New ideas. Personal and business growth
Chesney Bradshaw – independent business services
A business person started a restaurant, ran it successfully for five years, and realised that the long working hours were killing him. He decided to sell up and start a new wholesale business in the food trade.
How many of us wake up in time before disaster strikes? How many small business owners set aside time to reflect on how far they’ve come, what is wrong in their business and lives and make decisions to change things? Continue reading “Is it time to wake up?”
Entrepreneurs in the Western Cape wine district, found a new opportunity to take something old and turn it into a money-spinner.
They have found old vineyards, abandoned long ago, and have re-established them. Several revenue streams are flowing: consulting to farm owners who want to re-establish old vineyards, selling of the wines from these vintage vineyards and tourist tours.
How’s that for coming up with a new idea that can churn out money? Continue reading “Old wine in new bottles – opportunities for entrepreneurs”
A small business owner in a radio soapie sunk all his money into a new business idea – ice cream making – and suddenly found out that the product was being rejected by customers. He found himself in deep trouble, desperate about what to do next.
In this economy, many small business owners are facing the same challenge. They have invested all their money into a new business and it isn’t turning out as expected. Before long they realise that all the money that they sunk into their business idea has come to naught. Continue reading “What to do when your business idea fails”
For most people generating new ideas is the exciting part. But the next phase which is idea selection, pilot testing and gathering resources to put behind the prototype or sample can be challenging.
A McKinsey multi-year study involving in-depth interviews, workshops, and surveys of more than 2,500 executives in over 300 companies found that innovation involves a set of “crosscutting” practices and processes to structure, organise and encourage innovation. Continue reading “No matter how brilliant your idea if you don’t have resources, you won’t be able to get it off the ground”
A business person was caught in a situation where he received ugly treatment from a media company and decided to throw in the towel.
There is only so much that anyone can take.
Unfortunately, despite value statements engraved in brass plaques or high-gloss and framed posters, some companies do not live up to their espoused values.
Anyway, this business person left and a few days later received a call out of the blue to say that the lease had expired on a small restaurant and would the business person like to take it over. Continue reading “Is it possible to manufacture your own lucky breaks?”
Small businesses have been under pressure in this unnecessarily bad economy.
In the search for real-world, practical, hands-on information, small business owners and people wanting to start something of their own, but fully understanding the risks, have enjoyed the relevant information from Idea Accelerator.
It’s information you can’t get anywhere else.
While you are on holiday, you may want to read some of our most-read blog posts in 2015 that you may have missed. Continue reading “Most read posts of 2015”
By Guest Blogger Martin Snoek
To be acknowledged as a captain of industry or commerce, or for that matter any sector of society or the business community, is in today’s environment a remarkable achievement.
We read about the achievements of many men and women, meet them in our day-to-day activities in business, on the sports fields, in social life, or hear them speak on radio or television. They have a presence in all walks of life and we take special note of those who not only excel in business and society in general, but also who take their ambassadorial behaviour to the frontlines of benevolence work.
Many captains stand tall in both the public and private sectors, but we also have those who go into hiding once the winds tear through their sails. I am sure you have met or heard of many such characters. Unfortunately, the condition of our society allows for self-appointed or mock-appointed ‘captains’ to abandon ship and retire ‘gracefully’ with healthy bank accounts. Continue reading “Are you one of the true captains of society?”
I was driving in the morning traffic when I saw a newspaper poster on a poll that proclaimed “Business confidence in shreds”. I wondered just how bad it was. When I saw the newspaper report from a survey done by the accounting firm it was sobering. The survey showed that only 9% of local businesses are optimistic, compared to 39% recorded by South African businesses in 2013.
How are small businesses going to cope? What can they do? Continue reading “What do you do when business confidence is in shreds?”
Have you ever participated in a so-called “brainstorming session”? What has been your experience? If you have walked away from a brainstorming session feeling that there were some good ideas put forward but you sincerely doubt that they can be implemented, you are not alone.
The problem with brainstorming sessions is that many ideas are generated but how many of them are implemented. You see, often people who attend these kind of meetings come up with ideas as a sort of “public relations”. They wish to get noticed. But have they thought through their ideas and will they implement them?
I have to say that I must reveal my bias when it comes to new retail formats and new business ideas in Cape Town. The thing is that I lived for the better part of 20 years, growing up in Cape Town and perhaps have an inborn bias for the vibrancy of the city.
On a recent Saturday afternoon in Claremont I was looking for some basic art supplies and because there was no art shop in Cavendish Square I asked around at the information kiosk and was told to go behind the shopping centre where I would find an art shop. Continue reading “Why are these small business owners so entrepreneurial in this city?”
