What do business owners want from their accountant?

February 21, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Nthabiseng Maidi, Principal Director, MMCP Wealth and MMCP Business Advisory Services

Gone are the days where an accountant will receive paper invoices, receipts, bank statements and delve into processing and producing a trail balance, then the financial reports. There is an old myth that accountants are necessary for compliance purposes and that is not true. With the advancement in technology and the move to digital, some of the work that was previously done by accountants will be obsolete. The WEF of 2019 issued the trends of threatened jobs, and accountants were on the list. Meaning that accountants must rethink their service offering. We are not paper pushers anymore and we do not focus on the past. Our role should be forward looking and providing a service that will grow our clients.

A Case of Customer Loyalty

February 21, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Mandisa Makubalo, founder of Unlimited Experiences

A wave has just hit South Africa's banking industry, so who will be left behind? Tyme Bank is the new kid on the block promising to help South Africans achieve their full potential. The bank empowers South Africans to take back control of their money by helping them understand how money really works and giving them a transparent view of their own financial situations. Is this what customers are looking for from banking? What does banking mean for South African consumers? Could it be that Tyme Bank is the answer to the pain points of the South African consumer as far as banking is concerned?

What if?

February 21, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

During the holiday break, we took the kids to do indoor climbing on a rainy day. My son objected from the moment we arrived and cried all the way until we reached the entrance of the venue. When he looked inside and saw how incredible this place was – it had everything from different types of climbing walls to mazes, obstacle courses and trampolines. Now when he saw this, he was running in and didn’t know where to start. Just pure excitement and joy!

Purpose, Planning and Productivity

February 15, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Thembe Khumalo

I have been very conscious of purpose in my adult life and tried to ensure my big decisions aligned with my life purpose. But what I didn’t give much attention to, until recently, was my daily purpose: embarking on each day with a clear and singular purpose in mind. Most people know roughly what they need to get done in the course of a week or a month. But often, the more senior you become the more you are required to attend to a wide variety of responsibilities. And as you become a generalist, you can easily start to find your days gobbled up by a myriad of small moves that leave you far from your original destination.

There’s a seat at the table for all of us

February 14, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Masana Sangweni, founder of Sanaandi Events & Hospitality

In 2016 I started my own business, Sanaandi Events & Hospitality. It wasn’t an easy decision, for years I procrastinated because of fear and self doubt. But there was that point where I realized that I can’t let fear keep me away from my destiny. The fear of not having a steady income, fear of rejection, fear of disappointing my parents for leaving the family business, fear of failure and fear of the competition. When I finally decided to pursue my passion, there was still fear but the passion was greater.

Are You in Limbo?

February 12, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Eldari Visser, founder of Picketfence Life

The year’s time clock has ticked over and we, as humans, settle our feathers for a new year - all the new challenges, the goals to achieve, the dreams to chase, scores to settle and proving of self-worth ... how necessary is this?

Some Will Buy, Some Won’t - So What’s Next in Your Sales Plan?

February 4, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Catia Mondlane

The great thing about creating a business is that there are no limits when it comes to launching new ideas and ways to improve - but one thing is for sure, selling is what keeps it running. The subject of sales gets everybody argus-eyed, searching and learning about it, because people want to sell and want to know how to sell their goods or services effectively.

Motherhood and entrepreneurship can live in harmony

February 4, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Phindile Ndlovu, Founder and Director of Bhekizenzo Foundation

There is nothing worse than being an entrepreneur and mother that does not have a working space; the children want to open the laptop, press it. They whine and want your attention. You have a deadline; it is a nightmare. Well, great news, I can relate. Replying to emails is a chore; drafting a proposal is just impossible.

Are your employees equipped to respond to rising cyber attacks?

February 4, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Adv. Lufuno T Khorommbi (Ms) Cyber Law Consultant and MD of Orizur Consulting Enterprise

A cyber-attack is an intentional exploitation of computer systems, networks, and technology-dependent enterprises. These attacks use malicious code to modify computer code, data, or logic. Culminating into destructive consequences that can compromise data and promulgate cybercrimes such as information and identity theft.

Presenting without PowerPoint

February 3, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Laura Camacho

My favorite way to teach communication skills to my client companies is through a series of 2 to 3-hour workshops over many months. It’s hard to sit still all day and science shows that people have a really hard time paying attention after 90 minutes of teaching. Furthermore, it’s great when learners can build their body of knowledge on a topic over time.

The Golden Client

January 29, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Catia Mondlane

A couple of days ago, I was going through my client list because I wanted to find out and understand who my real clients are. I found out some very interesting things - for example, just because people follow you on social media doesn’t mean that they buy from you. In fact, the ones that constantly buy occupy a smaller piece of the pie chart, while the group that only bought once and those that never bought were part of the larger percentage.

Choosing a Brighter Everyday

January 29, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Thozama Ponti

Waking up each day we can’t help but wonder what the day ahead will bring for us. Hoping that the day will go well is everyone’s wish. At times we are challenged from the start and often lose hope, wondering if anything will go well in that day.

The Marriage of Entrepreneurship, Leadership and Mentorship

January 29, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Phindile Ndhlovu, founder and director, Bhekizenzo Foundation

When I was in university, 2 years ago, I wondered how my life would end up. I was worried. My academics were bad as I was involved with student activism and part-time jobs. I was a full-time student that studied part-time. I was a pregnant unemployed graduate. I had to step up for my precious boy’s arrival. I was not born with entrepreneurship flowing in my blood, life kind of forced that on me.

Customer First Talk vs Delivering Value

January 23, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Mandisa Makubalo, founder of Unlimited Experiences

What is "Customer First Talk"? How does this look, tangibly, and how does a company recognize that it’s moved beyond ‘customer first talk’ to delivering value for its customers?

There must be more to caring than copy…paste…share. At least, I hope so!

January 23, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Alice da Silva

Now and then on Facebook I see a certain post. It’s about suicide awareness, and usually invites others to copy, paste and share. Sometimes it includes a dare, something like, ‘Most people won’t share, but I know who will’. The post usually has multi-coloured hearts and a sort of story about how, ‘I am always available if you need to talk…’

Finding the best operating model for your fashion business

January 23, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Brigette Mashile, founder of Roka Roko

When I started Roka Roko, I didn’t consider my options as to how I wanted to operate. I didn’t think that far ahead. My main goal was to make clothes people felt and looked amazing in. I had been postponing my dream for at least 10 years and finally the opportunity was here. So, I just dove in. As the years passed, I became more and more exposed to other fashion businesses and ways of operation. I toyed with a few operating models and realizedthat it is better to find one and stick to it. I mean, you can 80% do one, and maybe 20% another; but your cash cow needs to be clear and strictly followed.

The ultimate productivity hack

January 19, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

I have written many articles and run master classes about how to own your Time. This includes tools about dealing with procrastination, multi-tasking (which is actually a bad thing), anxiety and spiralling thoughts, planning, prioritising – this is just a few from my toolkit.

Creating a cyber aware workforce

January 19, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Adv. Lufuno T Khorommbi (Ms), Cyber Law Consultant and MD of Orizur Consulting Enterprise

Have you ever wondered why some businesses are more vulnerable to cyber-attacks than others? In the 4th Industrial Revolution (4IR) where everything is connected to everything, information has become the most valuable asset for every organization, big or small. It is unfortunate, however, that though cyber threats are growing both in their prevalence and in their disruptive potential, cyber security remains an afterthought for many organisations.

The Unexpected Secret of Business Success

January 19, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Laura Camacho

As a communication coach to leaders all over this beautiful planet, my clients and I spend a great deal of time discussing how communication affects perceptions. In fact, one of my most important tasks is to help clients improve their self-perceptions so that they become more confident.

Show up to your fun side

January 12, 2020 Melanie Hawken

by Lori Milner

I was swimming with my kids yesterday and my 4-year-old daughter innocently said to me ‘Mommy, come and have fun with me’. I looked at her and thought ‘Ok, how do you do that?’ I asked her ‘Show me what fun is’ (because I didn’t want to be the boring mom and admit I didn’t know how). So, we jumped into the pool together holding hands, she pretended to be a mermaid and I had to be a princess. Really simple imagination games.

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