African Entrepreneurs

INTEGRITY IN BUSINESS

While on a recent chat with a driver on how he handles FORGOTTEN items of his passengers (which is also his Customers), The driver told me a lot of stories of how passengers forget their phones, bags, other items and how he tries to return the forgotten items back to the rightful owners.

There was this remarkable event he expressed disappointment wherewith the woman forgot her IPhone 8 owning to the fact she was running late for work, he picked the phone and noticed that the phone was passworded, oh! he wondered how he will reach the owner, fortunately the phone rang and it was the husband calling, he quickly informed the man and inquired how he could get the phone back to his wife. The husband appreciated and gave him the description to her place of work.

To summarize the long story, he successfully returned the phone and the woman was super grateful. Now the real deal is that the driver was expecting some financial honor from the woman, but the woman gave him #500 according to him, but really thanked him for his kind gesture. As he lamented!

So I asked; were you expecting something huge or something equivalent to the value of the phone?

He replied; sir that phone is upto #200,000, what if I decided to take the phone? Because others will do the same.

I replied: let’s say you own a shop and the same customer forgets her phone in your “shop”would you expect any money from her?

He replied; No but it’s a different case.

Now listen, You’re in business to bring solution and uphold INTEGRITY. Unless that’s not your goal. All businesses rest upon this spirit of Integrity.

Without integrity as a basis, all the great professions, from medicine to engineering, including entire educational system, trading would fall to the ground.
Our whole civilization rests upon the assumption that people are honest.

With this confidence shaken, the structure falls.
Learn to Uphold strong integrity with your customers and watch your businesses grow.


Regards

4 WAYS TO CREATE BETTER STRUCTURE FOR YOUR SMALL BUSINESS

As a business owner you have to wear a lot of different hats – and all too often – many at the same time. And not only are you responsible for your own hats, but also the hats you delegate to others.

For many business owners, the real challenge is trusting another person to do the work as well as you do – to truly let go. Ultimately, what makes this easier is ensuring everyone understands your expectations for their roles. In a word, you need structure.

Creating structure is all a matter of management: management of the work, management of how that work is completed, and management of expectations of both you and your employees.

Creating more structure in your business isn’t as onerous as it sounds. In a short amount of time, you can put the following things into place one-by-one to create an environment of accountability and empowerment for your employees:

1. Job Descriptions:

Job descriptions do not end when the hiring process is complete. The job description is the benchmark used to measure the performance of the person you hire.
However, ensuring that employees understand the ongoing significance of their job descriptions can often fall through the cracks.
Explain to an employee their value – to you, to the team and to overall company performance. It’s your employees’ personal ownership of their roles that will determine their success on the job.

2. Employee Manual:

Dry? Yes. Helpful? Very. Manuals are one of those things that nobody likes to write or read, but they’re essential to set the baseline for the day-to-day functioning of your business.
You get to decide what the manual covers and in what detail, but it should cover everything from habits in the kitchen, to how you want a uniform worn.
A suggested rule of thumb: if it seems common sense to you, it may not be to others – so put it in the manual! You will also want to be sure you refer to the Employment Standards Act if you’re not sure about some element of how you employ people at your business.

3. SOP: Standard Operating Procedures:

Standard Operating Procedures are only mildly more exciting than manuals, but equally as important.
This document goes one step further to ensure that anyone you employ will be able to step into another position or department and make it through the day without facing too many crises.
Standard Operating Procedures provide documentation of the processes you would like carried out on a consistent basis – and who doesn’t like consistency?

4. Disciplinary Policy and Process:

A disciplinary policy isn’t about embracing the ability to punish someone. It is about embracing ongoing improvement and consistency for your business.
A disciplinary policy is the bittersweet partner to the Employee Manual, and is often included in the manual itself. A disciplinary policy and process allows you to circumvent the finger-pointing that may go on in the workplace when trouble arises, and will help you resolve the situation in a way that works in everyone’s best interest.
By keeping any infractions documented, you can quickly identify employees who contribute to growth versus those who don’t. Further, you’ll be able to take decisive action when discipline is warranted, while providing employees with an understanding of what is expected of them.

In Closing:

While none of these structural tools will ‘fix’ any struggles in-and-of themselves, they do lay a firm foundation on which you can manage your business – and they’re always much easier to implement before they’re needed in a difficult situation.

There is strength in UNITY
Thank you for believing In AFRICA

African Entrepreneurs Entrepreneurship Is Living A Few Years Of Your Life Like Most People Won't, So That You Can Spend The Rest Of Your Life Like Most People Can't.

New Topic: Sales And Marketing (Part 1)

The Classic '"Sell Me This Pencil'"

Have you ever gone to a job interview and been asked to sell the interviewer a pencil? This clever question is designed to separate those that have good sales technique against those that don't. Here in this article we look at the best way to approach this question and how with the correct sales training answering questions like this will become simple and prepare you for selling products for your business.

Many people when faced with the 'pencil' question answer it in the same way, with a pitch. The pencil is described in detail, 'This pencil has grade 2 lead, is a bright yellow color so you will never lose it and it comes with a built-in eraser.' Some people may well talk about the pencil in this detail for a good five minutes before they even ask a question or for an order.
How boring must this be for a customer? Being spoken at and not listening to any of your client's needs.

However, as sales training would teach any good salesperson how to sell a product such as a pencil, the above technique is not the way to go. A good salesperson will begin to ask the interviewer questions such as
'So how often do you use a pencil?',
'How many pencils do you use in a month?',
'What quantity do you usually order pencils in?', 'How often does your company order pencils?'

This response is very different from the first and the first salesperson is just trying to pitch whereas, the second has obviously understood some fundamental parts to sales training. The second salesperson is taking the time to understand the 'prospects' needs, buying motives and understand fully the full sales process.

It is important for individuals to understand which category of the two they fall into when wanting to improve their sales technique. Look at your script carefully, which parts are focused in on descriptions of the service or products you offer? Are there parts that even look at buying motives and questioning your customer's needs?

To Be Continued....

Prepare For The Job Interview:

› ANALYZE THE JOB:

An important part of interview preparation is to take the time to analyze the job posting, or job description, if you have it. As you review the job post, consider what the company is seeking in a candidate.

Make a list of the skills, knowledge, and professional and personal qualities that are required by the employer and are critical for success in the job.

› RESEARCH THE COMPANY:

Take some time, in advance, to discover as much information as you can about the company.

Spend time, as well, tapping into your network to see if you know someone who can help give you an interview edge over the other candidates.

› PRACTICE INTERVIEW ETIQUETTE:

Proper interview etiquette is important. Remember to greet the receptionist, your interviewer, and everyone else you meet politely, pleasantly, and enthusiastically.

During the interview watch your body language - shake hands firmly and make eye contact as you articulate your points.

Relax and lean forward a little towards the interviewer so you appear interested and engaged. Don't lean back or slump in your chair.

You will look too casual and relaxed. Keep your feet on the floor and your back against the lower back of the chair. Pay attention, be attentive, and look interested.

The more positive an impression you make, the better you'll do during the job interview.

To be continued...

It's important to remember that the journey takes time and that you've got to start enjoying the process....Because you will spend more time on the journey then you ever will at your destination!

Being patient doesn't mean sit still and wait, it means that you accept that their is a process and steps and that you are prepared to see it through!

I know many of you are in a frantic rush to see results and get to your destination but the reality is it takes years and decades to achieve success....so whatever you are chasing better be something you really want and care about pursuing for long period of time!

It's takes time....in fact anything worth pursuing takes time so be patient, keep your head down and stay focused, eventually you'll be right where you always dreamt you would be!

Share!

Strive Masiyiwa Wrote:


Turn your business into a “technology company" (Part 3).

Harness the future!

The other day I was watching a program about a young Chinese entrepreneur who created a restaurant that has no waiters. Everyone orders food using an "App" and simply arrives, collects and sits down to eat!

Ten years ago, I remember visiting a farmer’s market in rural Kenya where they exchanged prices on their cell phones, from village to village, to ensure that middlemen don't cheat them. It has since developed into a highly sophisticated commodity exchange system. This is technology.

In the past few weeks, some of you have shared exciting ways you already use technology in your own businesses. Others of you are just beginning to launch your ideas. You are harnessing the future!

__Whatever line of work you’re in, you must master technology. It must be your silent partner!

Many of you have asked advice about how to get started. Why not use the internet to do research and bring yourself up to speed with best business practices and technology innovations around the world?

Whatever you do, don't think you can be blissfully ignorant, or worse… resistant to the changes happening because of technology.

When I was getting started in business, it wasn’t possible to go to my phone or the “world wide web” to search for information about nearly everything. Today, almost all of you can do this. The world can be at your fingertips!

__ If you’re really serious about learning online, consider looking for a “MOOC,” which means a Massive Online Open Course. At www.mooc-list.com, you can find technology education and training courses (and a wide range of other subjects) taught by top universities and colleges around the world. Many are free of charge.

Coursera.org is one MOOC with courses on all topics under the sun, including “How to create a website in a weekend” and “Web design for everybody.” You alone must decide what you need to make your business more successful and profitable using technology, but below are a few websites that offer IT courses that may be of interest:

www.udacity.com/courses
www.teamtreehouse.com
www.codeacademy.com
www.code.org
www.khanacademy.org/computing/computer-programming

__Remember: information is power! But one word of warning: While the internet has some amazing research information, be sure your sources are trusted and credible. Some of what you read could be worthless and even destructive.

When I'm done with this series, I want you to be conscious of the impact of technology on the business you’re in now, and imagine its role in the future… not in a negative sense, but in a positive way. You’re not going to get away from the impact of technology. You must either learn to harness its huge potential and use it to your advantage, or it will destroy you.

Looking at your own businesses today, you should already be working on these five questions:

# How can technology help me design, produce, market and/or deliver first-class goods and services to my customers?
# How can technology make my business more productive and efficient?
# How can technology make my business bigger?
# How can technology make my business more profitable?
# How can technology help me leapfrog my competitors?

That should be enough homework for this week!

To be continued. . .

Strive Masiyiwa Wrote:

Pause:
What is the most important skill you need?

If you want to be successful, you’ll need many specialised business skills, but probably the most important one will surprise you: it's the capacity to READ! Yes, READ!

You must develop the capacity to read, and to read FAST, and by this I don't mean basic literacy. This is why I talk of "capacity." If you’re on this platform, you’re someone who has more than basic literacy skills. You are the next generation of leaders.

I'm sure you’ve heard the expression: "(Great) leaders are readers."

You must have the capacity to read a lot, if you want to be successful. All the greatest leaders I’ve ever met, from any walk of life, had this in common: they liked to read books, journals, and articles.

On one of my travels, I met someone who asked me a simple question:

"Where do you live?"

"I have a house in London and one in Johannesburg, but I spend most of my time in airports."

"Where are your books?" she asked.

"In Johannesburg."

"Ah, that is where you live, because books are your most prized possession."

You must BUY and own books. It must be a constant investment. You’re not a reader if you prefer only to borrow books. It means you're not committed. If you have children, take them to bookshops. Buy or build them bookshelves. Encourage them to own and treasure books. Take them to libraries, galleries and museums… they're generally free!

__For the African continent to grow and prosper, we must build a greater culture of reading in our young generations! There’s not a moment to waste.

The pastor of a great church asked a young man, "Where is your bible?"

"I can't afford one, sir" the young man replied.

"Then sell your shoes!" the pastor replied.

This is the attitude you must build towards the ownership of all other books, too: "If you think books are too expensive then you have not yet realized their value to you, and your family."

Reading is by far and away the thing I do most in my day:

# You all know by now that I start my day by reading the bible for at least an hour. I read it cover to cover at least once a year.
# Before I go to work or start my day, I delve through at least 5 newspapers that I subscribe to.
# Then I read reports, mostly about what’s going on in our various businesses. I also read the latest developments in our industries.
# I read emails (I don’t allow an email to go unanswered for more than 24 hours). Generally, I read every email that gets into my inbox. This is why I don’t like all sorts of emails to clutter my box. I manage emails very strictly because if I don't, I’ll lose control of my agenda.
# Throughout the day, I’m reading reports and responding to them. I can read very fast.

I hate rituals, but if you must have a ritual, this is it: Read every day to understand, reflect upon and follow what’s going on around you that affects you. Remember what I’ve said before: things happening far across the world can seriously affect you, too!

You can train yourself to expand your reading capacity quickly and easily:
1. Buy and read books.
2. Buy and read books.
Did I repeat myself?
Buy and read books!

In closing, the other day I went to see a play in New York about Alexander Hamilton, one of America’s founding fathers. It was a remarkable musical production and worth all the rave reviews it’s getting. I only had one problem: it was a musical performed in "rap" by a mostly young African-American cast; for a long time, I didn’t understand a thing they were saying! But I could still follow the story very well, because I’d read the book on which it was based more than 10 years earlier. If I must see a movie, I need to read the book as well.

Someone who has a smartphone or tablet is reading (quantitatively) more than 100x what their peers read 20 years ago. Nevertheless, the key to reading capacity requires an interest in reading books, even those in electronic format.

Be smart, be wise; buy and read books. If you’re planning to get to the top, one book a week should be your minimum target.

End.

As the saying goes "People dont care how much you know until they know how much you care. Be Relatable!

Strive Masiyiwa Wrote:

Turn your business into a “technology company (Part 2).

__What are you waiting for?

I was inspired this week to hear stories from so many of you who are using technology to connect buyers and markets, and, in the process, create income for yourselves. This kind of thinking will really set Africa alight!

One post really caught my attention: “It's through OLX that I’m able to place food on the table for my family. What I just need is to get a wind of it that you want to sell something. I take photos using my phone and post it on OLX. Within a few days your product is gone and I pocket a few coins out of it. So my 'little business' is technology oriented.”

“Wow, wow, wow!!!” was my reply to Ken in Kenya.

When we later contacted him, Ken said he works as a police dog trainer (he’s a civil servant) and discovered he could use his phone to take pictures of things for sale which he posts on OLX. After posting the items (which have included even animals like goats and dogs), Ken waits for customers to call him on his phone. Like Econet’s Ownai online classifieds in Zimbabwe, OLX is a free mobile marketplace for all sorts of goods and services. You’ll find many such free platforms online.

To make extra money for his family, Ken even does commission sales for his friends, and arranges delivery. He also trains privately-owned dogs after-hours Sometimes he even sells puppies online (not police pups) thus expanding his potential client base.

I told Ken that there are people sitting at home who should be doing exactly what he’s doing… using a unique mix of skills, technology, fresh ideas and local knowledge to create their own little (or big) “technology businesses.”

In the palm of your hand today, you have at least one exceptional tool to open doors and close deals. What are you waiting for?

# Imagine what would happen if every smallholder farmer, informal and cross border trader across Africa discovered what Ken has discovered!
# Imagine what would happen if every single person who runs any kind of business in Africa set up a website (Africa has the lowest pe*******on of business presence on the Internet in the world)!

__These are things you shall begin to see. What we need is young people to go out and show others how this can happen so easily. This is all technology -- changing the lives of people.

Techno-entrepreneurs like Ken give me so much hope for the next generation on our continent. (I highlighted Ken today, but you’ll hear about others later on). With the power of technology, everyone can be a winner: What do people want and need? Maybe it’s not invented yet. Maybe it’s available somewhere, but not in your country. Maybe it’s a service in short supply and you can bridge that gap. Maybe it’s old technology but you have the imagination to do something new with it, like Ken did.

No one really knew how much they “needed" a mobile phone till very recently in historical terms. Now most people can’t imagine life without one, or more. Technology makes it possible to build new bridges of all kinds. Do you know where you want to go?

To be continued. . .

Strive Masiyiwa Wrote:

Turn your business into a "technology company" (Part 1).

The other day I was talking to a friend who runs a fast-moving consumer goods company, or what the experts call an "FMCG" company. He was surprised when I said to him, "I also consider myself to be in the FMCG sector; I discourage my people from seeing our business as a ‘technology’ business.”

"I don't understand what you mean?" my friend said. "I thought you were in the telecoms business; isn't that technology?"

"We sell fast-moving consumer goods. Our products and services (things like ‘airtime’) are for the mass market consumer. We’re no different from Coca-Cola. We’re chasing the same consumer dollars."

Then I added, "Now if you’re a consumer goods company selling bread, you must begin to see yourself as technology company if you want to succeed in today's digital world."

A technology company that sees itself only as a "technology" company will end up losing sight of the customer. And yet almost all businesses must so embrace technology in everything they do that, for all practical purposes, they’re "technology" companies:

__The most successful businesses today (big or small) are those that see themselves as "technology" companies, irrespective of what business they are in!

Confused?

Imagine an entrepreneur who’s running a small supermarket at a busy business center. Her business seems simple enough: she buys fast-moving goods like bread and meat, and sells them to her community, and perhaps to people who travel through it, like tourists or visitors.

How can we turn her business into a "technology business”? How could she use technology to make herself more efficient, attract more customers, be more profitable, and grow -- perhaps into a franchise? What advice would you give her?

# She needs to have a smartphone for starters. Through her smartphone she can buy applications (Apps) readily available on the Internet to help her with things like inventory management, payroll management, record keeping and accounts.

All this is technology.

# She can use the Internet to link up with wholesalers and other suppliers to order goods and compare input prices.
# She can research the retail price her competitors are charging for the same items.
# She can bank using her cell phone. She can be part of a savings scheme.
# She can invest in a credit card terminal to attract new business and larger orders.
# She can advertise her goods on the Internet using everything from Facebook, to Instagram, etc.
# She can even set up her own website. There are so many young people who can develop a website for her at very little cost. Whatever business you’re in, even the informal sector, you must begin to have a presence on the Internet!

Technology matters in your business. Take the time to look for creative ways to leverage it to make your business more visible, efficient and profitable!

__Don't think you must wait until you’re “big” before you learn to harness technology. You’ll become big by harnessing technology! Even if you’re running a rural trading post or sell goods at an informal market, technology can give you information, efficiency and competitive edge to help you succeed and prosper.

In this series I’ll talk about how technology can transform even the smallest business, in any sector. As the great inventor Thomas Edison said, “There’s a better way to do it - find it!”

To be continued. . .

Week Go thought :

Focus your strength on that business idea , re-edit that proposal, re-brand that quality, again. Try it this time,it will work. Remember focus only on your strength then guard your weakness. Don't really allow it to fail,if it does learn from it. It will work.

Be Productive.