It’s my business
MIDRAND - The My Business Expo, which is geared towards business owners and current and future entrepreneurs looking to learn about new business trends, was held at Gallagher Estate in Midrand on 10 March.
The expo featured the Business Start-Up Expo, Access to Finance Indaba, The Franchise Show and Build a Business Live.
South African comedian and celebrity entertainer, Mpho Modikoane introduced all the speakers at Build a Business Live.
In keeping with the tone of the day, Gavin Sharples asked the audience to be ‘section 8’ people, which is a term that refers to a category of discharge from the United States military – that of a member judged mentally unfit for service. The term has become slang for the socially unorthodox and out-of-the-box thinkers.
Sharples began his talk by telling attendees to loosen up and realise that by being entrepreneurs and trying to do what has not been done before, they are already section 8 people. He also compared relationships to building a business. “Build relationships in your personal life so that you will be skilled enough to build professional relationships,” Sharples said.
Sharples shared the stage with three other renowned speakers including Mark Berger, who spoke on the five p’s to success; Mike Anderson, who gave attendees his latest book, Become Super Successful NOW; and Mark Keating, the chief executive officer of Sales Guru.
All the speakers shared invaluable knowledge with the attendees. Dainfern resident, Cristina Rocha, who is a small business owner, said she went to the expo in order to learn how to grow her business. “I started Daisy Handmade Soap when my domestic worker told me that she sends R600 worth of soap every three months to her home in Mozambique because they are expensive there,” said Rocha.
She said as a food engineer who holds a masters in innovation, she saw an opportunity to uplift her domestic worker and other women who came from disadvantaged communities.
“I recycle most of the components of the soap,” she said. The main component is used vegetable oils, straight from the kitchen. She also uses food colourants and massage oils to add colour and fragrance to the soap.
“I currently have four ladies whom I’m working with from townships. Potential customers can contact us via e-mail and Facebook to place orders.”
Rocha said she would implement what she had been taught at the expo, as she wanted to register her venture as a non-profit organisation. “My main aim is to uplift these ladies.”
Details: DaisyHandmadeSoap@gmail.com; www.facebook.com/DaisyHandmadeSoap/info/?tab=page_infl
