SMALL BUSINESS DEVEOPMENT PROGRAMMES AND ASSISTANTS

1. SMALL BUSINESS DEVEOPMENT PROGRAMMES AND ASSISTANTS

2. Support to SME’s • more support be given to the small business, who can kick-start the economy, with regard to job creation, far quicker and easier than corporate business • Aggressive marketing is required to focus on small business development and less red tape when these businesses need assistance to register their business or seek advice • To-date there is still a struggle for these businesses to get the necessary advice, support and necessary training of transfer of skills and knowledge • Some members may have the technical skills, but lack the knowledge of managing their business, from management to financial matters. A program of mentorship and training is needed through this aggressive campaign.

3. MENTORING/BUSINESS ADVISORS • Mentorship unlocks the countries unlimited possibilities. It raises the standard of individual performance and challenges the mentors and mentees. • Mentors improve their own communications, leadership and management skills and the advantages for those who learn from them include impoverished academic skills, valuable experience and better communications.   • They also learn to set realistic goals and how to work towards them (flowing from their basic business plan, to a more detailed one, as the business develop) • There must be a proper implementation of mentorship and training as a way to contribute to South Africa’s development. • Potential members must be trained to become mentors/advisors to other emerging businesses. They must be exposed to structured, positive mentoring, which in turn will have positive spin off for development in our country • Mentors can come from established business or retired business men 

4. PROMOTIO0N OF SERVICES BY GOVERNMENT SUPPORTED AGENCIES • No formal advertising from government supported agencies to market theIR agency and their services in local newspapers or bill boards (at train stat(Khula, Seda, Red Door and YDA) • Who knows that Khula has moved from Claremont to Cape Town or there is a Red Door in Retreat • No program for transfer of skills and knowledge through a formal structure of training eg. Workshops on financial planning and principles of business management or mentoring (some business owners have the technical ability to produce or manufacture, but lack the business/financial skill to run the business effectively.) • Only form of advertising is from a newspaper like Big Issue, but does it reach the focus market, the small business man • The only money really available to small business is the commercial banks, why is there no government supported bank similar to the land bank • Small business should have the necessary support when they do well to improve their business even more, not when the wheels come off and they have lost their life savings through the down turn in economy or lack of experience • When do one introduce the key elements of a business plan to small business • Can the SETA program help the cause of small business and how

5. CONCLUSION • People are not born to be leaders, they become good leaders in the process of positive inputs and transfer of knowledge and skills. Ongoing skills development is vital for this sector • It’s not where we come from, but what we become • Quality, Ability, and Improved performance should be the criteria for a better life •  Big business and Corporate can all rally around Governments call to support small business, whether it is request for tenders or request for quotations, to grow the smme sector, and support the ongoing transfer of skills and development

6. THANK YOU………….F. ABRAHAMS