Last night on ‘The Money Show’ on Talk Radio 702 and Cape Talk 567, Bruce Whitfield and I chatted about ‘Sales’ and the challenges that you need to overcome.

A Salesperson is the most visible and perhaps the only outward manifestation of your business seen by customers. They play a very important role of not only upholding a company’s  image but also holding the customers hand and generating leads into sales. This sales professional makes the difference when it comes to both making and maximizing the sales. We liked, twitter follower, Thandanai Khoza (@thandakhoza) from Sakina Energy Solutions definition of ‘Sales’ “Selling is not telling, it is identifying need/void and fulfilling it”.

Our callers pointed out some of the challenges with “Sales’:

Language – David from Benoni who is in the Event/AV/Advertising industry, said that languages posses a challenge to him. Yes, we agree that this is a universal problem but confidence is the key. If you don’t have confidence in the service you offer, how can you expect your potential customer to have confidence in your product? An easy strategy for David, is to use a different language and that is the language of successful delivery of service. It’s called the customer testimonial. Ask for them and collect them and use them to help you with any language barrier you experience.

You need to answer the following questions; Who do you want to target? What type of customer are you looking for? Do you understand your buyer?  Collect testimonials from your “happy clients” that show how you exceed your expectations. Know your product ————à Know your customer

Only I can sell! - The most common problem we as entrepreneurs face is ‘Only I can sell and need another 10 of me to grow’. Caller Terry from Gallo Manor, who owns an Events Company, highlighted this problem. She has tried to grow her event company by creating a RSVP program, a product, which she now needs to sell. The problem Terry is facing is she cannot find the right sales person who understands her product fully and who can cold canvas and generate leads for her. I suggested she firstly needs to work on her ‘Sales System’. You need to have an efficient system in place because if you don’t…how can you expect to create another ‘you’?

Selecting the right sales person is a critical and requires a lot of attention. So when recruiting sales staff, keep the following three aspects in mind:

Selection

• Work with good stock! Go beyond assessing interviewees past experience. Put forward scenarios and see how they deal with them. This will give you an insight into their passion and ability to think on their feet.

Structure

• Structure determines behavior!
• A good salesman will be confident enough to accept a smaller basic and receive an aggressive sales commission structure which should be uncapped!

Sales Pipeline

• Craft your selling process into whats called a sales pipeline. This maps out the steps that include lead generation through to deal closure and retention of customers.
• Think about who your customers are, how they buy and from that build your sales pipeline.
• Develop training for each step and along with that, train your sales staff on the targets that you have set.
• Manage your sales staff against targets. It they achieve them, great. If not, provide more training support and if still not look for a new sales person!
• If your problem persists, come see us and we will work with you to build a sales engine that will deliver results!

Remember…..the purpose of an entrepreneur is to build an asset of value. An asset of value is a business that of a day you can successfully raise funds for or even sell for a premium price. Systems are KEY to building an asset of value so please, start now, begin today and systematise you business !!!

Have PASSION, work hard, make money,…… and sell like you mean it!

So you have your business idea/plan/model and now need some funding to get going. Where to start? Do you try the impossible route of bank funding, or find yourself a private investor, a scarce commodity in South Africa? Investors are usually only interested in investing large sums of money if they know the idea will generate revenue.

This is where the activity ‘Crowd Funding/Sourcing’ can be useful. This is not a new activity in South Africa; various communities have been running ‘Crowd Funding/Sourcing’ activities for many years. They called stokvels! A stokvel, made up of members, each member contributes equal amounts of cash to the ‘pool of funds” every month. Each member then has access to this “pool” of cash allocated to them during the month when it is their turn and they can do what they wish with that lumpsum!

‘Crowd Funding/Sourcing’ is when a group of people unknown to each other, make specific financial contributions, usually via the internet, to support a number of causes, known and unknown to the participant. It is very much related to online communities and social networks. For example; The South African movie ‘Twist’ was part funded by crowd sourced investors, who in return were either mentioned in the credits or got backstage passes.

We chatted to two South African providers; Anton Breytenbach, owner of CROWDINVEST and AJ Munian of CLICKS TO DREAM. Here entrepreneurs can pitch projects and ideas to an online community in hope of raising moderate amounts of money to get their ideas off the ground.

A significant advantage of ‘Crowd Funding/Sourcing’ enterprise is that your startup capital can be raised in a short amount of time.

We also chatted to investors; Mike from Benoni’s, first experience was as an investor on TechCrunch. He invested in an iPad stand design; the designer needed three thousand dollars, which they raised in a week. Mike was kept in the picture throughout the development of the product and in return received a useful product. Julian invested in a PC game through ‘Crowd Funding/Sourcing’; in return he got a statue representing him in the actual game.

The most common mistakes made by entrepreneurs seeking cash through crowd funding include:

• Poorly thought through pitches;
• Poorly presented projects and project funding strategy;
• Running out of steam when promoting our project; and
• Poor communications with funders about progress. Funders need to be kept engaged and interested. Make sure your pitch is not too much or too little and you are completely transparent, showing clarity on your projects development. Work your crowds! It’s your campaign!

As entrepreneurs we should be selling at every occasion. Only through selling do we develop our and its the stories that people buy..

Will ‘Crowd Funding/Sourcing’ ever grow beyond the novelty stage to become a mainstream way for small businesses to raise money? We think so, do you? We want to know your thoughts!

Image Source: Black Tulip

An ‘Asset of Value’ is a business that can either, one day raise funding for growth and expansion or one day, should the entrepreneur so wish, be sold for a premium price. This is a business that has positive economic value and would be an asset to either the funder or buyer.

When starting a business, you need passion since this is the fuel that will get you past, through, over and around all the many, many obstacles that stand between you and your business vision being realised. But, passion is not enough, purpose is vital. If you jump onto a boat in Durban and set sail without a clear destination, you will run out of fuel, food and water and find yourself, well, out at sea. If you decide that the destination is Hong Kong, you set sail with your limited resources of food, fuel and water then you can direct your efforts to get you to your destination. None of this would be possible without a constant focus on Hong Kong. Our Hong Kong as entrepreneurs should, must and has to be….an ‘Asset of Value’. After all, our businesses are our pensions!

Lesley, an attorney from Honeydew, called in to ask how to turn a professional services practice into an ‘Asset of Value’. Pavlo suggested she look at the commodity services she offers, turn those into products offered on her web site as generic agreements and then use time as a service to tweak the agreements to the needs of her clients. The second element in a professional service business has to be a focus on building brand and to do so within a clearly identified customer group. Become known for something and one day, someone will be interested in buying your business for your brand or customer group that you service.

Natasha called in from Glenvista and her mom runs a home industry that is rapidly growing. She needs to start supplying larger customers and they mean larger orders. Larger orders in turn mean more money for ingredients and raw materials. Money that she does not have. Pavlo suggested that she strike a relationship with her large customer and agree on a deal like this:

• Determine over 3 months the volume of orders;
• Commit to supplying the orders over  three months but only 1/3 in month one, 2/3 in month two and finally all of it in month three;
• At the same time get your customer to agree to paying you within three days from invoice over the period;
• You will have saved sufficient cash from this to fully supply month four, and on the retailer’s terms!

This is called trade finance and often the only option to most of us as entrepreneurs since, well, getting money out of bank is too much of an unsatisfactory nightmare most of the time!

Have you thought about why you do what you do?

SYMPTOM 1: Everything to Everyone

• Are you chasing deals as opposed to business?
• Do you have no clearly defined customers?
• Are you trying to attempt to service everyone by supplying everything as and when everyone wants?

If YES to any of the above, you are no doubt spending your time attending to everyone and their needs and not building an Asset of Value. How could you? You have no real strategy, you are rebuilding your business with every deal, you are not becoming known for anything! You need to have a STRATEGY, become known for something to a defined group of customers! Consider what is making money in your business and what is not. It is okay to say NO and be something to someone. In fact, it’s a very good idea!

SYMPTOM 2: Wood for the Trees

You cannot be involved in every aspect of your business where you do everything all the time. The job of an entrepreneur is to build their business not run it! This doesn’t mean that you can avoid it but you can and should build a business systematically (like a building) so that you can employ people to operate the business whilst you grow it. Remember your DIRECTION, PURPOSE, INTENT, and PASSION and don’t let these goals get clouded by the grind of everyday business.

SYMPTOM 3: It’s for the Money Honey

Are you in it for the money and the money alone? Business is about taking something (a product, raw materials, skill or time) adding value to it as experienced by a customer and selling it at a profit. The belief that what you do adds value, the satisfaction of being valued by a customer is a key driver behind the passion to sustain building a business. If your objective is money and not customer satisfaction, you will be the one-night-stand of business opportunity constantly chasing your tail. It’s a horrible existence and builds no Asset of Value. Do what you believe in, what adds value to your customer and the money follows! Don’t be the frustrated, 50 year old guy who is still waiting for the big deal to land, skating on the edge of corruption and shocking ethics.’

Success will follow if you believe/ love/and have passion. Always have a clear vision of what your business does and build ASSET OF VALUE INTO THE FUTURE.

How is your business been held back?

1. Survivalist: In times of widespread joblessness, displaced workers often become self-employed, in order to survive economically. They sell to survive! These “HAND TO MOUTH Entrepreneurs” find their endeavours the toughest of the lot and the least rewarding. When an opportunity comes up to get a job, the business ceases and off they go into the formal economy. Not a great place for government to invest if job creation is the name of the game today!

2. Necessity:  People are starting businesses because they have no other choice. They have been retrenched or have not grown their businesses sufficiently to retire. Sudesh (Midrand) started an Educational Consulting Company giving extra lessons to children. His challenge: To replicate himself and expand because now demand is outstripping supply. Sudesh’s business is growing beyond necessity and has the potential to become and Asset of Value! Lagut (Cape Town), a Jewellery shop owner, discussed his challenge of been a single shop owner in a shopping centre and not been able to keep up with constant rental increases. Pavlo suggested that he needs make sure he has fixed terms in place before opening a single store. Ideally a single shop owner needs to grow super fast, establish one store and then open another and so on with different landlords. This will increase his purchasing power as well as establish a solid brand so he can spread his risk (of being bullied by any one landlord) and buying power to improve his purchasing price.

3. Lifestyle: Someone who goes places a lifestyle above all else in their choice of business. Kodi’s (Cape Town) passion is animals. She has been spending time with animals for the last 15 years and now owns a dog handling company (Trainer, Manhattan walker, Pet sitting and selling natural/Holistic pet products). She has the same challenge as Sudesh as she needs to build systems into place in order to successfully create more “Kodies” to meet the demands of her growing customer base.

4. Tenderpreneur: As part of South Africa’s transformation, tenders issues by government and State owned Enterprises place a strong emphasis on supporting emerging entrepreneurs. These entrepreneurs with access to government tenders have an opportunity to use this advantage to grow and build a platform for their businesses to grow. Those who don’t and simply chase tender after tender, some of which are accessed corruptly are referred to as Tederpreneurs adding no value to anything or anyone but themselves.

5. Social: These Entrepreneurs usually emerge where a social need is not being met. In South Africa where government service delivery fails, the needs of people remain and social entrepreneurs attempt to meet these needs through products and services that they offer. Bonney (Brakpan) called in with a story of a friend who started as a social entrepreneur building a business to close graves. Today his company has monthly revenues in excess of R250 000.  Pavlo suggested that social entrepreneurship can be the key to catalysing future big business. After all this is where the Security industry began, where government failed to provide safety and security to its people, the ADT’s, Chubb Securities etc of the world have grown. It’s a big business today making it the 4^th largest sector worldwide! Max (Cape Town) called in about Impact Investors who only want to fund Social (Impact) Entrepreneurs, a growing trend that makes this form of entrepreneurship very exciting today.

6. Build, Grow, Sell: These Entrepreneurs, also known as “Serial” Entrepreneurs, always ‘dabble’ in a whole lot of different things. They are known to sell up to 3, 4, 5, businesses and repeat the process again and again.

7. Build, Grow, Grow, grow: These entrepreneurs are driven by a single passion in a single business. they start and grow and aim to become one of the big businesses operating in South Africa with global aspirations. Local examples include Capitec, Discovery amongst others – all businesses started, built and grown into large businesses within one lifetime.

Which Entrepreneur are you?

In South Africa, 10,000 Women is managed and delivered by the Gordon Institute of Business Science. By the end of 2013, the school will provide 300 underserved female entrepreneurs with a business and management training delivered by leading faculty and industry specialists.

Is that a good or bad idea in a recession? Well, here are a few reasons why it’s a very good idea and what you have to look out for.

1. Opportunity – imagine a box. It’s full of balloons. All the balloons are fully blown up and are closing out all the gaps between them. It’s stifling, crowded and cramped. There is nowhere to move. Then something happens and all the balloons are distended. Suddenly there are gaps where once before there were none. In a strong economy, big businesses expand their services and crowd out the space. In a recession, they shrink back leaving all the customers and clients that they served now needing that or a more value-adding service. That’s called a gap and filling it could be very profitable indeed.
2. Value – does your business offer a good value proposition? A good proposition in a recession is all about what value you will offer your customers. Remember, they too are under pressure; costs need to be brought down, customers need to be held onto, competitors need to be batted away, sales need to grow and if possible, so do margins. If your value proposition feeds any of these customer needs, then you are in with a good chance. If not, it’s unlikely, in a recession, that any other value proposition will get you through the door!
3. Marketing – there will be some great deals out there. One of the first items cut out of big business budgets believe it or not are marketing expenses. This means the media industry is under pressure too and they want new customers and to do deals. If you have saved a war chest and you have developed a solid marketing campaign, print, radio and TV media houses will offer you rates and deals that you will never find in a strong economy.
4. Skills – yes, over 1.5million people have lost jobs in South Africa since October 2008 when the credit crunch introduced itself and the economy responded by shrinking and entering into recession…and staying there! Other than in small, dynamic, innovative business, many of these skills have not found themselves into the economy again and will work at half the price that they would’ve cost before the recession. This is the time to get good people on board, do smart deals and bring their great skills to bear on your business.
5. Space – need I say more, rental deals are everywhere? Find good premises (ONLY IF YOU REALY NEED ONE) negotiate hard and enter with low rents and sign a 3 year deal so that you lock in your benefits.

But it’s not going to be easy. Sales cycles will take longer and funding will be scarce….depending on whom you know.  Yes, institutions are a dead end, private individuals and bootstrapping are the way to go!

Is a 9% increase on rent reasonable year on year? I’m just comparing my recent quotation from xxxxxxx and wanted to know if that’s a fair price. Not sure where to or how to draw reference on this point?

Well thanks for this platform I’ll be using it a lot….I’m a bit of an inventor or let’s say I have all these business ideas and mostly I used to suggest them to previous companies I worked for….like DSTV, Discovery and those ideas are still in place and these companies…Now I really got nothing out the deal except a bit of spotlight how do I harvest these ideas as my own to fruition?

The key problem is that most new innovations take a lot of time and capital to bring to market. Prototype development is notoriously expensive and will mostly have to be financed by the inventor as this kind of capital is almost impossible to come by. Innovative products, particularly those that shift paradigms, often have extremely high marketing costs as the public may need to be “educated” in the market. New products often require very expensive completed operational platforms that must be built in to before the product can work e.g. mobile networks. Alternatively a new product may be dependent upon a strong network effect to start making money e.g. Groupon. All of these factors create significant challenges to the stand-alone inventor with limited capital. In many cases, inventors may be too risk averse to translate their ideas into reality or may simply find that they don’t enjoy the grind that is inevitably part of bringing a product to market.

So what can you do? Well first and foremost, if you intend to bring your idea to market you have to take the basic steps that are necessary to protect you IP – this means registering patents/trademarks etc. Avoid showing your idea off to all and sundry until you are ready to go to market. And when you start – remember that there are many people who will copy you with or without IP protection – you need to grow and secure your market as quickly as possible. All this takes time and money – so the best way to secure this by building a potent start-up team and allocating equity to key members of your team so that everyone is strongly incentivized. Many inventors find this difficult as they believe that the idea is everything. Unfortunately, the truth is that the idea is nothing without execution. If you can’t build a team and raise capital in the process to go to market in a big way you are probably better off licencing your idea to a corporate who can bring it to market. In these cases, secure your IP, focus on negotiating a good licencing fee and hire a good lawyer. The higher the risk, the higher the reward and therefore by actively pursuing your ideas by yourself, if possible, you are able to generate a much higher return then you would from a large corporate.

Billy Joel may have given us the famous ditty, but in reality, the piano man is not Joel, but rather Ian Burgess-Simpson. An industry stalwart for the past 21 years, he has worked his way up the ladder from apprentice to workshop manager and senior technician. He then launched his own company, Ian Burgess-Simpson Pianos, 14 years ago.

Ian says his company provides a wide array of piano services. This includes the sale of new and second-hand pianos, as well as rebuilt Steinways. He also retails a range of piano accessories and a solution called “Piano Life Saver”, which is an American climate protection system for pianos. Finally, the company is also involved in the servicing, transport and tuning of pianos.

He rates the company’s technical skills and qualifications, excellent products and services, strongly focused service ethic, competitive pricing, reliability and punctuality and its accountability for its work as the key attributes it has to offer customers.

Ian is hoping to set up a technical and rebuilding operation in Gauteng, where demand is currently high. He adds that he would also like to have one or two more retail outlets in Cape Town, and he plans to develop a Steinway rebuilding market for pianos from Europe and the US.

There are a few aspects of the business that he feels he needs some help with, however, if he is to take things to the next level. Firstly, says Ian, he requires better accounting systems, as well as additional administrative support. He would also like assistance with the steady development of marketing and branding, and finally wants additional financial assistance.

Wouter Fourie, of PGS Heritage and Grave Relocation Consultants, certainly has one of the stranger jobs on record. While grave relocation is no laughing matter, Wouter provides a vital service to large companies such as mines, as their operations sometimes require the relocation of graves or even cemeteries.

He says that the grave relocation side – which also handles rescue excavations where human remains are inadvertently uncovered during construction activities – is only one aspect of the business. It also provides heritage impact assessments, archaeological impact assessments, archaeological excavations, historical research and architectural evaluation.

With a background in archaeology and prior working experience in the environmental field within the mining sector, Wouter certainly has the knowledge to tackle these delicate tasks. He says that while customers for grave relocation projects are mostly based in the private sector, such as the large mining houses, the largest portion of the heritage income is from environmental consultants that sub-contract work to his company for development projects.

Asked what his ultimate ambitions are for his company, Wouter says that he wants it to be the number one services provider in its field. He would also like it to be seen as the company that new graduates want to work for in order to gain experience in the industry. Finally, he hopes to obtain a foothold in those other African countries where PGS’ services are definitely needed.

To reach these goals, Wouter says he requires assistance in developing a better management framework for the business, as well as a structured marketing strategy. He adds that the final bit of help he needs is the bugbear of most small businesses, namely he requires additional financial help in order to ensure he has a stable cash flow.

Nothing can spoil the beauty of visit to a pristine wilderness quicker than a smelly long drop. Fortunately, Pragasen Ramiah’s company, Sanitation World, has developed a product called

Micromune.  This is an organic liquid solution that contains bacteria that’s applied to pit latrines and other similar environments that contain sludge and sewage.

He says that the company offers a complete end-to-end solution, manufacturing, distributing and applying the solution through the employment of local labour. The product is cost effective for the customer, as it reduces the frequency of emptying pits.

Pragasen adds that his business partner, Martin Etherington, came up with the product innovation, which developed from his organic fertilisers business. While bacteria-based manufacturing offers challenges, not the least of which is a client base that often only represents very small volumes, such as private game reserves and hotels in environmentally sensitive areas, they have begun working with international NGOs, such as India-based Sulabh International.

Pragasen says that the real challenge and opportunity is to effectively address the retail market. He wants to build Micromune a household name and have it available for distribution through spaza shops in every rural village in Africa and India. He also wants to increase operations in India and hopes to break into the Kenyan market soon.

However, in order to develop a good distribution channel make the product trusted by rural communities for their pit latrines and septic tanks, the company needs strategic and financial assistance with regards to marketing, branding and commercialising Micromune.

A rose by any other name may smell as sweet, but the same doesn’t always hold true for perfumes. Robert Fraser’s company, The Perfume Gallery, aims to overcome this problem as it is a business with the ability to personalise a fragrance to suit the individual.

He says that The Perfume Gallery is a specialist perfumer with more than 250 different A-grade, oil-based fragrances to choose from, as well as a wide cosmetic range. However, it is this personalising touch that enables it to identify the exact requirements of each customer.

Robert says that he believes at least part of his success is due to the fact that he started as a novice in the industry, without any of the usual preconceived ideas about how a business of this nature should or could work. After a decade in the game, he adds that he still relishes the challenge of the business.

At present his customer base is limited to direct consumers in shopping malls, but he has plans to develop other franchisees, appoint local agents in remote areas and move into Africa via international sales agents and distributors. Robert is hard at work developing this brand into a household name, which will be able to provide a complete umbrella range of its own branded products, as well as developing a proper online sales strategy.

To achieve these lofty ambitions, Robert says that the critical ingredient will be to obtain the right levels of exposure, in order to kick-start the process. He adds that financial assistance could also come in handy, although he has been trying to grow organically for as long as he can, to prevent the business becoming capital intensive.

Knowledge of the earth and its impact on man-made edifices is crucial for a number of sectors, such as the construction industry. However, the geosciences field is rather technical and thus a specialist is required if one is to properly understand the interaction of man-made structures with the earth – not to mention its result on budget, methodology and design. This is where Steven Horwood’s company, 7 Sea Geosciences, comes to the fore.

He says that the company performs these services both on land and offshore, with several recent projects involving oil and gas exploration services and deeper geophysics. Steven has worked in the industry since 1994, after he graduated with a Master’s Degree in Geology.

He is more than just a rock specialist, however, having crossed a number of fields. These include dabbling in the construction industry and the mechanical field, where his ability to weld and build his own equipment has enabled him to build specialist tools for his company.

There have certainly been challenges, adds Steven, pointing out that understanding the statutory financial requirements and getting financial assistance from experts was one thing he learned very early on. Moving forward, he says the company needs to have a better human resource knowledge and strategy, as people remain its biggest asset.

He aims to reach a point where the business is able to compete internationally and is respected for its ethics and quality service. Steven says he wants to be able to export skills in what is a lucrative and traditionally imported market. However, to succeed in this ambition, he states that the company needs what most small businesses require – namely a reasonable injection of financial assistance, in order to pay for skilled staff and to purchase and maintain specific assets.

While it is said that cowboys don’t cry, no-one knew whether the same holds true for motorcyclists, until Preston van Wyk launched his Cowboys Don’t Cry Designs company. Preston says that by specialising in the reengineering of jeans for the motorcycle industry, he has definitely put a smile on the face of those bikers that use his products.

With 27 years experience as a fashion designer and clothes manufacturer, Preston has supplied major chain stores and also designed for personalities in the music and entertainment business. He says that his clothing designs are influenced by comics, sci-fi movies and other aspects of popular culture. This led to an interest in extreme sports, which is why he is doing what he is doing today.

He says that his products are designed to provide sophistication, quality and value for money, while also performing well as protective wear and a lifestyle garment. Thanks to advances in technology, he can provide bikers with new choices that add value to their lifestyles. The company also offers a range of biking accessories.

Preston points out that he is proudly South African and make proudly South African product. His policy is that if a client falls in one of his products, it will be replaced if they cannot repair it. This, he adds, gives customers a real sense of belief in the product.

He wants to take this product range into the international arena, as he has already received a lot of interest from overseas. However, to do so successfully will require significant additional financial investment. However, says Preston, if he obtains this investment, his company has all the right ingredients in place to go and kick some international butt!

Paul Theroux said that tourists don’t know where they’ve been and travellers don’t know where they’re going. Andrew Ardington, of Wetu Tourism Solutions, would beg to differ. He says that thanks to the wonders modern technology, his company is able to provide the tourism industry with online sales and distribution tools that make the customer’s life easier.

The Wetu concept is simple, he says, indicating that it has taken the paper tools of the travel industry and digitised them, making them interactive, engaging and inspiring and enabling tour operators, travel agents, hotels, restaurants and other tourism players to access and use these tools to sell their products more successfully. The tools include interactive maps, virtual itineraries, iBrochures and virtual brochure racks.

Both Andrew and his partner Paul have been involved in the tourism industry since the 90s. Andrew worked as a game ranger at Mala Mala, led tours on the battlefields with David Rattray, and eventually conceptualised, built and operated the Three Trees Lodge at Spioenkop. Paul, on the other hand, moved from the civil engineering field after developing a wine bottle in the shape of Table Mountain.

Andrew believes that the Wetu concept can genuinely transform the way the travel industry gathers, manages, distributes and communicates information. He says that he also has no doubt that this technology has the ability to go global, but adds that this will require significant funding.

He says that what Wetu really needs right now is investment to fund both working capital and expansion plans. Wetu also needs to invest in sales and marketing resources, to enable rapid expansion into other regions.

When it comes to quality, no one wants to accept second best, which is why Kezia Cousins took his passion for software development and founded Qualica Technologies, an independent software vendor (ISV) that develops products and services for the airline and financial services industries, delivers an Infrastructure as a Service offering and provides a flagship product called User Experience Monitoring – which does exactly what it says on the tin.

He has been in ICT since leaving university, and his experience includes a stint with Internet Solutions (IS), where he was employed as a Services Engineer and later as a manager. After leaving IS, he was one of the founders of Qualica, where he says he has taken on a variety of roles over the last 12 years.

Kezia points out that the business is largely about technology and its applications, both of which are passions of his. He also feels strongly about inspiring and leading people, something he really enjoys.

Currently supplying his products and services to big businesses, Kezia also wants to target the small business and consumer markets. This, he says, means a whole new approach to the products Qualica offers. He also wants to be able to sell to clients who are not based in SA, by making use of the Web as a marketing and sales tool.

He says that his biggest challenge is time in which to develop the technology needed to remain at the cutting edge. This leads directly to capacity and he is adamant that he needs additional smart, motivated and technical people in the ranks. Therefore, says Kezia, financial assistance that would enable him to fund additional salaries until the business grows enough to be self-sufficient would be a godsend.

A famous newspaperman once said “print and be damned” – a noble attribute for the press to have, but one which would certainly have got him into trouble had the paper been utilising the services of  Chris Symons’ company, Effective Control Systems

Chris designs and develops software and hardware systems to manage large fleets of printers and copiers. He says the business reduces costs by making individuals responsible for what they print, discouraging non business-related printing. It can also enforce rules to eliminate the wastage of paper, make sure that the right size and quality printing device is used and generate accurate billing reports, to make the client’s life easier.

He adds that he has been in the electronics and software industry ever since he qualified from Technikon Witwatersrand. After doing his initial practical training with the SABC he moved into industrial process control.

It soon became apparent to Chris that there was a need for a print control product, and that he had the necessary knowledge and expertise to develop something to fill that gap. He therefore launched Effective Control Systems in 1986, building a customer base by demonstrating effective proof of concepts to enable the client to witness the benefits.

Looking forward, he would like to have a significant presence in the global market and appoint strategic distribution partners in Europe and the US. However, to take this next step, there are three things he requires: funding assistance, better exposure to a larger market and help with getting the correct accounting systems into place to keep the business running effectively.

If an army marches on its stomach, then the lifeblood of any office is a regular intake of caffeine. Understanding the need for employees to indulge in their love of coffee, Christo Konig’s The Coffee Co specialises providing in automatic coffee machines to the workplace.

Christo says that the majority of his machines are placed free-on-loan, with clients paying for what they drink. The company’s franchise network owns the equipment and maintains it on a weekly basis, to ensure the highest standards in service.

He says that he has been in this industry since 2003, initially as a franchisee of the company, before realising what a golden opportunity the business offered, and deciding in 2004 to buy a 50% stake in the business. He adds that since both he and his partner come from systems implementations backgrounds, they bring a passion for good service delivery to the company.

According to Christo, the company roasts its own range of coffee beans through specialist roasters in Cape Town, while its milk powders and hot chocolate was developed specifically for the Coffee Co and is manufactured in SA. He says that this is the first step towards his ambition of becoming the preferred automatic office coffee service provider in SA, with around 50 franchises nationwide.

However, achieving this ambition will require assistance in the form of a business mentor, as well as a proper marketing strategy and a cash injection to be able to place more machines at clients across the country. Ultimately, adds Christo, he hopes to join forces with a large catering company, in order to be able to really take the market by storm.

There’s an old saying that suggests that you always find people in the kitchen at parties – this is particularly likely if the kitchen in question has been designed by Selwyn Arenstein’s company, Future Classics.

Selwyn says that while kitchens are his own particular passion, the company in fact produces and sells everything from the front door to the back door of a house. It also sells a number of smalls that are not readily found at the local homeware store, as well as seating and custom-designed couches, interior decorating products and offers an incredible design service.

Having been in the business 23 years, he says that the Future Classics is able to stretch the envelope to the limits when it comes to providing clients with the most incredible layouts – the kind of designs, he adds, that make houses special. Selwyn says that clients buy from his business because they know the difference between a fine piece of furniture and to something that is just off a bulk assembly line.

He does have competition – notably from Italy and Germany – but says he prides himself in being able to put out a product that is as close as anyone south of the equator can come to theirs, but with a much more affordable price tag.

His goal is to expand this kitchen division into Cape Town and, more importantly, abroad, as the exchange rate currently favours an export model. However, to achieve this goal, he says that he will need assistance from a management perspective, as well as additional financial support and marketing help, with a view to succeeding in the export market

Many hands make light work, so it should come as no surprise to learn that Richard Lomax’s company, LEDzShine, is one of the brightest players in the LED lighting space.

LEDzShine supplies specialised LED lamps. Richard says he saw a business opportunity in this arena long before it was fashionable to have energy efficient lighting. The lamps his company produces provide light while using very little energy, making them what the market today would term ‘green’. Moreover, they are repairable.

He says that he has been involved in the LED lighting business since 2006, prior to which he had no experience with LEDs, electronics or any other aspect of the lighting business. Nonetheless, he adds that having worked in a variety of positions both at multinationals and in his own businesses, he has established a broad range of experience that stands him in good stead.

He says that while knowledge and service have helped him build his customer base, a large part of it is still built on trust – he needs his customers to know that they can trust him implicitly. Since they often spend in the region of R100 000 on light bulbs, trust really is a non-negotiable.

His goal is to set up a manufacturing unit, supplying lamps to the nation and possibly even for export. As is always the case with such ambitions, the biggest thing holding him back is financial concerns. Therefore, he says that he requires assistance with funding, which will enable him to take the next step, while a business mentor would also be welcomed, as it would enable the business to grow more quickly.

To succeed in a new business venture, it is always important to get your bearings first. Andre le Roux took this maxim to the extreme when he launched Bearing Inspections SA, which he describes as an engineering services company with a difference.

The company specialises in the optimisation of plant and equipment cost by extending bearings’ life for its customers. He says that the core business involves the inspection, reclamation and repair of ball and roller bearings, some as small as 20mm in diameter and some as large as 2m.

Andre says that through reclamation, customers can realise a saving of 60% and more on each individual bearing returned. The company keeps detailed statistics and provide these as a benchmark to customers, in order to track the value that is added to their business. He says that he launched the business nine years ago, when he became aware that this line of work offered a fantastic opportunity, as there was almost no direct competition in SA.

He wants to make a successful transition from a small, family owned business to one that has proper corporate governance structures and management systems and to be seen as the market leader in bearing services.

To get there, Andre says he needs assistance in defining a corporate identity, creating a winning brand and developing and implementing a proper marketing strategy. He also needs help in setting up proper corporate governance structures and establishing proper management and reporting systems and procedures, as well as creating a coherent and practical IT system and database to manage all aspects of the business. Finally, he would like to find the right partners to assist in taking the business to the next level.

There is a lot that impacts on the psychology of the working environment, so it always helps to have someone around who understands how the human science of psychology fits with the realities of the business world. That someone is Kevin Paul Distiller and his company Latitude 26 Project Consulting.

Kevin says that Latitude 26 is an industrial psychology consultancy, offering an array of talent management services. This includes psychometric and competency-based assessments to culture and climate surveys, change management initiatives, coaching interventions and outcomes based team-building interventions.

He adds that the company’s target market is mainly the larger organisations in both the public and private sector, although it also has quite a strong presence in the world of the medium-sized company in the SA labour market as well.

Kevin is extremely passionate about what he does, stating that he believes deeply in the role that industrial psychology can play in society as a whole. At the same time, what sets him apart from the other industrial psychologists out there is the fact that he merges the science of industrial psychology with the basic, daily business realities of his clients. He says that this pragmatic approach allows him to offer a truly flexible service that is still very customer-focused.

Discussing what he needs to take the business to the next level, Kevin says that he would really appreciate mentorship from experienced business minds – people who can assist him to develop an annuity model and a stable income stream. This, he states, will ultimately help him to grow the business and dedicate himself to the lofty ideals he has regarding industrial psychology’s role in the business world.

A successful corporate social investment (CSI) strategy is built on not only explaining the benefits of a company’s CSI strategy to the wider public, but also in ensuring that they are informed of the opportunities such a programme makes available.

This is where Marlene Sathekge and Cherry Blossom Communications has found the perfect niche. She says that the company offers a PR and communications consultancy that focuses specifically on CSI and social development programmes, compiling communications strategies for these development programmes and then implementing them.

Marlene says that she studied PR Management and also has more than 13 years experience in the industry. She says that in this time, she has worked for a number of established and reputed PR consultancies in Cape Town. She has also worked in both public sector and private sector organisations, taking on the roles of PR, Marketing, CSI and Promotions Management.

She says that it is her belief that CSI communication is about telling ordinary South Africans about the opportunities these organisations have available. It is certainly not about companies bragging to their peers about their successes – after all, she adds, that is what they have corporate communications agencies for.

While her client base is mostly large and medium-sized corporate companies with established CSI departments and programmes, she believes that she can only grow her business if she can receive introductions to the right decision makers in potential client companies. Just as importantly, adds Marlene, she needs the assistance of a good attorney, to advise her in regards to contract and payment negotiation.

A man walks into a bar… If the bar is running short on gas for its draft beers, then that man is probably Jake Millar of The Gas Shop! He says that his company is probably the largest privately owned bar gas supplier in SA and certainly dominates the Cape Town market.

Having been self-employed since 1980 and with vast experience in the food and beverage industry, taking over as owner of The Gas Shop four years ago came naturally to him. Jake says that having a mechanical engineering background has helped him to understand the problems related to the efficient pumping of beer in large quantities over a very short time.

He reckons he probably knows as much about pumping beverages as anyone in South Africa. This is not just talk either, as his business is endorsed by SA Breweries and a lot of new clients come via SAB reps recommending the company as a preferred supplier.

Jake says that his success is built on the old axiom that the customer is king. He points out that none of his customers opened a business to buy gas from him, so to keep them, his service needs to be first class. Jake adds that none of his clients has run out of gas at an inopportune time, and his staff have delivered gas as late as 10.30pm and as early as 5am!

His dream is to franchise the brand country-wide and he believes that he has the intellectual capital and equipment to dominate the bar gas market in SA – what he needs to achieve his dream, however is a mentor to help him understand the franchising concept and an injection of capital to make it all happen.

When they say that the show must go on, it’s usually in spite of some disaster. However, when Lisa Wynne and Sally Robinson are involved, it means that Show Works Creative Entertainment is providing the entertainment, so the one thing the customer can be guaranteed of is a perfect show.

These two are specialists in corporate entertainment such as team-building, product launches and sales conferences; functions and events; entertainers, including bookings for bands, DJs, magicians and MCs; character management, namely the logistical management and handling of all aspects of character work and appearances; children’s theatre and edu-tainment; theatre productions; and creative concepts and scripts, which is everything from campaigns to themed roadshows.

Sally says that they take pride in being a full service agency, giving clients a shopping list of services to pick and choose from. Nonetheless, she adds, most clients utilise the full range of services, asking the team to devise, design and deliver the whole event or campaign.

Lisa points out that she and Sally studied together at the Waterfront Theatre School and started Show Works five years ago. Having been freelance performers, they are good at the business because of their passion for performance – something that ensures that each and every project has to be as perfect as an ‘opening night’.

They want to see Show Works become a fully functional company capable of supporting three good salaries and providing work for their suppliers and performers. Sally states that the key to achieving this is financial support and stability, but that any strategic support they could get would also be very helpful.

If there is one thing Roger Jorgensen understands, it’s the impact and the benefit that enough time can bring. The owner of Jorgensen’s Distillery, time is the single most important factor in delivering the handcrafted spirits and liqueurs the company produces.

Roger says that he has been farming all his adult life, first as a labourer in the UK, working his way up to manager and finally owning land in 1984. He came to the Cape in 1986 to farm wine grapes, began winemaking in 1991 and finally started distilling brandy in 1994.

Jorgensen’s Distillery produces everything from pot still brandy to vodka, gin, absinthe and a variety of liqueurs. He adds that time is crucial, since this is an industry where you make up what you do as you go along. Whether improvising the right equipment and infrastructure or selling without access to regular marketing channels, you simply have to think outside the box.

Roger says that the distillery is a small family business, meaning that it is involved from start to finish – from the conception of the product, through the crafting of the recipe and the growing of the raw materials, to the handcrafting of spirits to the highest standards possible. The business also ages products as required, designs the logos and packaging and does the bottling for customers, who are generally are connoisseurs and collectors.

He says that he wants to reach a stage where he can keep developing new products, while he also wants to perfect a few more distillation techniques and seeks high quality representation in all major SA centres. To achieve this, he needs access to more capital and sponsorship in order to visit a top US artisan distillery, to hone his techniques.

South Africans as a rule tend to be the type to party hard, except that when one party’s hard, getting home without breaking the law becomes virtually impossible. Drinking and driving remains a big issue on SA roads, which is why Simon Revington’s company, Dudebru, should come as a godsend to many who enjoy their tipple just a tad too much.

Offering a privately funded, late night discount public transport service for those who have had a bit too much to drink, Dudebru has been operating for around six months. However, Simon says that he has been toying with and adapting the idea since 2007.

He has 10 years experience in the industry, although he points out that initially it was delivering pizzas – but there is not that much of a difference between transporting pizza and transporting people. He recognises that there is a dire need for a service like this on a large, publically accessible scale, which is what has driven him to start this business and gives him energy to make it happen.

Using simple and effective pricing structures that take the lottery factor out of conventional metre taxi trips and focusing on creating a vibe – through cool music, chatting to the clients and hiring young drivers from the same demographic as the target market – Dudebru blends the transport into the evening.

Simon says that to effectively deliver this service across the Cape Peninsula, he needs major businesses to act as sponsorship partners. He also needs financial help to afford a suitable headquarters, with a call centre and general assembly point for personnel. He adds that assistance in key areas – like logistics, HR legalities, liability advice and transport and licensing issues would also be welcomed.

In any business, putting things into perspective is crucial to success. Understanding this, Stephen Verheul launched Visual Air Productions, a company that specialises in aerial photography, filming and surveying, via remote control helicopters. This allows him to provide clients with a genuine bird’s eye view of their project, without the need of a full size helicopter.

Stephen says that his services are used for aerial inspections of cooling towers, smoke stacks and mines – generally considered no-fly zones for manned aircraft, as well as .monthly progress of building and geological sites and for survey work. The company also offers a unique perspective for adverts, feature films and music videos, while wildlife are not scared of the helicopters as they are quiet and small, and therefore non-threatening.

He says that aerial progress photos of building sites are used for reports and in court cases. Property sales should all have aerial photos so that potential buyers have the entire picture of the property. Since his company supplies a perspective that no other photographic or video service can, it is ideal for this task.

He started Visual Air Productions 14 years ago, combining his hobbies of flying remote control helicopters and photography and video into a business. By offering a genuinely specialised service and developing innovative equipment continually, he has built a successful operation.

However, Stephen says that he wants to expand the business and hopes to grow by at least another two full teams within the next year. He also wants to undertake more international work, as the equipment is easily transported and is ideal for remote areas. However, to achieve this, he will require financial help, as well as marketing assistance, in order to drive greater awareness of the business and its unique solutions.

A picture is worth a thousand words, as the saying goes, so obtaining the right kind of graphic to make a statement and get your brand known is crucial to a company’s business. This is exactly the role fulfilled for its clients by Phil Bredenkamp’s company, Graphic Wizard.

He describes Graphic Wizard as a branding solutions company, offering high quality digital printing and finishing of product. He says that the company prints and manufactures anything required, including digitally printed banners, wallpaper, illuminated graphics and even building wraps. It also does the installations of its products to offer the client a complete solution.

Phil, who has 18 years experience in the field, established Graphic Wizard in 1996. Since founding the business, Phil has always focused on having a hands-on approach to negotiating with clients, servicing their requirements and ensuring that their expectations are met. A good understanding of the branding industry – in terms of legislation, environmental requirements and corporate identities, as well as strong experience in the outdoor and advertising industry in SA stands him in good stead in this regard.

He wants to grow the business to the level where he can do everything in-house, controlling everything from the production to the final product. Phil says he has been let down on occasion by sub-contractors, so he wishes to offer clients a one-stop-shop with true peace of mind.

Of course, to achieve this goal, he will need assistance in gaining additional exposure as a trusted supplier within the industry, through better marketing and advertising. He adds that financial assistance, enabling him to employ the right people to take Graphic Wizard to the next level would also be most helpful.

Once upon a time, the concept of ‘custom leather goods’ would have only appealed to a tiny cross-section of the Harley-Davidson motorcycling fraternity. Today, however, Mandy Owen’s company, Vermont Leathercraft Manufacturers, manufactures customised leather goods for a wide range of people and organisations.

The company specialises in corporate gifts, such as leather and synthetic leather conference folders, wallets, purses and keyrings, as well as the hospitality industry – producing menu covers, wine lists and guest directory covers, and finally in the production of genuine leather and genuine ostrich handbags. She adds that company logos can be branded onto its products and corporate colours can be incorporated into the linings and stitching.

She began as a small home industry more than 25 years ago, making leather belts from home and direct selling them through friends. Starting out thanks to her love of accessories, she first became a customer of Vermont’s, before she and her husband eventually purchased the company.

Mandy suggests that her key to success is passion – she loves what she does. She enjoys the diversity of her products and says that she also has great support from her business partner of 23 years and a loyal, skilled and talented staff.

She hopes to grow the business into one which is a leader in the leather manufacturing industry, employing twice as many women, with a training facility that will empower cooperatives to enter the corporate gift manufacturing sector. To achieve this, she points out that she will ultimately need help in increasing her company’s exposure – so basically assistance with advertising, marketing, training and mentorship.

While the Terminator movies have posited a world where machines communicating with other machines will be the end of humanity, the reality is not only more benign, it is far more beneficial too. Just ask Ian Lester of Beyond Wireless Technology, a company that uses cellular networks and the Internet to offer customers visibility and control of remote assets and infrastructure.

He says that his company’s technology is applied to monitor things like temperature, electricity, water, air quality and quality and even battery voltages. Unlike his competitors, however, Ian doesn’t only provide a service focused on a niche industry or application – instead his machine-to-machine (M2M) offering is a single platform that can be applied across every industry and application one can think of.

Ian has been in the telecoms industry for around 10 years, although his entrepreneurial spirit was encouraged by his father at a very early age. He launched his first business at the age of 13, selling off cuts from his father’s carpet business as doormats.

At the age of 29, he found his way into mobile telecoms, a sector he adds that he quickly fell in love with. After seeing ) the potential of the emerging M2M space, he chose – to his wife’s horror – to leave a high paying job with a great company in order to start his own business.

While he believes that the versatility of the platform Beyond Wireless has developed can help him achieve the dream of becoming the de‐facto M2M application platform provider in the world, to do this he needs assistance with distribution and with the acquisition of channel partners to take the solution into various global and industry markets.

Mary Poppins was fond of saying that a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down. With this in mind, George Dempster founded E2 Solutions as an e-marketplace for healthcare professionals and pharmaceutical companies to communicate with each other. The company has since become a niche software developer for administrators to manage specific communities.

A business-to-business operation, E2 has customers that include medical associations, medical practices, pathology groups and pharmaceutical and diagnostic companies, as well as gated communities, schools, churches and sports clubs. George’s growing business has certainly sweetened life for this varied customer base.

He says that the company develops community management applications for the communities mentioned above, allowing them to supervise membership, generate subscriptions, send out bulk e-mail or SMS communications, view reports and even manage Web content.

With 16 years experience in the healthcare industry, prior to launching this business, George is well positioned to understand the needs of his customers. He says that one of his biggest challenges remains convincing administrators to move from managing members of their community via manual Excel spread sheets, to E2’s integrated platforms.

With a strong understanding of the customers, a unique product offering and the support service provided by the company, he feels that all he needs to take things to the next level is assistance in developing a strong marketing strategy. Of course, he adds, additional capital and software development skills would not go amiss either.

Aldous Huxley spoke of the doors of perception, and for Jon-Jon Keegan and his company Windoor.co.za, perception is the name of the game. Everyone wants beautiful windows and doors, as these are key to creating the initial impression of one’s house. Therefore, his business supplies and distributes the widest range of doors and windows available from a single source, offering custom-made aluminium and timber products.

Jon-Jon says that the unique selling point of Windoor is that it is the only company that allows shoppers to purchase all that is required online, and have it delivered directly from the manufacturer to their house or building site – all without leaving their home or office.

With 16 years in the construction industry and plenty of joinery manufacturing experience, he is ideally positioned to provide the advice and assistance his customers require, while the company can source and deliver virtually any product the customer requires. This includes fully glazed doors and windows, pre-sealed and ready for installation, which he feels may make Windoor the greenest supplier in this industry niche.

While it currently offers installations in Johannesburg and the Western Cape, his goal is to develop the business into a properly managed national distributor of all the products that relate to windows and doors, offering the most competitive rate for the highest quality goods.

However, to achieve this he needs additional financial resources in order to employ a full time bookkeeper, an in-house designer and a developer, as well as to further develop the Website support functions. He also requires assistance in extending relationships with manufacturers and suppliers across SA, and in purchasing a vehicle to enable Windoor to optimise its local service delivery and installation.

Tankiso started his business part time while he was still employed. He was driven by passion and the need to be free. Tankiso says that as much as it is very fulfilling to be an entrepreneur, there is a price to be paid for the freedom, and that price comes down to time and personal sacrifice.

Tankiso would like to change the landscape of the fire protection and security industry for the better. He is inspired to create jobs, and would like Amotheo to be the number one brand in fire systems.

The experience of building her business, working with Aurik Business Incubator, has taught Karabo to look at her business on a broader scope and has given her direction of where the company is heading.

Karabo’s ambition is to expand Phumudzo Management and to successfully capture new markets that can help sustain the business going forward.

So he thought “What if I come up with a brand that is catchy and “quirky” that will be appealing across all races in my country.” And there and then Pap-n-Zol was born.

Pap-n-Zol is a South African Movement for people who believe in the freedom to create. It was created for the ones with a great sense of self-knowledge and belief to position themselves in the world; people with the willingness to work hard to make their creation a reality. Pap-n-Zol sells news, using fashion “every movement has an army and every army has uniform”; print publication “every movement has newsletters and memorandum”; and online, radio & events.

Through these mediums, the movement aims to create social interest and to increase youth participation in social issues, to build an army of people who have the above-mentioned qualities, to keep them up to date with global issues, to provide stimulation, and to create a network of like-minded thinkers.

Bheki wants to highlight the importance of personal branding as a means to fight unemployment. He wants the movement to be a staple stimulation and motivation. The apparel is the message board for the thinking and building tools that go hand in hand with the planned life coaching workshops.

Bheki’s experience of building his business has helped him to discover his role in society. Bheki is all about authenticity and passion, “Before you start something make sure it’s what love and are willing to die for”. It is no surprise that he has come to realise that it’s not always about the money but the impact of the brand.

Bheki’s ambition is for Pap-n-Zol to be the number one opinion leader in this country, and to inspire the world.

Advertising guru William Bernbach intimated that the key to building a long-term, successful enterprise lies in not trying to close a sale, but rather in opening a relationship. Kevin Daly, MD of Value-Ad, has taken this to heart, creating a solution that enables salespeople to build effective relationships with customers.

Coming from a background in sales himself, Kevin says that many salespeople still utilise manual systems like Excel to track and follow up on leads. While the perception is that this is good enough, the reality is that this method is not nearly as efficient and effective as it should be.

For this reason, he developed Value-Ad, which uses software to track and allocate leads. This enables clients to increase their bottom line, by providing the correct allocation of leads to the right salesperson for the right customer at the right time.

Kevin adds that the company now has clients in the financial services and investment industries and is planning to expand into the telecoms and property sectors. Ultimately, he says, he wants Value-Ad to be a world leader in allocating leads, by continually improving its scientifically sound allocation models.

However, the challenge lies in obtaining the necessary capital to ensure this continuous improvement. No stranger to challenges – he launched the company while also being the father of newborn triplets – Kevin says that financial assistance in this respect would nonetheless be of enormous help to him in overcoming this particular task.

Rob Urquhart has been operating his business, Ultra Glass Restorers & Cleaners, for close to 20 years, doing the jobs that many other players in the industry either can’t or won’t do.

For example, he says, the company specialises in high access cleaning – particularly in factories, malls and hotels – as well as the restoration of damaged glass, usually caused by irrigation systems and concrete run off.

He points out that the reason the company has lasted nearly two decades is due to the fact that it is service oriented, brings innovative to the table, ideas especially regarding safety, and offers a genuine ‘can-do’ attitude. It is also the sole distributor in SA for Ikaru Renobel glass and aluminium restoration products, Sky Pro systems and Streamline Systems.

Rob says that he always takes it as a challenge when someone tells him that a job can’t be done. In order to always prove them wrong, he remains open to new ideas and techniques, and believes that one doesn’t ever stop learning and should always strive to improve. After all, he says: “if we don’t look after our clients, someone else will.”

Safety is naturally a key concern for him, with his employees regularly receiving training in this respect, and he himself involved with safety standards and training through SABS working committees and the Institute for Work at Height. It is little wonder then, that his company’s track record on safety is exceptional, with no major accidents in its history.

He says he aims to turn the business into a national franchise, but that to get there, he requires financial investment, marketing exposure and social media expertise, as well as business advice with regards to how to run the business more efficiently.

So often, people will complain that a product has clearly been designed by someone who hasn’t the slightest idea of what the target market requires. The same cannot be said of the items produced by MooMoo Kids – owner Cam Shackleton is a mother of two who understands exactly what the parents of a toddler require to keep their child safe and warm.

Cam has 13 years experience in clothing retail, but gave it all up when her first child, Matthew was born. Choosing to spend time with her babies – Sophie was born 19 months after Matthew – she decided to put her experience into practice, designing and creating products to address the needs of the parents of babies, toddlers and preschoolers.

Since she has personal experience of her own, a thorough understanding of the needs of parents ensures that MooMoo’s products meet real needs. Cam says that the product range includes MooMoo sleeping bags, MooMoo kiddigrows, MooMoo Sunwear, sunhats and MooMoo Crawlies.

She adds that the products are genuinely useful. For example, little ones often kick off the covers in winter and wake up cold; however, if they are using a MooMoo kiddigrow or sleeping bag, this doesn’t happen.

With the vast majority of sales being direct to consumers via their Website, she retains a strong desire to deliver on promises made to customers. However, she points out that on the supply side, the company sometimes struggles with unreliable machinists and certain quality issues. Therefore, to take the business to the next level, she needs assistance in setting up good quality control and production systems, as well as help in developing user-friendly credit card facilities for the Website.

Finding that you are unable to claim back money spent on business travel can drive many people mad, which is exactly the reason Andre Swanepoel created his company, Little Logbook.

Having been involved in the transport industry for a number of years, it was a short leap to join the GPS game. Andre says that his own experiences in the transport industry brought home to him how much of a market there was for a product like this – one, he says, that is inexpensive and easy to use.

Little Logbook is designed to provide GPS trip logging, which aids in the monitoring, tracking and claiming of travel expenses for all users. Andre points out that his clientele include private individuals and large corporations, although he points says that the lack of installation fee and low charges make it ideal for the SME sector, where costs are always a major headache.

He adds that his aim was to provide a product that can help people to claim back what is rightfully theirs. By providing an inexpensive solution that both aids with travel expense claims and assists in staff management, he has managed to corner a share of the market previously only held by the major tracking companies.

In future, he says that his goal is to be a market leader in the field on an international scale. However, to achieve this, he will need marketing support and international trade assistance.

Everyone knows that in the modern world, technology is king. But while everyone may know it, the high prices of PCs and laptops still put them out of reach for many consumers. This is where Justin van der Walt’s Just PCs comes to the fore.

By sellingrefurbished IT equipment at affordable prices, Justin is able to offer access to technology for the average consumer. Furthermore, he says, just because it is affordable doesn’t mean it is cheap and nasty; all equipment supplied by the company passes through rigorous testing, benchmarking and quality control first.

In addition to affordable IT equipment, the business also offers socially and environmentally responsible e-waste recycling and disposal services to private sector companies as well as government. He also offers a free e-waste recycling and responsible disposal service to the public.

Justin has been in this business for a decade, although he points out that his foundation for Just PCs came at a young age, when he used to buy motorcycles, repair them and then sell them again. The business has grown from one that was run from his living room to one that operates from a 1200m² factory, while employing 15 people.

Since his ambition is to leave a legacy for his family while also achieving financial freedom, his goal is to become the absolute market leader in both the procurement and sales of refurbished IT equipment. To do this, he needs particular assistance with marketing and business strategy.

When there is a recession on the go, many people wonder where their next meal is coming from. Trevor Piercy, owner of the Jo Marlin fast food franchise says that he decided to rise to the challenge of providing the hungry with a quality meal at an unbelievably reasonable price.

Drawing on his nearly 25 years experience in various aspects of the retail sector, he decided to specialise in fish ‘n chips, calamari and prawns, with flamed grilled chicken and ribs added to the menu later. He says that the competition on the whole had higher prices, smaller portions and less healthy food. He decided that Jo Marlin’s food would offer a wholesome meal to its customers.

He has since launched Jo Grillin, a chicken-based restaurant that offers the same quality and value for money as Jo Marlin.  He says the company has developed a tasty quality product at lower prices, while the product is fried or grilled in front of the customer. This has resulted in a reputation of fast, fresh and hot, not to mention healthier.

Trevor is happy with the company’s progress in the four years it has operated, but he really wants to take his franchise concept national. To do so, he says he will require a mentor or a team to help roll out the way forward into national expansion.

In addition, he needs to be able to fund new outlets, thus requiring advice on financial matters, as well as the working capital to be able to assist prospective franchisees to set up stores, containers, or trailers.

Who would ever have thought that there is such a thing as a ‘modern and technologically advanced’ beanbag? However, Ryan Buda’s company, FatSak, provides exactly that. By getting rid of the old-style beanbag – with its polystyrene beads and sticky vinyl cover – and replacing it with a comfortable and stylish alternative, he has found his niche in the market.

He says that he got the idea for FatSak when he returned to SA after leaving the UK in 2005. Having brought a similar product back with him, he was surprised to see how many people locally were taken with this item and decided to produce a similar version here.

Ryan adds that he already has a wide and varied customer base. He says that children’s playrooms are a huge market, but that FatSak is equally loved by adults. They use it in their chill-out rooms/lounges/TV rooms and so on, while companies also use them for marketing events.

He has built the business on the back of a good product, being a ferocious negotiator in terms of prices for materials and in never sacrificing quality and service. Ryan believes that customers always appreciate quality and will therefore come back for more. When you add great service to that you have the best marketing engine known to man – word of mouth.

He says that in the future he wants FatSak to become a household name – globally, if he has his way. However, to achieve this goal, he needs to grow in terms of premises and staff, which means more capital. He also needs assistance with marketing, particularly in respect of social media campaigns.

Everyone has a story to tell, so the saying goes, but only a select few are lucky enough to have it told by Velvet, the company run by the talented husband and wife team of Dale andJannine Nolan.

Describing the business as a creative content factory that crafts compelling stories for its clients, Dale says that Velvetmainly supports the marketing function of a company, or an advertising agency – with all that it entails.

He says that Velvet has four divisions:VelvetFilms, which is a boutique commercials production company; VelvetAnimation, offering full 2D and 3D animation services; VelvetContent, which produces visual communications over all electronic and digital media; and VelvetDigital,specialising in online content creation, custom branded channels and online marketing.

Jannine adds that Velvet creates commercials for television and film, produces corporate documentaries, generates in-house communications and develops instructional resources for a variety of reasons and just as wide a variety of clients.

The company has grown from one begun in a garage, to one that now occupies the entire house next door, which was purchased as office space. Dale says that they really enjoy the adventure of what they do, which is exciting and entails something different every day. He hopes to grow the business in the near future, while still maintaining the same caring and dynamic attitude.

Jannine suggests that to achieve this aim, Velvet will need more exposure in the marketplace and will need to continue updating its technology and skills, as well as developing new talent. She says that assistance in this regard – marketing and training – as well as with financial administration and management will be welcomed.

There is very little that can truly dampen the creative spirit, as Katy Taplin and Adriaan Hugo, owners of Dokter and Misses can attest. Their company offers a range of standard products and furniture from lighting, tables, seating, storage and mirrors. However, they also design belts, pendants and t-shirts, along with a growing range of ceramic products.

The primary driving force behind the launch of Dokter and Misses in 2007 was to be able to make their designs a reality, says Katy, adding that they simply don’t want to do anything else and are thus highly focused on being successful, in order to sustain their dream.

Adriaan adds that the two remain very hands-on and offer a personal service to clients, which is something of a differentiator in an increasingly impersonal world. While the majority of clients are the general public, they also get business from architects, property developers and interior decorators who want something that is unique, high quality and made with love.

Despite the success of the operation so far, Katy and Adriaan are eager to own a business property from which they can run a high capacity, specialist production facility, while they are also seeking to employ a welder, a driver and an administrative/salesperson.

The problem is that to be able to afford these things, they need to focus on bringing in more business,which means they will be unable to do the work they have already obtained. Nonetheless, they believe that with some financial assistance and some strategic business and legal advice, they will be able to take the next step in their already organic growth

Everyone knows that the scenery is what makes the situation, and it is this knowledge that drove Ian Hellis to launch his company, Creations Fantastic. Understanding that for the perfect wedding, function, corporate event or theatre production the right backdrop is essential, Ian decided to become a genuine background player.

With 13 years experience in the creation and design of backdrops, he says that nothing compares to the joy of being able to be creative every day at work. It takes passion and commitment to succeed in this highly specialised field, and the fact that he has surrounded himself with a group of highly talented people is testament to the dedication that goes into this unique company. Despite this, Ian points out that he still feels as though he is on a learning curve every single day.

He points out that the company provides décor for venues and clients of all sizes, from small nursery schools to Disney events. Success for the company is built in the care and pride that is taken in each backdrop.

There are a number of wonderful plans to grow the business, including the development of a Website with database, ordering and shipping integrated into it, a range of wallpaper murals and a range of backdrops for photographers.

Unfortunately, adds Ian, things like this take money, which is why he requires assistance from a financial perspective, as well as help in developing a more comprehensive business plan and growth strategy that will firmly place his business in the foreground!

There is nothing like being an industry pioneer, driving a completely new business concept into the country, to enable your company to really coin it. Emile Langenhoven’s SA Kiosks business is thus ideally built around the model of allowing people to cash in on those unused coins that would otherwise lie unused at the bottom of a wallet or handbag.

He says that the coin recycling business is certainly a new concept in SA, offering as it does a quick and convenient way for people to cash in accumulated coins. Emile says he has always had a fascination for coins, stemming from his youth, when he would collect jars of coins.

SA Kiosks offers the local market a self-service coin kiosk called ‘Coin It!’. These are located in stores and allow customers to pour their unsorted coins into the hopper of the machine, which then counts them. The kiosk then prints a voucher for the customer, deducting a service fee, which the customer can then redeem within the store for cash or against purchases.

He says that while one could always take coins to a bank, this takes time and effort that many people don’t want to waste. However, ‘Coin It!’ converts idle coins into spendable cash, maximising the customers’ spending power in a quick and convenient fashion.

While Emile already has an eye on developing ‘Coin It!’ into a well known SA brand with a national – and possibly even an African – footprint, he is aware that to achieve this, he will require assistance in getting stores to buy into the concept. Therefore, to drive his business to the next level he needs help in marketing the business and selling the concept into the market.

There’s an old song that suggests you should ‘pack up your troubles in your old kit bag’, but – according to Janine Roberts, founder of Zimele Packing Solutions – if you are a small business requiring such packing, there are not many businesses that will help you.

As a qualified Packaging Technologist with 11 years industry experience, Janine has worked with a variety of companies and products. She says that the one thing she noticed about the industry was the distinct lack of a contract packing company that would assist small businesses and accept niche, hand-packed products

Since her rivals were all about volume, she launched Zimele Packing to answer the needs of those companies that required a more flexible contract packer. She adds that her company has employed 16 previously unemployed people and she herself has trained them in packing and assembling.

Janine points out that Zimele offers contract packing, assembling and distribution of dry food products, pharmaceutical products, gift packs and banded packs, to name a few. Customers receive the best service, good prices and no minimum size runs. Zimele also helps them with product and packaging development, free of charge.

She says that the company is currently experiencing an increase in work and is struggling to cope with her existing financial resources. She wants to expand the factory to the point of employing 20 staff and says that to facilitate such growth, she would need financial assistance to the tune of R150 000. This would fund the expansion, the new employees and allow her to hire a production manager to take the business to the next level.

There is something about running your own business that is akin to making sweet music – quite literally, in the case of Mike Pelteret, owner of The Whizzygig Jukebox Company. Mike has nearly two decades experience in the jukebox game, having co-founded the business in 1992, and was the first vendor to begin placing coin-operated jukeboxes in venues in the Western Cape.

The company has since moved from being a vendor of these machines to one focused on the manufacture and sale of coin-operated jukeboxes to export markets. Mike says that the beauty of these jukeboxes is that they are suitable for placement in taverns, bars, pubs, clubs and cafes. The company also specialises in renting Classic Retro Jukeboxes to the function hire market.

Mike believes that his company is built on a reputation for providing excellent service and he takes special pride in communicating with clients throughout the value chain – from quoting, to delivery to collection of equipment.

He adds that there are many challenges in this market, including the securing of new venues for placement of the jukeboxes, as well as the technical problems of transitioning from CD-playing units to ones that play mp3 format.

Nonetheless, Mike has big plans for Whizzygig, including taking the business into other African markets. However, to succeed in this endeavour, he needs funding assistance, as well as help in identifyingpotential partners and agents in other African countries and establishing relationships with them.

When a special product or turn-key solution is required, why would any customer go further than the company that sums it all up in its name – Special Products & Technologies (SPT)? Gary Pomario says that his company is built on a foundation of offering high quality product manufacturing, engineering design and a variety of specialised turn-key solutions.

Although SPT was launched as a business in 1992 by his father, Gary says that he has spent 11 years in the business, gaining a wide range of experience at SPT. He says that this includes learning about all the aspects of business management – from quotes to tenders – as well as the management of a factory, dealing with staff and production lines, not to mention making financing and asset-purchasing decisions.

Customer relationships are crucially important, states Gary, pointing out that what makes SPT different from the competition is that the company offers both design and manufacturing, whereas its rivals only offer the manufacturing component.

With customers that include both large and small businesses, Gary says that some of the major projects undertaken by SPT include the manufacture of forecourt equipment for the petroleum industry, the manufacture of point of sale display units for the advertising industry and the manufacture of specialised machines for the military industry.

While SPT is always committed to delivering a high quality product at the best possible price, Gary feels that for the company to reach the next level, as the leader in its field, it will require a sound financial foundation. Therefore he requires funding and financial guidance, as well as integrated systems that can assist him to run the business better, thereby keeping his staff motivated.

Nothing can spoil the beauty of visit to a pristine wilderness quicker than a smelly long drop. Fortunately, Pragasen Ramiah’s company, Sanitation World, has developed a product called

Micromune.  This is an organic liquid solution that contains bacteria that’s applied to pit latrines and other similar environments that contain sludge and sewage.

He says that the company offers a complete end-to-end solution, manufacturing, distributing and applying the solution through the employment of local labour. The product is cost effective for the customer, as it reduces the frequency of emptying pits.

Pragasen adds that his business partner, Martin Etherington, came up with the product innovation, which developed from his organic fertilisers business. While bacteria-based manufacturing offers challenges, not the least of which is a client base that often only represents very small volumes, such as private game reserves and hotels in environmentally sensitive areas, they have begun working with international NGOs, such as India-based Sulabh International.

Pragasen says that the real challenge and opportunity is to effectively address the retail market. He wants to build Micromune a household name and have it available for distribution through spaza shops in every rural village in Africa and India. He also wants to increase operations in India and hopes to break into the Kenyan market soon.

However, in order to develop a good distribution channel make the product trusted by rural communities for their pit latrines and septic tanks, the company needs strategic and financial assistance with regards to marketing, branding and commercialising Micromune.

It’s basic common sense to beware of someone offering you what looks like a shady deal, except when the person doing it is Joe Standuhar. Since 1995, Joe has been the owner of Rent-A-Shade, a company that provides a Shadeport hire service.

Having previously been principal of an estate agency, Joe says that it was his time in this industry that opened his eyes to the opportunity that existed in the market for the Shadeport hire concept. He says that visiting properties of all types and witnessing the lack of protection for vehicles made him realise the enormous potential for the service he now provides.

Rent-A-Shade provides covered parking and also performs the necessary on maintenance the Shadeport, while the customer pays a nominal monthly rent, while avoidingexpensive capital outlay and maintenance expenses. Joe says that this is certainly a very affordable alternative to purchasing the Shadeports outright.

With a customer base amongst both small and large businesses, Rent-a-Shade is suitable for anyone who has a vehicle that is parked in one place for any length of time. Looking to the future, he says that he aims to build the company into a nationwide brand.

Of course, to achieve this lofty ambition, he adds that he will need help with the capital required for such growth, as well as marketing advice. and assistance in establishing contact with the relevant decision makers in both the private and public sectors, to whom he can sell this innovative concept.

Some business owners are constantly striving to build their business – for Louis Aylward, of Rebar, Mesh & Construction Supplies, building is his business. He says that despite having no previous experience in this industry, he spotted a niche in the market and pursued it with gusto.

Rebar provides products in the reinforced steel and concrete business, including machines to cut and bend rebar, cover blocks to place rebar and tying tools and pliers to tie the bar together, before the concrete is poured.

Louis has been in the business for four years and says that it grew from being an operation run out of his garage at home, which just sold portable cutters and benders for reinforced steel. Now it has grown to the point where it is a serious rival to the only other player in the market.

According to him, his success is built on the fact that he can supply a quality alternative to what was previously a monopoly in the market. He says he focuses on service delivery, as this is something all customers seek and is particularly targeting construction and scaffolding companies in Gauteng, as well as to a limited extent elsewhere in SA.

Louis lists establishing distributors in the other provinces as one of his key challenges, stating that he is currently prevented from doing this due to a lack of funding and dedicated sales people. He aims to grow his business into one that is well-established and is a respected brand in the industry, but to succeed, he says that he needs assistance in establishing a successful sales and marketing environment and developing a proper strategy to go along with this.

People love to offer the platitude that as long as you have your health, you can be happy, but who can really be happy when the multinationals grip on pharmaceuticals means it costs a fortune to purchase medicine today?

Well, Mukesh Patel has formed Osiris Healthcare with the aim of changing all of that. He says that he launched Osiris Healthcare in 2005, with the aim of distributing medical, pharmaceutical and ‘front shop’ goods and supplies to independent pharmacies across Gauteng.

He points out that the disintegration of independent pharmacies, medical aids and government regulation has seen the margins of a retailer shrinking. For this reason, he believes that there is a clear need for independent wholesalers to support these independent pharmacies.

Mukesh says that his vision is based on the idea of maintaining low costs and low personal expenditure, while also outsourcing other services to smaller businesses. Most importantly, he adds, is the fact that Osiris not only adds to the independent players’ bottom lines via money, but also delivers the efficiency of daily small purchasing.

Of course, he has bigger plans than this, with his ultimate goal being to create a symbiotic network for independent pharmacies to support each other. In order to achieve this dream, Mukesh needs assistance with additional finance, as well as help with the marketing and branding side of the business.

Most people would agree that it pays to occasionally spice up one’s life, but Paul Raphaely, of NoMU Brands, takes this attitude to the extreme. His company produces, manufactures and exports upwards of 58 products – many of which are savoury herb and spice blends – to some 38 countries. It also provides an expansive range of Private Label items to various retailers under their own brand, both locally and internationally.

He says that apart from the herb and spice ‘rubs’ and ‘grinders’, NoMU also provides a variety of baking aids, such as cocoa, vanilla paste and extracts, concentrated liquid stock and even a range of hot chocolates.

Paul has been in this industry for more than 10 years, and he says that both he and his partner come from fairly hard-core entrepreneurial and self-employed parental role models.

This means they both enjoy a good scrap and are not afraid to take on the biggest guys in the room. This is due to their innate self-belief and almost painful optimism.

The company’s mission is to always prove that it can and will produce the best flavour, health and quality experience possible, for the best possible price. While NoMU has an online shop that distributes directly to the public, its primary customers are conventional retailers and overseas importers and distributors.

Paul says that the next goal is to transform NoMU into a ‘Dry’ and ‘Wet’ process business, able to produce products outside of the current offering. To do this, the company needs to increase both its capacity and its capabilities. For this reason, he says that financial assistance that will enable him to obtain the right calibre of people, improve NoMU’s marketing and develop a ‘Wet’ factory would be exactly what they require.

Nothing compliments a good meal like a wonderful bottle of wine, yet finding the right food and the ideal wine is no easy task. This is one of the reasons John and Lynne Ford launched their business, Main Ingredient.

Having met in 1999 while studying for the Cape Wine Academy diploma, the couple launched Main Ingredient as a way of selling gourmet foods seldom found in retail outlets, they also publish an e-magazine called MENU. This gives information about food and wine, up to date listings of what is on in the food and wine industry such as festivals, food and wine pairings and trade shows.

John says that Lynne is an excellent cook, who enjoys trying new dishes and techniques and finding new ingredients. Added to this is the enthusiasm they both have for good food and wine. Coupled with a love of people and of communicating with them, and – above all – a good depth of knowledge about their subject and a willingness to continue to learn about it, it is no wonder the discerning food and wine consuming public have taken to this business.

Lynne points out that people love Main Ingredient because the company can supply them with what they need, is responsive to requests and helps them find what they are seeking. Lynne and John will also show them how to use the products.

Looking ahead, John wants to grow the customer base, increase turnover and obtain more interesting stock.  To achieve all of this, he says that what is required is marketing and advertising assistance, as well as technical help with improving their Website to make it easier to receive and service online orders.

Gareth Ochse’s company, iSign.pro gives a whole new meaning to the phrase ‘sign on the dotted line’. Having been an entrepreneur since the age of 11 and working in the Web/mobile space since 1993, it is no surprise that his business offers the unusual service of providing online contract signature, storage and reminders.

He says the beauty of such a solution is that it allows you can get an agreement signed in minutes, stored forever and even comes with automatic reminders before expiry or renewal dates. Gareth adds that the iSign process is a great business tool, as it is 100% legal and is faster, cheaper and greener than hardcopy alternatives.

His business philosophy is built around the principle that agile development, tied to a rapid approach to customer development and focused on achieving product to market fit will inevitably be successful. As he explains, when iSign started, it was meant to be a place to store important records.

Gareth says that in determining the right product to market fit, he discovered that the solution needed to morph into something different – namely becoming an online contract signature solution.

The company differs from its competition by being entirely focused on the local SA market, and by offering pricing in rands and local support. He hopes that this focus will enable iSign to dominate the South African market in future.

However, to achieve the dominant position he is aiming for, he says that he needs additional capital, while he also wants to reduce risk and bring in additional skills. Therefore, the main assistance he is seeking is of a strategic, technical and financial nature.

Communication lies at the heart of a successful brand, but while it is relatively easy to do public relations (PR) in the consumer space, it takes a special level of technical expertise to do the same for the financial services sector. Elian Wiener launched Epic Communications to fill this particular gap.

He says that his initial work experience was in the fields of financial services, financial journalism and corporate communications, and that once he had identified this market need, he left his position as head of external communications at Old Mutual to start his own business.

Elian points out the Epic has grown to the point where it is launching several additional ventures, including a monthly investment publication, social media services, and various seminars and conferences. He says that the business currently provides an average return on investment (ROI) of 15:1 for its clients, compared to the industry PR average of 3:1.

What sets Epic apart from its competitors is its ownership structures, which enables it to make decisions and capitalise on new opportunities much faster than its multinational-owned rivals. Its people are also a key differentiator, he says, as they are drawn from diverse backgrounds and are properly incentivised. This means that staff turnover is exceptionally low, improving sustainability and continuity within the business.

Elian aims to turn Epic Communications into the leading strategic communications and PR firm in South Africa within the next few years. However, to achieve this, he needs help in finding the right people with the appropriate skills sets and attitude – no easy task when many of these will come from outside the traditional communications industry.

Many people choose to get into the medical services sector because they have always wanted to help people; others fall into it by accident and discover a passion that changes their career path. Robert de Wet, of Emergency Medical Treatment (EMT) is one of the latter.

Having operated his own company – a fruit and vegetable business – at the tender age of 21, he eventually chose a very different career path, moving into the emergency services and training field. He says he stumbled upon this industry, but has become hugely passionate about it since he started in the emergency services as a volunteer in 1999.

Robert says that EMT’s medical response division was formed in 2009 and this offers a 24-hour medical response service, an ambulance service and a medical special events division. The company services both the residential and commercial market sectors.

He says that individual residences subscribe to the service, in order to have medical response coverage at home, while businesses like crèches, playschools, schools and old age homes subscribe to have coverage for their staff, residents and pupils. The main goal for the future is to grow the newly created ambulance component of the business, as well as to continue growing the subscriber base and the special events division.

He adds that there is a lot of misinformation about medical services out there and the company often has to undo this before it can start educating people about the service and what EMT does. To change this and keep the business moving forward, he says that EMT needs a strategic marketing plan. Robert says that serious advice on marketing and how to convert sales and promotion opportunities into customers would be the best possible assistance he could ask for.

There are two things in life that most women adore – diamonds and weddings. With this in mind, Ray Esmany of Crystal Candy hit upon the ingenious idea of supplying edible diamonds, which can add glitz and glamour to wedding cakes and a wide variety of other special occasions.

Ray says that he has been in the business for 27 years, since he started my own chocolate design company from his kitchen, supplying local fetes and schools with lollipops. He adds that as he is so passionate about developing unique creations, where his drive and determination has free reign, he has had the opportunity to supply some first class events.

He created the chocolate desserts for the inaugurations of Nelson Mandela and Thabo Mbeki, made showpieces for the opening of The Palace at the Lost City and has supplied creations to the Oscars and the Grammy Awards to name a few. However, Ray says that new product development is his greatest passion, which is where the idea of edible diamonds came from.

While he adds that it was tricky getting it right at first, Crystal Candy now offers diamonds in three different sizes and 29 different colours. Ray’s customers range from individuals to home industry retail stores, bakeries, wedding cake manufacturers and large corporate.

His ambition is a lofty one – to supply the whole world with edible diamonds. Of course, says Ray, to even begin to reach for this goal, he requires assistance with regards to the marketing and branding of the product. He also needs help with point of sale displays, as he knows that this will be a significant financial investment for him, so he has to get it right the first time.

Country roads may take you home, but if you’re looking for a country job, you need to visit Claire Bennette’s Country Careers business. Having worked as an HR manager with Makro for eight years, as well as having owned her own recruitment business for a further five, Claire is well positioned to provide a country job service.

She has been co-owner of Country Careers, which is an advertising venue for country jobs, since 2006 and has also recently launched sister Website FarmGate – a venue for serious small producers of homemade, handmade and home-grown products.

Country Careers specialises in advertising positions in country areas, where it is often more difficult to source quality candidates. Claire points out that her company has a strong footprint in the country areas, especially the Cape Winelands, and attracts good candidates without the large volumes of unsuitable applicants that come through the large metropolitan job portals.

At the same time, she adds, the biggest challenge for the business has been and remains effectively reaching a market which is widely distributed around South Africa. She believes that Country Careers simply requires more exposure. With no budget for advertising and marketing, the business is forced to be creative, focusing on free media exposure, as well as linking to relevant Websites, organisations and businesses.

Since exposure, through advertising, marketing and brand management, is key to future success, along with superior technical input and good operational management, Claire says that to grow the business, she particularly requires specialist assistance in creative marketing and technical ideas.

Launching a new business can be a bit like walking on eggshells, unless you’re Tom Goddard of AVOOVA, in which case your business is genuinely built on eggshells! AVOOVA has developed a luxury decorative veneer using ostrich eggshell. The company designs, manufactures and markets a range of high end interiors products, as well as providing a bespoke service to interior designers and architects.

With some 25 years in luxury brand marketing, Tom certainly has the experience to play in this high-end market. He says that it is his eye for detail, conviction in the potential of the product, love of Africa and willingness to take risks that has led to his success so far.

AVOOVA works with a production team created from a disenfranchised work force in the Karoo, and has built a high-end range of products that are supplied to several five star hotels and lodge groups, as well as providing the SA Government with gifts for visiting Foreign Ministers.

Tom says that this is quite an achievement, considering that it has been a tough task to gain trade and consumer acceptance for a product of this nature made from ostrich eggshell, not to mention having to overcome the attitude that imported is better than local, which pervades the local market.

He says that he wants AVOOVA to be a viable and sustainable luxury brand that helps enhance the international perceptions of what SA can do. He would also like to be part of a strategic partnership with a larger company that also recognises the value of localising and personalising the luxury brand experience. However, to achieve this he requires financial support to expand production and open more shops, as well as assistance with marketing.

When it comes to starting your own business, many people will encourage you by saying ‘the sky is the limit’. However, not many business owners take that phrase quite as literally as James Pitman, of The Airplane Factory.

The company is one that develops, manufactures and sells light sport aircraft – commonly called kit planes – and, he adds will also soon begin selling light aircraft. The business also provides all the necessary support required by those who purchase their aircraft.

James says that he is relatively new to the airplane business, having spent 25 years as a corporate vice-president and a practicing attorney. His partner Mike, however, has been in the aviation business for more than a quarter of a century, making him something of a legend in the field.

According to James, the business targets reasonably well off individuals whose dream is to fly, along with flying schools that require small aircraft. He adds that there are many people for whom flying is a dream, and that his products are often ideally positioned to assist them achieve this.

Looking ahead, he says that he wants to increase the monthly production of aircraft (in the region of five to 10) and to be recognised as the pre-eminent developer and manufacturer of light, non-certified aircraft and light aircraft kits in the world. To achieve this, he requires financial support, regulatory assistance from the SA authorities and technical assistance from people with industrial experience. Good funding advice and a strong rally in the global economy would also lend a bit of a hand, he adds.

Some people never learn, but that is probably because they have not availed themselves of the service provided by Penny Knell’s Achievers Education Centres. These centres offer extra lessons to students in grades one to 12, across a wide range of subjects and delivered by passionate and qualified teachers.

Having launched the business nearly six years ago with her co-founding partner, Penny says it began because she identified the need for a centre to provide a ‘one-stop’ solution to students. Not only were there learners that needed assistance with a variety of subjects, she says, but there was a need to create an environment where the students could feel comfortable, free to learn and thereby improve their results.

Her previous experience in logistics has stood her in good stead in this business, which requires her to co-ordinate teachers, parents and students in the right combination, in order to ultimately be beneficial for the student.

She says that the centres also assist with daily homework tasks, which in turn helps improve results, as the teacher is able to identify where the learners lack skills and can help them to acquire these. Penny adds that they try and guide parents and learners in positive ways regarding their academic, emotional and or social challenges.

Her ultimate goal is for Achievers to be the educational version of ‘Dischem’ – a ‘one stop’ shop that has educational psychologists, passionate teachers, stationery and educational aids, which can then be franchised across SA. To achieve this, she needs funding to grow the number of branches and employ more dedicated and passionate teachers. Penny also indicates that assistance with marketing and advertising exposure and business mentorship would also be most welcomed.

The multiple arms of the octopus are suggestive of a creature capable of doing a vast array of different things at once, so it is no surprise then that Rouan van der Ende’s company – which does digital art, branding, animation, visual effects and on-set supervision, not to mention film and post production services for TV, Web and cinema – goes by the name Eight Bit Octopus.

Rouan says that his journey in the computer arts began at a young age, when he built his first 3D scene in Bryce while still in primary school. Ultimately he would go on to complete a degree in visual communication from the Open Window in Pretoria.

Having worked for several major players in this space, he says his experience includes TV commercials and animated videos for KFC, Chicken Licken, BMW, Stimrol, Babysoft, Supersport and Yogi Sip, as well as a documentary called Ice World Pioneers: Antarctica.

He says that he and his partner left the corporate world as they were hungry for more creative say and they wanted to learn film production, choosing instead to strike out on their own with eight Bit Octopus. Rouan says that what sets them apart is their passion and their skills, as they always push for higher quality and have the means to out deliver the competitors, despite having fewer resources.

However, the company remains small and they he like to have the space and the means to accept interns and offer full time positions for established producers. They also want to have opportunities to land bigger campaigns and film projects in order to grow organically. This, says Rouan, can all be achieved with financial assistance, as they will be able to buy better equipment and acquire more office space.

Marie Antoinette may have been misquoted when she said ‘if they don’t have bread, let them eat cake’, but the fact is why eat cake when you can eat fantastic bread? There is certainly a market for good bread in South Africa, particularly of the German, Italian and French type, and Shaun Pugin and his company, Artisan Breads, are ready to capitalise on it.

Shaun has been baking for close to 20 years, first with a baking and confectionery company called The Muffin Man, and then with the more specialist Artisan Breads. He says that his change of direction was motivated by the knowledge that people wanted to eat genuinely good bread, rather than just the traditional packaged type. Thus he jumped into this new market, initially working from home, before moving to larger factory premises.

Shaun says that like all foods, bread needs to be baked with love and care, not to mention good ingredients. In addition, one needs a good team (which he knows he has) and one cannot attempt to cut corners. It is also important, he adds, to understand your market segment so that you do not lose focus.

As a supplier of freshly baked, blast frozen bread to a number of hotels, restaurants and delis, Artisan Breads faces competition mostly from imported products. Shaun says his chief goal is to become large enough to replace all frozen imports, but to achieve this objective, he needs consultative interventions to assist the company with production and then an injection of capital to put these plans into action.

At first he thought it would be easy to make money, but he explains, “It’s not as easy as you think.  Your business is like a baby, you need to look after it well so that it can grow!”

Romon Gardener’s business is Rocca Promotions, a print & promotional company that specializes in the printing of promotional items.

The company currently operates in Gauteng and Romon would like to grow not only in Gauteng, but would like to open branches in Durban, P.E and Cape Town.

Her company, Mode Security Services, specializes in the provision of unarmed security officers who cater for access and egress control, street patrol and monitoring, dog handling officers, and special events security. Mode Security also offers Security Training with SASSETA accreditation.

Lizzy says that it’s hard work and requires dedication and determination to succeed. But she thrives on the pressure that comes with being an entrepreneur. Lizzy has learnt that as an entrepreneur it is important to have information archives and not to discard lessons. She says “you sort of need to have a storeroom for information”. You need to take the time to listen, even when the information seems insignificant, because you usually find that you need it in future.

Elizabeth wants to see Mode Security’s customer base increase. She wants to see her company grow into a recognisable brand. She would like to add positively to the South African economy by creating jobs, and not forgetting to make money!

Gr8 Gifts specialises in sports shirt printing, sports kits, bibs and official sports merchandise. They design, manufacture and print the names, numbers and logos for sports clubs, corporate teams and schools.

The company also supplies and installs shirt personalisation systems in retail stores and other businesses. They offer these systems to workwear, PPE and restaurant suppliers to print company names on uniforms.

Brendan shares the following insights from his experience of building his business; “You must always welcome advice from all your peers and customers. They will guide you along the way as to the type and quality of the products and services you should provide them with.” Brendan also advises that entrepreneurs must be able to adapt to the changes and opportunities that present themselves. It is this that will assist you in thriving when there are downturns in the economy. Brendan is confident that even in a recession there is opportunity for some business or commodity to thrive.

Brendan’s ambition is for Gr8 Gifts to be the shirt printing choice of our national sports teams. “We will be proud once we have achieved this”. He would also love to work with more global clothing and sports apparel manufacturers to supply them with products to complete their official team merchandise. Brendan and his team are proud of their services and want to always strive for the best quality finish on all their products.

Brendan is the 2010 Kaya FM Mzansi Aurik Entrepreneur Winner.

H&H Civils is a civil engineering company that installs pipelines, constructs pump stations and valve chambers, and builds reservoirs. Their bulk earthworks division constructs dams and platforms, handles bulk excavations and blasting.  When they bought H&H, the business was still small and they felt they could play a major role in growing it. Their ambition is to be able to build the business into a self-sustaining institution that can withstand all challenges faced by start-up companies and continue past their tenure as owners and managing members of the business.

H&H has two primary customer groups: Municipalities and government based predominantly in the Limpopo province where they currently conduct government tenders and contracts and, Private Sector companies in the mining and large construction developments sector. The company has a 7 CEPECo accreditation and is one of very few black owned engineering companies in the sector.

Musa and Vuyiswa believe that as entrepreneurs it’s very important to have a vision about what you want to achieve in your business. “While it’s important to have mentors and people you can go to for advice, it’s very important to trust your intuition and to know what you stand for.”

“However”, explains Kishor, “the other customers who walked into the shop saw the embroidery machine and asked me if I would do school logos on their uniforms and jerseys, and so it all started!” These were customers who were predominately sewing school uniforms and jerseys from home.  Embroidery orders kept coming in, to the point where he could not cope. He already started looking for a bigger machine.

At this time, Kishor was unfortunately held up in his shop and shot, which left him permanently paralyzed and wheel-chair bound. After spending time in hospital he came back and used the disability payout to grow his business; he bought a four head embroidery machine. He then bought a new machine each year for the next three years, to keep up with the influx of business. In 2004 Kishor was joined by Neelesh his new partner and together they grew the business further. About two years later a third partner, Umesh, joined them and they have acquired a silk screening plant.

Kaytie Identity Promotionals is a textile branding company focusing on embroidery and screening printing. They do embroidery and silk screening on shirts, golf shirts, caps, bags, lanyards etc.

Kishor’s ambition is to run his business efficiently and productively so as to be able have a few branches. Kishor expresses that it is very fulfilling to know that you have started a business that you enjoy working in, and that you are growing to new heights. The potential is unlimited. You might not see returns immediately but you will see growth in your assets. The trick to it all is not to work in your business but rather to manage it well so you can grow your business to new and exciting heights.

Albertina says that her experience of building her own business has taught her the importance of walking the talk, as she has started to put her knowledge and ideas into action. She says, “Aurik Business Incubator gave me the assistance on how to market my company in the midst of big and experienced companies. Since I started acting and using the knowledge gained from Aurik I am moving forward and securing several contracts.”

Albertina is confident and inspired to grow her business further, with an ambition to expand Kholofelo Occupational Health Services into a national company.

As successful entrepreneurs, Nyiko and Refiloe believe that it is important to give your clients the best value for their money, and to have a keen interest in your clients’ feedback regarding your service. They know that perseverance and patience are important, as what is sown into the business, is often only reaped at a later stage. At Nyiko Commercial Enterprises they stay abreast of industry changes and always understand how these will impact the business. The team values networking, goal setting, and aiming high, while constantly checking in to re-evaluate the business situation.

Nyiko and Refiloe aim to grow their turnover to R5million by 2013, to create jobs by employing 100 permanent employees and to expand their services into other provinces. “The business must be self sustaining, and leave a legacy long after we are gone!”

Busisiwe Makhubela saw an opportunity to get more involved in her love for design when she took over this existing office furniture and design company. Busisiwe comes from an entrepreneurial family and has always wanted a chance to work alongside her Dad and role model. She also sees her business as an opportunity to leave a legacy for her own children one day.

Busisiwe says that having her own business is difficult; one has to have perseverance in order to succeed because each month is different to the next in terms of sales. This is why she believes that everyone within the company should have strong selling skills.

Busisiwe aspires to build her business and create a strong brand so that her company becomes the “house-hold brand of South African offices”. She would like to grow Office Habitat to the point where she could contribute to job creation within South Africa.

Sipho started his business by taking small orders, as he had no capital. His passion and commitment helped him grow the business steadily building its credibility within the industry and gaining customer loyalty. Ekaya’s products are ergonomically tested resulting in enhanced productivity, comfort and optimum utilization of office space. Ekaya’s customer base has grown and they provide turnkey solutions to any office environment, both the small business and major corporate.

Sipho’s ambition is to grow Ekaya Office Furniture into an empire, probably beyond South African borders.