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 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...