Running your own business? Want to run your own business? ENGEN Pitch & Polish is the platform you need to launch yourself on to the path of success.

Celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, ENGEN Pitch & Polish is a national entrepreneurial workshop and competition programme that – so far – has helped over 10 000 entrepreneurs improve the way they pitch their businesses to potential investors. As all entrepreneurs know, a perfectly polished pitch is one of the keys to growing and succeeding in business.

The ten-year edition of the programme is being hosted in partnership with Engen Petroleum, Nedbank and Raizcorp, as well as local partners NYDA and iHub. You can register as a delegate to attend the workshop or – if you feel you have what it takes – you can complete an online entry form to be selected as a contestant.

During one exhilarating, fun, exciting and 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, contestants pitch their ideas or businesses to the whole audience.

This is where things get really interesting, with both Justin and the audience providing feedback on how pitches can be improved. The regional winners of each leg will have the opportunity to be crowned the ultimate pitch champion at the final glittering round of the competition held in Johannesburg later this year.

There are many funders and investors invited to the final and, over the years, finalists (not necessarily the winners) have received millions of rands in investments and hundreds of thousands of rands in grants. Book your place now for the Port Elizabeth workshop on 13 July.

SMS “Pitch” to 43719 (SMSs charged at 50c) or visit www.pitchandpolish.com to complete an entry form, and maybe you will find that R1 million investment you desire

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 

DOES YOUR PITCH REFLECT YOUR VALUES?  Now in its ninth year, ENGEN Pitch & Polish, in partnership with Engen Petroleum Ltd, Nedbank and Raizcorp, is a national entrepreneurial workshop and competition programme that – so far – has helped over 10 000 entrepreneurs improve the way they pitch their businesses to potential investors.

“The ENGEN Pitch & Polish initiative invites entrepreneurs and aspiring entrepreneurs to participate in a full day workshop and competition, to build their businesses on firm foundations and values” urges Unathi Njokweni-Magida, the Head of Transformation & Stakeholder Engagement at Engen Petroleum Ltd. “At Engen Petroleum, we continue to be a firm partner as this gives budding entrepreneurs the opportunity to pitch and present their business or idea, to an audience, where the feedback loop creates an empowering learning environment. Engen believes growing and nurturing business skills for emerging entrepreneurs in South Africa will boost employment, improve education levels and help alleviate poverty.

To accomplish this, we are proud to step up and support these future stars, to help propel them forward and become flourishing future employers,” explains Unathi.   As the 2018 workshops begin, below is some advice on the importance of values when crafting the perfect pitch.

It is highly unlikely that someone will invest in your business if your values do not align with theirs. As a real example, a billionaire once turned down the opportunity to invest in a rave business just as the rave scene was about to explode. Despite the lure of vast profits, the billionaire knew that raves attracted drug dealers and that large amounts of drugs were being peddled. This was completely contrary to his system of values and he declined to invest. The need for aligned values also holds true from the perspective of the investee. If, after pitching to an investor, you discover that she has shares in a textile factory in the East that makes use of child labour, would you still take her money?   So, how should you go about ensuring that your pitch reflects your values?

Here are three helpful guidelines to assist you:

1. Awareness Have you ever sat down and really thought about the values which guide your choices in life? Have you ever considered whether they are good or bad values? A good value is something that you can control internally, for example, always taking responsibility for what happens in your life and your business, or always being honest (even if playing fast and loose with the truth would sometimes be easier). A bad value, on the other hand, is something that is controlled by external factors and not by yourself. An example would be wealth for the sake of wealth, or loyalty to the point of blindness. Think carefully about your values and make sure you have settled on ones that you can control, such as a commitment to always learning, humility and self-respect.

2. Clarity Having settled on your values, you must examine them from every angle. After any pitch, a potential investor will ask questions about numerous aspects of your business or business model. Any answers you give must be congruent with the values encompassed in the pitch you have just made. For example, if your pitch has touched on your willingness to learn and the fact that you never assume you know everything, it will not impress your potential investor if you come across as arrogant or a know-it-all when answering any follow-up questions.

3. Alignment It is also essential that your chosen values align with those of your would-be investor. If you are prepared to sacrifice your values for the sake of getting funding, it reflects poorly on you as a person and on your business.

For example, if you value honesty and the potential investor offers you R100 000 more than what you’re asking for to hire her nephew as your marketing director, the offer will clearly be in conflict with your values. Also remember that any deal you finally strike with your investor should be congruent with your values.

Tracy Afonso, Nedbank Head of Strategy: Professional Banking and Small Business, says as money experts, Nedbank is committed to doing good and is proud to be part of this inspiring initiative with Engen and Raizcorp as a co-sponsor since 2016. “Unlocking the potential of the SME sector is key to economic growth and job creation in South Africa.  We believe that this sponsorship aligns with our brand purpose to use our financial expertise to enable individuals, families, businesses and society to do good. As a business, we vote for and support small business in South Africa, and help them achieve their goals,” concludes Afonso.

While it may sometimes seem difficult to uphold your values in the face of a tempting deal, in the long term it will serve you well. As an individual and as a business, you will grow a reputation for being steadfast and true… and that is worth a great deal more than a quick buck!

For more information on ENGEN Pitch & Polish and the 2018 programme, please visit www.pitchandpolish.com