Entrepreneurs inspired at third Riversands Business Club
RIVERSANDS - Riversands Incubation Hub held the third edition of its monthly Business Club sessions which was facilitated by managing director of AdClick Africa Media Group and the publisher of SME South Africa, Velly Bosega on 17 March.
“Never give up and never listen to the naysayers. If you do, you will not innovate. I believe in my vision and sometimes that is all you need to make it work as an entrepreneur,” Bosega said while addressing business hopefuls.
The Riversands Business Club is a monthly networking event for corporate partners, entrepreneurs and members of the public. On the day, a key speaker is invited to share insights that attendees can use to either venture into entrepreneurship, grow their existing business or improve as individuals.
Bosega’s inspirational talk dealt upon his entrepreneurial journey and provided valuable advice to the entrepreneurs in the audience.
The digital entrepreneur shared how he started his business career selling tomatoes, cabbages, facial products and clothes on the streets and working for R20 per day for a boss who helped him understand how to sell profitably.
He then spoke about how he took his passion for sales into the media world and revealed that in 2008, when he worked for the Mail & Guardian, he realised he was born to be an entrepreneur. In 2012, he started his own company called AdClick Africa Media Group.
Bosega mentioned the biggest mistakes he made while starting out, and cautioned business owners about making hiring mistakes and not having a proper strategy.
“The money was coming in, but I had no strategy. I soon realised that I had the wrong people on the bus. As a business owner, you need to have a plan and a vision. You need to know where you are going, and how you will take your ideas to the next level,” he said.
Bosega also emphasised the following points:
- The importance of building processes and systems once one has a proper plan and strategy, as these ensure that the business functions like a well-oiled machine
- Managing cash flow
- Positioning one’s business correctly in the market
- Defining a company culture and finding people who complement the culture.
In closing, Bosega advised entrepreneurs to be resilient. “Building a great company does not happen overnight, you need to be tough and you cannot afford to lose sight of your vision or let circumstances dictate your path. I made mistakes and we still make mistakes in our company, even today, but it is important to learn from these and not judge yourself too harshly,” he said.
Details: 011 012 4600.
