Page 201 - KZN Top Business LEADERS-eBook

DAVID WHITE

avid White is the founder and chief Business administration and people development for such a leadership challenge, and 24 months
executive within the DRG Group, which became his big passion, and as they say… the rest after listing, the companies unbundled. “DRG was
comprises DRG Outsourcing, DRG Siyaya, is history. on target to meet its anticipated financial goals,
Dand BusinessFit SA. and so the delisting was not financially motivated,
David’s first job was at Shell, where he worked in but rather a value perception challenge created by
David shared that his formal qualifications are in their retail division for eight years. In this time, the dot com era. David says that this experience
marketing and business administration. He says, he learned about business administration and taught him his most valuable lessons about life,
as a young person he was diagnosed as having an organisational leadership, much of which he still business and himself.
extreme form of dyslexia. He could not read, write applies within his businesses today. His role was
or spell, and was advised by a child psychologist to help Shell Service Station dealers maintain Shell DRG and BusinessFit SA have “highly engaged work
at the time that his dyslexia was so extensive that franchise standards, as well as grow and develop forces, where staff understand how the business
he would likely be unable to complete school. The their businesses. He commented, “The Shell Service works, and take self-inspired actions to meet
psychologist told David’s parents and teachers Station dealers were exposed to a well thought customer expectations and business imperatives,”
that they should recognise David’s neurological out quality assurance process, some of which we says David. The DRG / BusinessFit SA culture and
challenge and should prepare themselves for him have used in the creation of the BusinessFit SA values encourage staff to work in teams, make
not getting past Standard 8 (Grade 10). quality assurance framework and development decisions, and to ensure the timeous outcomes of
methodology for SMEs.” engagements and interventions.
David’s dyslexia kept him from advancing a year at
school, but he says, he learned two important traits SINGLE-MINDED APPROACH AN EFFECTIVE BUSINESS ECOSYSTEM
from his dyslexic journey. The first being listening David feels his greatest accomplishment in David is inspired by people who are honest, caring,
skills as he could not read the work himself, and business is his single-minded approach in keeping and capable in their work. DRG and BusinessFit SA
the second, an appreciation of his natural abilities in the business dream alive. “My vision for DRG and products and services are largely compliance and
imagination, communication and reasoning. David BusinessFit SA goes back to 1996, when there was structure based, requiring attention to detail – and
till today is a weak reader. However, he has surprised great demand in the economy for professional a mindset from staff of really wanting to help our
himself and others by becoming a regular business, HR and business support partners, to help guide clients meet their reporting and administrative
leadership, governance, and sustainability author in entrepreneurs and business leaders through responsibilities. “The DRG and BusinessFit SA staff
local and international publications. David says it is tough economic and sustainability challenges.” work closely together to meet client requirements
his passion for the subjects that he writes about that Both DRG and BusinessFit SA continue to thrive in and expectations, and it is inspiring to watch high
allows the flow of inspiration in his writing. the market today. quality outcomes being achieved day by day by

each company’s staff and teams.”
The best advice David received for his life’s journey David’s businesses, DRG Outsourcing and BusinessFit
was from his parents, who said that “as long as he SA provide services to companies across the globe. He said, “DRG’s vision going forward is to continue
was doing his best, it was good enough for them, In a recent trip to the UK, David (and his colleague growing its national and international client bases
and that doing his best in all likelihood will be Andrew Kruger) were invited by Northumbria through providing ongoing professional and
good enough for our Creator too.” David said this University to lecture business students on the reliable HR services. BusinessFit SA’s vision is to
helped him to focus more on the journey of his life, BusinessFit SME development methodology. Further support the development of an effective business
rather than on the outcome of his work. David says, the Northumbria University offered to create an ecosystems within KZN and SA.
“I undoubtably had less personal, peer, and family application for BusinessFit’s Blueprint model, and
pressure to excel in achieving career milestones the Commonwealth Secretariat Assistant Secretary The motto David lives by, is an adaption from the
and goals than many other people had… as just General asked that the application be made available scriptures. It states, ‘Tomorrow is taken care of by
finishing school was a celebrated achievement.” to SMEs across all 56 Commonwealth countries. our kindness, care, and purpose invested today’.
“In a world where nothing is certain… we at least
Dyslexia never held David back, and although his The greatest business challenge says David, was in have these words of wisdom and comfort which
marks at school were not good, he found that it the beginning, when his business grew very quickly. tell us that tomorrow will be fine for us, as long
was easy for him to apply his mind and focus on Two years after starting, DRG joined a group of as we invest such traits in our work and people
topics and subjects that he liked learning about. companies listing on the JSE. David was not ready interactions today,” he said.
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