Load Shedding, Blown Transformers won’t Stop Us

It had to happen. 

We’ve had a run of good luck. 

But on the 5th day it came to pass that both load shedding and a blown transformer hit the workshop in a double whammy!

There’s always a solution

No problem. Kagiso came prepared. Gas bottle, hob and kettle ensured the workshop had hot coffee, tea and refreshments when needed!

Sell, then keep score

Sales, finance & accounting, and funding were the order of the day.

The importance of the salesperson, whether B2C or B2B, was illustrated in the context of the Sales/Marketing Funnel (awareness, consideration, & decision). While the marketer dominates the awareness and consideration stages, it’s the sales person that brings home the bacon when a decision from the customer is needed to close the deal and make a sale.

Many argue that great salespeople are born, not made. Like the “birth” of great leaders, this argument is flawed. Sales is a process. The knowledge and skills required of the salesperson can be learned, and there is no shortage of courses, online and offline, testifying to this. 

The importance of record keeping, budgeting, forecasting were all explored. The need to separate one’s personal cash flows from the cash flows of the business, formalisation and compliance was  recognised as essential.

Funding, whether equity, debt, or grant would not be accessible in the absence of formalisation, compliance and good record keeping. Not even the classic “family, friends, and fools” will back your startup if they can’t see where their money is going.

Competition Day … Community Project

The format of the final workshop was agreed to. Workshop participants will pitch a business idea using the Lean Canvas. The class will vote for 1st, 2nd, & 3rd places. 

To showcase their skills the Slovoville Youth Committee was also formally inaugurated with Lindiwe Mthembu elected as its first leader.

Portfolio responsibilities were also identified and leaders assigned to each portfolio. The project, while currently underwrap during consultation with the newly elected Ward 53 Councillor, will be a flagship initiative and a beacon of what can be achieved in the most challenging of environments.

Bring it on!