Page 6 - NHBRC Flipbook

CITY PRESS, 30 OCTOBER 2016

opportunity index

KwaZulu-Natal Gibs delegates (from left): Nandi Sithole of NM Mhlungu Enterprise cc, Thomakazi Sigaba of Sanelly Trading and Projects cc, Bonisiwe Hadebe of Innob Trading cc, Zanele Mjadu of Khazimula Investments cc, Dipuo

Gqola of Wahlumaa Trading Enterprise, Lyn Govender of Al Hardware, Nonhlanhla Sotyato of Gesikazi Global (Pty) Ltd, Siyabonga Majozi of Hygiene Lab, Rogini James of Bulldog Construction, Manono Zulu of Lamosat (Pty) Ltd,

Gonapushni Naidoo of Delfos Aluminium Wholesalers and Dolly Tembe of Sakhisizwe Development Training and Contractors PHOTO: EUGENE GODDARD

Creating a road
map for success

Drawing up a business plan is one of the most vital functions any entrepreneur performs,
but a surprising number of delegates on the National Home Builders’ Registration

Council’s Empowerment Programme, currently running at the Gordon Institute of Business
Science, have not prioritised it. According to women in the construction industry from
KwaZulu-Natal, that is about to change, writes Sue Grant-Marshall

A SELF-EMPOWERED Bonisiwe Hadebe of Innob Trading cc in Vryheid has
project “I’ve learnt that I “ “I’ve learnt the importance I’ve learnt a great deal done projects ranging from building a piggery for 10
in partnership must look at of knowing your through the Gibs-NHBRC sows with the department of agriculture in Nkandla to
with the different trends and erecting fencing worth more than R1.5 million in
patterns in the customers’ needs, wants training programme, and Nongoma.
NHBRC
construction field and fears to provide a the business plan “I’ve worked with the department of arts and culture,
Forthright Dipuo Gqola of Wahlumaa and most recently I did some work for Parliament,”
Trading Enterprise in La Lucia, Durban, Bonisiwe Hadebe proper service session nailed it all Hadebe says.
says she only realised the importance of a
business plan after she attended the Dolly Tembe Zanele Mjadu Now she plans “to target sectors such as Transnet,
business modelling course at the Gordon Eskom and mines. I’ve learnt that I must look at
Institute of Business Science (Gibs). “I’ve learnt to write a “I used to think a “I went back to my different trends and patterns in the construction field.”
“I used to think a business plan was a waste of
money and time. And both of those are in short supply business plan myself. I no business plan was a staff afterwards and got Mzobe compares a business plan with a business
for most of us entrepreneurs,” she says. longer have to rely on waste of money and them more involved model by explaining that the latter “makes you examine
consultants. I am in the business. I every aspect of your business, such as internal
Now, after the Gibs course, Gqola has changed her empowered to write time. And both of understand now that I processes and different revenue streams. A plan is a
mind completely about drawing up a plan because “it is about my own those are in short cannot do it alone. I strategic document. It’s your road map from today to
like your bible and guides you in managing your business myself supply for most of us need their support tomorrow. You need to plan how to raise money, how
business”. to tailor the plan if you want a partner in your business
entrepreneurs and so on.”
Nokwazi Mzobe, a part-time lecturer at Gibs who has
her own business, Matoyana Business Solutions, says: “I Nonhlanhla Sotyato Dipuo Gqola Siyabonga Majozi Mzobe asks her delegates why a banker would ask for
do more than show National Home Builders’ a business plan and what an investor would look for.
Registration Council [NHBRC] delegates how to draw up plan session nailed it all.” that to provide a proper service, it is vital to know your
a business plan. We also do business modelling in our A decade ago, she resigned as principal of a high customers’ needs, wants and fears.” “I suggest that they need to view themselves as
workshops, which takes them through every element, investors in their own businesses. They view themselves
step by step, of running a business. The basic question school in Melmoth to venture into construction. Now The NHBRC workshop was an eye-opener for many of as owners only – but regarding yourself as an investor
they need to ask is: ‘Am I solving a client’s problem, am she wants to improve her grading to attract corporate the delegates, and certainly for Nandi Sithole of NM certainly changes your mind-set.”
I meeting a need?’” clients who are building shopping malls and glass Mhlungu Enterprise cc in Pinetown.
offices. She illustrates her point by explaining that if you give
Most of the delegates work for government, “but I get “I thought that a company only needed a business a child R50, “you want to know how they intend to
them to break that down. Is it a state-owned enterprise “I also want to build boreholes and dams to alleviate plan when it required funding. But what I’ve learnt spend it. You don’t just give it to them.”
or a government department or a municipality? They South Africa’s water shortage,” she says. from the workshop is that we need to keep on revisiting
need to pull the characteristics together so they can the business plan, particularly if we are not achieving The same applies to investors, who look for your
create a picture of their customer,” says Mzobe. Thanks to the Gibs course, Dolly Tembe of Sakhisizwe our goals. Then we need to check the plan and maybe experience in your line of business, what opportunities
Development Training and Contractors in Mtubatuba is change it,” says Sithole. are available, the size of your potential market, and if
“If it’s a municipality, for example, you need to going to change the way she has done her business you know and understand your customers.
segment it. Is it urban or rural? Their needs are plans for the past 20 years. Mzobe was thrilled with the feedback she received
different. You can’t compare Joburg to Ixopo.” from the NHBRC delegates. “They will also want to know if you have managed a
“I’ve been to workshops and courses for two decades, business before and, if so, if you have the capacity to
Entrepreneurs need to work out how to reach but I’ve never come across a facilitator as dynamic and “I urge them to review their plans every six months do the work in your current business. Do you have the
government, “which is extremely compliance driven, so energetic as Nokwazi Mzobe,” says Tembe. “I’ve learnt or on a quarterly basis.” right skills for it and some sort of funding so that you
marketing yourself to it is different from doing so in the can cover its operational costs?”
private sector”.
A business needs realistic financials and an investor
Zanele Mjadu of Khazimula Investments cc in will want to know “how much he will get out of it and,
Richards Bay says: “I’ve learnt a great deal through when he exits, what will his percentage take be”.
the Gibs-NHBRC training programme, and the business
Mzobe also talks about the “five C’s of credit:
character, capacity, capital, conditions and collateral”.

Siyabonga Majozi of Hygiene Lab in La Lucia, Durban,
found the course helpful “because it made me re-
examine why I started my business. It showed me that
I’ve not been doing this the right way.”

It also, she says, highlighted her weaknesses and
strengths.

“I went back to my staff afterwards and got them
more involved in the business. I understand now that I
cannot do it alone. I need their support.”

Nonhlanhla Sotyato of Gesikazi Global (Pty) Ltd in
Westville, Durban, says the most important thing she
has learnt “is identifying my point of difference. I had
always struggled to work out what sets me apart. Best
of all, I’ve learnt to write a business plan myself and I
no longer have to rely on consultants.”