Writing a business plan is one of those tasks that most business owners just never get around to doing. It is labeled as not necessary until we either need money from the banks or an investor. A carefully thought out and well written business plan can become one of the most useful tools any business owner can have.

Writing a plan has become one of those tasks we outsource or just copy replace from a template you may find online. These plans are often not worth the paper and ink used to print them. They are far removed from reality, not focused on your personality and lack the passion you have for starting the business. A well-written plan will ask and answer the questions that become critical for growth and success. This becomes a journey that only the business owners can undertake themselves. The experience of developing your own plan already puts you well ahead if the race even before you have opened the doors for business. Been forced to ask the questions, do the research, get the quotes, understand due diligence and then put it all together in words, diagrams and tables develops a huge amount of business acumen that will build both confidence and wisdom.

So why don’t all business owners have a plan? Simple you do not know how to start, what to do, where to go. We have heard your frustration and put together a workshop that will cover all aspects of the business plan, walking through the process is an easy to understand format. We will also provide you with a template of our award winning business plan that includes descriptions and how-to notes for all sections.

Please register for Saturday 27^th here to book your place.

A few weeks ago we started advertising and running a series of workshops on Social Media. We have had some good responses and enjoyed good attendance. This has presented us with two problems to over come. How do we present social media workshops at a location that does not offer super fast ADSL for both the presenter and the participants and how do we keep the costs down so every business owner has a chance to attend without having to sacrifice salaries at the end of the week.

Simple solution, we have converted an area of our home office into a training room. We now have enough room for 25 people, both wireless and wired 4Meg ADSL Internet, projector, screen and plenty of room for networking and socializing on the pool deck. The kids are hacked off for the loss of their playroom but compromises need to be made.

Our next in the series of Social Media workshops is Friday and Saturday this week, with more in the coming weeks. Register here to secure your seat in our new training room.

Ad Dynamo presented two workshops yesterday at the CTICC for business owners and web marketers. The morning session focused on marketing on various web and mobile platforms, detailing the requirements and often overlooked pitfalls of this dynamic platform.

What stood out for me was the low recorded responses consumers give to print, radio and TV adverts. We have been struggling with trying to get access to market for some of our members and having some ‘fun’ with different methods and platforms and formats. Hearing from Ad Dynamo and what they have pioneered and learnt has short circuited some of our processes that I can now apply to both EI and to our members.

The afternoon session on Blogging became an open debate on the correct use of blogging, what is a blog and how to best use a blog to promote your brand.  I think we all agreed that a blog was not a way to make money as a first line income but rather as a way to generate alternate income to subsidies the hosting and maybe a beer or two. It was good to hear from some of our top SA bloggers and to once again learn from others experiences. Thanks to Private Property for their sponsorship of the day.

A brilliant day, well worth the day out of the office. When are we doing it again. Sponsors, this is a huge opportunity for exposure.

Every day I encounter more business owners who seemingly refuse to take on the additional duty of building their business through the use of social media and web tools. Some are still operating in the ‘hope’ phase of growing a business with comments like “I have a good product and a flyer, we now hope that people will come and buy”

The days of print and static websites are over. Catch a wake up for your business before it is too late… oops time actually ran out late last year.

You, as a business owner should be spending dedicated time each week developing and growing relationships online to drive traffic to your interactive website and converting visitors to customers. This is not a difficult task, using free applications and easy to learn techniques you could have a social media strategy up in no time at all. It will require that you to get out of your lazy routine of ‘hope for business’ and get interactive. If you are keen to learn the basics join us this Saturday for our now very popular Social Media series. Register here, space is limited, so might your business’s future.

Today we had 15 eager people attend our first Business Basics workshop for 2010. Each person arrived with an expectation of learning something that will supplement or create an income in their future.

Jo Kearney from Bottle Craft started the day with a short demo of his Business in a Box bottle cutting kit. We were also able to offer other suggestions of business opportunities throughout the programme.

Business Basics covers the steps to discovering what type of business will be best suited to your strengths as well as the framework components of a small enterprise. A comprehensive workbook is provided with easy to follow exercises to do at home.

Bottle Craft donated a kit that was won by Mervyn Hartogh to use in his youth development programme in Cape Town.

We will be running another Business Basics workshop on the last Saturday on February covering the components of a business plan.

Congratulations to all those who read this blog. We have just doubled the amount of unique readers that we achieved last month. December was also double November so we have certainly set a trend. Many thanks to all of you who read our posts each day and provide valuable feedback and comments.
February promises some interesting additions to this site with a new page of  Business Opportunities and a listing of  Business Resources.We are also increasing our frequency of some of our workshops next month with additional Social Media and business related sessions.
Please add your email to our subscription and add us to your Google reader list so you don’t miss out.

In connection with our drive to start 100 new businesses in 40 minutes here is the initial list. We will add to these from input we get from listeners during the show. If you are interested in starting a business and want to find out more about what it takes to start and grow a small business then please attend our Business Basics workshop this Saturday. Register here to reserve your seat.

Specific Opportunities

Bottle Craft

Turning trash into cash. Learn how to use old glass bottles to make glass products that can be sold. Easy to learn, no cost for raw materials, unlimited products. Training provided. email info@bottlecraft.co.za to purchase a starter kit.

Green Tree Technologies

Become a cell phone air time reseller and earn money from others you introduce to the system. No upfront costs. To signup sms “EI” + your email address to 31573.

Go Net Ready

If you are interested in getting involved in web design or know people who need or use websites Go Net Ready will assist you in making money for anyone you introduce to their systems. Very good product, excellent value. Monthly fee of R200 to register. Register here

Buy the Ticket

Become an agent to events coordinators in the music market. Applicants should know the music or arts industry and be wiling to sell and travel locally. Send personal info to info@buytheticket.co.za for application forms.

7 Year Wealth Plan

Learn how to get rich slowly in line with God’s Word. Learn to principles of money management and wealth creation. Attend a free introduction talk to get more information. email clive@7yearwealthplan.com for details.

World Cup Soccer Opportunities

• Become a volunteer at one of the events
• Apply as a casual worker at one of the events
• Use your skill as an Entertainer
• Sell legal soccer related goods
• Get involved in the tourist or hospitality industry
• Let out your house to visitors
• Share accommodation with a tourist
• Clean up after events and games
• Evangelize the people who come to the games

General Opportunities

• Recycling of waste products like paper, plastic and metal
• Upcycling of products such a clothes, wool, shoes and books
• Start a Monthly sales club
• Rent out and swap Video games
• Offer assistance to video gamers
• Virtual Assistant
• Virtual Researcher
• Virtual social marketer
• House sitter
• Plaster cast painter
• Photo editor
• Skills Trainer
• Web marketer

If you are interested in starting a business and want to find out more about what it takes to start and grow a small business then please attend our Business Basics workshop this Saturday. Register here to reserve your seat.

All South African Schools go back today. Do I hear a huge yipeee from parents. All schools seem to be ready to face another year of education and take our children from here and now to brilliant by December.

This question goes to business owners and entrepreneurs: What education plan do you have for yourself this year? Have you signed up for any courses, webinars, reading?

Just this month I have set myself to read and digest “The 4 hour work week”, attend 7 webinars and a financial seminar. What are you doing to keep ahead of your game?

After a year of hard work, two classes graduated last night at the Louis Group Business Academy. This 6-month programme run in conjunction with the University of Stellenbosch Business School offers a MBA type course in Business Foundations.

This programme is fully sponsored by the Louis Family to give back to those who want to take their businesses dreams to the next level. The concepts of pay it forward and Christian business principles are promoted throughout the programme together with the solid business education.

The spotlight of last night fell on Robin Buck who walked away with all the awards of best team business plan and the highest award of top student.

Robin who owns and runs the Fitness Boot Camp has been a long standing member of the Entrepreneur Incubator and has been able to develop his business to what it is today through EI and what he learnt on the Business Academy. Congratulations Robin, the hard work always pays off in the end. Another EI member graduating last night was Helga Steyn from Oak Tree Marketing. Helga won the WECBOF young businessperson of the year award last year. We defiantly have some top business minds in our team. My personal experience on the academy has given me a better understanding in business principles and has a positive affect on the coaching material and workshops that I offer. A huge thank you to Bruce Griffiths and AJ and the team at the Louis Group for all your hard work.

The Entrepreneur Incubator will be offering a range of seminars and workshops next year to assist business owners in taking the next steps in developing a sustainable offering for tomorrows market. We look forward to 2010 with excitement and expectation.

The global Entrepreneurship Week is almost upon us with events being held in both Jozi and Cape Town.

If you have not yet read all about it then go here for Fred’s article. If you are at all interested in growing your business or knowing what is happening in the entrepreneurial world then get going and book a seat. I have reserved a place at the Cape Town Biznetwork talk for Wednesday 18th November. This is an FNB sponsored event so you need to be a member of their network to get a free seat. so go here to sign up and go here to reserve your seat and get to the President Hotel to mingle with me and other mover and shakers in the E world. See you there.