The Burgersfort leg of the ENGEN Pitch & Polish workshop and competition took place on Saturday, 24 August 2019. It was attended by entrepreneurs from across Limpopo province. Since its inception ten years ago, Pitch & Polish has helped over 16 000 entrepreneurs learn to pitch like a pro. This year was the first time the workshop was held in Burgersfort. The event was made possible through the generosity of the sponsors Engen, Nedbank, Raizcorp and Caxton Local Media.

The entrepreneurs in attendance displayed innovative thinking. The ENGEN Pitch & Polish workshop sees participants and five contestants taken through an interactive pitching workshop facilitated by Justin Cohen, a business strategist, international speaker and world-leading expert on pitching for business. Justin opened Saturday’s event with an inspirational talk during which he said that regardless of the economic environment, there are problems to solve and wealth to be created.

In fact, during tough economic times, there are even more opportunities because there are more problems to solve. He also touched on the need for entrepreneurs to be optimistic. On average, entrepreneurs fail 3.8 times before they succeed.

By cultivating a sense of optimism and self-motivation, entrepreneurs can more easily view failures and setbacks as opportunities to learn and then move on. “Research has shown that a key factor for success is self-motivation,” Justin shared. During the workshop, the delegates, together with four pre-selected contestants and one wild card contestant, were taken through eight key aspects of pitching for investment. (Wild cards are chosen on the day when audience members are invited to pitch their ideas or businesses to the room which then votes on who should become a contestant.) The first half of the workshop ended with the first round of practice pitches by the five contestants.

Each was asked to deliver a 30-second pitch as a basepoint to measure against their final competition pitches later in the day. The second half of the workshop was followed by the actual competition during which contestants delivered the pitches they had worked on throughout the course of the day. The process resulted in important lessons for both the workshop delegates and the five contestants.

Contestant Simphiwe Mokgawa, from Polokwane, who manufactures alcoholic beverages from fruit and vegetables, was advised that proof of concept must be established before investing in equipment to mitigate the risk. The importance of knowing the financial numbers is critical, as one cannot do business without them. Sphiwe Ntwampe, the wild-card contestant, offers a queuing service to Burgersfort residents.

He learnt that in order to grow he needs to work on his pricing model and look for mentorship. Both Kgodiso Lebea and Maimela Mohale, were named second place winners for their businesses. Through, Kgodiso, from Tzaneen, who manufactures and sells moringa based spice, the participants saw the value in bringing products to sample and how having a clear focus and vision can open doors instantly. Maimela, from Polokwane, has made great strides with his hydroponics business. His pitch demonstrated the strength in research and in having a deep understanding of one’s target market.

The winning pitch was delivered by Dr Mashela Mokgabudi, a Polokwane resident, who developed, manufactures and distributes menstrual cups. Her confident pitch integrated the learnings from the day where she demonstrated an in-depth knowledge of her business and vision for growth. Mashela now moves on to the second round of the ENGEN Pitch & Polish programme taking place in Johannesburg in September, where she will go up against eight other regional winners as they compete for the ultimate pitching crown.

The competition was judged by Benny Thobejane (Engen Petroleum’s Transformation & Stakeholder Engagement Specialist), Marcia Muthathi (Nedbank’s Investment Specialist Limpopo) and Jodi Lynn Karpes (Managing Director of GreenQueen Communications). During the competition phase, contestants were given three minutes to pitch after which the judges asked clarifying questions – another opportunity for learning – and then delivered their feedback.

“This is what ENGEN Pitch & Polish is about! Innovation!” Benny enthused. “Today was the highlight of the year as the innovative ideas were backed up with numbers, facts and research. The contestants and delegates were all participative, professional and switched on.” Congratulations to everyone for attending the Burgersfort leg of the tenth annual ENGEN Pitch & Polish programme, and for their dedication in learning to pitch like a pro.

For more information, visit www.pitchandpolish.com. In the picture: PP19 - Bft - Benny Kgodiso Mashela Marcia Maimela Jodi - 24 Aug 2019:Benny ThobejaneKgodiso LebeaDr Mashela MokgabudiMarcia MuthathiMaimela MohaleJodi Lynn Karpes 

The Johannesburg leg and last workshop of the ninth annual ENGEN Pitch & Polish programme was held on Saturday, 13 October, and was attended by very engaged and enthusiastic group of entrepreneurs. Since inception, this national entrepreneurial workshop and competition – hosted in partnership with Engen Petroleum Ltd, Nedbank, Raizcorp and Caxton Local Media – has helped over 11 000 entrepreneurs improve the way they pitch their businesses to potential investors. Following the opening talk by Justin Cohen (best-selling author and international speaker) during which he discussed the truth about motivation and the value of delivering a polished pitch, Allon Raiz (founder of Raizcorp) proclaimed that it was inspirational to see so many entrepreneurs.

“My entrepreneurship journey started as a ‘one-man band’ and I, too, had to pitch constantly. The mission of ENGEN Pitch & Polish is to give you the best chance when the opportunity arises. It is your job to convince an investor to spend money on you, your product or service and that they will get a return. We need each and every one of you to grow this country, so learn and perfect your pitch and then go on and employ people and make the change.”

Through the pitch of Thami Biyela, who has a software-development business, the delegates saw the value of being clear and concise when describing the core business. Bringing in an emotive aspect is effective in capturing the attention of a potential investor; however, the numbers must also be sound. Sipho Mampe, who came in third place with his lab equipment manufacturing company, learned that being authentic was powerful and that it instantly made his pitch clearer.

He delivered a detailed breakdown of the funding required and, based on the feedback, now understands that he must understand the profitability of each product line. Coming in second place, Thuso Motau, who manufactures household detergents, learned that it will add credibility to her pitch to include where her products are currently being sold. She was articulate in presenting the problem and how her business solves it.

Going into greater depth about the revenue and profit would have been advantageous. Through the day, Mlungisi Nkomo, who is developing a virtual reality app, was able to pique interest with his tech idea, and learned not to over-complicate his business model at the start-up stage. Research should be intensive and relevant to the local market. A key learning was that he must know the input costs first before putting a price on his product.

The winning pitch came from Mmatsatsi Rampa, who has a paint-manufacturing business. Her pitch was confident and demonstrated how having a great presence illustrates your authority about the business and the industry. You must show potential investors that you have a profitable business when you require funding for expansion plans. Mike Stead from Engen Petroleum Ltd and a seasoned judge for the programme commented, “Today we saw a good variety of contestants in diverse industries.

A key learning is the value in having a solid business case and being able to express it.” Mervyn Pillay from Nedbank added, “This interactive workshop gives great hope for South Africa as job creation will continue to be through small businesses, and the learnings today help support them on their journey.” Insider tip: Be authentic.

People buy from people. Share your story and explain the WIIFM (what’s in it for me). As the 2018 winner of the Johannesburg leg of ENGEN Pitch & Polish, Mmatsatsi Rampa won R6 000 and a week of training at Raizcorp in Johannesburg worth R150 000. She also has the opportunity to progress to the semi-final and become the ultimate 2018 ENGEN Pitch & Polish winner and receive further cash injections and other prizes. Congratulations to everyone for attending, for taking action and for being the light that shines on the local entrepreneurial environment. For more information, visit www.pitchandpolish.com.

In this picture (from left to right): Mlungisi Nkomo, VR app developer from VosloorusThuso Motau, household-detergent manufacturer from Pretoria – second placeMmatsatsi Rampa, paint manufacturer from Johannesburg North – first placeSipho Mampe, lab-equipment manufacturer from Soweto – third placeThami Biyela, software developer from Soweto 

The Durban leg of the ninth annual ENGEN Pitch & Polish programme was held on Saturday, 8 September with excellent attendance by enthusiastic entrepreneurs from the area. Since inception, this national entrepreneurial workshop and competition – hosted in partnership with Engen Petroleum Ltd, Nedbank, Raizcorp and Caxton Local Media – has helped over 11 000 entrepreneurs improve the way they pitch their businesses to potential investors.

“Engen Petroleum believes there is great value in raising the concept of polishing ideas and partners with businesses, such as Raizcorp, to create entrepreneurs that will generate jobs and subsequently curb unemployment to alleviate poverty,” states Unathi Njokweni-Magida, the Head of Transformation & Stakeholder Engagement at Engen Petroleum Ltd. “Entrepreneurs are the future for change.

The essence of ENGEN Pitch & Polish is to bring beautiful ideas and business to life by teaching what and how to communicate succinctly, effectively and with confidence,” she continues. The day’s winning formula saw Justin Cohen (best-selling author and international speaker) motivating the crowd about the value of delivering a polished pitch. The workshop aims to teach participants how to develop a well-rounded and investor-ready pitch.

The interactive nature of the event ensures that everyone participates while learning at the same time. At each event, five contestants pitch their businesses while the facilitator and attendees offer guidance, advice and direction to help shape the pitches. Justin teaches that, at times, optimism and enthusiasm can be more important than academics and says, “Confusion is the death of a pitch; keep it simple.”

For example, through the example of Shiroma Bennimahadeo, who came in third place, and her biomedical engineering consultancy idea, the delegates saw the impact of a strong opening and how to weave in how investors will benefit, through the use of branding as well as financial information. Her quiet confidence was effective, and she delivered an excellent three-minute pitch to the “investors” in a centred and authentic manner. The feedback that Ayanda Magubane received for his mobile cleaning services was to keep his offering simple by focusing on the core business, then bringing in expansion plans only if there is time. A business model that is easy to grasp will lead to a quicker understanding. Knowing his target market and vision is a great strength.

Phumzile Manana, who came in second place with her existing food-manufacturing business, was clear on what she wanted the money for and her business acumen came through well. Her feedback included the importance of securing many clients instead of pinning one’s hopes on one large contract. Placing more focus on the product instead of on the business model was a key learning of the pitch delivered by Jacqueline Mccarroll, whose company distributes water and energy saving products.

Participants learned to weave in credible successes early in the pitch as this builds trust. They also learned that rehearsing one’s pitch is highly beneficial and that comparing their products or services with something already in the market that is relatable helps to paint a picture more quickly. From here, you can move on to the financial side more smoothly. The winning pitch was delivered by the wild card entry of the day (someone who is chosen by the audience).

Mongezi Dlamini has a hydroponic farming business and worked hard to polish his pitch throughout the day. The audience saw how impactful a powerful opening can be, with Mongezi delivering a concise introduction followed by outlining the problem and then presenting his solution. His compelling proposition was refined and showed how imperative it is to be specific about numbers. Insider tip: 50% of your pitch is not what you say, it is rather how you say it. Imbue confidence and clarity into your pitch combined with depth of knowledge.

As the 2018 winner of the Durban leg of ENGEN Pitch & Polish, Mongezi Dlamini won R6 000 and a week of training at Raizcorp in Johannesburg worth R150 000. He also has the opportunity to progress to the semi-final and become the ultimate 2018 ENGEN Pitch & Polish winner and receive further cash injections and other prizes. Congratulations to everyone for attending, for taking action and for being the light that shines on the local entrepreneurial environment.

For more information, visit www.pitchandpolish.com.

In this picture (from left to right): Mongezi Dlamini, hydroponic farming Shiroma Bennimahadeo, biomedical engineering consultancy Phumzile Manana, food manufacturingJacqueline Mccarroll, water and energy saving products Ayanda Magubane, mobile cleaning services

The Newcastle leg of the ninth annual ENGEN Pitch & Polish programme was held on Saturday, 1 September, the first time the event has been hosted in the city since inception. This national entrepreneurial workshop and competition – hosted in partnership with Engen Petroleum Ltd, Nedbank, Raizcorp and Caxton Local Media – has helped over 10 000 entrepreneurs improve the way they pitch their businesses to potential investors. “Engen Petroleum is committed to playing its part in helping to develop the economy of SA. One of the initiatives that we use as a vehicle to achieve this is the powerful ENGEN Pitch & Polish programme, as it aims to assist local communities transform their business ventures, with the potential to create jobs.

This exposes entrepreneurs to enterprise development training and critical thinking skills that will help them grow their business ideas,” explains Thandi Ngxonga, Process Safety Specialist, from Engen Petroleum Ltd. The day’s winning formula saw Justin Cohen (best-selling author and international speaker) motivating the crowd about the value of delivering a polished pitch. The workshop aims to teach participants about how to develop a well-rounded and investor-ready pitch. The interactive nature of the event ensures that everyone participates while learning at the same time. At each event, five contestants pitch their businesses while the facilitator and attendees offer guidance, advice and direction to help shape the pitches.

“This is where entrepreneurs are grown, and it is entrepreneurs who will grow this country, solve problems and create employment,” enthuses Cohen. For example, through Charity Modise and her events business, the delegates learned that sometimes what entrepreneurs need is clients and not necessarily funding, and also how important it is to do research into your competitors and their offering and tools.

Sikhumbuzo Nkosi, with his labour law consultancy, presented a strong pitch. However, what he and the audience learned was that using a variety in pace and tone would help to make his pitch more impactful and easier to follow. There is credibility in sharing successes and achievements which demonstrate the consultancy’s strength. Sharing one’s accreditations can also be a powerful tool, as seen in the pitch of Ntombi Nkosi, a geological consultant. You need to explain the differentiating factor in your business and be very specific about your finance model. It’s important to explain a complex industry in a way that makes sense to a potential investor.

The feedback that Zamaswazi Khulu received was to clearly explain her environmental consultancy business by defining its value. A business that offers a product or service that is in high demand yet has low supply is music to the ears of an investor, but you need to be sure to back up your claims with stats and facts. The winning pitch was delivered by the wild card entry of the day (someone who is chosen by the audience).

Riaz Kajee has a tech-focused courier business model and his pitch illustrated a clear business model and had a relatable story. His pitch reflected the learnings from the day and was well structured in its delivery. This country needs entrepreneurs who get up every morning and grind, as it is through entrepreneurs that the economy will be buoyed.

To pitch effectively, knowing your financials in detail is what will set you apart. Insider tip: Paraphrase what the investor has said back to him or her as this shows that you have understood what they are saying and helps build a connection and rapport. Entrepreneurs are really pitching their purpose, and investors buy the ‘why’ you do what you do, the value and the benefits and not necessarily the ‘what’ or features of the product or service. A fabulous nugget shared by one of the delegates was, “I need to begin to be big. I don’t need to be big to begin.” As the 2018 winner of the Newcastle leg of ENGEN Pitch & Polish, Riaz Kajee won R6 000 and a week of training at Raizcorp in Johannesburg worth R150 000.

He also has the opportunity to progress to the semi-final and become the ultimate 2018 ENGEN Pitch & Polish winner and receive further cash injections and other prizes.

Congratulations to everyone for attending, for taking action and for being the light that shines on the local entrepreneurial environment. 

We have great news to share – ENGEN Pitch & Polish will be in Newcastle on Saturday 1st September 2018, to host their free Entrepreneurial training workshop and competition at the Pines Conference Centre.

WIN R80 000 IN CASH FOR YOUR BIZ!Running your own business? Want to run your own business? Either way, ENGEN Pitch & Polish is the platform you need to launch you on the path to success! Now in its ninth year, ENGEN Pitch & Polish is a national entrepreneurial workshop and competition that – so far – has helped around 10 000 entrepreneurs improve the way they pitch their businesses to potential investors.

A perfectly polished pitch is key to growing and succeeding in business! Magic always happens when investors hear a well-rounded pitch, as seen at the 2017 final where the winner was offered R2.5 million in potential funding. This year’s programme is hosted in partnership with Engen Petroleum Ltd, Nedbank, Raizcorp and Caxton Local Media, with the Newcastle workshop taking place on Saturday 1 September.

You can register to attend as a delegate or – if you feel you have what it takes – you can complete an online entry form to be considered as a contestant. During one exhilarating, exciting and fun free day, participants undergo comprehensive and interactive entrepreneurial training on how to pitch like a pro!

The session is facilitated by Justin Cohen, best-selling author, international speaker and TV talk-show host. After the training session, the pre-selected contestants can pitch their ideas or businesses to the whole audience. This is where things get really interesting, with both the facilitator and the audience providing feedback on how pitches can be improved.

Book now to ensure your place in Newcastle on Saturday 1 September. SMS “Pitch” to 43719 (SMSs charged at 50c) or visit www.pitchandpolish.com to complete an entry form.