There are still opportunities despite the negativities. That’s why future growth will come from entrepreneurs, believes newly appointed president of the Durban Chapter of the Entrepreneurs Organisation (EO) and director of B-BBEE compliance software company, Mpowered, Bruce Rowe.
EO is a global, peer-to-peer network of more than 18 000 plus influential business owners with 199 chapters in 61 countries.
“Whilst we will likely experience a bumpy road between now and the elections next year, there’s a lot of positivity, we just need to look for it. Regardless of the electoral outcome, growth must come from the entrepreneurial sector. That’s where job creation can really happen. Entrepreneurs thrive in chaos and disruption and that’s the environment in which we’re operating now,” he said.
Rowe said the private sector had the opportunity to step in and find answers as to how we fill the gaps that the government and municipalities were unable to fill as intended.
“We must all make a difference somewhere. We have to accept weaknesses such as electricity and water supply and find ways to overcome the consequences of these in our own microcosms. If we can do that for ourselves and the people around us, then we can make a difference,” he said.
His top entrepreneur tips
1. Avoid the entrepreneur’s curse of focusing on too many things at once. Keep it simple. Implement an “entrepreneur management system” like EOS or scaling up.
2. South Africa will face a lot of chaos and uncertainty between now and November next year. Keep your head down and continue doing what you’re good at. Post elections, everything should simmer down and normalise into a lesser state of chaos – and remember, where there is chaos, there is opportunity.
3. There are most likely great people in your business who can do what you believe only you can do. Take some risk and give them a chance as this is the way towards spending more time on your business, not in it.
BUSINESS REPORT