#TeenBoss 2017 a Huge Success
Wow! What an experience! #TeenBoss 2017 was absolutely HIT from start to finish!
The group of young learners was geared to take away as much as they could about entrepreneurship from the event from Day 1, and they certainly all brought their ‘A-Game’! Their business ideas ranged from innovative modes of transport for schools to novel tuition techniques to make studying easy and enjoyable for matriculants, to new and fresh ideas for child care services, plus much more.
The judges did not have an easy time adjudicating; all the entries were well thought-through and presented, but at the end of the three-day boot camp, the winning team, whose business idea was centred on the creation of leadership and development camps to tackle boredom during the school holidays, was Goodwood College.
We wish to extend our congratulations to Goodwood College (aka Teen Transformers), as well as all the other participating teams, i.e. Oude Molen Academy of Science & Technology (aka Learners with Attitude), EE Van Projects (aka J.A.C.K – which happens to be the first letters of the group members’ names), two teams from Atlantis Schools (aka #Boss Tomorrow and #Red Devils), two teams from Bonga Cycling Academy (aka The Stars of Tomorrow and Le Pelleton), and Isilimela Comprehensive High School (aka Young Minds). To us, you are all winners!
An ‘extra’ big thank you also to our sponsors and partners – Praesidium Capital Management/IBuild, Shoprite, the Sage Foundation, The River Club, Over the Rainbow, Entrepreneur & Management Solutions, and The Agency – without whom #TeenBoss 2017 would not have been possible.
The Deputy Minister of Tourism, Ms Elizabeth Thabethe, paid us a surprise visit on Day 1 to encourage our young participants on their entrepreneurial journeys. Thank you, Deputy Minister Thabethe, for spending the morning with us!
Our social media channels were abuzz with activity, thanks to The Agency and all our partners who participated in promoting the event on digital media. We’d say in excess of 200 000 impressions for the 3-day period is not too shabby!
Bruce scoops Expertise prize
Bruce Wade was officially announced as the winner of the Expertise.tv global challenge last week after a gruelling competition that saw over 50 Coaches and Entrepreneurs battle it out over the 5 stages of competition.
This event attracted new users to the Expertise.tv platform from countries across the globe. Each day after a brief education video, participants were set challenges and tasks to gain confidence on the platform and to build their respective accounts in line with best practices and learnt lessons. The leader board was first posted on Wednesday showing to score for each participant and as the tasks were delivered and deadlines reached the top spots were diminishing until just 10 were left sharing the 1st place.
The final goal was set and with just 3 days to achieve high results, Bruce was able to secure his position as the overall leader and claim the prize.
For his efforts, Bruce and his business Entrepreneur and Management Solutions will be awarded a fully funded FaceBook campaign sponsored and run by Expertise.tv as well as additional features to add to his account.
Entrepreneur and Management Solutions already run a weekly webinar on Wednesday’s dealing with innovative business and marketing strategy. Join this group of Learning Legends by registering here and receive regular updates and invites to webinars and programmes to enhance both yourself and your business.
Marketing Strategies Give a business the Unfair Advantage
For any business operating in today’s world of cut budgets, time constraints and failing economies, it becomes harder and harder to penetrate new markets. But with a clear marketing strategy that includes relationship building techniques and tools together with a focus on experiential and convenience as primary factors, these businesses are continuing to see growth in double digits.
So what are you doing? Do you have a clear vision and mission for your business? Do you have monthly marketing strategies and goals? Does your business plan to stay ahead or become a victim of the current economy.
Join us on Wednesday 17th May at noon to learn what makes up a strategic marketing plan and what your business needs to do to keep up with other growing organisations. Register below and make a difference to your future.
https://expertise.tv/webinar/developing-a-marketing-strategy/landing/5330
Are You a Learning Legend?
Last week we launched our online Learning Legends programme. This allows everyone on our current mailing list to have access to our wealth of information and programmes for developing both you and your business.
The first release was access to the book Exploit Yourself, a master class in personal networking techniques. This is delivered in audio book format to your email over a 7-week programme. We have already had a flurry of people taking up the offer. If you want access to this free programme, then simply click HERE and complete the form.
We want to make online learning and access to information as easy as possible for the busy business person. Our programmes will in future include email courses, online video and eBooks. All of these will be available from our website, some free, others paid for, but all worth participating in.
We would love to hear from you about topics and ideas that you would like to have covered and we can see what we can do to accommodate you.
Keep an eye out for specials and discount vouchers for upcoming courses. Do not forget to get your free Audiobook HERE
Cutting, pruning and firing
I am not an HR or Labour consultant, so this post is not about how to fire a staff member and not end up at the CCMA.
Every business seems to have at least one of those high maintenance, destructive staff members. Those people who seem to suck the very energy out of others. They seem wise to the laws and walk very close to the minimal effort line, but their attitude is what does the damage. You know who I am speaking about.
So what can you do? I just love the Apprentice show, where the Boss leans over the table and says “You have been terminated”. But the laws in South Africa just do not allow for this. Due process needs to be followed and this at best of times can be long and tedious. We have just come out of a season of right-sizing and getting rid of some staff, moving others and employing more. Our team is now better and more efficient than ever. It was a long and often painful process, but we did hire the expertise of a consultant to keep it legal and regulated.
It is important to keep your head above the issues during these times and remember that the bigger picture of the business is always more important than the personal issues and remarks from individuals. People can become very nasty and destructive during retrenchments, hearings and warnings, but as business owners, this comes with the job description.
There is also the coaching and consulting that should happen with each staff member to help avoid the decay that leads to dismissal. Regular meetings, encouragement, guidance and education all help prevent staff loss. But alas there are those that will just not cooperate and need to be pruned.
If you are going through this season in your business, hang in there. Keep taking the high and legal road. Do not get sucked into the personal squabble and hurtful remarks. Address people as adults, hear their views and follow due process. It will work out in the end.
If you are struggling with staff and wanting to do some pruning and cutting, then start today. Waiting even a day longer than necessary just adds to your resentment and decreases the joy of coming to work. Good luck.