Last Thursday in Cape Town I had the privilege to watch presentations by four student start-ups Alexandria Procter (Digsconnect), Mvelo Hlophe (Zaio), Tamir Shklaz (Quillo) and Xabiso Lombo (Guardian Gabriel).
These starry-eyed students are amongst the most inspiring that I've met and you would also be excited to hear their visions on how they’re changing the world. Each of these super smart founders are hustling up a storm, raising money and growing communities - all the while going about their normal student life!
It had been a while since I felt as enthusiastic about our future as I realised the impact student start-ups can make in driving entrepreneurship, our country’s lifeblood.
What they’ve understood is that whilst business survival remains tough, there are lots of reasons the life of a small business owner today has got a whole lot easier.
So they spend time to spend on where the magic happens - bringing products and services to market that change lives, for the better.
Three reasons why now is THE best time to be in small business
Alternative financing
Crowdfunding, the method used to collect many small financial contributions by tapping into the power of the crowd, and finance “online marketplaces” such as sites like Kickstarter, have provided new and innovative ways to help small businesses find the funding they need to grow and expand their business.
Just ask Alexander fromDigsConnect who in April raised R12m in seed funding – one of the highest early stage raises in SA history.
Global customers
A business is no longer dependent on its local customer base for its survival; it now has a worldwide audience for its goods and services. Thanks to the internet and the digital tools available today, it’s not as hard or as expensive to create and promote your brand as it once was.
First, a solid strategy is important, and it should include ways of showing your target audience what makes your brand and products unique.
Available resources (often mostly free!)
One of the best parts about starting a business today is the sheer amount of resources you have available.
With today’s technology, you can create your own website, start a highly targeted marketing campaign onGoogleor Facebookand start finding customers almost instantly, or find flexible skills to boost your team when you need it through online resource portals (think Fiverr.com)
Visit a list of top productivity apps for entrepreneurs here: https://forbes.com/sites/bryancollinseurope/2019/04/30/the-top-11-productivity-apps-of-2019-for-entrepreneurs/#7866beea5c97
Let the magic happen
If you’re looking to increase productivity and organisation in your small business, or just make your life as an entrepreneur a little easier, there are many digital tools out there that can help.
An organised, efficiently run business will provide you the clarity to focus on what matters to you in your business, that place where YOU add magic to the world.