Tag: tiisetso

How I Overcame Being a Bad Networker

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These points are extracted from my upcoming book The Anxious Entrepreneur.

I’m just not a good networker. I envy guys who have the skill to speak to just anyone, like my good friend Paseka Kalaku.  I suck at introducing myself to lots of people at an event.

What is to follow is how a mediocre networker like me manages more than just manage at networking.

The other night I was in Rosebank , I bumped into a good guy by the name Suede. This dude is a great connector. After greeting him I wondered why I felt gratitude towards him. I remembered that he once referred my then clothing label ‘gabble heights’ to participate in an African Fashion International event, without him knowing me personally then. The mileage from that event was awesome.

I guess Maya Angelou was right when she said: “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” Read more

South Africans do actually save, and the needs for economic growth

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Whenever the economy is not going so well, I often observe the blame being laid on consumers. To the contrary, I believe we South African consumers do save. I understand the reserve bank has to curb things or encourage them, by stepping in now and then.

To farce a bit, my cousin is still waiting for my response on an invitation to join their ‘wedding fund’ stokvel. You see, South Africans save. I speak for my black community, I don’t totally know of white folks. Definitely Indians save.

Below are some reasons I say South Africans save, some are a bit outlandish, but I will interject with reasons as to why. Read more

A magician’s model VS. a business model

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This is an extract from this article here

Wikipedia says: “A business model describes the rationale of how an organization creates, delivers, and captures value (economic, social, cultural, or other forms of value).”

Therefore a business model is primary for entrepreneurs to understand. As it’s the magic of creating and/or innovating value in products, turning revenue (profit) on the value and growing your venture.

Think the TV series Breaking The Magicians Code, the business model is the trick (not actual magic) which the magician devices, hoping it will give people transcending entertainment. I guess a good magician comes up with new tricks or innovatively recycles.

Us the audience, see the trick in its final form, now as magic (oh such joy and intrigue Read more

Are you un-networking?

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Networking is supposed t be a maneuver wherein one links with people in one way or another; with the intention of deriving or attracting future value, through putting out information which might benefit them-people, even if you don’t directly gain. This is hard for me to explain, but I trust you get the gist of what networking is.

I’m becoming less of a terrible networker. Maybe it’s because I know how I add value to processes, businesses or people. So when you ask me what I do, I just shout how I help out where I help out.

At The Hookup Dinner a while ago (it’s a networking event for entrepreneurs ok), I heard the networking queen (Helen Nicholson) say, when you tell people of what you do, say something like: I specialize in helping businesses achieve one two three. Not her exact words, but you catch my drift. This way of explaining exudes trust, and is welcoming, and leaves room for further conversation.

Un-networking

This is something perhaps a lot us of do unaware. We tarnish the value we possibly possess/portray, or chances of attaining any value. Read more