Which company has the highest staff turnover? McDonald's. Despite the high staff turnover, McDonald's is able to continue operating profitably because it has strong systems and processes. Building a legacy business requires building a well-oiled machine that is able to operate on its own without the owner. Your business should not be a prison where you are…
From Generation to Generation: Keep your vision burning
When running day to day operations of your business, it’s easy to get lost in the maze of daily challenges. While focusing on daily tasks is necessary for the long set-up of the business, it does not leave much time to focus on the long term. I know you are already asking, when will I…
From Generation to Generation: What Will We Tell Our Grandchildren?
Entrepreneurs should consider developing an attitude and approach to business that ensures that every decision they make is towards building a long lasting business, a legacy. The idea should be to build a business that will not only outlive us as its founders, but will outlive even our grandchildren. What will my grandchildren and future…
Make a map
Don't seek reassurance. Reassurance is futile. No one can give you infinite reassurance, unfortunately that's the amount of reassurance you think you need. Don't look for a map, make a map. Change comes from people who make a map, who takes initiative. You don't have to dig a hole to make a living anymore, it's…
Delight your believers
Some customers are shortsighted, greedy and selfish. Imbungulu (Zulu expression meaning they are donkeys). Extend yourself a little bit and they will want a lot. In Sgudi Snysi, a South African TV comedy sitcom, Sis May used to complain about Sdumo's ungratefulness by saying "Umunik' isandla ufun' ingalo yonke." meaning "you give him a hand,…
Lesson of the week: Trust
As part of enjoying the holidays, we often go eat out with friends or family. You see something looking sumptuous on the menu and you order it, only to be disappointed when the actual product comes does not look as big as on the menu. You order take-away and when you get home, you realise…
Popularity: The celebrity entrepreneur and the fickle media
It's a double edged sword to wounding, a knife in the hands of a doctor can save lives, but in the hands of a thief, it can end a life. The media can be an amazing tool that gives great success to a business, but it can also be a tool that ends it. One…
Popularity: Quality over quantity
Arguing that an idea or product has merit because it has popular support is one of the oldest argument tactics around. It is also one of the most flawed. Does McDonald’s have the best hamburger because they sell billions? Sure, products can become popular because they have the best quality. Or, they can become popular because they have a…
Popularity: The irony of popular
Most things are liked because they are popular. We follow popular soccer teams, popular artists, popular songs, and popular politicians. I know this is a popular thing to do, but let's decode this deeper. House music is popular because it listened by a lot of people, certain soccer teams are popular because they are followed…
Popularity: What’s the point of popular?
You would think that being popular is the most important thing in the world. TV celebrity, SRC president, the most Facebook friends or Twitter followers, awards winner, how many people attended your birthday party, or are waiting in line at the book signing... A lot of people want to be popular, to appear on TV…
Even after all this time…
We go through challenges, struggles and heavy weight. During these times, there will always be people who stay around to witness our trials and tribulations. These people are always there to listen, help, comfort, endure and embrace our struggle as their struggle. These are people who could have had good reasons to leave but they…
Ask for forgiveness, not permission
We live in a world that prefers to maintain the status-quo, to keep it safe, follow the rules, do what everybody is doing, asking for permission to change the status-quo, to step out of the norm, to connect to new things is permission that will not be approved. "Here, look at what I did, what…