Springs – Local business people were encouraged to work hard to ensure their business survives the current economic turmoil during a business workshop held at the Eastern Gauteng Business Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Springs last Friday.
This was the second workshop organised by the African Reporter, in collaboration with the Business Linkage Centre (BLC) to empower small-business owners in the area.
Workshop facilitator Fred Jones of the BLC urged the attendees to first identify what is needed in the market which they could provide before rushing into registering a business.
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“You must remember to also identify your target market, which will be followed by all the due diligence.
“When your business starts making money, pay yourself a salary so that you don’t live off the business account.
“It is also important to remember to put away 10 per cent of the profit. It won’t be long before you start to see that money grow and you can re-invest it back into the company.
“As a business person you need discipline for the survival of your business,” he says.
Fred encouraged business people to use different business opportunities offered by government.
“They host regular business workshops and the information can be of importance for the growth of your business.
“Try not to become a tenderprenuer but an entrepreneur. Try to diversify the people you do your business with for the survival of your business.”
Small business owner Zakhele Mbhele says he found the workshop informative.
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“I learnt what is important in making my business a success even during these trying times of our economy.
“It is concerning that in the past decade Springs used to be a business hub for the manufacturing and mining industries but today many businesses are moving to the north of province.
“This leaves young people battling to find employment, which leads to the increase in crime and drug usage in the area.
“We need such workshops which will help us rebuild the economy of Springs,” he says.
African Reporter editor Samantha Keogh introduced attendees to the paper’s vendor programme, explaining the opportunities and benefits of becoming a vendor.
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Caxton Local Media, of which this paper is part, is invested in seeing our communities benefit from their relationship with us.
“Our vendor programme enables members of our community to set up their own businesses selling the paper,” Keogh says.
“This allows these people, who work alongside us rather than for us, to generate income for the betterment of their lives and that of their children.
“There are a number of vendors who have been selling the paper for more than 20 years and they all attest to the fact that the money they earn selling the paper has helped enrich their lives and, in some cases, enabled them to pay for higher education for their children who might otherwise not have been able to afford the costs associated with educational institutions.
“With the high unemployment stats in this country, this is a programme Caxton is very proud of as it allows our community to create their own employment on their own terms.”
