Helping entrepreneurs is a winning business

Louw Barnardt of Outsourced CFO named Emerging Business Entrepreneur of the Year®

Local entrepreneur, Louw Barnardt, owner of Outsourced CFO, received the 2018 Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year® award at the annual Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS awards ceremony, held in Johannesburg this morning.

The financial management company that renders technical and visionary CFO services to emerging tech and innovation businesses, is the vision of chartered accountant, Louw Barnardt.  

Barnardt says that the business idea came about when he noticed a gap in the South African market for high-level, yet accessible financial consulting. He says that many businesses, especially those in the start-up and scale-up phase, require the time and skills of a qualified CA or CFO, but don’t have the resources or capacity to take one on full-time. Outsourced CFO helps small-to-medium business owners rethink, automate and scale their businesses in the pursuit of business eminence.

In line with the global trend of organisations moving away from traditional business models to take on more flexible structures, Outsourced CFO allows start-up businesses to focus internal resources on the activities which provide a unique competitive advantage, while opting to outsource non-core, yet critical functions such as financial management.

In just under five years, Barnardt has capitalised on this trend and has emerged in Cape Town’s market and beyond, as a trusted CFO service provider and thought leader. Since inception, the business has achieved an 87% growth rate year-on-year adding seven new staff members in the past year alone and there are no plans to slow down.

Outsourced CFO provides a range of financial management services, an offering which Barnardt says is constantly evolving. These services include CFO, cloud accounting and fundraising services. “Our team is always on the look-out for the best tech, the best resources, and the most efficient ways to execute on tasks and deliver value. Our differentiating factors are the entrepreneurial professionals we employ, the top-end technology we leverage and the high quality and innovative service we provide to consistently exceed client expectations.”

Barnardt, who wanted to be an entrepreneur since the tender age of six, says that while his business has received numerous accolades over the past four years, it is the growth of the businesses they help that is a true reflection of their own success.
The competition judges agree: “Outsourced CFO has helped their entrepreneur clients raise over R400 million in seed and growth finance. This is exceptional work, especially taking into account the South African landscape which is desperate for growth in this all important sector of the economy.  

“We were very impressed with Louw’s energy, drive and passion for his business – the hard work he has put into not only growing his own business, but other entrepreneurial businesses through their hands-on work in helping entrepreneurs run the financial side of their businesses,” said the judges of this year’s competition.

“I am honoured to receive this award and be ranked among the top entrepreneurs in South Africa, all of whom are doing incredible work in their respective industries,” says Barnardt.

For more information on Outsourced CFO, please visit the website: www.outsourcedcfo.co.za.

Past winner catch-up: where are they now?

2018 marks our 30th year in honouring entrepreneurs and the contributions they make toward growing the South African economy. We’re celebrating by catching up with some of the past winners of the competition.

Catching up with: Elian Wiener

Winning year: Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year® and Innovator of the Year – 2011

Winning business: Epic Communications (now MSL) is an award-winning integrated communications and public relations agency with offices in both Johannesburg and Cape Town. The company specialises in helping businesses build and protect their brands and reputations.

It’s been 7 years since you won the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year® and Innovator of the Year titles in 2011, how has business been since then?

There have been significant developments for myself and the business since 2011. In the subsequent years, we have continued on our rapid expansion path as we continue to lead the evolution of the communications industry in Africa. Most notably, Epic Communications, which has rebranded as MSL, was acquired by Publicis Groupe in 2014. Publicis Groupe is one of the world’s largest advertising and communications companies in the world. This acquisition has enabled us to bring global best practices to bear for our clients as well as offer a more integrated marketing solution in collaboration with our Publicis owned sister agencies in Africa.

Have you made any new developments in your business since winning?

We have always placed innovation at the forefront of what we do, which has been key in an industry that is rapidly changing. Over the last five years, we have evolved from a traditional public relations agency to an integrated communications agency that seeks to guide our clients through this ever changing marketing landscape. To do this we have completely restructured our business into full service integrated marketing teams and added new offerings in the digital, social media, influencer, reputation management, training and reporting spaces.

What was the biggest lesson you learned from your stint in the EOY competition?

I learned the importance of maintaining a competitive advantage. As a business grows, it naturally loses its start-up advantages – which need to be replaced with others to remain competitive. For us this means constantly reviewing our vision, structure, skill sets, service offering and market positioning. Winning multiple awards at the EOY competition in 2011 also helped to boost our profile and introduce us to a strong network of companies, many of which have gone on to be clients of ours.   

What would your top piece of advice be for anyone looking to enter this year’s competition?

Spend time and effort on your entry. It is crucial to really think about what makes your company special – its vision and the value it adds to all stakeholders.

Past winner catch-up – where are they now?

2018 marks our 30th year in honouring entrepreneurs and the contributions they make toward growing the South African economy. We’re celebrating this milestone by catching up with some of the past winners of the competition.

Catching up with: Kim Whitaker

Winning year: Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year® – 2015

Winning business: Once in Cape Town is a combined product of two different accommodation types – a backpackers’ lodge and a luxury hotel – globally dubbed as a ‘poshtel’.

It’s been almost 3 years since you won the Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year® title in 2015, how has business been since then?

Business has been very good – we’ve grown year-on-year and even achieved some goals that we had set out back when we started our journey.

Shortly after winning the title in 2015, we were fortunate enough to realise one of our big dreams – expansion into Gauteng with “Once in Jo’Burg” in 2016. It has been incredibly exciting to watch the new branch grow from strength to strength.

Since the 2015 competition, I also became a parent and being a working-mom has now brought a few new challenges to my life – such as needing to travel and attend business meetings with my child (even to Germany for a trade show!).

Have you made any new developments within your business since winning?

We very recently launched a tourism academy for young women in the tourism industry. The academy will begin in May 2018 with 20 students initially – taking them through the basics of tourism management. We hope this will empower these young women to forge long and successful careers within the local tourism industry.

Eventually we hope to grow the academy to host up to 100 students per year. We want to be a driver of growth in our sector and contribute toward bolstering youth employment in our country.
We were also recently awarded our Fair Trade stamp after a thorough audit – achieving a 100% pass rate which we’re very proud of.

What was the biggest lesson you learnt from your stint in the EOY competition?

The competition was an eye-opener. Bearing witness to the innovative things others are doing reminded me to always put my best foot forward, and to be proud of our achievements.

The entire experience was exceptionally inspirational. I was able to meet and learn from so many like-minded entrepreneurs who have amazing businesses. In turn, this has led me to discover a personal passion for networking with other local entrepreneurs and for investigating the entrepreneurial landscape in South Africa. I am eager to be more involved in helping others discover their entrepreneurial talents and seeing how we, collectively, can grow our country.

What would your top piece of advice be for anyone looking to enter this year’s competition?

I think the biggest, and possibly the most important piece of advice I could offer other entrepreneurs looking to enter the competition would be to be themselves completely. Don’t be something you’re not – you should be proud of your business, and your uniqueness. Be proud to fit outside the box. Most importantly – know your business inside and out – and don’t be shy to show it off.

Trailblazing health logistics duo awarded emerging Entrepreneur of the Year® title

Entrepreneurial duoSizwe Nzima and Siraaj Adams, owners of Iyeza Health, walked away as the winners of the 2017 Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year® title at the annual Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS awards ceremony, held in Johannesburg on 6 September 2017.

Iyeza Health – which started in 2013 as a bicycle courier service delivering chronic medication from health clinics in Khayelitsha to just one client, Sizwe’s grandmother – quickly grew into a fully-fledged specialist health logistics company directly servicing 1 000 patients in the same area.

Following this successful expansion, the business further diversified and today their clientele also includes the private sector, having secured contracts with medical aid companies. This growth has enabled Iyeza Health to further link their logistics services with doctors, clinics and hospitals, as well as patients.

Apart from growing their customer base, Sizwe and Siraaj have also evolved their business model to include digital healthcare software and medical devices to assist people with diagnostic self-testing at home and, in doing so, have provided a convenient channel for proactive and preventative screening and care.

This software includes the Iyeza Health web-based platform, HIV Self Testing (hivselftesting.co.za) which enables customers to utilise the business’ services, such as ordering HIV self-testing kits, thereby offering accessible alternatives to the current status quo in the pharmaceutical distribution and supply chain.

Due to the duo’s hard work, innovation and dedication, this web-based platform is now the leading e-commerce platform for HIV self-testing in South Africa, with over 3000 kits being distributed per month. In addition to this, their website platform has also been adopted by the National Department of Health.

In addition, there is also a unique, integrated medical aid claim functionality built into the platform for customer convenience and once an order has been placed for a medical device, Iyeza Health is able to distribute the order nationally within two working days.

The Entrepreneur of the Year® competition judging panel was particularly impressed with the fact that Iyeza Health has not only contributed to solving a challenge within the health department, but that they are also providing a necessary service to the country. “Government pharmacies and hospitals are struggling to keep up with public demand, so what Iyeza Health has achieved in such a short period is already promoting social change within South Africa,” said the judges.

In response to the judge’s accolades, the emerging entrepreneurs say they remain committed to changing the face of public health in South Africa and intend to continue developing useful clinical mobile applications in order to improve health management in underprivileged communities.

For more information on Sizwe and Siraaj’s business, please visit the Iyeza Health website: www.iyezahealth.co.za.

Innovative gardening store owner recognised as emerging entrepreneur of the year®

Vanessa Jacobs, the innovative business woman behind Sow Delicious®, whose inspirational vegetable and herb Slab of Seed® invention is taking edible gardening to a mainstream audience, has been named the 2016 Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year® at the annual Entrepreneur of the Year® competition sponsored by Sanlam and BUSINESS/PARTNERS, held in Johannesburg this morning.

Sow Delicious® began as an online niche gardeningstore in August 2013, through which a gap in the market for “grow-your-own” products was identified. This prompted Jacobs to launch her Slab of Seed® invention in 2014, which quickly evolved into the business’ core offering, changing its focus from an online store to wholesale for retail.  

The Sow Delicious® niche is that its Slab of Seed® only grows plants you can eat with each slab growing a mix of three different 100% Heirloom varieties. Making edible gardening more accessible for the ordinary, non-gardener consumer; the slabs grow just as well in pots as they would in a normal garden, thereby making them ideal for novice gardeners living in flats or townhouses. As the blocks are pre-fertilised with organic fertiliser, they germinate twice as fast and hold water three times longer than soil.

According to the judging panel, Jacobs is deserving of the award as she has tapped into a budding market that has unlimited potential for growth and expansion. “This idea is truly original and embodies everything that our competition stands for – true entrepreneurism in identifying a gap in the market, researching the idea and then capitalising on the opportunity. In our opinion, it is only a matter of time before this product takes off in South Africa and around the world.”

Discussing why Sow Delicious® is a worthy winner of this title, Jacobs says that their innovation has revolutionised the grow-your-own market in South Africa. “We feel that our trademarked invention – the Slab of Seed® – addresses three fundamental issues relevant to our society – health, food security and affordability. We successfully changed 34 000 South African lives last year and now we want to change the rest of the world.”

For more information on Sow Delicious® please visit www.sowdelicious.co.za.

SA’s top entrepreneurs recognised across sectors

South Africa’s premier annual entrepreneurial competition, Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year®, this morning named Gil Oved and Ran Neu-Ner, founders and owners of The Creative Counsel (TCC), as the overall winners of the 2015 competition in Johannesburg this morning.

Speaking at the event, spokesperson for the 2015 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition, Christo Botes, said that the judging process was extremely challenging this year, with judges having to select winners for the seven categories from 15 deserving finalists who were selected to advance to the final round of judging.

Botes says that Gil Oved and Ran Neu-Ner of TCC were selected as the overall 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year® winners due to the phenomenal success which the business has achieved in its 14 years of operation. “Founded in 2001 as a two-man agency, TCC is today the largest advertising group in South Africa by staff and turnover, with a targeted presence in Africa and plans to expand further into emerging markets.”

He says that TCC has also perfected the process of job creation – a trait inherent in entrepreneurs and a key reason why the competition seeks to discover and unmask South Africa’s economic heroes and celebrate the role they play in society. “The agency is one of South Africa’s largest private first-time employers in that the business employs untrained candidates and then focuses on up-skilling these individuals and equip them with experience for their future careers.”

Other 2015 category winners include:

2015 Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year®: Bryan Anderson, co-owner and co-founder of Delta Steam Systems

Anderson is the creator of a revolutionary Delta Venturi steam trap system, which removes water from steam systems to keep manufacturing systems efficient. The innovative product range is disrupting the global steam trap industry due to its simplicity and longevity.

www.delta-industries.com

2015 Medium Business Entrepreneur of the Year® and Innovator of the Year®: Nadir Khamissa, founder and owner of The Hello Group

The Hello Group exists to create game-changing integrated consumer and business services for migrant and marginalised communities, and consists of a number of subsidiaries, each of which offers an innovative product or solution for individuals from these communities.

www.hellogroup.co.za

2015 Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year®: Kim Whitaker, co-founder and co-owner of Once in Cape Town

Once in Cape Town is a hospitality establishment which is a combined product of two different accommodation types – a backpackers’ lodge and a luxury hotel – globally dubbed as a ‘poshtel’. The business offers a concise brand promise – the fun and adventurous qualities synonymous with a backpackers’ lodge, together with the cleanliness, safety, centrality and efficiency of a hotel.

www.onceincapetown.co.za

2015 Job Creator of the Year®: Lewis Thomas, owner and founder of Partners Hair Design

Thomas started the successful group of Western Cape based hair salons 31 years ago and currently owns 14 are unisex salons and eight male salons. In 2012, he launched his second line of hair salons called Hair Freedom. Providing full-time employment to over 250 employees, Lewis has also established a successful SETA accredited hair training academy which educates and equips students with tools to success in the competitive industry.

www.partnershair.co.za

KwaZulu-Natal (KZN) entrepreneur, Ncamisile Maphumulo, of Coastal Nephrology Centre – a kidney dialysis treatment centre in deep-rural KZN – was awarded the 2015 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® Judges Prize. The judges prize was introduced last year and seeks to acknowledge a business that may not yet be at the same level of the other entrepreneurs (in terms of size and turnover), but makes an impression on the judges due to their attitude and positive entrepreneurial outlook.

Botes says that the judges believe that Maphumulo’s business needed special recognition for the social impact it is making. Maphumulo decided to start her business to provide much needed healthcare solutions to the patients that were left stranded by the closure of the health company she worked for in the community. “Maphumulo recognised the need in the community and used her competence to render a much needed service,” says Botes.

The competition provides prizes worth R 2 million, and will see the overall winner receive a cash prize of R 100 000.00 and the other category winners receiving R50 000 each. Each winner will also receive valuable mentorship support, networking opportunities and associated marketing and national media exposure to further drive their business’ success. Past winners have also gone on to win other prominent national and international awards and form valuable partnerships as a result of their success in the competition.

Now in its 27th year, the 2015 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition aims to honour, recognise and uplift South African SMEs and entrepreneurs, as well as celebrate excellence in entrepreneurship and inspire others to succeed in the world of business.

Cape Town hospitality establishment owner recognised as Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year®

Kim Whitaker, co-founder and co-owner of Once in Cape Town, a hospitality establishment situated in the heart of Cape Town, has been named the 2015 Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year® at the annual Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® Competition held in Johannesburg this morning.

The Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year® category celebrates entrepreneurs who have been in business for a maximum of 5 years, with a turnover not exceeding R5 million.

Once in Cape Town is a combined product of two different accommodation types – a backpackers lodge and a luxury hotel – globally dubbed as a ‘poshtel’, and was born after Whitaker took over a struggling two star lodge and revamped the business and staff structures completely. The business offers a concise brand promise – the fun and adventurous qualities synonymous with a backpackers lodge, together with the cleanliness, safety, centrality and efficiency of a modern hotel.

Due to innovative and creative business and marketing strategies that Whitaker has fast implemented, the establishment has managed to increase occupancy rates from 32 to 80% in the short space of only 12 months. Despite constant re-investment, the business has also managed to maintain a 23% profit margin. The establishment is now recognised as a four star establishment in the backpacking category by the Tourism Grading Council of South Africa.

Whitaker has also introduced a new company culture and structure, which encourages staff to take responsibility for their own skills development and professional careers. Her efforts and hard work has resulted in a fun, social, friendly, safe and welcoming environment for tourists and locals to enjoy, and she believes that the employees of Once in Cape Town are the business’s best asset.

The business currently has a permanent staff complement of 25 employees, and has a staff to guest ratio of 1:5, well above the international average of 1:8 in a hostel environment, which Whitaker believes is necessary to provide quality and attentive service.

She says that entrepreneurship is the embodiment not only of financial risk-taking, but it is the execution of a usually creative and unique idea that others are afraid to even dream of. “It is the opportunity offered to people fortunate enough to be called entrepreneurs, in exchange for hours of scheming, focus and plenty of blood, sweat and tears.”

According to Frances Wright, a member of the 2015 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® judging panel, Whitaker is deserving of the award as she has in a very short period of time successfully managed to turn around a failing business, which is extremely challenging. “A strong business culture was developed and implemented, resulting in the establishment becoming a thriving business with a strong culture. The business’s target market is well defined and Whitaker clearly understands the need of their customers. With a 30% net profit, Once in Cape Town is deserving of this award,” she concludes.

For more information on Once in Cape Town please visit www.onceincapetown.co.za

Calling all entrepreneurs!

Final countdown to enter the 2015 Entrepreneur of the Year competition begins. With just a little more than a month until entries close for the 2015 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition on 16 June 2015, South African entrepreneurs are encouraged to enter in order to be recognised and rewarded for the hard work and passion that they put into their business, as well as the vital role they play within the country’s economy.

The competition provides entrepreneurs with the chance to win prizes up to the value of R 2 million, which includes cash prizes to the value of R350 000, as well as valuable mentorship support, networking opportunities and associated marketing and national media exposure.

Now in its 27th year, the free-to-enter competition has become South Africa’s pre-eminent entrepreneurial platform, and embraces local entrepreneurship by providing an opportunity to showcase business achievements and elevate the entrepreneur’s profile, as well as their profits.

Christo Botes, spokesperson for the Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition, says that the competition serves as a promotional tool to not only create awareness for entrepreneurship in South Africa, but also for local entrepreneurs to generate a credible reputation amongst competitors.

“Smaller business often can’t compete with larger market player’s marketing spend and national advertising campaigns. Not only are such competition platforms cost-effective, but if entrants are successful as finalists or winners, the awareness thereafter can have a significant effect on their business’ brand and bottom line,” says Botes.

An example is the 2014 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® winners of the Judges Prize – Dudu and Leema Mofokeng, joint owners of Legaci Dry Cleaners and Laundry Services – who, through the exposure gained from the competition, have raised the profile of their company and as a result have witnessed an increase in business enquires and requests from prospective franchisees.

The competition is open to entrepreneurs from all industries and for businesses of any sizes. Categories for the competition include: Emerging Entrepreneur, Small Business Entrepreneur, Medium Business Entrepreneur, Innovator of the Year, Job Creator of the Year and overall Entrepreneur of the Year® 2015.

Entrepreneurs interested in entering the competition can download entry forms online at www.eoy.co.za as well as interact with fellow entrepreneurs on the Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition social media platforms: Twitter: @EOY_SA and www.facebook.com/EOY.SA. The closing date for the competition is 16 June 2015.

Innovative construction company awarded Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year® Award

Jonathan-David-PeplerFounder of construction business Silverline Group, Jonathan Pepler, has been recognised for his remarkable accomplishments during the early stages of a business life cycle by being awarded the 2013 Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year® title in the annual Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year ® Competition, which was held in Johannesburg on Wednesday, 4 September 2013.

The Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year® category which celebrates entrepreneurs who have been in business for less than three years, acknowledges Pepler’s success of becoming one of the largest light frame steel construction companies in South Africa in just a few short years.

In addition to providing conventional construction services, Silverline Group specialises in constructing light frame steel structures, a high-performance environmentally-friendly alternative building solution not widely used in South Africa. Modelled on international best practice used in the USA, Canada, Australia, New Zealand and Asia, light frame steel structures are fast gaining popularity in South Africa, due to the fact that it offers an effective method of construction that produces no waste and 80% less carbon footprint than conventional building methodology.

This innovative building method also reduces the time needed to construct a building considerably and as a result, more businesses are opting to make use of this method as it allows them to start operating and making a profit much earlier than expected. A recent example of this is the new McDonald’s in Goodwood, Cape Town, which was able to open the outlet four months earlier, compared to the time it would have taken with traditional brick and mortar building techniques.

Due to the growing demand for this product, Pepler made the decision to franchise the company, making it the only franchised construction business in South Africa, and one of very few in the world. The company also provides significant support, mentorship and skills training to its more than 30 franchisees, which Pepler believes is a major factor behind the business’ success.

Pepler says that winning the competition serves as encouragement to further push the envelope to be more efficient, more effective and to make a greater impact on the environment, as well as the people and businesses which benefit from their product.

As a result of Pepler’s achievements, not only has an alternative and sustainable construction practice been created within South Africa, but his company and franchises are a major contributor to job creation and economic growth.

According to Kobus Engelbrecht, a member of the 2013 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year ® judging panel, Pepler stood out in the Emerging category due to his exceptionally well executed business idea and the enormous growth potential of the business.

“The building method Jonathan uses is not unique internationally, but within South Africa it is not widely used and has he set out to successfully convince the major role players in the local market to accept this building method. Banks, for instance, chose not to finance buildings constructed in this way, but Jonathan managed to convince them otherwise.

“Jonathan also successfully franchised his business, which enabled him to grow it into a business with a national footprint in a short space of time and without the need for a large amount of capital,” concludes Engelbrecht.

For more information on Silverline Group, please visit their website www.silverlinegroup.co.za

Entries drawing to a close for 2013 Entrepreneur of the Year® competition

With just less than a month until entries close for the 2013 Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition, South African entrepreneurs are encouraged to enter in order to be recognised and rewarded for the vital role they play within the country’s economy.

Not only will entrepreneurs stand a chance at winning prizes worth a total value of R1 340 000, which includes cash prizes of R300 000, but all finalists and winners are also provided with the opportunity to expand their networks and receive invaluable exposure for their businesses.

Now in its 25th year, the free-to-enter competition is dedicated to celebrating and profiling the success of entrepreneurs from across South Africa and boosting the level of entrepreneurship in South Africa.

Nimo Naidoo, project manager of the Sanlam / Business Partners Entrepreneur of the Year® competition, says that entrepreneurs are faced with various challenges and that the competition aims to assist entrepreneurs overcome these.

“Obtaining a credible reputation amongst various other competitors and securing additional capital to grow a business are often two key challenges that business owners encounter on their entrepreneurial journey.

“In challenging economic conditions, competitions offer an affordable marketing platform, and by utilising these platforms, entrepreneurs can grow their business by increasing both their brand reputation and bottom line.

“As an example, Tabisa Nomnganga of Bravo Promotions, winner of the 2012 Emerging Entrepreneur Award, has accredited the competition for increasing her client base, as well as increasing her bottom line profits by over 40% from the previous financial year.”

Naidoo adds that due to the success and exposure that many of the 2012 winners encountered, they are already exceeding the number of entries received during last year’s campaign, with still a few weeks to go until the closing date. “We have already received entries from exceptional entrepreneurs with very promising businesses and look forward to responses from the remainder of the local entrepreneurial community.”

The competition is open to entrepreneurs from all industries and for businesses of any sizes. Categories for the competition include: Emerging Entrepreneur, Small Business Entrepreneur, Medium Business Entrepreneur, Innovator of the Year, Job Creator of the Year and overall Entrepreneur of the Year 2013.