I have failed way more times than I have succeeded. I have owned businesses before, from owning a butchery, to an internet cafe, to vending machines, to dry cleaners etc. Some of those businesses went well, some went bust. My lesson from all these experiences was that if I fail more than you do, I…
The Revolution There is a revolution going on and it is sort of hard to notice this revolution because revolutions take more than a week. For 150 years we lived in an industrial economy. The industrial revolution led to industries, right, now that era is over, now there is a revolution going on and the…
What works in business is “doing”. Executing the plan requires effort. It is the muscle, the labor and the heavy lifting that gets the job done. If you are wishing a potential calls you to buy something, the wait is long. If you are hoping a great venture capitalist recognises your incredible invention, your desires…
Fitting in is a short-term strategy to get you nowhere. Standing out is a long-term strategy, it takes guts and produces results. If you care enough about your work to be willing to be criticised for it then you have done a good day’s work. Don’t be different for the sake of being different, be…
It's a two-way learning experience. As much as I thought I'd be teaching a startup entrepreneur a thing or two, they taught me a ton more. It is truly a mutually beneficial alliance. I share my insights and experience. They share their fresh ideas, passion and creativity. It re-energises the entrepreneur in you Any seasoned…
1. If you have not allowed the person you’re speaking with to actually speak in the last 60 seconds, you’re not networking, you’re monologing. Unless your name is Hamlet, quit it! There are few things as frustrating as someone who will not shut up about himself/herself and asks you nothing. I once was “captured” by…
Two pieces of advice I tell startup entrepreneurs that I wish you knew when I got started First, if you're doing it for fame and fortune. Don't do it. Do it to change your little part of the world, to find a solution to a problem, to create positive change in society. Find 3 other…
Startup Tip 1: Start with a good business idea. Startup Tip 2: Give yourself a competitive advantage – Get organised & work; make your ideas happen. Startup Tip 3: Make creating customer value your primary focus. Startup Tip 4: Get more done - take time off. Startup Tip 5: Keep your motivation levels high. Startup…
Certain books should come with a warning sign “it might change your life” because they may have a profound impact on your outlook after reading them, Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell is one such book. I read the book and re-read it several times. I loved it and I highly recommend it. Gladwell’s message in this…
Make sure you can answer the following questions clearly: - What do you do? - What do you stand for? - What problem are you solving? A number of entrepreneurship struggle to describe what their businesses did. Seth Godin says: "If you can't describe your position in eight words or less, you don't have a…
People pick up business books looking for a map. They pay attention in school because they want certainty: the certainty of good marks, a good job, a good career. We transformed school from a place of inquiry into a facility optimised for meeting standards. This is something the industrial age taught us, that there are…
When riding a motorbike with your partner, when you take corners, the rule is simple, you turn when I turn. When riding on a straight road, its all okay, no problems, but when we get to a sharp curve, when I bend to the left, you as my partner must also bend to the left…
rochemamabolo 