It is once again the leaders in our country that will make the difference – those with the drive and determination to succeed.  CM Trading is facilitating this South African entrepreneurial spirit by introducing the Business Referrers programme which enables individuals with vision, spirit and resolve to either make a successful part-time business or a booming full time enterprise.

“As well as providing the largest retail online trading platform for individuals and companies, we have also seen the need to provide opportunities for individuals to grow their wealth in other ways – hence the development of the Business Referrers programme,” says Daniel Kibel, CM Trading.  “Since we started trading in 2012 we have become one of the most trusted trading sites in the world, boasting our presence all over the world and winning many awards including the Best Performing Broker in Africa by Africa investor (Ai) at a function at NASDAQ in New York.  People are beginning to learn that trading can be as simple or as complicated as you make it, and we pride ourselves on making it simple, transparent and profitable.”

“Being prepared for various market scenarios is often a key part of a business’ success – the better prepared you are, the better your performance will be,” Kibel continues.  “However, a trader should always be responsible and we pride ourselves on good business practice and on ensuring that we educate both the experienced online trader as well as the new online practitioner – we are here to assist.  Our Business Referrers programme teaches our business partners to be disciplined, to think of the long term and most importantly to be patient.  This is just one of the reasons we started the Programme.”

“The point of entry is low – in fact all an individual needs to become a Business Referrer is someone who can introduce a minimum of five clients looking to invest with a company that provides full back up support and continued maintenance through an established trading company.  There is no capital outlay, just a determined spirit and a basic knowledge of the CM Trading platform – all of which is provided by CM Trading through webinars, through seminars and also through our call-in and walk-in centres.   This programme is really taking off – beyond what we ever imagined – after all, who doesn’t want to make an extra income with the backing of an international company!”, says Kibel.

At a recent Business Referrers workshop held, some of the comments received included:“I am a new Business Referrer and this seminar has shown me exactly what I can expect and I just can’t wait to get started.  I have been told exactly what I can expect from my online trading and marketing experience with CM Trading.  I am excited and they actually understand the exact direction that I want to take my company - this is all very exciting for me!”

Another delegate said:

“This is the first Business Referrers workshop that I have been to, but I understand from other delegates and Entrepreneurs here that they are really good at helping to generate more business and that their level of engagement is always top notch.  The team at CM Trading are very hands on and very involved and they always follow up – it really feels like they want us to succeed, they want to create a new breed of entrepreneurs, this is something I am so privileged to be involved in.”

Kibel concludes: “The World Wide Web has made it a new world, a small world but a beautiful world and we can’t wait to build up our entrepreneur base here in South Africa and invest in an entirely new breed of successful independent business people.”

Anyone interested in signing up to the Business Referrers Programme can contact CM Trading on www.cmtrading.com or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Johannesburg, Gauteng – 9 July 2018 - American Founder of Pursue Your Purpose LLC and Forbes Coach, Tamiko Cuellar, will be launching a 4-city "Own Your Brilliance! Tour throughout South Africa and Namibia for aspiring and emerging women entrepreneurs from 11-20 August 2018 in honor of National Women's Month. The first-of-its-kind tour will be a series of Master Class workshops taught by Cuellar and are based on her 3rd book release, "Own Your Brilliance! - A Woman's Guide to Hiring Herself." Aspiring and emerging women are strongly encouraged to attend this event.

The tour will commence in Johannesburg on August 11th, then to Windhoek, Namibia on August 14th, to East London on August 18th, and end in Cape Town on August 20th. "South Africa and Namibia have some of the most talented and capable professional women who are seeking to be empowered to start or run their own businesses successfully. As an International Business Strategist, I am coming to help them get to their next level," says Cuellar. Attendees will leave inspired and equipped to own their brilliance and with ways they can prosper by using their gifts, talents, skills, and abilities on their own terms as entrepreneurs.

Notable sponsors including the University of South Africa (UNISA) and the Young African Leaders Initiative (YALI) have joined forces with this powerful event. East London-based firm Epitomely PRM, has also partnered with the event to market it in Eastern Cape and has brought on Cape Town based NGO Womandla as the official Corporate Social Initiative client so that a portion of the ticket proceeds can benefit the Womandla Foundation for women in Africa. Mamoyo Media House in Johannesburg is an official media partner of the event.

Details of the Master Class and registration can be found on the registration page.   A special opportunity for discounted coaching with Cuellar will be made available to a select number of women who register early. Spaces are limited.  During the Master Class, Cuellar will share her personal journey that inspired her to write the "Own Your Brilliance!" book and teach practical lessons and strategies from the book to equip women to run successful businesses.  A free copy of the e-book will be provided to every woman who registers for the event. Tamiko Cuellar is the CEO and Founder of Pursue Your Purpose LLC, a global coaching firm based in the U.S. for aspiring and emerging women entrepreneurs internationally. She is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council, a regular contributor to Forbes.com and a former Adjunct Professor of Entrepreneurship. A proven leader in the global marketplace,

Tamiko has been invited to speak at corporations, conferences, churches, on several radio and TV programs, and more. Cuellar coaches high performing, purpose driven women globally with strategies to transition into entrepreneurship and to grow their businesses. For more information on Cuellar and her company, visit the company website.

Part I: Gender and BEE

By Devan Moonsamy, CEO of The ICHAF Training Institute

A sound policy structure in the workplace is an insurance blanket against many common problems. It protects both employer and employee. But having a great policy will make no difference if personnel are not aware of it. They should be expected to know, understand and follow its guidelines and rules.

Not all employees have the time to go through policy documents, however, and it can be tedious reading. The best thing to do is to give employees a summary of the policy. They can be asked to sign in agreement with the policy, which will encourage them to get to know its provisions well.

What works even better is to train employees on the policy, for example, by putting them through a workshop. This need not be a dreary affair. In fact, it can be really fun if approached in the right way and if it focusses on how the policy benefits the employee. The right facilitator can ensure staff understand, but don’t feel overburdened by the new policy provisions.

This is a very effective preventative measure which ensures employees know exactly what is expected of them and what their rights are.

People often focus a lot on what went wrong, especially reactively after a problem arises, such as a nasty incident between co-workers. But telling staff what they can and should be doing at work beforehand is more effective than just giving them a long list of what they can’t do. This helps them focus on being productive and getting along rather than worrying about how they might slip up.

Teaching and emulating good behaviour is also vital. Management sets the standard of behaviour. Employees never know everything they need to when starting a new job. There’s always things to learn, and it is extremely effective when one is taught the right behaviour as early on as possible.

The policy document itself is a critical backup. Staff members trained on key organisational policies can more firmly be held to account. If it’s in writing and it’s the company’s official stance on the matter, it makes it easier to handle problems in a mature, organised way. Risk Management planning has already been conducted and communicated by means of drafting and disseminating the policy, and training staff on it.

When staff are properly educated and trained, it greatly eases management’s concerns over their behaviour. What kinds of policies are important to have in place for South African businesses? In this first article we will look at two critical policies to create and train your employees and co-workers on.

Gender Equity Policy
The plight of women and girls in South African is an open secret. Everyone knows it is happening, but it remains well hidden. Nevertheless, the facts speak for themselves: women and girls are often in a difficult and subordinate position. They may have little say over their salaries, which jobs are open to them, and even over their very bodies.

Google recently got into serious trouble over pay inequities between male and female employees. The problem is severe enough that the US Department of Labour filed a lawsuit. Google tried to gloss over the problem, but experts quickly identified weaknesses in its approach, particularly in that it left out 11% of employees in an official gender-pay analysis.

PR Risk Management must not wait for disaster to strike. It can happen now by having good provisions in place which prevent these kinds of injustices. South African companies likewise must practice equal pay and benefits for equal work to redress the wrongs of the past.

Women also need to have an equal chance of being hired, promoted and trained. Women should not be seen as only fit for and kept in positions of ‘admin lady’ or ‘maid’. They must be invested in because they make great workers and very strong, effective and just leaders.

Women need to be heard in meetings, and they shouldn’t be expected to work harder than men just to be noticed or stuck under a glass ceiling. All this must be addressed in a gender equity policy document which HR and other staff members are well versed in and follow closely.

BEE Policy
This one goes without saying in South Africa, but staff do still need to understand what the company stance is with regard to BEE and why, and they must be monitored in following it. As Brand South Africa explains, ‘Black economic empowerment (BEE) is not simply a moral imperative... It is a pragmatic growth strategy to realise the country’s full potential by bringing the black majority into the economic mainstream.’

Various BEE provisions should be contained in the HR and recruitment policy, and the procurement policy. These include prioritising people of colour as much as possible in hiring, promotions, and buying decisions. A whole lot of black workers and a few white managers is still seen in some businesses. This must be addressed in binding policy to commit the company to equity measures. What specific BEE provisions do South African organisations have in place? A few helpful examples are given below.

Ithala Development Finance Corporation has in its BEE policy the provision that some contracts be sub-divided. This opens opportunities for black-owned SMMEs which may not yet have sufficient resources and staff to offer the most comprehensive services.

The Department of Trade and Industry emphasises that there must be active participation by black people in an enterprise for it to be considered as really following BEE principles.

Barclays Africa explains that it actively invites black-owned suppliers to participate in sourcing procedures. This has successfully helped the company to engage in business with more BEE companies.

NMMU’s policy makes BEE a key function of all managers. The University also measures the successful implementation of BEE in its employee performance assessments.

Tembeka Ngcukaitobi from Bowman Gilfillan notes that there is ‘No empowerment without skills.’ Skills development for all staff should be included in policy to meet BEE requirements.

The Shoprite Group/Checkers takes a very proactive approach by assisting new suppliers with creating barcodes and packaging so their products can be sold in stores. Every five years the employment equity plan is reviewed, and new targets are set to guide progress.

As a public company, Murray & Roberts has worked on its shareholder diversity, which now includes 59.53% black shareholders and 17.13% black women shareholders.

Besides these two key policies, companies should draft a disability policy, harassment and abuse policy, and have a training policy in place as well. We will look at these policies in detail in my next article on this topic. The organisational values, mission and goals are also commonly found in the first policy documents drafted, but don’t stop there. Draft additional policies with management input so as to protect the company and its employees. Proactively disseminate the most important policy messages using posters, emails, awareness drives, workshops, and training.

ICHAF is a training provider with years of experience in upskilling staff. We are ideally placed to conduct workshops and educate your staff on policies that will benefit all involved and protect the company from many PR and labour-related risks. Let us show your staff the way to boost their career and the company’s image through best practice policies.

For more information about training your staff:
Website - http://www.ichaftraining.co.za/
Facebook - https://www.facebook.com/TheICHAFTrainingInstitute/?ref=br_rs
Twitter - https://twitter.com/TheIchaf

For further comment from Devan Moonsamy you can email him on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or contact him on 083 303 9159

In four years, footwear and handbag brand, Julz, has grown from an idea to a multi-million Rand business with 200 stockists across South Africa. And now its founder, Julie Oates, is taking the brand to the UK’s largest fashion trade event, Moda.

Before launching Julz, Julie’s entrepreneurial experience includes owning Pixel Shoes, a popular footwear store in Port Elizabeth. And it was from her experience working with footwear wholesalers, listening to the needs and wants of her customers and her passion for business that Julz was born.  

A high-end brand, Julz features shoes and handbags in each season’s collection, using only the best quality leather, with the latest designs featuring ostrich leather and feathers. Talking about the brand’s success, Julie says: “Attention to detail, high quality materials, investment in research and development to ensure our shoes are stylish and comfy, and running a lean operation has really contributed to the success of Julz. I want to mimic the success we’ve had in South Africa in Europe, and Moda is the best place to start.” 

Experiencing steady growth, the tipping point came when a chain of 19 stores started stocking Julz with future growth expected to come from overseas retail opportunities. “We’re still a young business, but our growth has been rapid but steady, in our first year we grew by 200% in terms of turnover,” remarks Julie.

 From August 5th through to the 7th, the high-end fashion brand will be in front of 9,000 fashion buyers from across Europe at Moda, and Julie will be able to network with other industry decision makers and show the fashion world what South African brands have to offer. “We’re the only South African brand at Moda 2018 out of the 1,200 exhibitors,” beams Julie. 

Help your customers understand why workplace noise affects productivity and profitability. And how they can fix it.

Today, work happens everywhere — in busy open-plan offices and contact centers, at home, even coffee shops. This flexibility is great for business and people, but with it comes a new challenge: noise. Distraction caused by noise reduces productivity and well-being and, in contact centers, detracts from a positive customer experience.

Studies show that it takes 23 minutes to recover from distraction, and over 58% of employees are distracted multiple times each day. That represents a significant impact on your customers’ businesses you can easily help avert through proven noise reduction strategies and products.

Plantronics engineers solutions that help people manage the noise around them so they can be more effective — no matter where they work. Together, we can help your customers reduce distractions caused by noise so their businesses can thrive.

Plantronics in South Africa offers several solutions for managing noise. This week we focus on the Voyager 6200 UC, a Bluetooth® neckband headset with earbuds that offers professional-grade audio and versatility. 

On any given day, you might need to collaborate with colleagues remotely, field calls from customers or listen to music to help you focus on your latest project. Now there’s a headset that’s flexible enough to meet the demands of your role inside the office and out. Voyager 6200 UC offers everything you’d expect from Plantronics — active-noise canceling, clear voice transmission and premium audio — in a versatile Bluetooth® neckband headset with earbuds. Intuitive controls make it easy to use, and the neckband vibrates to signal an incoming call. Voyager 6200 UC is so comfortable and low-profile that you can use it all day long, in the office and on the go. 

IT Managers

The professionals in your organization have different roles, responsibilities and work styles, so why offer them all the same headset? Now you don’t have to. New from Plantronics, Voyager 6200 UC is the first Bluetooth® neckband headset with earbuds built to enterprise standards. With its premium audio and versatility, users will want to wear it — and stay connected — everywhere they go.

Flexible Workers

With premium features and professional-grade audio, Voyager 6200 UC is a Bluetooth® neckband headset with earbuds that has the versatility to go beyond the office. Transitioning to your next conversation is easy: Connect with colleagues working remotely, listen to music to focus distraction-free or drop an earbud to tune in to the conversation around you. You can count on Voyager 6200 UC for outstanding audio every time, everywhere.

Hear and be heard clearly with these features:

• On-demand active- and passive-noise canceling let you focus on your call or work.
• Four omnidirectional microphones with enhanced digital signal processing (DSP) deliver superior background noise canceling.
• Premium hi-fi stereo lets you immerse yourself in your favorite music.
• Wide band audio provides high-quality PC telephony.

About Plantronics

Plantronics is an audio pioneer and a global leader in the communications industry. We create intelligent and adaptive solutions that support our customers’ most important needs: experiencing and facilitating simple and clear communications while enjoying distraction-free environments. Our solutions are used worldwide by consumers and businesses alike and are an optimal choice for open office environments. From unified communications and customer service ecosystems, to data analytics and Bluetooth® headsets, Plantronics delivers high-quality communications solutions that our customers count on today, while relentlessly innovating on behalf of their future. For more information visit www.plantronics.com/za 

©2018 Plantronics, Inc. Plantronics, SoundGuard, aptX and Voyager are trademarks of Plantronics, Inc. registered in the US and other countries, and Plantronics Hub is a trademark of Plantronics, Inc. The Bluetooth trademark is owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of the mark by Plantronics, Inc. is under license. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. 01.18

1 Oxford Economics, “When the walls come down – the evolution of the workplace.”
2 Plantronics Noise in the Workplace Global Study, 2017.
3 The Cost of Interrupted Work: More Speed and Stress Study from the Department of Informatics, University of California, Irvine, 2008.

Only 1 percent of employees now say they can block out distraction in the office, a dramatic drop since 2015; millennials less satisfied with their office layout than older colleagues.

The open office is designed to increase employee collaboration, but a new study from Oxford Economics, commissioned by audio pioneer Plantronics (NYSE: PLT), finds that the resultant noise pollution of the open office is reaching epidemic levels. According to the findings, conditions have grown much worse since Oxford Economics conducted its first study in 2015.

Oxford Economics interviewed 500 senior executives and non-manager employees from many industries and functional areas for the 2018 study. Participants hailed from the United States, the United Kingdom, Germany, India, China, Australia, Denmark, Sweden, Finland and Norway. The study also included detailed interviews with executives who are taking steps to deal with these business collaboration and productivity challenges in their open offices.

Among the findings:

Open Office Conditions Dramatically Decline

The majority of executives and employees report near-constant noise in their workplace and many say they lack quiet space for meetings or to focus. Conditions are much worse now than three years ago, yet the executive disconnect remains:

• Only 1 percent of employees (down from 20 percent in 2015) say they are able to block out distractions and concentrate without taking extra steps in the office.
• 54 percent of executives believe their employees have the tools they need to mitigate noise and distraction in the office, but only 29 percent of employees agree (down from 41 percent in 2015).

 As a result, employees are taking matters into their own hands by leaving or tuning out their surroundings to get work done:

• 75 percent of employees say they need to take walks outside to focus, and 32 percent use headphones to block out distraction.
• Employees in the noisiest office environments are more likely to say they may leave their job in the next six months.

Wellness, Productivity and Financial Performance

The findings suggest that noise and distraction impact wellness, productivity and even financial performance, yet executives aren’t doing enough to address the problem:

• 63 percent of employees say they lack quiet space for focused work, which has a negative effect on their productivity, satisfaction and well-being.
• 96 percent of executives see employee productivity as critical to their financial performance, yet just 40 percent understand the link between noise, distraction and productivity.
• A mere 6 percent of executives report having equipped their office with noise mitigating features.

Millennials

According to the study, millennials, or those aged 22 to 36, are more accustomed to an open office versus older colleagues, likely because they started careers in such a setting. Despite that, they are the first to acknowledge the issues that come with these environments and tend to deal with these challenges differently than their older colleagues. Millennial employees are:

• Much less likely to say they find a noisy working environment energizing (9 percent, versus 30 percent of older colleagues).
• Less satisfied with their office layout than older employees (38 percent of millennials versus 48 percent of others).
• More likely to say their organization should address noise, distraction and information overload (89 percent versus 75 percent of older coworkers).
• More likely to say they take walks outside to focus (84 percent versus 63 percent of older employees), and less likely to use an office break room or quiet space.

Top Performers Have the Right Recipe

The survey shows a correlation between companies’ revenue growth and how those same companies approach their work environments. More than three-quarters of top performers (revenue growth above 10 percent and less turnover) report that office design and noise mitigation are important to financial performance and are proactively addressing the noise epidemic in their offices. These top performing companies are:

• More likely to provide workers with tools to block out noise and quiet space to focus.
• Less likely to say some employees find a noisy environment energizing (28 percent versus 50 percent of others).

Plantronics commissioned the study to better understand how to help create environments where employees thrive. “This year’s results are telling – open offices may provide overall cost savings, but they’re taking a toll on our productivity and wellness,” said Jennifer Adams, director, Enterprise Solutions Marketing. “We’re applying nearly 60 years of expertise in acoustics to come up with a whole range of solutions to address these challenges, from noise-cancelling headsets to our Habitat Soundscaping solution. Our vision: an open office that employees are excited to come into because it enhances their well-being and inspires them to do their best work.”

For more information about the study, visit this page. Plantronics offers products and services that help companies optimize collaboration in open office environments. For more information about solutions available in South Africa, please visit  www.plantronics.com/za/

About Plantronics

Plantronics is an audio pioneer and a global leader in the communications industry. We create intelligent and adaptive solutions that support our customers’ most important needs: experiencing and facilitating simple and clear communications while enjoying distraction-free environments. Our solutions are used worldwide by consumers and businesses alike and are an optimal choice for open office environments. From unified communications and customer service ecosystems, to data analytics and Bluetooth® headsets, Plantronics delivers high-quality communications solutions that our customers count on today, while relentlessly innovating on behalf of their future. For more information visit www.plantronics.com/za

Yvette Mulder – Solutions Development Manager at Alteram Solutions is a female force to be reckoned with. Having joined the company in 2014, Mulder is responsible for the development of solutions, applications and systems needed to operate the business successfully.  Mulder has added to the Alteram Solutions base of successful individuals that have made the company a force to be reckoned with. 

“There was no specific development environment at Alteram Solutions when I joined the company” explains Mulder.   She started doing research on contact centres and when the company got awarded the Department of Water and Sanitation contact centre project, she was primarily responsible for its development.  Mulder now has her own development team and Business Analysts that cover the whole system development life cycle.  For the last couple of years, Mulder has been focusing on software development related projects and tenders. 

“An important part of my presence in the company is to grow our employees and to share my skills and experience that I have obtained in my over 30 years’ experience in the industry – it is a vital component of our business and will only serve to grow the strength of our people and our business in the years to come.”

“I am not scared to really stretch myself, to learn new things, to experience new ways of doing business and to extend the boundaries of what we as a society have always been comfortable with – I want to reach, I want to teach, and I want to approach the entire industry with a new look and feel, while teaching my younger sprouts to grow within their professions”. 

A project that Mulder is currently involved in making smarter and more efficient is the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) contact centre project.  This project is made up of many work streams, challenging Mulder and her team to constantly find new ways to optimise the process.  “I am inspired by Alteram Solutions because I can contribute in growing the business as well as bring my skills and experience to what we do and deliver on a daily basis.  I get bored with routines, so I am constantly looking for new opportunities.  These are the things that give me natural energy and keep me going,” adds Mulder.

Mulder began her career as programme manager, but quickly climbed the corporate ladder acquiring programmer roles which allowed her to gain a wider perspective on how clients think, what their individual needs are and how different programmes work. She then branched into business analysis and project management obtaining a TOGAF (high level approach to design) certificate.

Looking at where she is now, Mulder has done development, system design, business analysis, project management and architecture projects from all domains. 

Outside of Alteram Solutions, Mulder is a mother of two daughters and tends to her mother.

During her free time, Mulder enjoys reading. She will also be completing her Cloud for Customer (C4C) certification this year which Alteram Solutions enrolled her for as part of its internal skills development programme.

“If you value your clients and your employees, training is an essential, not a nice to have,” says Didi Ndlovu – Human Resources Manager at Alteram Solutions.  This is why the organisation took one and a half years to develop an extensive training programme that is now available to all the staff within this truly homegrown ICT company. 

Internationally, companies that offer comprehensive training programmes enjoy up to a 24% higher profit margin compared to companies that don’t offer training. ₁ Employee productivity is driven by the skills advancements made possible through employee skills development programmes. ₂ To thrive, companies need to do whatever is necessary to help their employees do their jobs effectively.  A recent study shows that companies with a high level of employee engagement outperform those with lower levels of engagement. ₃

With this understanding in mind, Alteram Solutions launched an extensive skills development programme for its employees as part of the business plan to improve, assist and enhance the way in which its employees do their jobs.  “Every single person in the organisation has equal access to training - this was key in our implementation,” adds Didi.

Alteram Solutions has grown rapidly since its inception in 2013 and now employs over 180 employees across the country.  “As a services company, our employees are the only asset we have to sell. We are thus always looking for ways to improve our skills and service offerings.  Growing a successful business is all about having a good business mind, combined with a strong skill set in a particular area of expertise,” says Garth Madella – Chief Technology Officer at Alteram Solutions.

“We believe that Alteram Solutions’ growth has been strengthened by employee development as new ideas, solutions, techniques and strategies are continuously being developed in the business. If Alteram Solutions does not regularly train its employees on these new developments, the risk of falling behind from its competitors as well as losing touch with its clients’ needs is very high,” says Didi.

The Human Resources department at Alteram Solutions spent a year and a half designing and developing an effective skills development and training plan.  Significant research aimed at the integration of the development of employees as individuals and their performance as teams in order to grow the business was conducted.  This included the following:

• Setting goals that support the business strategy.
• Assessing the skills and tools needed for effective job performance (skills gap analysis).
• Establishing appropriate training resources to facilitate the skills development and training programme.
• Establishing applicable policies and procedures for the skills development and training programme.

“So far, the implementation of the skills development and training programme has brought a huge change in the mindset of the employees at Alteram Solutions and has helped them feel motivated, more engaged and confident in the importance and value of what they add to the business. Furthermore, this initiative adds value to the company as once employees are trained – they will be able to do their jobs more effectively.  Alteram Solutions views its employees as its most valuable asset and making sure that they are trained with the knowledge and skills they need is an investment,” concludes Didi.

For more information on Alteram Solutions visit:  http://www.alteram.co.za

Tel: (010) 900 4075

E-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Website: http://www.alteram.co.za

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alteramsolutions/

One of the fears that wealthy people are grappling with is being part of the next big thing in the large scale of investments.

Property is highly saturated these days, the interest rate is making some investments unattractive and offshore savings are reeling off the issues of the economic downturn in some countries.Investment in startups seems to be one of the niche that is becoming an attractive topic in the investment arena. It gives rich people an opportunity to acquire as much equity in the next big ideas.

The first ever business investment event that actually connects companies to investment opportunities is launching on the 05th of July this year.The event gives 20 emerging companies the opportunity to showcase their idea to an audience mix of private and public investors.

The auction model allows investors the opportunity to indicate business they deem fit and would like to invest in. Invited to the event are business development specialist and analysts as well as successful business entrepreneurs to educate startups.Our angle is to engage crowdfunding corporations and access their investment database to give diversity to the investment pool. We invite private investment companies and extend invitations to government funding agencies to balance the chart. Finally, we structure a sponsorship plan that directly pays the most outstanding business at the meeting. These gives numerous opportunities to businesses with great ideas.

In order to increase the spectrum of the event and create awareness and support for South African business internationally. We do a business investment call with investment corporations who are willing to sponsor African businesses. We have 5 representatives from 5 international investment agencies in America, London, Canada, and Germany all attending this year event. The biggest in the list of invited investors is C5capital. The Investment engagement platform created by BIM to give international investors the opportunity would boost tourism and attract foreign Investors in the country.

We welcome all emerging industry leaders and market shifters who believe they have a great idea to be part of the inaugural event this year.Businesses and investors alike can register on the beta site reserved for the event at www.empowerproject.co.za to be part of the event.

Small Business Awards launched on 24 April 2018

Hyde Park, Sandton – June 4, 2018 – A couple of weeks back, Smartcom had some rather thrilling news to share. They launched the Small Business Awards – an exciting opportunity where Smartcom will be giving small business owners and entrepreneurs a chance to showcase their business, and stand a chance to win a coveted title and exceptional prizes.

Promoting budding entrepreneurs has always been something that Smartcom has supported, but they want to delve deeper into this complex, but exciting venture. And so the Small Business Awards were born.

Smartcom collaborated with a vast range of established and successful companies, like BlackBerry, Nippy Print, The Social Media Company, From Me, and more. After careful deliberation with the various companies, they announced the competition, and prizes of up to R50 000!

To make this a fair fight, three categories were introduced – The Smartcom Small Business of the Year, The Smartcom Informal Business of the Year, and The Smartcom Youth Entrepreneur of the Year – each focussing on a specific group of entrepreneurs and businesses.

To enter, you will be required to complete the relevant application form, and upload photos that will showcase your business, team, products and/or services. Entries for all categories in the Smartcom Small Business Awards officially open on Monday, 23 April 2018, and entries will close on 30 June 2018.

Small businesses are the backbone of their communities and a driving force of the South Africa economy as a whole. Smartcom believed that initiatives like the Small Business Awards will encourage small business owners in this vitally important endeavour. By kick-starting this initiative, Smartcom is giving you a head start in the cutthroat business world we have come to know. Don’t waste time – be part of the movement and let us help you and your business be a force to reckon with.

If you are an entrepreneur keen to enter, please visit this link:

https://www.smartcom.co.za/smartcom-launches-smartcom-small-business-awards/