Partners Limited (BUSINESS/PARTNERS) Jeremy Lang says stress is in many ways inevitable for entrepreneurs.

READ MORE: Choose the right tech to grow your business

He advises that it is vital for entrepreneurs to know how to manage their stress in order to prevent it from negatively affecting their physical and mental health, which in turn may have a detrimental impact on their business’ growth.

According to Lang, as an entrepreneur, you first need to understand the underlying reasons for the stress and ensure that the corrective measures are in place.

“For example, many SME owners are currently – either consciously or unconsciously – concerned about how the depressed economic landscape will impact their businesses.”

“Although entrepreneurs – being agile, solution-driven thinkers by nature – will thrive in spite of difficult circumstances, it is a good idea to proactively prepare for difficult economic conditions by ensuring that the business has adequate liquidity reserves in place,” he says.

As it is often said that entrepreneurship can be a lonely road, Lang points out that it is key for a business owner to have a reliable and trustworthy management team in place to relieve them from day-to-day operational burdens when necessary.

“This will not only free up time to focus on what is needed to run and grow the business but also allow a business owner time to focus on their own wellbeing.”

He adds that entrepreneurs should also ensure they have a good support structure in place through family, friends or mentors to assist in getting through those difficult periods.

A visit to a health practitioner is also advisable.

READ MORE: How failing can put an entrepreneur on the path to success

“In order to operate at peak performance, physical health is imperative. Entrepreneurs should ensure that they schedule a time to exercise, go for regular check-ups, maintain a balanced diet and get enough quality sleep,” he notes.

When times are tough, he advises, take a step back and remind yourself why you became an entrepreneur – this passion and motivation can go a long way towards helping you in dealing with those difficult days.

The post Why stress management is key to growing a small business appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

There’s a saying that goes: ‘One man’s trash is another man’s treasure’.

And there couldn’t be a more apt way to describe Mazibuko’s entrepreneurial journey.

In 2009, he was introduced to the world of recycling and the earning potential it could generate. He started noticing waste everywhere he looked around his township of Katlehong.

Having been unemployed for five years with a wife and child to feed, he decided to start collecting plastic waste.

“It was very tough in the beginning because competition was there and conditions were tough, and I wasn’t earning much money but I persevered,” he says.

It’s a good thing that he stuck it out because 18 months into collecting, he spotted a potential gap in the market.

“One of the challenges of collecting waste was transporting it to buy-back centres that were far because there were none located in the township and that’s when I noticed there was an opportunity to become a transporter of the waste collected,” Mazibuko says.

READ MORE: Tim Hogins: From security guard to serial entrepreneur

Since he wasn’t formally employed, he was ineligible for a loan so he had to convince his wife to take out a R40 000 loan to buy a second-hand bakkie that he could use for transporting.

He was able to secure the buy-in from fellow collectors who agreed to support him and he started being the middle-man between the collectors and buy-back centres.

His business model offered convenience for collectors because they were able to offload their material without having to travel for long distances, the tradeoff for them however was that Mazibuko would buy the material at a reduced price.

His initial earnings weren’t great, but on a good day when he managed to make R500 from the collections, it was a victory – no matter how small.

“What kept me going was the excitement of doing something and knowing that I was making life a little easier for my colleagues,” he says.

Pretty soon he stumbled onto his next challenge – storing the waste material.

He started storing bags in a relative’s yard, but the volumes were quickly becoming too much for his relative to handle.

At the same time he heard about the SAB Kickstart entrepreneurship programme, applied and was accepted to participate in a two week bootcamp training course that taught him how to draw up a business plan.

“I had no business experience and I had to present to a panel of seven people. My presentation was a mess because I didn’t know what I was doing and how to put together a proper business pitch. But I was lucky because they gave me a chance.

This was the turning point in his journey as an entrepreneur because  he gained valuable insights into operating a business and he says that it opened his eyes to bigger possibilities.

After being rejected by several governmental funding bodies, he approached Anglo Zimele, Anglo American SA’s enterprise development and investment fund, who gave him a chance.

READ MORE: Calvin Mathibeli: Gardener-turned-successful-entrepreneur

“They told me your business plan is a mess, it’s not fundable or bankable, but we believe in you, so we will fund you and not the business. In the plan, I showed them the bigger idea saying how this doesn’t end here. We can take it to processing and maybe in five years time, we can start to manufacture our own plastic products in the township and they liked that idea,” says Mazibuko.

He was able to secure funding to start a buy-back centre in the township and purchase two trucks – an 8 ton and 4 ton truck as well as big bakkie.

His buy-back centre currently collects over 80 tons of waste per month, with an annual turnover of R2 million and he has more than 1000 collectors who supply him with material, the majority of which of are women and their children. He says that 90% of the people who collect for him are women while the rest are the children of people he used to collect waste with in the early days.

K1 Recycling in the early days

K1 Recycling today

“For me it was important to empower the people who played a part in me and my business being where it is today,” he says.

His focus has not shifted to the processing element of his business. He has undergone training on processing and he’s currently knocking on investors’ doors looking to raise funds to purchase the costly equipment required for processing.

His most important piece of advice for entrepreneurs is to never stop believing in yourself and your idea.

“Belief in yourself is key because otherwise you won’t have that drive that you need to push you on days that you feel defeated and when things are not going your way,” he says.

“Also, if you have an idea just do it no matter what other people might think or say. I took that first step and one thing led to another.”

The post From waste collector to buy-back centre owner appeared first on DESTINY MAN.

Maybe the thought crossed your mind after the tenth compliment of your home-baked cupcakes, or that biryani you whipped up for a colleague’s birthday lunch. You spend so much time in the kitchen anyway, you could start up a home industry business of your own – making sweet and savoury delights, and getting paid for it.

Whether you just want to take the occasional order from your immediate social circle, start peddling your creations on the market circuit, or have grander aspirations of setting up a franchise or releasing a full-colour cookbook, an entrepreneurial mindset will help you make your dreams a reality.

Here are the biggest considerations when starting your own home baking or cooking business.

• Planning

You may love to bake and cook, but a business can’t get by on passion alone. When turning your hobby into a professional enterprise, you need to create a business plan. A biggie here is working out pricing so that you never operate at a loss. Along with food supplies, remember to factor in things like electricity and water use.

Also include a marketing section in your business plan so that you have a strategy for how to make people aware of your business. It’s a good idea to sell at markets, fairs and other local events to build your reputation and lay the groundwork for relationships with cafés and home industry stores. And don’t forget the internet – at the very least, set up an Instagram account and Facebook page to showcase your creations.

• Differentiate yourself

Home baking and cooking is a very competitive business. There are a lot of people doing it. So, how do you stand out from the crowd? By specialising – in terms of what you’re selling and who you’re selling to.

It’s a good idea to start with your “bestseller” product before expanding. Do people go gaga for your icing skills? Maybe you want to position yourself as an expert in fancy birthday cakes. Have you mastered gluten-free baking? You could market yourself as making health-conscious treats for people with special diets. At the same time, consider your ideal customer. Perhaps you’re only going to sell to corporates. Once you’ve decided on your target market, check out the competition to see what they’re doing.

READ MORE: How to run a home-based office

• Never compromise on quality products

Once you start baking and cooking professionally, the margin for error decreases drastically. If you have a big order and are working to a deadline, you can’t afford flops. Always use trusted brands with a reputation for reliability and quality. Profit margins are small with home industries, but if you want to grow your business you can’t afford to cut corners with your materials. To get that all-important word of mouth from happy customers, everything that comes out of your kitchen must be consistently irresistible.

• Recognise your capabilities

You must be organised if you’re turning your pastime into a profession, but you need to be prepared for its personal demands as well. Expect long hours and very early mornings in the kitchen, especially if you’re working around a day job. Also, if you need help with any aspect of running your business, get it. For example, if you’re struggling to find customers and sell your goodies, enlist the help of others – even if it’s just family and friends – who have a convincing sales manner.

• Don’t forget the legal side

While starting out small is a given, soon your budding business will start to take off. In that case, you’ll need to register an SMME to make sure you’re compliant with legislation around food safety and business operations. At this point, you should probably take a course in environmental health and get appropriate insurances. It may seem like a headache but it’s essential, and a great opportunity to expand your knowledge.

Starting a home baking or cooking business comes with a lot of benefits, like low start-up costs and the opportunity to show off your creativity. Another area of personal reward is that you’re making people happy. Everyone loves home-baked and home-cooked goods, which come with a strong sense of nostalgia and quality – and people are always willing to pay for them.

READ MORE: The legalities of starting a home-based business

By Sibongile Mooko, Milling Executive at Premier Foods

The post 5 tips on how to start your own baking business appeared first on DESTINY MAN.