A breakfast for business owners
Businessowners and stakeholders gathered at MRR for a business breakfast hosted by Ekurhuleni Captains of Industry Forum (COIF) on Thursday, March 20.
Henry Grimbeek, managing director of the Shared Services Investment Company, who has four books under his belt, talked on 2014 business challenges and counter-actions.
According to Grimbeek, change is coming, and lots of it. This means that many businesses will not survive till the year 2020.
He listed technology, social media, green agenda, faceless customers, and the third youth revolution as drivers of change.
He asked businessowners what they thought were the main challenges that they faced.
Answers included the weak rand, E-toll, legislation and compliance, credit crisis and growth and sustainability.
Grimbeek acknowledged these points, but dismissed them, encouraging business owners to focus on things they have control over as they push to move from tough times to rewarding times.
He pointed out that businessowners would have to conduct readiness assessment to ensure that they are ready to face challenges such as uncertainty, attracting new businesses, financing, competition, recruitment, technology, and balancing quality with growth in the next year.
In his counter actions, he encouraged business owners to have a plan and strategy to deal with external issues, and to invest in their staff members, through training and rewarding them as he reminded them that people are their biggest assets.
Grimbeek emphasised that the power to take 2014 from tough to rewarding, lay in the hands of the business owners.
In his closing, he quoted a few scriptures from the Bible as he encouraged business owners to have passion, be pro-active, and strive for perfection and to have faith.
