Category: Entrepreneurship

Brands matter.  A recognized brand earns more revenue.  This is due in large to the fact that once a brand is recognized, trusted and available, it’s so much easier to just pick it up and move on.  No internal evaluation, no worrying about effectiveness, no decision tree – just pick it up and move on. This is why marketers are so reluctant to change a winning logo, formula or packaging design, even when it’s clearly becoming dated. If you’re thinking about your brand, here’s a handy reference I use when we consult to brands. Understanding your Brand. This is all Continue Reading

I’m conflicted over this report.  The percentage of adult South Africans involved in starting a business has plunged by 34%. On the one hand, I want to rail against the system that saddles entrepreneurs with unworkable tax burdens, restrictive employment & business practices. A bureaucracy that doesn’t do enough, but wastes money on window-dressing entrepreneurship. On the other hand I’m shocked at the sense of entitlement and lack of basic business principles that some aspiring entrepreneurs seem to have. Gone is the passionate work ethic, replaced by chasing the ‘perfect startup dream’ and buying into the fantasy stories of mega-ipo’s Continue Reading

South Africa is full of homegrown heroes that have a profound impact on global business, technology and science. Elon Musk may be the poster boy is not the only brilliant SA born mind that left to find fortune, fame and glory overseas. Patrick Soon-Shiong, the son of Chinese immigrants to South Africa, is the world’s richest doctor and the wealthiest resident of Los Angeles with a net worth of almost R150-billion. Imagine if we could retain their skills in SA. Read the full story