A picture is worth a thousand numbers
When you are asked for your financial information, most business owners think TAX, which is very pertinent at the moment, since there was a tax deadline at the end of January and there is a provisional tax deadline coming up at the end of February.
But financial information shouldn’t only make you think about your taxes and complying with SARS’s requirements. There are so many other important reasons to understand the finances of your business. If you’ve ever watched an episode of Dragon’s Den, you’ll know that Peter Jones always wants to know the numbers of the business, and it is fatal if the business owner doesn’t have the right information at their finger-tips!
You might not be entering Dragon’s Den any time soon but it is still important to know your numbers; what your turnover is so far and in the last month, what profit you’re making, which are your most successful products, who are your worst paying customers.
As creative entrepreneurs, we often shy away from the numbers, but the information tells a picture and sometimes a picture (or graph) can tell the story. We are using graphs more and more when communicating financial information to clients, as it is easy to see what happened and where you are going, without engaging with the numbers.
If you are not getting a clear picture of your accounting system and financial reports, give us a call and we’ll use the numbers to help you tell your story.
Innovation Eco-System Map of Cape Town
The Cape Chamber of Commerce & Industry through its Innovation Initiative is embarking on mapping the Innovation Eco-system in the greater Cape Town region. This eco-system is defined through the Innovation Initiative mission of being an assistant to the Innovation Entrepreneur in their business and product development.
Cape Town has become the hub of innovation activity across many different sectors in recent years. We have a thriving ICT sector with numerous businesses making world headlines all supported by local organisations and programmes. We also have a well-established academic and private support programmes and Tech Transfer Offices within the main universities who support both students and other SMME in their innovative product development. The selection of Incubators and Accelerators who span across both the private and public sectors offer a full range of services and products. And the list goes on.
Through the Innovation Initiative, we aim to identify and map out as many of the role-players and stakeholders within the innovation eco-system in order to create a seamless process roadmap for new ideas and products.
We have identified 13 different sectors within the eco-system and will over the next few weeks, using email, Monkey Survey and in-person interviews begin to build and populate the map.
All identified organisations will be pinned to an open source Google-based map application detailing each sector, offerings and details. This map will become a part of the Innovation Initiative toolkit offered through the Cape Chamber to the entrepreneurs in Cape Town.
We call all interested parties, people and organisations who wish to become a part of this process to please email us on InnovationCapeTown@gmail.com for more information or to gain access to the questionnaire.
Entrepreneurial events this week
This week we have two exciting events for you to enhance your marketing and financial skills.
Cash Flow 101
If you have not yet heard of or played Cash Flow 101, then this is your chance to join us on Wednesday evening for a fun edutainment event. Robert Kiyosaki’s game has empowered countless of people to realise the basics of wealth management in the rat race. Come play, learn and go home more money wiser than before. We play at our offices in Woodstock (directions)
To book: call Amanda on 021 8739 2281
Weekly Wednesday Webinar @ One
This week we chat about customer profiling using various paper and online tools. We will begin to explore FaceBook’s new Customer segmentation tool that they recently released.
If you are in marketing or sales, DO NOT miss this one.
Join us at 13:00 on Wednesday online here: https://zoom.us/j/9071494212
Mapping the Innovation Landscape of Cape Town
In association with the Cape Chamber’s Innovation Initiative, we have begun a process of mapping out the Innovation Ecosystem in Cape Town. This mammoth task is required to understand the different role players and offerings to innovative entrepreneurs across all sectors and how to best leverage their idea to market.
We have been joined by Ricardo Padrón, originally from Venezuela on a three-month internship program to assist in this project. Ricardo was a project manager for New Ventures, a platform to catalyst social entrepreneurs in Latin America. He earned a Degree in Business Administration with a minor in Marketing and a Master’s degree in Administration and Development of Sustainable Enterprises. (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center – Costa Rica). Prior to coming to Cape Town, Ricardo was responsible for implementing SMEs and actions linked to the socioeconomic integration of refugees in Panama, Colombia and Venezuela for international humanitarian organizations.
Ricardo will spend the next few months interviewing and visiting people and organisations across the greater Cape Town region to understand the different offerings and opportunities each has to offer.
If you have a contribution to the innovation sector, then please email us or contact us at our offices, so we can include your information on the new innovation map.
The future is here.
Become a Game Changer for your industry
Become a Game Changer for your industry. Become extraordinary and a positive influence on those around you. Take your business to new heights
A Game Changer changes the way that something is done, thought about or made for the better. This could be you.
Managing a business through all the phases of development calls for creativity, bravery and many different facets of skills: not all these can be found in books or online. The Game Changers program offers those who are in the early stages of business development to come together to hone their skills and grow their businesses.
Signup for the next Game Changer program starting in February and join others on a journey over 6 months that will develop both you and your business.
First session: Thursday 22nd February 09:00 – 13:00
Investment: R500 per month for 6 months: includes a file, notes and worksheets
Reserve your Game Changer place: call Amanda on 021 839 2281