This time of year many creatives are tired, worn out and often suffering from just stuckness. It has been a long year to ride, often with little or no break and we long for the leave that we know we will not take but desperately need. We expect of ourselves to just push through and make that difference and get that last deal or finish that project that has been outstanding. But we have that lethargic ‘slug in treacle’ feel to our day.

Apart from the good old vitamin B complex shot in the...

This post, although profound is not perfect or anything to do with Mr. Poppins Penguins. It is filled with propaganda issues pertaining to profit and procurement in your small business. So without further pause, here are the 13 P’s, in no specific order, you should be peering at when leading a business, proactively of course.

•  People – be attentive in all your relationships. Understand each person you deal with as to where they come from and where they want to go. Remember to thank them ...

12 Things Entrepreneurs Should Be Thankful For

1. Customers.

2. Getting to pick the exceptional people we work with.

3. An opportunity to add value, big or small, to people's lives.

4. Not having to ask permission to try something crazy.

5. The patience and understanding of our family and friends — especially when we likely don't des...

Today saw the first of three days of CTEW expo and conference in Cape Town. I was torn between all the different events and functions to attend and having spent a wonderful evening last night at the FNB Biznetwork event, I was looking forward to some great insights and networking.

My day started out at the Enablis FNB event at the pavilion. We got to listen to a group of developing entrepreneurs from different businesses. I sat next to Anton Fester, Head Ninja from Ice Cream Ninjas. We have ...

Fear of failure, fear of friends and fear of success are common in our excuses to perform. We duck and dive and delay the inevitable day when we have to step out into the spotlight and announce to the world that we are either a success or just an average person who will never amount to anything.

The opposite of fear is confidence. This comes from a number of habits that we instill in our business leaders. Some of these are easy to define and practice. Issues such as the removal of clutter fr...

What do we need to realize the potential of entrepreneurship in South Africa? Well the easy answer is more entrepreneurs. But the right answer would to create more channels that assist people to identify their potential and then incubate them from where they are at to a place of sustainability. What we need is more Incubators that assist people in developing businesses.

So what is an incubator? It is easier to answer, what an incubator is not: it is not a place where free grants and help is...

Imagine that you run an illegal business and drive an unroadworthy car and employ illegal staff. Now imagine how much energy you need to consume each day to make sure you are not caught or found out. In fact this is the normal status quo of most small business owners in South Africa. How do you feel when a police car drives up behind you, or you get a call from the SARS or Labour offices. What is your initial emotion? Fear, hesitancy or panic?

How much of your business dealings are not up t...

It was not that long ago when I still believed, like so many men that if things had to be done right, it was up to me and me alone to get it done. No one else could possibly know what I needed done and it was too much hassle to try explaining it to them. And even if I could, they would stuff it up; so alone I travelled, doing everything myself. Guess what, it all came tumbling down around me.

As entrepreneurs we cannot afford to work alone. It is only through the power of collaboration and ...

Yesterday, Sunday 13^th, Cape Town once again hosted the Big Walk. This has to be one of the biggest sporting events we get to see each year. Over 35 000 people get up early and equipped with walking shoes of various shapes and colours to challenge themselves to walk one of ten routes ranging from 5 km to 80 km. The organizing committee from Rotary and Spartan Harriers get up a lot earlier to marshal, pour drinks, massage and manage the participants and the event. So much energy goes into maki...

Not being prepared for an opportunity as a business owner has to be one of the major sins of entrepreneurship. Yet every time I go to a networking meeting or conference I find people who have not got business cards, flyers or even their contact detail on them. When asked to introduce themselves they Basically ummm and ahhh their way through a bunch of made up facts that tell us nothing more than this guy is just not prepared and not able to promote his business at all.

Other people I chat t...

This has been a Google of a week and I am still learning so much each day. We have been using Google Trends for some time now to define our keywords and marketing events but this all seems so old and so last year. Here are some nifty tools and tips for those of you who want to get some fancy statistics for your presentation or business plan. 

Google Think Insights offers a number of great tools that are easy and fun to use. Facts & Stats gives you those actual statistics like did you know th...

This week we got to attend some of the Google launch in Cape Town through Mobile Mondays at the One and Only hotel. Not only were we suitable fed and watered but Google as expected put on an awesome show and tell.

We were introduced to some old fav apps that have undergone some revamping such a Chrome, Apps, Location and Games (I am now addicted to Angry Birds). But the best of all was the new look Google Plus and Google Pages.

One can clearly see how they have looked seriously at the mark...

Frustration amongst the general population is fast becoming a way of life and almost expected reaction to most phone calls queues or dealings with large organizations. For the small business owner is begun to be the largest blockage of doing business and scenes of head butting desks and phone slamming is just a normal part of the day. But frustration can be turned around and used as a source of a business idea and a way to profit. The opposite of Frustration is something most people will pay ...

This last weekend we hosted the winning team from SA Teen Entrepreneur at a workshop. During this time we ran through some of the basic attributes required to become a successful entrepreneur.

Once again the age old enemy of self-doubt and lack of confidence was named as the number one enemy of a successful future.

So many times we have seen businesses and ideas come to a grinding halt because the brain behind the idea froze in fear when asked to present to the world.

So what can be done t...

I look forward to a day when this blog is nominated for any sort of award, but until then we must ride the wave of other successful pioneers that lead the way. I can claim some sort of connection to one of my fav blogs  IDEATE because my writing contributions have in some small way helped them to grow this site into the business giant it is today.

So please support me, Ideate and small business by voting here for Ideate and contribute to the success of our efforts. Voting closes soon so clic...

Remember back in the ‘olden days’ when you had to specify the http:// before every website URL. We even had people printing it this way on their business cards and posters. Then the technology caught up and it became an assumed part of any web address. Well now we are getting even lazier and dropping the www. or the Whack Whack Whack as it is called.

This allows you to just use the mybusiness.com part of your URL. BUT only if you have created the required 301 redirect with your web host...

Today sees the start of Movember, a now worldwide event allowing men to be boys and play with our bodies in a way that does not offend anyone. Unless you get too close.

For the duration of the month we get to prove our ability to grow facial hair and stop shaving our top lips, cultivating what could be recognized as a moustache of sorts. Just a bit of fun but a chance to raise funds and awareness for men’s health and prostate cancer.

If you are a man, or able to grow hair on your upper li...