2010 EOY winner the embodiment of real entrepreneurship

Martin Beyers is no Richard Branson; he does not instantly draw you into his world with a wealth of charisma. Neither is he a Steve Jobs; intent on taking over the world one iPod at a time. He also does not remind you of Lakshmi Mittal; the creator of a global empire. Yet, Beyers beat […]

Entrepreneurial freedom

Challenge becomes opportunity Martin Brown has a competitive advantage that none of his rivals can beat: he is paralysed from the neck down. In Brown’s eyes, he is not disabled; he is ahead of the competition. “If two people tried to sell you a wheelchair and I was one of them, who would you buy […]

Sweet smell of success

Snack manufacturer master of reinvention The saying adversity breeds opportunity is relevant to almost all entrepreneurs in South Africa, but none more so than Theo Bakkum. The Managing Director of Awesome Snacks has had a turbulent decade to say the least. But, it is the way in which he overcame the challenges presented which saw […]

Bitten by the bug

Pharmacist pursues entrepreneurial freedom Entrepreneurs come in all shapes and sizes but there is one common element that binds them: vision. Where others saw an abandoned post office in Pretoria’s West Park, Lovely Letsoalo saw a beginning. While it would be the beginning of a pharmacy, it would also be the beginning of a new […]

One step at a time

EOY winner the embodiment of real entrepreneurship Martin Beyers is no Richard Branson; he does not instantly draw you into his world with a wealth of charisma. Neither is he a Steve Jobs; intent on taking over the world one iPod at a time. He also does not remind you of Lakshmi Mittal; the creator […]

Contain the clash

How to close deals and deal with conflict In any business, partnership or joint venture, there will be conflict. Mostly, SME decision makers will enter the fray thinking of the outcome in terms of winners and losers. Similarly, when these decision makers enter into negotiations with a potential partner, client or supplier, the battle lines […]

Photos: 2010 EOY launch

The Sanlam/Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition was officially launched on 25 March 2010 at the Hilton Hotel, Johannesburg. Nazeem Martin, Managing Director of Business Partners Limited and Jan Steenkamp, Executive Head, Sanlam Cobalt shared the vision of the Entrepreneur of the Year® Project. MC and Project Ambassador for the event was Doreen Morris.

The era of entrepreneurial excellence

New Entrepreneur of the Year competition launches It is easy to call someone a great entrepreneur during the good times. But how do you define a great entrepreneur during the bad times? Is it the business owner whose business grew during a recession or is it the small business owner that took charge of a […]