The stories, thoughts & learning of an African startup creator on a journey to success, through perseverance, to cross the ‘valley of death’ despite pain & personal tragedy, in order to climb the mountain.
We all love to craft our own ideas in order to build a niche, and that very much requires making some hard decisions. I mean…. Starting your own business is more than projecting numbers and looking at profits. It could even mean leaving your current...
For decades, entrepreneurs have been creating brands that we have all enjoyed. But how does this happen? How do people come up with ideas that untimely consume our lives and take over the retail market? It’s pretty simple, they find solutions to problems. That is...
Today I’m sharing my biggest lessons from my startup activities since 2016. These were and are true for me — some or all of them may be completely untrue for someone else: You have to learn to work under pressure, and perform well. When your...
Life is tough as hell …. Life as an entrepreneur is even more tougher. Your only safety net is you. There is no health plan with 25 sick days, no paid vacation … nothing. It’s just you are working, working and working round the...
Having attended the Africa 2018 Forum held in Egypt under the high patronage of HE President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi in early December 2018, I got to have a very lovely startup conversation with Mr Alaa Moustafa, who is a Business Support Manager at Egypt’s Technology...
I was recently invited to Sharm El Sheik in Egypt to speak at the World Youth Forum, an event attended by over 5000 leaders from around the world organised under the auspices of the leadership of HE President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi. I spoke under...
StartupApp, is a collaboration platform and workspaces for entrepreneurs and founders to use to support their business and share creative ideas, based in Johannesburg. StartupApp, the “one-stop shop for startups, entrepreneurs & the self-start society” which was launched back in April 2016 has recently unveiled the collaboration element...
The success of your business depends on many factors which must be juggles to keep good order and maintain your company’s growth and profitability. However, when you do identify an issue that needs your attention, it is important to find the cause and act quickly...
Johannesburg, 12 April 2018 – Consultancy.org, a global platform for the international consulting industry, has made a foray into the South African market. The launch of Consultancy.co.za expands the startup’s online footprint to cover Africa’s most important market for consulting services. With an estimated size...
When it comes to marketing your business online, there are a number of options to consider. Of course, starting with a well-designed website is the most sensible option, and then pay-per-click, search engine optimisation and content marketing usually follow suit. Another technique that you should...
Buying products online has become second nature to us all. Gone are the days when we are restricted by opening hours, parking fees, congestion and having to be in crowded shopping centres. The online world of consuming has opened the world as a shopping marketplace,...
When you read entrepreneurial success stories, the consensus seems to be that all you need to start a business is a laptop and an internet connection. While this may be true to some extent, ordinarily you need some capital behind you to turn your ideas...
The primary goal of most new business owners is to see their fledgling venture enjoy rapid growth and recognition. Although there is no one formula to follow to catapult your enterprise to success in the first few months of years after it is launched, there...
When we’re faced with doing something that’s outside our comfort zone, whether it be making the jump into starting a business, or literally jumping out of a plane to do a sky dive, most of us have a tendency to overthink before we act. It’s...
This is the general perception of parents who discourage their children when they want to start their own businesses. This disheartening attitude, unfortunately, has become a learnt behavior. Demoralizing and dejecting the entrepreneurial spirit is the norm in our society.
According to Forbes, the average age of starting one’s own businesses is 29 years. However, in our country, almost every entrepreneurial venture is looked at with skepticism. Maybe it is because we don’t believe in the success of such initiatives and opt for the safer...
Imagine 20 people waiting in a queue for a bus or to buy a ticket, or on a cash counter in a bank, and suddenly the last one of them, moves out, comes to the counter and says, “Keep standing there all day. I am...
All successful entrepreneurs are hardened believers in the idea they want to bring to market. They have a hands-on understanding of every aspect of their startup from the outset. They are avid learners and don’t fear making mistakes. They know of the unmet needs in the market through...
Entrepreneurship is suddenly the coolest thing around. Even children who once wanted to grow up to be engineers, doctors, pilots and policemen, now want to become entrepreneurs who can “revolutionize” the world with their “innovative” products and services. Students are “pivoting” on their homework assignments and “A/B testing”...
Time is life and vice versa. In order for us to learn how to live a good life, we must remain alive to the fact that we can die at any moment. We are, after all, mortal beings. Death is the flip side of life,...
I always find myself searching google on how to do stuff? My best search was how to clean aged copper products. Google suggested a YouTube video and bob was my uncle. I found what I was looking for, the video gave me exact details on...
“I love startups. I hate the startup scene.” I was having lunch with a friend of mine, and he was mad. He’s founded and sold two companies, and he’s a sought-after advisor for young companies looking to break through the noise. Day in and day...
Do you know why startups fail every single day around the globe? There are several reasons like over-hyped stories everywhere, over-promising and under-delivering and various others. Over 90% of startups disappear before they see any traction in their business and over 51% of all businesses...
Let’s face it. We are all dreamers. Some of us dream about a tropical paradise in the middle of a harsh winter and others dream about riches that can unshackle them from the miserable life they are trapped in. However, only a chosen few among...
Starting a business is a tough gig. How tough it is it is up to you. 50% of startup businesses fail within 5 years. How do you avoid this? It’s simpler than you’d think. We’ve picked out four essential tips from Startup Mzansi that give...
Although entrepreneurs consider themselves fiercely independent, the reality is that entrepreneurs have to pay certain homage to the political climate in which they operate. Read more to find out how politics affects the decisions of aspiring entrepreneurs. President Cyril Ramaphosa has reshuffled his Cabinet. He...
I’m going to tell you something that you may or may not find shocking. Here it is: I passionately believe that for the overwhelming majority of young people, attending university is a complete waste of 3 years of their life. Ok, this is quite a...
If entrepreneurship and self-employment have been your financial dreams, then a hobby or a passion can be converted into an advancing business venture, provided that you have the correct and accurate business funding and acumen. However, finance is one huge deterrent for the majority of the...
Our minds are funny, feeble things full of cognitive biases that have been shaped by experiences, events, and memories. In the 1960s, a psychologist named Martin Seligman was trying to understand the relationship between fear and learning when he stumbled upon an unexpected phenomenon. In the...
Whether you are a big company or a small company, you should understand just how important the media is in the promotion and success of your company. Not only can it drastically improve your image and your sales, but it can also hinder them if...
Starting a business means taking a great idea and a passion and turning it into something that both benefits society and your wallet. It can, however, be a very daunting expedition. Starting your own business means knowing the industry you are going in to, it...
Changing your personality and trying to be better is no easy task. You have to have strategies for helping you to improve. The New Year is the perfect opportunity to dream new dreams and set yourself up for a brighter future. Get excited about this...
The UNICEF Innovation Fund is looking to back early stage startups developing block chain based solutions with “the potential to benefit humanity”, offering up to US$90,000 in equity-free investment. UNICEF has called for applications from startups developing software solutions on open block chains, and seeking seed finance...
Johannesburg South Africa, 26 January 2018 – In an industry first, Schneider Electric has introduced the first cloud-enabled uninterruptible power supply (UPS) for distributed IT environments, which offers SMEs the ability to stay connected to the technology and information that powers their business and proactively...
Facebook is a social networking tool that allows registered users to share their day-to-day life with friends with whom they are connected with. These include sharing of photos, statuses, locations and videos. It also allows the creation of features such as pages, events, and groups...
Lack of sleep is injurious to health. One must sleep at least 7 to 8 hours a day. Especially for entrepreneurs sleep is compulsory in an allotted time period. Improper sleep affects mood and increases health risks to life. It leads to psychiatric disorders and...
I’ve been in business for a year now and boy has it been one exciting journey. I remember before starting my small business, I anticipated immediate growth. I was so excited I already imagined spending money on necessary company assets to further grow the business....
Digital Health Cape Town (DHCT), has announced the finalists for its inaugural Accelerator Programme. The accelerator-which aims to bolster local eHealth innovation-selected 8 digital health startups among a potpourri of applications. The selected finalists have each developed innovative eHealth solutions that address real-world problems. They...
Africa’s biggest mobile operator, MTN, is aiming to become Africa’s biggest digital bank, leveraging scale, network, brand, infrastructure and distribution. MTN is seeking to challenge rival Vodacom as Africa’s biggest digital bank by tripling its customer numbers within three years. The ambitious business strategy was revealed by MTN CEO Rob Shuter yesterday during...
Not new by any means, but entering the ‘blogosphere’ could still provide a start-up opportunity for those seeking additional income… Blogging platforms have advanced in recent years and there’s now a multitude of free hosted-blog web services with user-friendly functionality so that now anyone with access...
Hi, my name is Shannon Rosenberg and I am a small business owner on the West Rand of Johannesburg. I want to briefly share on my title above, yeah that one: success versus significance. I started a small business exactly one year ago and my...
The burning question on all entrepreneurs’ lips, Sandile Shabangu of Startup Mzansi Foundation reveals how to successfully raise money for your start-up...
Running a startup can be extremely challenging, and founders often underestimate how much time and energy they will need to spend in raising money to make sure that they don’t run out of cash. Most founders are well-equipped to handle the technical problems which they...
One of the biggest and earliest challenges of founding a startup is finding the right co-founders. Convincing someone to invest in your brainchild is one of the biggest challenges a founder faces, and solo founders are often perceived by investors as an unsafe bet. Finding...
THE BUSINESS OF INNOVATION, CREATIVITY & INSPIRATION We’re certainly living in interesting times! The apparent discovery of water on Mars, with its now even higher potential of occupancy. AI, robots and the fear of robotics serving and dominating humanity. Consumer behavior “schizophrenia” demanding brand collaborations...
Startups are the place to be in today’s day and time. But have you ever pondered over what make one startup better than the other. What is the secret recipe that one startup grows while another fails? Well we found out that the secret recipe...
The Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) in collaboration with the ZA Domain Names Authority (ZADNA) and ZA Central Registry (ZACR) now offers domain name registration for any registered company, close corporation or co-operative. This collaboration currently only offer .co.za domains with a plan to include other...
Creating a new generation of entrepreneurs Credible empowerment must be focused on sustainable growth and job creation—and must be accountable for its results. By Sinethemba Mafanya, Manager – Diageo Empowerment Trust SA Black empowerment has not worked as well as it should. With the perfect...
One of the biggest and earliest challenges of founding a startup is finding the right co-founders.Convincing someone to invest in your brainchild is one of the biggest challenges a founder faces, and solo founders are often perceived by investors as an unsafe bet. Finding your...
Startup Mzansi Is Building Africa’s First Digital Bank For Startups and Entrepreneurs through Blockchain, Crypto, IoT, Big Data and AI Startup Mzansi Foundation, a startup ecosystem development non profit company launched in 2012 and registered in South Africa, is building a fully digital bank for...
“South Africa needs to create a new generation of black entrepreneurs who will provide the growth and opportunities to bring more black people into the mainstream economy,”
Date: 16-17 November 2017 Venue: TRANSNET – Esselen Park Conference Centre (School of Rail) Road 91-1 Off R25 Modderfontein, Chruch Street, TEMBISA, East Rand, Güney Afrika
Most first time entrepreneurs are in love with their idea. They feel it’s completely cool and that it’s going to change the world. This is partly because all they do all day long is think about their idea and how they can implement it. They...
Liquid Telecom and the pan-African Meltwater Entrepreneurial School of Technology (MEST) have partnered to run Liquid Launchpad, which will see the winning entertainment startup receive six months of free mentorship at MEST’s Cape Town incubator. Applications close at the end of Friday (November 3) for Liquid...
In the Age of Startups, there is absolutely no dearth of entrepreneurs, no matter what the field. As the startup gets more crowded, it becomes more difficult to stand out in the crowd and also makes grabbing the attention of investors a huge challenge. So,...
StartupGuy shares some handy tips on exploring the power and potential of partnerships for your startup… As a smaller or newer startup, the appeal of going it alone is obvious. All the power, all the rewards, every opportunity to write your own success story. But...
StartupGuy shares some invaluable thoughts on why you really need to test out your business idea first before launching your business. You may think your business idea is going to change the world, but before you spend time and money developing a lacklustre product or...
There used to be a time in the history of the internet where a company blog was not necessary for online success, but we’re certainly not in that era anymore. If you’re looking around and seeing everyone else posting free blog content to their website...
There are few situations in the workplace that induce the level of stress that giving a presentation does. Not only do you have to speak in front of an audience, but oftentimes the quality of your presentation will decide whether a potential client gives you...
Together with StartupApp, Startup Magazine has got some exciting new plans to provide startups with an affordable publicity and PR programme. We know that it’s not always that easy to take an idea and turn it into something real – that, after all is why we...
Want to build a great business in Africa? Get ready to woo the investor.
The best way to get your new business recognised is by sharing good content, contributing something worthwhile to the market and getting people excited enough to talk about you too. You can do all three of these things as a speaker at big events. Getting...
Collaborations between corporates and startups have been gaining traction in recent years across a variety of sectors. For many corporates, both incremental and transformational innovation is key to remaining relevant in the short and long term. Partnerships with startups provide the opportunity to engage with...
It’s become clichéd – investors talking about the team being the most important criteria when making an investment. This is usually true, but what are investors looking for in a founder or a founding team? Within Startup Mzansi we assign a rough 30% weighting of...
“What do I need to start a startup?”, you might be thinking. From what business to start to how to raise the money for it, the sheer array of options can be daunting. Luckily, Startups Magazine has a range of resources available to take that...
As developing technology helps the average consumer access information quicker than ever before, it’s never been more important to communicate a lot about your business in as little time as possible. One great way to do this is by ensuring your logo properly represents your...
Choosing a company name is one of the most important things to consider when forming a business. It is also one of the very first decisions that you will have to make – as a result, it’s always best to do your research and plan...
You’re ready to start your new business, but have you considered how the decisions you make now will affect its growth? One of the earliest is company structure: we look at the pros, cons, ongoing filing and tax associated with the four main start-up structures,...
Market research should be an important part of a startup’s preparation and business planning; it helps to shape your marketing, resources and business plan and can influence how and who you plan to target, what pricing point you choose and even alter your business idea...
Today I met Sifiso, an avid young entrepreneur from Benoni. Sifiso had been in an abusive relationship with his seed investor. According to Sifiso, his investor has not honored their terms of engagement and has rather opted to pay a salary to Sifiso for the...
Meeting an investor is stressful. The result of months of hard work, emails and phone calls with potential investors to generate interest in your venture are riding on this one meeting. You’ll have prepared intensively with your consultants and mentors, and by the time you...
Meeting an investor is stressful. The result of months of hard work, emails and phone calls with potential investors to generate interest in your venture are riding on this one meeting. You’ll have prepared intensively with your consultants and mentors, and by the time you...
A pivot is a significant change in the product, target market, or any other part of the venture that has to be made when it becomes clear that your current path won’t bring you to your goal. In recent years, pivoting has become so widespread...
Your ideal investor is someone who is so enthusiastic about your idea that he’ll be happy to invest in your venture based solely on his trust in your entrepreneurial talent and possibly his belief that your product has a significant market. Unfortunately, most investors aren’t...
The Karoo’s first tech hub has opened in Somerset East, Eastern Cape. It is being led by 2 international companies: Piehole.TV, creators of “kickass” online video, and software company Rubberstamp.io. A 100-person office has been created to serve as a home for entrepreneurs. “We are...
With this High tea we are thriving to Empower Women, a way of connecting women of same goals or those who want to improve themselves by seeking support and encouragement. This is a “Reflection Circle” of women who are rising up or who are saying...
StartupGuy knows a thing or two about creating a stand-out brand! Here are my top tips on creating a stand out brand…. Speak to a niche audience. This doesn’t mean you’ll only sell to the niche, but it does mean you have a defined message....
On this months founder’s corner we are chatting to MissBlu from Blu Space! StartupGuy: Please introduce yourself and your startup… My name is Busiswa Lutshaba & i reside in Cape Town in Khayelitsha to be specific. My startup is called Blu Space & our key...
StartupGuy shares his top tips on raising your first investment for your startup!
There’s a point in most startups’ journey where the founders realize that the mission they’ve set out on can’t be accomplished without significant capital and resources. It’s normally a low point and one that leads you to question what the next steps are. Well we...
Join us on November 23rd - 24th at the Constitution Hill in Johannesburg to provide direct input into South Africa's Innovation Strategy alongside South Africa's leading entrepreneurs, anchor companies and experts.
We’re continuing with our interview series. The fourth week of every month we’ll feature an interview with a different startup founder(s) to give you all a peak into their lives, inspiration, and routines. Today we’re featuring Koocam! STARTUPGUY: Please introduce yourself and your startup Koocam...
As founders, one of the most difficult decisions we face that the early-stage of a startup is how to split equity amongst the founding team. Often the most simple route is a straight split. But this can lead to fundamental problems later on in the...
Each year, the South African and regional entrepreneurial ecosystem is significantly more diverse, closely connected and globally competitive. We have dedicated the past five years mostly to designing attractive national programmes for supporting entrepreneurship, connecting key stakeholders at the local, regional and national level, and...
JOHANNESBURG — Startup Mzansi Foundation NPC, a social enterprise supporting innovative entrepreneurship in South Africa and Resolution Circle, the University of Johannesburg’s company that use the commercialisation of technology as a platform to provide experiential learning to technology interns, today announced a new strategic partnership. The partnership...
We’re continuing with our interview series. The fourth week of every month we’ll feature an interview with a different startup founder to give you all a peak into their lives, inspiration, and routines. Today we’re featuring the Managing Director of Black Hat Leadership Academy, Mr....
They are selfless lovers who give unconditional love to anyone willing to receive it without any limits. They submit willingly to the ones they love without being ordered to do so. They sacrifice a lot for the better good of their family, loved ones and...
This month we’re starting our interview series. The fourth week of every month we’ll feature an interview with a different startup founder to give you all a peak into their lives, inspiration, and routines. Today we’re featuring the one and only, founder of Afrivision, Tapuwa...
If you’ve started a business in the past three years, you’re part of a true revolution in this country. Over this period, we’ve seen an explosive growth in startups, and these new entrepreneurs are rather different from what has gone before. Our research shows they...
"There are two important days in your career as an entrepreneur: the day you become one and the day you find out why." #StartupGuy
No one is better at selling your business than you are, so read ahead for five handy tips that’ll help you DIY your PR.
Success is never final, failure is never fatal. 7 minutes. 10 images. 1 failure.
South Africa's startup ecosystem is fragmented and there is just not enough collaboration and because of this and too many opportunities of business growth for all are missed.
There’s lots of opportunity and support available for you, you just need to go out and take it.
In this article I am making the case for the value that strong boards can bring to early stage companies. Having invested in scores of seed stage companies over the past 6 years, I am in no doubt that strong boards are a critical success...
Startup Magazine and StarupApp – a one-stop shop for Startups, Entrepreneurs and Self-Starters has always been about YOU. We are after all a collective group of startups and self starters doing our own thing, facing up to startup and business barriers and challenges, captaining our...
StartupTV, a Startup Mzansi Venture, and its partners are excitedly proud to bring you the #JustPitch competition. #JustPitch is a crowdsourced online competition for new businesses and early-stage startups. This competition is an inspiring programme of online activity designed to give you the skills, support...
In life we all have to sacrifice something to get something great or go somewhere. You either sacrifice your time, love, relationship,money,loved possession like car,house or clothing. This seems unfair most of the time but it’s all worth it in the end. That’s how success is...
On the 6th of May 2017, “I am a Woman, I have a Purpose” will host a women’s high tea at Umuzi Lodge in Secunda, Mpumalanga. Speakers will include Ms Gloria Nkosi, businesswoman, philanthropist, speaker, founder of Esther Women in the Kingdom Awards and radio...
Time and again in customer conversations, I am reminded of why I’m building my current startup, (Startup Mzansi). Daily, I hear “That’s exactly what I’ve been looking for”, or “Where were you when I started x years ago?” If you are talking to potential customers...
1. Every business owns some intellectual property – whether startup or SME it’s important to identify what this is at an early stage; do you know yours? You may have a trademark, patent, design or something protected by copyright but it’s important to know the...
My name is Sibongile Mongadi from Mapetla (Soweto). I come from a hard and challenging background. I was raised by both my self-employed mom who sold sweets & snacks and my late dad who was transporting kids to school. Growing up, I faced a lot...
Celebrating the builders of the entrepreneurship ecosystem KEMPTON PARK – March 27, 2017 – Startup Mzansi (www.startupmzansi.org.za) will recognize the movers and shakers of South Africa’s entrepreneurship movement with a new awards program. The Startup Mzansi Awards will distinguish the individuals, communities, organizations and institutions...
On #FeesMustFall, I think universities and colleges should build university businesses and allow their students to run institution owned businesses to generate revenue that can go towards supporting the Free Education as demanded by the majority populace. By so doing, the participating university or college...
Some of you maybe well aware of the major security breaches that have taken place in Startup Mzansi the past weeks. Hacking attacks on the accounts of Startup Mzansi Foundation, from emailing systems to social media especially Twitter and the bank. The media tend to...
We all want to be the startup that delivers an experience so frictionless that it disrupts a decades old industry. Uber, Apple, and Amazon are the envy of the business world. Their business models are dissected and scoured for crumbs that will lead other entrepreneurs...
What is startup entrepreneurship? In a knowledge-based society, innovation is the driving force of the economy on all levels and in all types of organisations. Due to high risks present when introducing new products and services, innovations are usually commercialized via isolated formal formations such...
The Cape Town Office (CTO) * in collaboration with Megara Events is proud to be hosting the first of many FUN in Cape Town, on Thursday, the 9th February 2017, at the CTO Club House, 46A Canterbury St, Zonnebloem, from 6 to 9 pm. FUN...
Get the most of your everyday by getting awesome tips, resources, tools and inspiration to help you on your startup journey. I will gladly provide you with my e-book for free.
Hi folks, We have a mission: To meet the most interesting, motivated and influential people involved in the startup scene. To extract the valuable experience and insights from their brains, and turn it into something useful. There are several ways we could go about achieving...
Organized by Bonjour Idée with the support of 50+ partners (international corporations, incubators, chambers of commerce, media, competitive centers, influential blogs), Startup of the Year® is a competition for innovative African startups. While shedding light on disruptive startups, this competition is meant to add value...
Starting up a new business can seem daunting at the initial stage. However, with the right approach and dedication, running a successful business is not impossible. We have outlined a few tips for startups to help alleviate some of the key concerns that are usually...
One of the most frequent problems that I hear from startup founders, and potential founders, is that they have no idea where they will find the money to quit their job, in order to build their ‘great idea’. And yet founders often ignore the single...
Getting your startup funded by friends and family can be the easiest and fastest mode of funding. But it may not work if you are targeting wrong people, i.e. not everyone in the family and friends would either be interested or be able to fund...
The Regional Productivity Awards winners have been announced at a function held at the Bon Hotel Conference Centre in Midrand yesterday. The entity responsible for promoting productivity within South Africa, Productivity SA, awarded the best performers at the ceremony which will culminate in the regional...
Hearing the word “hiring” sends a signal of growth, growth of the company to people in the recruitment industry. “Hiring” is a word which can be split into two parts “Hi” & “Ring”; which essentially means a company will only hire somebody for a job role when the...
Do you know the old saying, “two heads are better than one”? Well, it holds true for those wanting to found their own startup. A recent analysis shows that a massive 80% of all successful startup companies have more than one founder. This is not an arbitrary...
What is startup entrepreneurship? In a knowledge-based society, innovation is the driving force of the economy on all levels and in all types of organisations. Due to high risks present when introducing new products and services, innovations are usually commercialized via isolated formal formations such...
An avid biker and a fan for ubuntuism (humanity), Tebogo “Pin-Pin” Kgethe, a social entrepreneur, is a true resemblance and embodiment of the notion of giving yourself in service to others while having fun and finding fulfilment in your own life. “To me, Help-A-Stranger (#HAS)...
According to the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM) Report 2013, a quarter of young people in South Africa between the ages of 18 and 34 years old believe that they have the skills and knowledge to start a business and that there are good opportunities to...
Are you a startup interested in sharing your experiences and promoting yourself at the same time? Hit two birds with one stone by contributing to our Startup Stories section. We’re looking for blog posts from startups talking about their experiences, what they’ve gone through as...
The advent of digital revolution in late 1950s ushered in a new era of modern technology, which was a result of constant innovation and change. The world saw how many opportunities were brought in by this new found marvel, and thus, began the process of...
A mobile application to help you start and grow your business.
In the fast pace information and technology driven world, startup entrepreneurs are often inundated with some pretty great challenges. I am saying this because I too have experienced such in my journey towards building my own dreams. Often times, one finds themselves confronted by wall...
Sourcing capital for your startup is never easy, especially when you are pre-product completion and before the proof-of-concept the traditional venture investors are looking for. Oftentimes, the only way to get your business from a piece of paper concept to a venture-backable business is to...