Absa eyes Africa's franchising potential

Absa has beefed up its franchise unit to expand the franchising business format into Africa and to tap into the continent's new, fast growing consumer markets.

• Revolutionising SA's franchising industry
• Buy a franchise or start from scratch?
• Franchise advice
• RMB to expand its franchise in Nigeria
• Franchise model has higher survival rate
• Small business can help beat unemployment

It's not just a logo

A company brand comprises everything you represent, says Chris Human.

• Is your brand doing its job?
• What’s in a name?
• Building blocks of a business strategy
• Green vs grey
• Cash flow concerns
• Business plan power

Two businesses, two VAT numbers?

A Fin24 user asks if he has to apply for two VAT numbers for two separate businesses, and if the turnover of the two will be combined for VAT purposes.

• Business plan power
• What’s in a name?
• Funding for my business
• Building blocks of a business strategy
• Cash flow concerns
• Business lessons from zebras and giraffes

What’s in a name?

It pays to take the time to find a name for your company that speaks to your clients and can stand the test of time.

• Cash flow concerns
• Building blocks of a business strategy
• Sales advice for a full-time worker
• Seeing the light
• Green vs grey
• Funding for my business

Funding for my business

Advice for a user who has started a recycling business but needs financing.

• Business plan power
• Building blocks of a business strategy
• Seeing the light
• Give up or keep going?
• SA startup wins at London Book Fair
• Sales advice for a full-time worker

Sales advice for a full-time worker

How can I market my products outside my colleague circle, asks a Fin24 user who holds down an 8am-5pm job.

• Seeing the light
• SA startup wins at London Book Fair
• Give up or keep going?
• Business plan power
• Five tips for entrepreneurs
• Keeping it in the family

Seeing the light

A knife attack on his eye was the catalyst for Pierre van Helden to start LED Lighting SA.

Keeping it in the family

No matter what their size or which sector they operate in, family businesses are critical to the financial wellbeing of countries.

• SA start-up wins at London Book Fair
• Cash flow hiccup
• Give up or keep going?
• Online retailer's bold move reaps rewards
• Initiative for fledgling entrepreneurs
• Revolutionising SA's franchising industry

Cash flow hiccup

After 35 years, a business owner is now facing a cash flow hiccup and is wondering where to turn to.

• Give up or keep going?
• Online retailer's bold move reaps rewards
• Buy a franchise or start from scratch?
• Business plan power
• Five tips for entrepreneurs
• Revolutionising SA's franchising industry

Revolutionising SA's franchising industry

Local entrepreneurs have the ability to revolutionise the franchising industry and in so doing strengthen the economy, says Nicolas de Sousa of Traditional Brands.

• Buy a franchise or start from scratch?
• Nandos banned TV ad goes to print
• Franchise advice
• Yum acquires 68 KFC restaurants
• Initiative for fledgling entrepreneurs
• Five tips for entrepreneurs

Initiative for fledgling entrepreneurs

A South African Breweries initiative offers training and funding to budding young business people from disadvantaged backgrounds.

• Have you ever thought of starting your own business?
• Are entrepreneurs born or made?
• Every startup's story

Business plan power

Take the time to draw up a proper strategy and you will reap the profits.

• Five tips for entrepreneurs
• Business lessons from zebras and giraffes
• How can I turn quotes into business?
• The cash flow factor
• Using my severance pay for a business
• Beef up your business strategy

Five tips for entrepreneurs

Down-to-earth advice from someone who's been there, done that and finally made his business breakthrough.

• Small firms struggle to get finance
• Become a business Legend
• Cleaning group makes its mark
• How to attract valuable clients
• Entrepreneurial stars
• 13 reasons why firms fail

Do you need a BOS?

A business card on steroids is a must-have, says Bertie du Plessis.

• Every startup's story
• KZN startup bags big Woolies contract
• Business lessons from zebras and giraffes
• New business heroes?
• How can I turn quotes into business?
• The cash flow factor

You can rescue your business

The key reason why companies go into debt is because they are not being paid on time, but you can buck this trend with business rescue.

• Are entrepreneurs born or made?
• Business lessons from zebras and giraffes
• From dreams to reality

Tax help for startup

Advice for an entrepreneur who has just started a franchise business.

• Fin24 answers your tax queries
• KZN startup bags big Woolies contract
• A truck for our startup
• Entrepreneur's growth struggle
• Business band-aid
• Nokia invests in mobile startups

KZN startup bags big Woolies contract

A boost from big business has helped a KwaZulu-Natal small business become a supplier of luxury paper bags for top Woolworths brands.

• Business lessons from zebras and giraffes
• From dreams to reality
• Call to relax tax laws for entrepreneurs
• Small business and the CPA
• Beef up your business strategy
• The cash flow factor

New business heroes?

Marius Pretorius presents scenarios for the business rescue industry.

• TopTV seeks business rescue
• Reprieve for 1time
• Worry as more firms go bust
• Velvet Sky liquidated
• Num: Pay workers first in liquidations
• Sanyati to be liquidated

The cash flow factor

If you don't manage your cash flows properly, your business can run out of cash and even end up facing liquidation.

• Beef up your business strategy
• Ramp up your business with effective PR
• Marketing your business
• SA environment not SME-friendly - study
• How to keep your clients
• Lay a solid foundation

SA environment not SME-friendly - study

It is becoming increasingly difficult to operate a small business in South Africa, and the SME community expects the trend to intensify, according to a study.

• Call to relax tax laws for entrepreneurs
• SMME development is paramount - Cope
• Small business tax query
• New payment system for SMEs
• Calibre of SA entrepreneurs picks up
• Small business and the CPA

Call to relax tax laws for entrepreneurs

The red tape and costs involved for small to medium businesses is stunting entrepreneurship, according to the South African Institute of Tax Practitioners.

• Sacci: Gordhan must reassure investors
• Budget must restore business confidence
• Gordhan’s private equity poser

Time is money

Why you should really not be wasting those 15 minutes per day.

• Beef up your business strategy
• Luhabe: World needs economic revolution
• Never too young for maths
• Play fair, entrepreneurs told
• Ramp up your business with effective PR
• Basis for business

Basis for business

A business model is a tool to create a dynamic business, says Ian Mann.

• Never lie in business
• The magnetism of demand
• Finding hidden talent
• How to get noticed
• Staff engagement
• Why 'A players' matter

Never too young for maths

Minimatics owner Philippa Gregory tells of how her love of maths and a need to uplift the country’s numeracy levels have moved her to start a business.

• Coping with calamity
• Safeguard your business
• Building a business from scratch
• Franchise advice
• How to rev up your business bio
• Reality check for business owners