General

“Consumers don’t just buy products and services anymore; they buy experiences. This demands a new approach to marketing, sales, and services; one that hinges on winning customer trust.” (Ben Jackson, Author “The Future of Commerce) With customer trust being the most important element in attracting sales, contracts and clients, gaining…

“The time to prepare for disasters is before they happen” (Stephen Matheson, Vice President of Product at BridgeHead) Given how reliant we all are on our IT infrastructure, it will come as no surprise to learn that one of the worst things that can happen to a business is for…

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning” (Bill Gates) If you have founded a business then there is little less certain than that at some point in the future, you will get a bad review. It’s simply impossible to please all of the people all of the…

“We want to assure business that by the time you get back to work in January, we will have a much more stable situation.” (Public Enterprises Minister, Pravin Gordhan, December 7, 2018) With loadshedding now a constant reality in our lives and Eskom and the government offering no signs of…

“Do you know the difference between education and experience? Education is when you read the fine print; experience is what you get when you don’t” (American singer and social activist, Pete Seeger) Microinsurance refers to an area of cover made accessible to low-income individuals and businesses at relatively low cost.…

“As much as you might love running your business, you must have an end-goal in the plan. At the very least, an exit strategy keeps you from turning your business into a glorified job – working from home, but with longer hours.” (Kevin J. Donaldson) A new year beckons, and…

“The gig economy is empowerment. This new business paradigm empowers individuals to better shape their own destiny and leverage their existing assets to their benefit” (John McAfee) The modern world of work was already changing by the time Covid-19 hit. The “gig economy” had taken hold and numerous apps allowed…

“In business, you don’t get what you deserve, you get what you negotiate,” Chester Karrass, Founder of Seminar group Karrass. At some point, around halfway through the pandemic, experts began to whisper that office space was dead. “No one will be using an office by 2023,” they said. And yet,…

“Pricing power is important in business. You want your business to have the ability to raise prices as needed, especially with regard to inflation.” (Hendrith Vanlon Smith Jr) It is imperative that businesses increase their fees, rates or product prices annually by at least the rate of inflation, just to…

“Communication is a skill that you can learn. It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you’re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life.” (American business speaker Brian Tracy) Successful communication can be the difference between a profitable business and…