Tag: viable business ideas

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A tool that helps you decide if your new business idea is viable or not

Kalk Bay station, Cape Town, South Africa. A s...
Kalk Bay station, Cape Town, South Africa. A shot of a departing commuter train. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Growing up in Kalk Bay, Cape Town, my mother used to make delicious pickled fish. Being so close to a real, working fishing harbour she was able to buy fresh fish for frying, baking and pickling. My father had a ski boat and he would catch various fish which could be pickled such as Cape Salmon, white Steenbras and yellowtail.

On Sunday we ate delicious pickled fish for lunch. But this pickle fish was not made in Cape Town where one would expect pickle fish to be made but was rather made in Bloemfontein in the Free State. Interesting, isn’t it, that a small business in the heart of the country has come up with an idea to produce pickled fish and make it available in various convenience stores and butcheries. Continue reading “A tool that helps you decide if your new business idea is viable or not”

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Thinking fast and slow – speed thinking for great ideas

English: A Facial mask. Português: Uma Máscara...
English: A Facial mask. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

In 2014 a massage therapist planted the seed for an idea that would grow into a retail beauty salon chain. Ian Fuhr, the founder of Sorbet, didn’t want to retire and was eager for a new challenge. Today Sorbet has close to 40 outlets with revenues of around R100 million a year.

People need to come up with new ideas to respond to challenges, problems and difficulties they are facing. They also may want to stretch themselves and come up with new ways to realise their aspirations. But they just can’t make a personal breakthrough. They rack their brains but still nothing comes. Continue reading “Thinking fast and slow – speed thinking for great ideas”

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Advantages of a small business idea accelerator

(Copyright © 2014 by Chesney Bradshaw, all rights reserved)
(Copyright © 2014 by Chesney Bradshaw, all rights reserved)

A man hung on to his idea to start a small businesses and worked hard to bring it into reality. After the inevitable false starts and dead ends, he got his hand and body lotion micro-enterprise off the ground. He started small, hand selling at Saturday morning markets, travelling from one part of the city to another like a Gypsy. His product was of a high quality made with a combination of milk and honey. Soon it began to take off. He branched out into online selling and keeps growing his business.

How many people do you know who come up with a promising idea but never turn their business idea into reality? Some research says that half of the working population have an idea that they wish to turn into a micro-enterprise, small hobby business or small business. Yet the percentage of those who do take their business idea and make it into reality is minuscule. Why is that so? Is it because they don’t have cash? Don’t they have motivation? Or, don’t they have the right mentor or business adviser to help and encourge them to bring their ideas to life? Continue reading “Advantages of a small business idea accelerator”

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Do these theme songs inspire you to create or make you want to vomit?

Soundtrack to your imagination
Soundtrack to your imagination (Photo credit: nerosunero)

The other day I downloaded three of my top film soundtracks from the Internet:

Start Wars Main Theme
Chariots of Fire
Rocky Balboa Theme

These were some of the form soundtracks that I’d listened to on my yellow plastic Walkman when I used to go running in the mornings.

The songs would help mask the pain on those long uphill stretches. Inspiration for when the running became tough. Continue reading “Do these theme songs inspire you to create or make you want to vomit?”