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Working from home - the Pros and ConsPosted on: August 30, 2012 by admin In the current economic state, people are finding it more and more difficult to find a job, either due to a lack of job availability, or because some employers simply don’t have space/resources to support any extra staff. However, at the same time, individuals are turning to opening their own businesses and running them from home, or coming to agreements with their employers to work from home to save company resources and time. However, working from home may seem simpler in the beginning, because it saves you the time of having to commute, get ready, etc. (and in some cases, getting out of your warm bed on a cold winter morning). But you’ll soon find that this environment brings its own stressful situations into the equation, and these must be dealt with before any sort of work can be done. Here is a list of a few of the... Famous Young EntrepreneursPosted on: August 29, 2012 by admin In 2012, one of the most recognizable figures in the Western world is undoubtably Mark Zuckerburg, co-founder and CEO of Facebook. Not only is he one of the most successful individuals in the past decade (some might say he is number one on the list), but he is worth an approximated 14 billion US Dollars at the age of 28. However, he is only one of many young entrepreneurs making an impact on the world through their businesses (not to mention that they are all worth a lot of money). Here is a list (adapted from a list compiled in 2010 by Josh Dunlop from IncomeDiary) of five of the most notable young entrepreneurs (not including the obviously notable Zuckerburg) who have made themselves known through hard work and a whole lot of determination (and maybe some luck every now and then):
1. Dustin Moskovitz (28):
Worth... The Challenge of Funding for Young EntrepreneursPosted on: August 18, 2012 by admin Young entrepreneurs in South Africa play a vital role in boosting the economy and helping to lower the unemployment rate. However, in order to start a business, these young individuals (or groups) must provide capital that covers the initial costs involved in the setup process, such as copyrighting, employment, tools, premises hire, materials, etc. This causes a problem for individuals looking to start small businesses in order to sustain theirs and their families’ livelihood.
Capital funding and youth business development programs have been established by various organizations, including the South African government, in an attempt to increase small business growth and sustainability. These programs help fund small business ventures, both short and long term, so that the owners have a better chance of succeeding, without having to first build up enough money for capital.
The governments policy on Small Business Development, aimed at developing businesses through skills development, funding and institutional... Customer Service: Tips that could save your business!Posted on: July 8, 2012 by admin Everyone has been on the receiving end of bad client relation service. It always ends up sounding a lot like “I would have been able to handle that situation a lot better”, or “This would never have happened in my office, or with my team”.However, there are always unseen circumstances that come into play, and no matter how much we try to guarantee that our own client service relationships are top notch, we all end up having to make up for some kind of mishap.
Tension arises with clients when expectations are not met in the eyes of the client. If this is not possible, it is not worth doing business with the client, whether you are doing sales, marketing or development work. Here are a few tips (adapted and compiled with the help of About.com and DesignConstruct) that will help you manage client relations both short and long term:
1. Body Language in BusinessPosted on: June 26, 2012 by admin Julie-Ann Amos, one of the UK’s leading business consultants, authors and personal business experts, (having authored multiple books on business management and personal business skills) gives the following advice to individuals involved in business on how to manage their body language, which is a key aspect of any relationship.
The following is an excerpt from an article written by Amos on the use an importance of body language and the different uses that relate to specific industries and situations. BodyLanguageExpert.co.uk published the article in question on November 15th 2010:
“It’s tempting to lump all body language together when talking about the business environment but this would be a big mistake. Just as accepted non-verbal behaviours vary depending on the social culture or environment, so too do accepted non-verbal behaviours vary based on the culture of an individual business. If you want to determine the most effective... Youth in BusinessPosted on: June 23, 2012 by admin South Africa has for a long time been part of a culture that has shown great entrepreneurial spirit. Young individuals throughout South Africa tend to show an intense willingness to learn, in order to get ahead in their respective fields. However, in the current economic climate, the ability of young hopefuls and businesses alike to handle new job opportunities has dwindled. Young people should not rely on internships or training programs to help them increase their skills or positions, but rather look to planning their own entry into the market. Entrepreneurial upstarts by young individuals may not always be successful, but showing drive and initiative in this way will work in favour of anyone looking to gain experience in years to come. Although there is a financial risk involved, the payout that could be gained at the end of such an experience will make any résumé seem fuller. Along with the various...
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Economy, deficits and inflation...what's the connection?Posted on: June 2, 2012 by admin In 2010, the South African government reported a budget deficit the equivalent of roughly 5% of the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which had only three years ago, in 2007, been a 1% surplus. (Source: TradingEconomics) While a 1% surplus might not seem like a major advantage, a surplus of any kind means that inflation due to the creation of money through the reserve bank would decrease, resulting in an overall lower inflation rate. Budgets that see deficits indicate a tendency to borrow money from outside sources, such as central banks or allied nations and as such, mean that the country is in debt. With South Africa being a relatively young country in its democracy does, in some ways, justify money lending, however there surely must be a limit. The political turmoil and increased tension that we have seen over the past few years indicate a mass dissatisfaction with the way... Patenting an ideaPosted on: May 24, 2012 by admin Developing your ideas from scratch is important for your business to grow into its own unique market. Creating an idea for a product that has never been used before creates many opportunities for businesses, however problems might arise if the owner does not guard these ideas against illegal use.
Patenting an idea or invention is a practice that helps inventors and idealists stake their claims in the business world without having their rights and ideas infringed upon. The laws that govern these patents are different in each country.
The Roodepoort Chamber of Commerce creates a forum for local businesses, allowing them to create networking opportunities, business relationships and communication channels with other like-minded individuals and entrepreneurs in the area. Visit the ROCCI website to find out more about how to become a part of the Roodepoort network, or for information on current members and their product and contact information.
The following is...
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How fuel prices will affect consumers and businessPosted on: May 3, 2012 by admin The recent increase in fuel prices worldwide has left consumers outraged, as the higher prices have come at a time when taxation is increasing on top of everything else.
In South Africa, the increase has been said to be to cover costs that include maintenance of infrastructure, RDP housing and the new e-Toll system in Gauteng. However, apart from the impact on the direct fuel price, many other industries are also affected by the price changes, which in turn trickle down back to consumers in the form of higher prices across the board.
For instance, every commercial industry in the country that relies on any form of transportation find themselves having to increase their prices in order to maintain their profits. Farmers that use transport companies have to pay extra to get their produce into cities. Security companies that use vehicles to... FAQ: Can any business become a member of the Chamber?Posted on: April 3, 2012 by admin Let the President explain it to you:
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