“The bottom line is that cyber risks sit right alongside rising systemic risks, and is the biggest emerging, and constantly evolving risk facing businesses today.” (SHA Specialist Risk Review 2022) In Africa, Interpol has identified phishing – particularly Business Email Compromise (BEC) – as well as online scams, as both the biggest current crime threats, and the crimes most likely to increase in the next three to five years. This… Read more
“Don’t be fearful of risks. Understand them, and manage and minimize them to an acceptable level.” (Naved Abdali, Financial journalist and author) Managing risk in your business is absolutely critical for developing it to success. Knowing exactly which threats are really relevant and which will help any leader to develop strategy and prepare for the worst eventualities. One of the simplest and most useful ways of determining the greatest risks… Read more
“Quiet quitting” isn’t laziness…When they don’t feel cared about, people eventually stop caring. If you want them to go the extra mile, start with meaningful work, respect, and fair pay.” – (Adam Grant, organizational psychologist and speaker) The idea of the recently acknowledged trend of quiet quitting is not really new at all. Some people have been coming to work and doing the bare minimum since work has existed. It… Read more
“Borrowing isn’t inherently bad; it depends a lot on what the debt is financing” (Stephen Moore, writer and economic commentator) Taking on debt can be a good thing for a company. It can fund expansions, help you seize market share or diversify offerings. Handled incorrectly it can, however, lead to severe problems that could ultimately result in bankruptcy. Managing company debt is, therefore, something that should always be done alongside… Read more
“If you talk to a top accountant about his field of expertise, it’s mind-boggling.” (Vincent Kompany, professional football manager and former player) Accountants are the tax and compliance champions of any industry, but the best ones do so much more for their clients, as strategic advisors and trouble-shooters who can also assist with automating a variety of tasks and pave the way for the running of a smooth and profitable… Read more
“Eskom plays a critical role in the life of South Africa, and life of South Africans. Due to its important role in the economy, its inability to provide electricity on demand and on time is a crisis.” (President Cyril Ramaphosa) The South African Reserve Bank’s Financial Sector Contingency Forum (FSCF) has recently encouraged South African businesses to develop plans for operation at stage 8 load-shedding levels and a total countrywide… Read more
“The difference between successful people and really successful people is that really successful people say no to almost everything.” (Warren Buffet, Investor) Anyone who has ever started a business knows the feeling a new enquiry can generate. The excitement that things seem to be working, may make the new entrepreneur set aside their concerns and leap at any opportunity. The sad news is that this excitement to help anyone who… Read more
“Always treat your employees exactly as you want them to treat your best customers.” (Stephen R. Covey) Gallup describes “engaged employees” as those who are involved in, enthusiastic about, and committed to their work and workplace. Numerous studies over many decades have confirmed the benefits of engaged employees especially to smaller companies, where they are often required to take on many diverse responsibilities. Many studies have also identified employee engagement… Read more
“A house built on granite and strong foundations, not even the onslaught of pouring rain, gushing torrents and strong winds will be able to pull down.” (Haile Selassie, Former Emperor of Ethiopia) When starting a new business, few things are as important as establishing your finances and making sure they are right. Building the foundation for stable, accurate financial reports and tax filing will see you in good stead in… Read more
“We need to give importance to skill development because this way we can end unemployment.” (Narendra Modi, Prime Minister, India) Since 1999, the Skills Development Levy (SDL) has served to fund skills development in the country. It encourages a planned and structured approach to skills development so employers, employees and the economy can benefit from a better skilled and more productive workforce. All South African companies with a payroll exceeding… Read more
“Proper business planning demands that you focus on the self-interest of the customer at all times.” – (Brian Tracy, Author and Speaker) Writing a business plan can feel like a daunting process, and making mistakes is part of the package, even if you follow the online guides and templates. To make this process simpler, we have made a short list of common errors that somehow keep creeping into these vital… Read more
“…governments internationally have increasingly used tax measures to support efforts aimed at regenerating urban areas.” (SARS Guide to the UDZ Allowance) The urban development zone (UDZ) tax incentive, provided for in section 13quat of the Income Tax Act (the Act), was introduced 20 years ago in 2003, as an accelerated depreciation allowance for property investments in certain central business districts. It aims to promote investment by the private sector in the construction or improvement… Read more
“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 that trust is an important step for any new start up. How can you make sales if you have no… Read more
“This is not an austerity budget. It is a budget that makes tough trade-offs in the interests of the country’s short and long term prosperity.” (Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana – Budget 2023) Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana’s second Budget contained no major tax proposals, thanks to an improvement in revenue from higher collection in corporate and personal income taxes, and in customs duties. Instead, the focus of Budget 2023 was firmly on… Read more
“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 a failure to occur in that department. Whether it’s fire, floods, or hacking, being taken offline can spell a serious… Read more
“Making good judgements when one has complete data, facts, and knowledge is not leadership – it’s bookkeeping” (Dee Hock, Founder and CEO of VISA) When running a small business, it often feels like you are doing everything yourself, and some important tasks can slip under the radar. One aspect that should never be forgotten though is bookkeeping. While intimidating, keeping your finances in order need not be as hard as… Read more
“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 time, which is why many business owners say they don’t worry too much about reviews and try to keep on… Read more
“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 any form of short-term recovery, small business owners are being forced to increasingly adapt in order to survive. Here are… Read more
“We change our tools and then our tools change us.” (Jeff Bezos) Every January, individuals and businesses have an opportunity to take advantage of what is called the “Fresh Start Effect” – referring to research evidence that shows people are more likely to make positive changes at times that mark the start of a new time period and represent a new beginning, most notably the start of a new year.… Read more
“Good fortune is what happens when opportunity meets planning,” – Thomas Edison You have your idea, you have your mission statement and perhaps you even have an idea of who your first customers will be, but there are still a few things you should consider doing before you launch your company. When it comes to your finances doing these five things in advance will ready you and your business for… Read more