Whispers of an entrepreneur

As the popular adages goes, 'There are no shortcuts to success' and "There is no easy route to creating wealth" I have made no secrets on my love for Stellenbosch and moreover, my adoption of some of its leading entrepreneurs as my role models. I have had the great pleasure of spending my formative years as a young adult in Stellenbosch.  As student my rooting and fundamental beliefs were shaped and influenced by the town, its ambiance and all that that the institution embodied. The town of Stellenbosch  hosts a population of well  over 200 000 people,  spanning an area of  831.04 km². The town is a  vibrant economic area, with an active tourism market. M ajority of the population is white. The community also has some of the highest levels of education of any town in the country. For a small town, it offers and contributes to the fiscus more than its fair share. If that is the case, why then do we not learn valuable lessons from th...

I woke up this morning with a pair of interesting questions on my mind. Bent over the bathroom basin, brushing my teeth. All this after one of my power naps – well, this is all I can call them nowadays, my lack of sleep due to insomnia keeps me up till the strangest hours of the morning. I found it strange that at such an early hour, I am already thinking about life and the direction I am taking. Back to my big questions: “Where would I rather be right now” and “What would I rather be doing now” To the former, my answer was, “ Here and now ”, I am so excited about life – spring is in the air and I feel rejuvenated. Notwithstanding the horrid feeling I get with all the pollen in the air, this time of the year is my favourite. The latter question was more interesting – what would I rather being doing now, that is with regards to my life. “I am doing what I would like to do, and do for at least the next 10 years” One of the greatest pleasures has been finding my way in th...

I recently watched a Multichoice advert on 20 years of freedom , about a gentleman called Johnny Bada, who over a 20 year period has risen from a mere Multichoice installer to become a business owner with 3 DSTV agencies and a staff component of 65 individuals. Though I cannot attest to the legitimacy and truthfulness of this story, it did capture me – proving again that business and success takes time. As I have mentioned before, an overnight success takes 14 years. Us, young entrepreneurs hardly take the time to learn our craft, to master it and be regarded as an industry expert. We tend to expect quick turnarounds in business and life. Our culture of “Now” hampers the growth and development of many aspiring, talented entrepreneurs. The desire to be a Hollywood entrepreneur sometimes clouds our judgement in finding the right opportunity and gradually growing it into a multibillion enterprise. However, not all entrepreneurs will be billionaires or even millionaires (Ra...

During the past weekend, I got reminded of the things I am thankful for; a kind of taking stock of what is important as well as the journey that has led to this moment in my life. Praying hands Cleaning my cupboard I came across old business cards of lives I have lived and responsibilities I have had. Some were challenging, others simply infuriating but in all the positions and jobs I have had, valuable knowledge was accumulated, experienced gained and lessons learnt. My latest journey has been the most challenging, coinciding with my responsibilities as a husband and father - I was no longer able to take on the major risks of the past, risks that made me well off as well as broke me in more ways than just financial. Though a little wiser and more risk averse, I have taken a few gambles with some disasters and triumphs – effects of which were exacerbated because of my young family. The lows became so much more bitter and the highs were duly needed. As the husband, I am r...