Unemployment remains the country’s greatest economic and social challenge

“South Africa should be tackling the rising unemployment rate by facilitating and driving entrepreneurship.” This is according to Christo Botes, spokesperson for the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS, who was speaking in light of the recently released unemployment figures. Statistics SA yesterday revealed that unemployment increased to 26.7 percent […]

Five common mistakes to avoid when buying a property

When things go wrong in commercial property investment they can really go badly wrong, because the consequences are often counted in millions or rands. Owen Holland, Business Partners Limited (BUSINESS/PARTNERS) national asset manager: properties, lists five common mistakes made in commercial property investments. Before you venture into your next commercial property deal, says Holland, it […]

Is your business continuity protected to survive a crisis?

By Jannie Rossouw Head: Sanlam Business Market www.businessdirectory.co.za defines a crisis as: “A critical event or point of decision that, if not handled in an appropriate manner (or if not handled at all) may turn into a disaster or catastrophe. Financial challenges in a business may come in many guises.  For instance: A big contract […]

Self-belief is the biggest ingredient for success

A successful entrepreneurial journey starts with a determined vision, a little bit of self-belief and faith in your own ability. According to Erina van Schalkwyk, owner of GEL Supply Chain and entrant of the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS, this is the winning recipe for a thriving business and […]

Should entrepreneurs pay attention to economic “noise”?

The South African economy had a bumpy start to 2016, impacting both small and large businesses alike. Recent attention grabbing headlines – from interest rate hikes, petrol increases and talk of a possible credit rating downgrade which has been averted – make it challenging for business owners to feel positive amongst the gloomy news. Gugu […]

Value in having an expert evaluate your business

Five reasons entrepreneurs should enter business competitions Entrepreneurs running small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are required to assume many roles and wear many hats as they often don’t have the resources and staff complement available to manage all the necessary day-to-day activities and challenges that the environment presents. Entering a business competition is therefore often […]