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 […]

Open communication can turn family into a valuable business asset

By Jeremy Lang Regional general manager of BUSINESS/PARTNERS In a sense, almost all owner-managed businesses are family businesses. The fortunes of even those run by a single entrepreneur without the direct involvement of other family members are heavily influenced by what goes on at home. Such lone-operating business owners can turn their families into one […]

Why financials are important even to non-financially savvy business owners

By Jannie Rossouw Head: Sanlam Business Market Many business owners manage the finances of their businesses by means of their bank account. This is a risky practice as the bank account does not provide a true reflection of the real cash flow status of the business. Here are four actions you can consider applying in […]

Are you thinking of scaling your business?

We discuss when it is the right time to do so By Christo Botes Executive director at BUSINESS/PARTNERS and spokesperson for the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS The urge to convert and scale up a small business to a medium to large enterprise is one of the most common […]

SA’s leading entrepreneurial competition now open for entries

We are excited to announce the launch of the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS! Now in its 28th year, this renowned competition pays homage to courageous South African entrepreneurs who dedicate themselves to their enterprises / businesses driving growth, creating much needed jobs and contributing towards economic development in […]

No business is too small for a proper budget

Many business owners mistakenly think their operation is too small for a formal budgeting process. The budget (of sorts) that many business owners keep inside their heads is often more like a basic recipe, and is usually inadequate to deal with the constant change that every business is subject to. This is according to Jeremy […]

How to progress your business

If you are working on something exciting that you really care about, you don’t have to be pushed. The vision pulls you. Steve Jobs The point of departure with this article is that you have already developed an empowering vision and crystal clear mission statement for your business. (If not, read this article) With these […]

Simple budgeting is better for a tough trading environment

By Kobus Engelbrecht, spokesperson for the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and Business Partners Limited Just as the South African finance minister needs to ensure that the national budget is realistic and attainable, local entrepreneurs need to ensure they have their annual budgets in optimal order. The effective planning and prioritising […]

Welcome to 2016

Finding the silver lining in the dark economic cloud By Christo Botes, spokesperson for the 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS The 2016 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition team would like to welcome all entrepreneurs to the start of a new and exciting chapter in their entrepreneurial journey. While the […]

Business evaluation can lead to business optimisation

There is something to be said for making the time to investigate, evaluate and think about some critical elements impacting on the success of our businesses. In this article I will look into (1) Service Experience, (2) Business Premises, (3) Our People and (4) The Image of my Business. 1. Service Experience This subject matter […]