With many SMEs gearing themselves towards a February financial year end, the next two months will offer entrepreneurs the ideal time to objectively analyse their own and their business’ performance and growth. In order to position one’s SME for success, however, it is critical that owners understand exactly how their companies make money, as […]
Position your SMEs for success through defining business models Read More »
Absa officially opened an exclusive entrepreneurship centre in Newtown, Johannesburg, in collaboration with various corporate and public partners including the City of Johannesburg. The centre is aimed entirely at the Small and Medium Enterprise (SME) sector in South Africa, to which Absa has already committed R250-million in non-traditional lending in 2013. “The goal we
Entrepreneurship centre opens in Newtown, JHB Read More »
“Gaps” – or business prospects – challenge what entrepreneurs offer the market and how they offer it. This makes it important to assist them to identify the right gap before they start a business, as well as continue to test its ongoing relevance as their SME grows, says Shawn Theunissen, head of CSR at
Maintain your edge in the supply market: keep investigating “business gaps” Read More »
Placing greater weight on supplier and enterprise development under the new BEE codes may lead to a greater number of SMME development initiatives (as is the government’s intention) in South Africa. However, the character behind and the quality of the SMME one chooses to develop is the most important factor in whether the SMME
The energy driving an ED initiative does not build success – The SMME’s energy does Read More »
The Absa small and medium enterprises (SME) index rose to its highest level in four years in Q2 2013, with employer numbers increasing 6% year-on-year, or 1.5% over the quarter. The index rose to 96.1 points during the quarter, up 7.3% from its low-point in April 2010, but still lagging the high of 101.4
Increased employer numbers boosts SA SME activity to 4yr high Read More »
With economic growth remaining a priority for South Africa, corporate involvement in enterprise development (ED) is proving a critical means of scaling-up SMEs and setting them on a path towards becoming potential private equity candidates, says Shawn Theunissen, head of CSR at Growthpoint Properties and Property Point (Growthpoint Properties’ enterprise development programme), in this
Increasing need for big business to consult to entrepreneurs Read More »
Raymond Ackerman is an open book when it comes to the driving motivation behind building a multi-billion Rand company: seeing profits as the reward, not the aim. The philosophy held by the Pick n Pay (PnP) founder, exceptional businessman, role model, billionaire, ambassador, and visionary is desperately needed in today’s economy, says entrepreneur virtual incubator
When profits are the reward, not the target… Read More »
Gaps – or business opportunities – challenge what businesses offer the market and how they offer their goods or services. With more and more “me too” SMEs trying to find points of differentiation in various industries, incubators need to assist the entrepreneurs with which they partner to identify “real gaps” in the supply chains
Teach SMEs to spot the gap for growth opportunities Read More »
Full Menu Catering, a small enterprise mentored by The Hope Factory, was awarded the best SMME stand at the Absa Enterprise Development Expo hosted at Smart Procurement World. “The Expo award is recognition of how far Full Menu Catering has progressed since joining The Hope Factory’s Entrepreneur Support Programme,” says Busi Raphekwane, a Business
Award recognises one SMME’s progress under mentorship Read More »
In order to revive and strengthen economies around the globe it is imperative to stabilise the fragile world economy and relaunch it on a new growth path that places small and medium enterprises (SMEs) at the centre of the quest for future growth. Consequently, facilitating SME access is central to Absa’s activities, says Happy
SMEs must be at the centre of future economic growth Read More »
