Practical business lessons and discussions on opportunities filled the room as small business owners and aspirant entrepreneurs gathered at the Entrepreneurship One Day Summit at Roodepoort City Hall on Tuesday, November 29.
The event was organised by the City of Johannesburg’s Isiqalo Opportunity Centre in Region C in partnership with Small Enterprise Development Agency (SEDA) as a platform where various stakeholders networked and shared critical business knowledge and experiences.
Mamphephe Mojela from SEDA said such sessions are crucial as they contribute towards the elevation of small businesses and equipping entrepreneurs with information beneficial for their growth.
Mojela said that these are events where businesses are empowered with information on how they can further develop, keep their consistency and network with fellow entrepreneurs.
Critical information was also shared through presentations by the South African Revenue Service, the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the University of Johannesburg.
Constraints caused by the poor economic conditions, processes to follow when applying for funding and how to use it solely for business were not left out of the discussions.
Business Partners, a private funding company, highlighted the significance of such interactions and the role they play in bringing much-needed information closer to entrepreneurs.
Themba Ntshangase from Business Partners said financial lack may hinder growth.
“One of the biggest challenges SMMEs face is the lack of funding, which affects the ability to expand their businesses. These summits are a platform for us to market our services for the benefit of the entrepreneurs,” said Ntshangase.
Businesswoman Lindo Mnguni, who is the founder of Muuttua Water that supplies bottled water, found the summit inspiring and useful.
“It is very inspiring as you get to learn about other businesses and to see how innovative the youth is.
Thank you to the City of Joburg for giving us such eye-opening opportunities for our growth and development,” said Mnguni.
