I got to meet Robert Bernatzeder yesterday at the Ad Dymano workshop. Robert is from Cape Intern a site that puts foreign Interns in contact with businesses who want skills.

It works like this: You identify a skill and post your intern or volunteer requirements on the website. Interns wanting to come to Cape Town find you and apply for the position. They fly here at their expense, find their own accommodation and transport and then arrive to work at your office with their own laptop for up to 6 months. And what does it cost you? Oh Nothing! They work, gain experience and then you write a report, easy as that.

Brilliant way to subsidize a shortfall in your business when growing or playing in an experimental project that may not require full time staff. A sort of win-win thing that seems unfair on both sides but is wonderful. How does Cape Intern make their money? By referring services such as accommodation, car hire and tourist activities for Interns whilst they are here (if you give them any time off) Diletto one of our members gets their logistics intern next week. Will keep you informed.

One of our members Diletto is busy revamping their business strategy to take their business from just on the map in Cape Town to a national then international brand. This is not a journey for the faint hearted with many hours being spend in discussions and even more behind the keyboard doing research and business plan typing.

Recently Francis was interviewed by Reuben on Classic Fm, here is the link to the recording.

Francis Richter from Diletto online Deli has taken the next step in securing his future by taking his wedding vows with Lila. Congratulations to both, may this new partnership be blessed and ever lasting.

Francis and his other partner (in business) Martin Lompa are currently working on a revised business plan with EI to develop fresh strategies and actions for the business as well to seek funding to expand the businesses footprint to national and international. I wonder if Lila knows what it will be like to be married to a true Entrepreneur? The future awaits.

Past clients of the Entrepreneur Incubator James Thorburn from Cape Realty gets his Super Hero status on Ideate this week. James joined the Incubator a few years ago to help decide what to do with his huge amount of energy and his natural talent for Entrepreneurship. Over the years we have seen James go from importing flashy LED T-shirts, Freeline skates and other interesting money makers, but it was the family business that finally settled his desire of money making. We walked the road with James and his mother Sandy as they started to grow the business and move into their awesome seafront offices in Camps Bay and then again when Andrew joined them last year.

Cape Realty has gone from strength to strength and defiantly holds up the integrity part of business. With huge corruption and underhanded dealing in this sector it is all too easy to chase the money and loose respect but they have become sustainable through their upright approach to each deal always putting the customer and client first. Well Done James and team, welcome to the Super Hero club.

One of our newest members, the Diletto team of Francis and Martin offered a super hamper give away through the Ideate site. This competition solicited 15 different entries ranging from sunset cruises to well other things. Here was the suggestion by the winner Louise;

Congratulations Louise, or should we say it to her hubby…enjoy

We are working with the Diletto team firming up their business plans for the future in anticipation of gaining funding and growing their business to a sustainable national and international footprint. Take a visit to their site here, order some biscotti and other delectable items and then wait by the front door for your yummy treats to arrive.

Click Click, Yum Yum, easy as pie and just a nice.

The Diletto team Martin and Francis

One of our EI members Marius Boaden who runs Prison Broadcast Ministries out of a prison in Cape Town has been working closely with Special Assignment filming an episode ‘Offenders Behind Bars’.

This will be screened tonight on SABC channel 3 at 20:30 tonight (Tues 17^th). If you have a chance to watch, it will give you a good insight into what Marius has to face each day at the ‘office’. I have spent some time with him behind bars in his studios with the following realisations:

Firstly, I never want to go to prison as an offender and secondly no matter how much I complain about doing business with the banks, Cipro and labour issues, it will always be easier than what Marius has to face each day. It can take him up to 45 minutes just to get from the front gate to his office on a good day. PBN are focused on building relationships with offenders through their radio and film training programmes and broadcasts. As Marius says “If we can reach just one person who will not commit a crime again, once released we will have fulfilled our mandate’. That crime could be against you or not. Check out this website and support him as much as you can. We do.

Watch the programme, SABC 3 20:30 tonight, Let us know what you think.

Robin Buck a Physiotherapist by trade but now a strength and conditioning coach who owns and runs the Fitness Boot Camp.

Membership of the Fitness Boot camp programme gets you fit, healthy and sexy through the clever fast fitness and fat loss workouts. I must admit, going to gym and exercising can become a boring routine that often fades out until we begin to feel guilty about our membership fees so we go again until the contract expires and then fail to ever renew.

Not the case with Fitness Boot Camp, this fun group exercise programme offers an early morning workout 3 times a week with a group of ‘friends’ who not only encourage but award weekly prizes to each other . Robin uses his experience as a health professional to guide and develop each member to reach their goals. Sessions contain warm ups, work outs, warm downs and sharing as well as an informative nutrition programme that includes a trip to Pick n Pay to educate you on shopping to stay healthy.

We, together with E-Bear got to visit Robin this past Saturday for the Charity Pumpkin Workout at Rhodes Memorial. Boot Campers and family members were invited to bond with their pumpkins during a workout on the steps of the monument over looking the view of our beautiful city. All monies raised were donated to Building Blocks – a safe house in Pinelands founded and funded by Kim Killeen for children between the ages of 1 month to 6 years. Her guiding principal is to provide a safe haven for children who have been removed from a dysfunctional home environment and/or where they have suffered trauma.

To join up and get Fit, Healthy and Sexy click here

Pictures were taken by Irene Stephenson, more pictures available here.

We have been speaking about moving your business into the experiential market as part of the Blue Ocean Strategy. This is not an easy one as so many of us are so entrenched in the commodity way of life and spend copious amounts of time each day battling it out with costs, margins and profits.

Take a moment to browse the new look Chocolate Moose website. Lara together with NB Media have put together a forerunner in the market. This site offers a full five sensory experience that includes awesome photos, great descriptive copy “decadent handmade chocolate truffles, indulge your senses from a variety of flavours” and even places for the kids to play while the parents decide what to order and eat next.

The Chocolate Moose are the preferred suppliers of individually designed cakes in Cape Town. Their offerings are a product all on their own, and so now is their website. Well done to both Lara and Nic.

We look forward to so great content on your blog.

Our website has finally moved into a new domain location.

Please everybody welcome www.EI.co.za

Drop by for a visit, read a bit browse around and leave your name – good to have you visit. This is a small part in a huge marketing drive that peaks towards the end of August when we will have a stand at the small business week expo to display what we and our members do for a living and show of our unfair advantage in the small business market.

The press is all over the death of small businesses and unemployment and it makes me sick. Yes, small businesses are facing some troubled times but if we continue to be bombarded with negative articles we will never get out of this situation. Each day I am confronted with people who are in financial trouble and asking us at the Entrepreneur Incubator for help.

My attitude is one of Thrive not Survive. If you set your mind to the survival mode then that is what you will do, just survive. If you on the other hand set your goals to higher income, better customer service, higher profits and wide impact then maybe just maybe you will get there but there is a greater chance of it if you plan in that direction.

This week we do a workshop for our members on the better use of Social Media to enhance and grow your business. Lets hope that as we gather together we will all be able to shed the negativity of failure and survival and replace it with a positive attitude of expansion and to Thrive.