The roadshow aims to assist SMME’s in four key areas of their businesses: financial management, human resources (HR), information and communications technology (ICT) as well as sales and marketing. This is the first of four roadshows scheduled to take place around the country in 2015. The other events will be taking place in Durban, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town.
The SMME sector includes a wide range of enterprises or business models with each model having different financial needs. According to South Africa’s 2015 Budget Review, Government’s immediate priorities are framed by the nine-point plan to boost growth and create jobs. One of these points is to unlock small business potential in South Africa. SMMEs are now the drivers of job creation and economic development in South Africa. As President Jacob Zuma said in his 2015 State of The Nation Address; “Small business is big business”.
Starting and running one’s own business in South Africa comes with a number of challenges. One of the main challenges businesses face today is cash flow and access to equity capital. Financial institutions understand the key role that they play when it comes to supporting and developing entrepreneurs in South Africa. Standard Bank will be on hand to assist entrepreneurs during these road shows to learn more about making wise financial decisions especially when it comes to managing debt and how best to get support from financial institutions for business loans. Managing business credit records and how to keep the business sustainable will be another important topic to be discussed during the day.
“Business owners can expect informative interventions on the day as we kick-start the day with keynote speakers from Government and important enterprise development outfits such as Ethel Nyembe, head of Small Enterprise, Standard Bank, who will outline the opportunity horizon for SMMEs operating in South Africa,” says Greg Penfold, events division manager at Cape Media.
He continues; “Strategic partnerships between banks, large corporate sized organisations, which includes Public Sector organisations, SMMEs and accredited business development service providers (BDSP's) are important for the growth and development of businesses. Enterprise Development should focus on developing and growing small and medium businesses into mid-corporate to corporate sized industrial businesses through these strategic alliances.”
SAFM presenter Ashraf Garda will be programme director of the day and some of the keynote addresses will include Nyembe and Sakhumzi Maqubela, owner and founder of Sakhumzi Restaurant in Vilakazi Street, Soweto.
SMME’s can register for free here. Registration will close the day before the event, Wednesday, 5 May. These events will run between 08:00 and 17:00.
For more information, visit www.smmesa.co.za. Alternatively connect with them on Facebook and on Twitter.