Business Tips - From Employee to Entrepreneur - Part 8

BUSINESS TIPS – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 8

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC

So far we have looked at:-
1. The difference between being an employee and an employer;
2. Your Purpose:
3. The People around you and
4. Your Personal Footprint.
5. Knowledge & what you do with it
6. The Generosity of your Spirit
7. The Role of Technology in your Business
8. Self Confidence
9. Creativity
10. Focus
11. Vision
12. Result
13. Networking
14. Leadership
15. Management
16. Problem Solving
17. Being Innovative
18. Teamwork
19. Strategy

Believe it or not there are a whole lot more – today we will explore a few more.

1. Branding
We all know just how important it is to brand ourselves.  Think about it for a moment, even the huge big brands like Coca Cola continue to spend millions on advertising, just to ensure that their branding remains forefront in the minds of the general populace.  Even the famous ‘no name brands’ are . . .  well brands in themselves – they brand the Pick ‘n Pay’s and the Checkers, as the in-house cheaper, but ‘just as good quality’ products.

The message is therefore very clear – if you don’t brand yourself, you are quite possibly branding someone else and you are most definitely sending prospective client’s elsewhere.  So get yourself and your company properly branded before you start you marketing campaigns.

2. Marketing
Marketing is about getting your message out there – the “who you are” and the “what you sell”, be that product or service.  It makes logical sense then that who you are and what you sell will only affect the people that ‘hear’ about you or travel as far as your message goes.  Pretty much like you may very well be known by everybody at your child’s nursery school, if you move to another province no-one at the new nursery school will know you at all.  In order for your marketing to be successful it has to reach everyone in your target market.

3. Profit and Passion
Unless you are a well-heeled (or married to a well-heeled) philanthropist, the fact of the matter is that you will need to make a living and in order to make a living you will need to make a profit.  Yes I know that ‘doing what you love’ means that it doesn’t feel like work, but that’s the beauty of doing what you love and charging for it – you will get out as much as you put in!  Okay, you might not get it out straight away, but you will reap the rewards at some point.  My workshop that was written almost 10 years ago now, has just brought in a huge lump sum and I mean huge – I wish you could see the look of pure glee on my face right now.  Actually if the truth be told, it is exactly that passion that you need in order to put the kind of effort in that will determine the kind of rewards that you will eventually get out.

If you’re doing it for free, you are not a business person but rather a philanthropist, if you are doing it for a fee then you are a business person – the challenge here of course is that you need to decide just who you are.

Next time we will continue to look at some of the other issues that you will need or be aware of to become a successful Entrepreneur.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Motivation - The Will

MOTIVATION – THE WILL

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Today’s quote comes from Muhammad Ali who said “The will, must always be stronger than the skill.”

Now this one gave me huge opportunity to dig down deep, to understand what exactly this means to me.

You see, I have always believed that in order for a person to hone the skill, they must have the will to practice and get it right.

I really don’t believe that there is a creature on the planet who can say that they got their skill or their gift, if you like, without putting hours of work and effort into getting it just quite right.  None of that would have happened if they did not have the will to make it happen.

Look around for a minute and really think about it, we often hear of an “overnight sensation”, and we take that to mean that this person went from absolute obscurity to being famous – overnight!  Yeah right!  Perhaps the recognition has come “overnight”, but you can rest assured that that person has worked their absolute butt’s off to get where they are.  The “recognition” comes after the will to succeed has driven them far beyond and above anything that they ever thought it would take to achieve that ‘recognition’.

Yes, some people have been blessed with a natural talent for something, but that talent would lie dormant, without life until such time as the will or the desire to use that talent became so strong that that person did something about it.  I don’t believe that there is any skill in the world that would manifest itself into being without the ‘will’ of the person to put it in place.  That ‘will’ then becomes an action, and believe me it is a repetitive action, to perfect that skill and in doing that, they eventually succeed and if they are really lucky, they will get the recognition.

So remember that the next time you make a mistake or fall over!  It is a repetitive action, but you have to have the will to get yourself up, dust yourself off and get back in the game – not once, or twice, but time and time again.  Each time you get back up, and perform the task again, you will do – just that little bit better, until before you know it, your skill will become effortless and second nature.  And when that happens, you too – will be that ‘overnight sensation’.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.

HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . You Are Not Sure About Workmen’s Compensation? – Part 4

HR 101 WHAT TO DO WHEN . . .  You Are Not Sure About Workmen’s Compensation? – Part 4

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour and Best Practice requirements.

Well, here we are and it is crunch time.  The registration is complete, the documents all sent in, the business assessed and it is all over – bar for the paying of course.  Well you didn’t think that this was all going to happen for free, did you?

So here’s what happens next:

You pay within the required 30 days – no problem, except that you get to repeat the whole exercise all over again next year, but at least you can relax for a whole year.

You don’t have the money to pay:  Well here, as in most aspects of life, there is a consequence or two or even several.  This is what can, but is not limited to what will, happen:-

• The Commission may impose a fine on you (the employer)

• In the instance that an employee has an accident and the assessment has not been paid, the Commission may, in addition to the original fine, impose an additional fine that is equal to the payment that would have been payable to the employee.

If you (the employer) still do not pay the assessment or the subsequent fines, the Commission is entitled to take legal action against you by approaching the Magistrates Court in order obtain the monies due.  The Magistrate has the power to impose an additional fine as well as a prison sentence not exceeding one year.

As you can see from the above, this is serious business.  Therefore, if for whatever reason you cannot pay it all up front, it is in your best interests to obtain permission to pay the money off in installments.

Should you have any additional queries, it may be a good idea to contact the Commission directly or seek assistance from a Labour Attorney.

Next week we tackle a brand new subject.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

Sales 101 - Selling in Tough Times - Part 4

SALES 101 - Selling in Tough Times – Part 4

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting February 2009.

For the final part in this particular series, I think it would be fitting to discuss the “Let’s look busy” syndrome.

Let’s face it folks, when times get tough and jobs are on the line, most people, including sales people feel the need to ‘look busy’, so they generally up their activity rate.  This means that they will look for more prospects, book more appointments, phone more.  Don’t get me wrong, doing all of these things, in itself is not a bad thing as long as all of this added activity is adding to the bottom line.  If these phone calls are turning into sales or the booking of appointments are turning into signed and confirmed deals or the prospecting is turning up gold – then of course it is a really good thing.  However, making appointments just to make yourself look busy is never a good idea.  Not only will the bosses cotton on at some stage, but it will also result in a false sense of achievement which will really knock you flat when the commissions or the business doesn’t come pouring in.  So be realistic in what you are doing.  Be honest about what you are doing – especially to yourself.  Don’t keep names of ‘potential’ prospects just because they make your list look longer – get rid of all the dead wood and work on the living instead.

Finally always believe in yourself.  Tough times are like most things in life – they will pass at some stage.  I have no doubt that you have been there before, I certainly have and one thing you can be sure of, we will both be there again.  It is the circle of life.  So understand that once they are over we will both be top of the heap again and we will prosper again.  How you choose to deal with and manage yourself during the bad times will determine the level of your success.  Think about all the positive aspects in your life rather than dwell on the negative.  Be selective about what you watch or read in the news – makes sure that you surround yourself with the good things, the positive things and positive people.

Stay focused, be disciplined in all that you do, retain your optimism and you will get through this.  Above all, remember to have fun.  Life is about living.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Networking 101 - The Importance of Developing Relationships

NETWORKING 101 – The Importance of Developing Relationships

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

I am pretty sure that we have all heard the saying “old school ties” or how about ‘the old boys club’?  I know that as a young woman growing up, I was fascinated by this whole concept of the ‘old boys club’ and the power that was generated out of there.  Little did I realize that one day I would have my own ‘old boys club’ but that mine wouldn’t just encompass the male species but the female one too.

For the male species though, networking and the ‘old boys club’ type of scenario is, I think to a large extent, almost instinctive.

I have a young God son, by the name of Bruce.  Bruce is now almost 30 but in his early 20’s he was living and going to Wharton’s Business School in the States, but as usual I have jumped too far ahead – let me go back to the beginning.

Bruce went to junior school at “The Ridge”, which for those of you who don’t know is an exclusive private school here in Johannesburg.  The children of the rich and famous attend this school (not that Bruce’s parents were either rich or famous but that is another story for another time).  Bruce, being the likeable child that he was, quickly made friends and pretty soon there was a steady group of youngsters that went everywhere together and did everything together – poor mothers were run ragged as they took turns collecting and delivering a pack of children to the various activities that they engaged in.  Bruce ‘chose’ his friends very wisely – many of them being the sons of prominent business men or powerful politicians and the like.

When it came time to choose a high school, funds were very tight and this would have limited the choice somewhat if it wasn’t for the fact that Bruce is exceptionally bright and he landed a full scholarship to Michaelhouse in the Drakensburg.  Although many of his ‘chosen’ friends were also going to Michaelhouse, Bruce made sure that he did not lose contact with the friends that went to several of the other private schools around, and so he started his ‘old boys club’ type network!

At Michaelhouse, he excelled academically, as well as in several of the sports and other activities, managing along the way to get himself into the Choir, that toured Russia and  Estonia as well as getting himself into the Debating Team, where he really excelled getting himself full colours, both provincially and then nationally.  He also managed to get himself on an exchange type program and got to live in Canada for 3 months at an exclusive school there.  Along the way he made friends, who he has always stayed in touch with.

Come time for his tertiary education, he requested and was given a full bursary to Wharton’s Business school in Philly – for those of you who don’t know this school – it was originally started by Abraham Lincoln and it is generally recognized as one of the best Business Schools in the world.  Here too Bruce has been making friends with kids from all over the world.  Kids who have extremely wealthy and well connected parents.  He has still not lost touch with all of those that he met along the way.

Ok, so by now you are wondering why I am telling you all of this – I mean, why would you be interested in hearing me waffle on about my Godson Bruce?

So here’s the deal – Bruce is being invited to cocktail parties and homes and offices of some of the most influential people in the world.  He is being invited to work, during the holidays, at places like The World Bank, the New York Stock Exchange and the like, by the father’s and mother’s of the kids that he has met and befriended.  In view of the fact that he has chosen, and is extremely passionate about the world of finance, this doesn’t hurt at all!

You see Bruce, from the time that he was a littlie, somehow knew how important it is to develop relationships and network those relationships, in order to get them to work for him and his desires.

Today he is one of the most well connected young men that I know, and I know for sure that he is going places.

So what about you – what kind of network do you have and do you ‘work it’ on a regular basis?

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

Business Tips - From Employee to Entrepreneur - Part 7

BUSINESS TIPS – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 7

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC

So far we have looked at:-
1. The difference between being an employee and an employer;
2. Your Purpose:
3. The People around you and
4. Your Personal Footprint.
5. Knowledge & what you do with it
6. The Generosity of your Spirit
7. The Role of Technology in your Business
8. Self Confidence
9. Creativity
10. Focus
11. Vision
12. Result
13. Networking
14. Leadership
15. Management

Believe it or not there are a whole lot more – today we will explore a few more.

1. Problem Solving
I doubt that there is a single business owner or entrepreneur out there who can honestly say that there is a single day that they don’t have to solve some sort of problem or another.  You have to be able to think outside of the box, change your mindset or your perspective and even think laterally.  Remember each problem that you solve successfully brings you one step closer to your ultimate goal and your success in the long term.

2. Being Innovative
In keeping with the previous point, all small business owners are innovative in one way or another – yes all of them, even the bookkeepers and accountants.  They have to be in order to compete.  Each business owner or entrepreneur has to find a ‘different’ way to do things.  They each have to make what they offer different to what everyone else offers (and I am not suggesting that anyone does anything illegal here okay!) The more unusual your offering or product, the more likely your company will become valuable.

3. Teamwork
A task/problem shared is a task/problem halved . . .  There is nothing truer than that, provided of course that you have the right team in place. Even though every team has a leader, someone who carries the ultimate responsibility and accountability, the reality is that a team where everyone contributes to ‘ideas’ as well as the tasks, works better together.  A team where everybody is part of the decision process is stronger as they are all working towards a common goal. Make sure that you have such a team!

4. Strategy
Winning the Lotto is by chance (provided of course that you have bought yourself a ticket).  Winning in business is because you have planned properly and you have a strategy in place.  Beware that your strategy and planning don’t stay in that stage, remember you need ‘action’ to get the work done and succeed.

Next time we will continue to look at some of the other issues that you will need or be aware of to become a successful Entrepreneur.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Motivation - The Wise Man

The quote today comes form Naguib Mabiuz – author, who says “You can tell whether a man is clever by his answers.  You can tell whether a man is wise by his questions.”

I have a pet hate, actually to be  completely honest – I have several pet hates, but for the purpose of this piece, I have a pet hate.  That pet hate is people who don’t ask questions!

Not, I’m not talking about asking questions for the sake of asking the question – I am talking about asking the question, because you don’t understand the statement!  Believe me there is a huge difference.

Those of you who know me, know that I run a workshop on “A Practical Guide to Starting a Business”.  I have facilitated the course with people on a ‘one on one’ basis and I have stood in front of a group of people and delivered the same course material.  In both instances I have received ‘blank stares’ from equally ‘blank faces’, when, as I go through the course material, I have asked the question (that I am sure most of you who have delivered any kind of course material, asks from time to time) “Do you understand what I have just said or would you like to ask a question?”

I am not sure if it is because people are scared of looking like a fool, or what the reason is, but somehow, somewhere, someone has no idea of what it is that I have just said and they don’t ask any questions!  I cannot understand this at all.  You see for me, a person looks more like a fool, if they tell me that they understand something when they don’t, because when it comes to doing the practical side of things and they can’t do it, then they look like the fool.  I am often heard saying that ‘the only stupid question is the one that you do not ask’.

I’ve got to the point now, from pure frustration, where, when people tell me that they understand what it is that I have just said, I ask them to firstly repeat what I have said and then secondly I ask them to tell me in their own words what they understand from the statement – you’d be amazed at the different kinds of answers that I get!  Some of them would be really amusing if the situation were any different.

So ask the question, it doesn’t matter how stupid you may think that you look or feel – but at the end of the day, you will be the one that understands the content and you will be the one that will stand ‘head and shoulders’ above the rest.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

HR 101 - What to do when . . . You are Not Sure About Workmen's Compensation - Part 3

HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . You Are Not Sure About Workmen’s Compensation? – Part 3

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.

You are now registered with Workmen’s Compensation and are in the process of submitting your Return of Earnings, but somehow though, you don’t feel that the tariffs used to calculate your assessment is 100% correct for what it is that you do.  Is there anything you can do about it?  Of course there is.  As in most things in life – not everything is a 100% fit!

The Commission has the authority to vary the rates that apply to your specific Company based on a whole bunch of criteria.

What you need to do now is get a Commissioner involved to do an assessment on your Company.  If the Commission is of the opinion that your business is structured and set up in such a way to make it highly unlikely that any accidents would occur and that if, per chance there was an accident, that it would be highly likely that they would occur far less often and be of a far less serious nature, than in another similar business, the Director General of the Commission may allow your business to be rated at a much lower rate.

Be aware though, that in life, as there is an ‘upswing’ so too there is a ‘downswing’, because if the Commission finds that you are not really as organized or safe as you thought you were and that in fact it is far more likely that your staff will have more accidents and more serious accidents than in another similar business, they also have the right and the responsibility to increase the rate that you would have been charged.  So make sure that you have all of your ducks in a row!

The annual fees are due and payable within 30 days of the receipt of their ‘Notice of Assessment’.  Should you have cash flow problems however, you can make arrangements with the Commissioner to pay the assessment fee in installments.

Currently there are 3 acceptable payment methods – they are cheque, direct deposit and internet banking.

If you pay by cheque, the remittance advice part of the notice of assessment must be included with the cheque.  Don’t forget to write your reference numbers at that the back of the cheque.

Paying by direct deposit means that you will have to make a trip to ABSA bank, however payment can be made at any branch.  If possible use the deposit slip that is attached to your notice of assessment as it already has all your reference numbers printed on it.  If you use a generic deposit slip though, remember to write your reference numbers on the deposit slip.  Always retain your deposit slip as proof of payment.

When paying by internet banking, be sure to include all the relevant information that is required by your financial institution as well as the correct reference number of your assessment.

The banking details of the Compensation fund are always included with your assessment.

Next week we will look at what happens when you fail to make payment.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

Sales 101 - Selling in Tough Times - Part 2

SALES 101 - Selling in Tough Times – Part 2

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting February 2009.

Following on from last week, here are some more tips on Selling in Tough Times.

The next one is Keeping your Pipeline full

This is definitely something that you should be doing all the time – not only when times are tough.  It’s a good idea to put at least one new prospect or opportunity into your pipeline on a daily basis.  Look around you, be aware of the people around you, be even more of all the opportunities that are in great abundance all around us all.  Remember though, recognizing an opportunity is great, but it is really not enough, you have to do something about it – it requires an action on your part for that opportunity to be turned into a reality.

Network

Oh this is one that I really like – Network, Network, Network!  Always, always, always have your business cards with you – don’t leave home without them.  Set a goal or a target of new people to meet on a daily basis – four or five new people a day is a good start.  Exchange business cards with them.  Find out who they are and what it is that they do.  Tell them who you are and what it is that you do.  Work the synergies between you and if there aren’t any, don’t stress it – connect them with the people in your database or your circle of influence that they may need to be in touch with.  Understand that this may not bring you any kind of business immediately, but what it will do is set you up for the future and future business.

Ask Questions

Most sales people don’t ask the right questions and very seldom listen. The usual for them is to launch into this huge explanation about their product or their service and long explanations about how their product or service will revolutionize your life.  Stop!  Instead of waxing lyrical about how wonderful your product or service is, ask your prospect what they need and want and then just shut up and listen - I mean really listen.  People feel more comfortable about buying something that they know they need rather than something that they are told that they need.  If their needs have been met, because you have listened to what it is that they need or want, the sale will be much easier.

Next week we will look at some more tips on Selling in Tough Times.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Networking 101 - Working the Networks

NETWORKING 101 - Working the Networks

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

Many of the people that I meet at networking meetings, seem to have this very naive concept about how networking works.  You see they seem to think that it’s enough just to pitch up at a networking meeting and if they make themselves available to whomever is there, the work will flow in.  Clearly, work will just fall like manna from the skies or claw its way out of the earth, to land very neatly into their laps!  Must be their pure magnetism that attracts it in the first place, whilst they, of course sit quietly, waiting for this momentous phenomenon to take place!  Yeah right – and you’re going to marry a tall dark handsome stranger who is rich beyond your wildest expectations!

Ok, so let’s look at the statistics – nothing like cold hard facts to get logic back into the picture.  Less than 3% of the people you meet in a networking meeting will actually contact you, do business with you or even take any kind of note that you exist.  Should you actually be one of that 3% and you get some work out of a networking event – lucky you.  Now you can sit back because they are going to refer you – here’s another cold hard fact!  Less than 10% of referral business “just happens”. 

What makes you think that you are so special that people want to walk around talking about you and your products or services?  What makes you think that they want to walk around telling people how great you are?

Be realistic people – networking and getting referrals, like any other thing in life, is hard work and it is something that you need to work at – constantly.  It takes hard work, actually to be honest - make that consistence, persistence and hard work!

Napoleon Hill, in his book “Think and Be Rich” (and if you have never read it, I strongly suggest that you need to get a copy), says “Persistence is an essential factor in the procedure of transmuting desire into its monetary equivalent.  The basis of persistence is the Power of Will.”

Oh, don’t get me wrong, getting yourself to a meeting is a good thing – but it is essentially, the first step.  Once there, you have to meet and introduce yourself to the people there, engage in conversation.  Tell them who you are and what it is that you do (briefly), listen carefully to what it is they do and who they are.  Then you need to follow up. 
• Send them an e-mail with your business profile and a short message telling them to expect a call from you
• Actually phone them and book an appointment with them to have a ‘one on one’ meeting with them.  No-one knows your business better than you – can you explain in three minutes who you are, what you do and why people need your products or services?  No, well neither can they.  So get together, have a coffee and chat.
• Pitch up for the meeting!  This is very important!  If you don’t pitch up, believe me – they will not refer you, no matter how fabulous your product is or how wonderful you are.  By not pitching up, you are telling them, very loudly that you are not reliable and you cannot be trusted!
• Tell them who you are, if you have any marketing material, this is the time to give it to them and explain it, yourself, your product and your service.
• Listen to who they are and what it is that they do – listen carefully (you expected them to listen to what you had to say, so return the favour).  Take notes, ask questions – satisfy yourself that you understand (even if it is only on the surface) their business.
• Make a list of all the people you can think of in your database, who might need their product or service or who might be able to introduce them to the people who might need their product or service.
• Introduce them to those people (I usually do this by means of an e-mail to both parties).
• If you are given a referral – contact the person you have been referred to.  These introductions are like gold, treasure them. Also remember to thank the person who has referred you too.

Once in your database, you can now relax – well you have their contact details and they have yours, so now they have nothing better to do than send you work! 

Wake up people!

Constantly remind them that you are available for work.  Send out regular e-mails or newsletters or invitations to other networking events.  Get into their faces and spaces (and I mean that in the nicest possible way – no spamming or stalking please), so that they don’t forget you, so that if an opportunity does arrive, the first person that they think of is you!

Easy hey?  Very - as long as you work at it constantly, persistently, every day, everywhere and all the time.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

Business Tips - From Employee to Entrepreneur - Part 6

BUSINESS TIPS – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 6

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC

So far we have looked at:-
1. The difference between being an employee and an employer;
2. Your Purpose:
3. The People around you and
4. Your Personal Footprint.
5. Knowledge & what you do with it
6. The Generosity of your Spirit
7. The Role of Technology in your Business
8. Self Confidence
9. Creativity and
10. Focus
11. Vision
12. Result

Believe it or not there are a whole lot more – today we will explore a few more.

1. Networking
One of the quickest ways to get to people who have more knowledge and more experience than you do is to network.  There are many SMME (small, medium, micro enterprises), entrepreneurial or start up networking groups out there for you to choose from.  Some leave you to your own devices, some are semi facilitated and some are fully facilitated – find one that suits your requirements and get networking.  Networking is also a great way to build relationships with like-minded people who often become suppliers and even customers and you will find people who will be willing to assist you by sharing their knowledge and experience.

2. Leadership
Every company needs a leader and as a business owner that is who you are – the leader.  Quite honestly, your business success (or failure for that matter) is intrinsically linked to and dependent upon your capability as a leader.  You will need to inspire your staff, you will need to gain the trust and respect of your staff and you will need to commit to them if you want commitment from them.  If you are not a natural leader or are unsure of your role as a leader, I would suggest that you get yourself off to some training as soon as possible as leaders are not necessarily born but they can also be made.

3. Management
Every business needs to be properly managed.  Whether you are on your own or you have staff, your business still needs to be managed and this is achieved by having some sort of plan in terms of the operation of the business.  What are you going to do with regard to sales, delivery etc. and how are you going to achieve that.  You have to know where you are going and how you are going to get there in order for you to succeed.

Next time we will continue to look at some of the other issues that you will need or be aware of to become a successful Entrepreneur.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Motivation - Time Management

MOTIVATION -TIME MANAGEMENT

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

The quote today comes from William D. Reiff, who says "Without the management of time, you will soon have nothing left to
manage"

How many times do we not only say, but also hear the words “I don’t have the time ……”

I know that I have been saying it, probably several times a day for the last three months – this year certainly seems to have gotten away from me, I don’t know about the rest of you.

I am sitting here at my desk, after two days of doing literally nothing, with a huge guilty feeling hanging over my head, as I look at the piles of work that are sitting on my desk – I know that the work will get done, at some point and at a cost – the cost being to me, to my time.

Looking at my diary, everything neatly allocated, it would seem that I have designated my time very effectively and constructively and to be quite honest that is exactly what I have done.  The problem arises, with people who have not been allocated any time, but who now suddenly need it desperately. Ironically, it’s those same people (desperate for my time and who demand the most) who pay the least and who take the longest time to pay.

Yet - still my challenge is to say “No”!

So I guess my New Year’s resolution this year is to say the word ‘No’ to those that need it saying to – once I have mastered that, my time management will be an absolute breeze!

So to all of us out there who do not have time – my question to you, is the same one that I had to ask of myself! 

Do you know how to say No and even more importantly . . . mean it?

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

HR 101 - What to do When . . . You are not sure about Workmen's Compensation - Part 2

HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . . You Are Not Sure About Workmen’s Compensation? – Part 2

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour Relations and Best Practice requirements.

So now you have registered and as required you need to send in your ‘Return of Earnings’ – what on earth is that.

You see, unlike most of the other ‘insurance’ legislated requirements, Workman’s Compensation is calculated and paid for on an Annual Basis and based on the Annual Salaries paid.  Let’s have a look at the requirements.

When are employers required to submit their return of earnings?

The W.AS 8 is the form that deals with the Return of Earnings, and this must be completed and submitted by no later than 31st March each year.  Once again the form can be downloaded from the Department of Labour site at http://www.labour.gov.za or from me (mail me on nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za).

The return has to include, but not be limited to the following information:

- The amount of earnings paid by the employer to their employees, during the period from the 1st day of March the preceding year, up to and including the last day of February the following year.  In other words it works exactly along the same dates as the tax year.  For example on the 31st March 2009, the amount of earnings paid by the employer during the period 1st March 2008 to 28th February 2009. 

- Should the employer have opened the business between these date an ‘estimate’ needs to be submitted.

- In all instances the Accountant must sign off to indicate the correctness of the information.

- Should the employer have more than one business or more than one premises, the Commission may require the employer to issue separate returns for each place or type of business.

- Any other information required by the Commission.

The amount that is required to be paid is based on an Assessment fee.

What is an Assessment?

The salary bill, together with the Assessment tariff will produce the Annual Assessment fee.

Let me back it up for a moment.

Logic will tell you that someone who works in an office, quietly without having to drive around or be exposed to dangerous chemicals etc will have far less chance of getting hurt at work than say someone who drives a Construction Crane or who works at a Chemical Factory.  So there are different tariffs for different jobs and they are based on the risks associated with the type of work that is being done.

The Assessment fee is calculated by the following formula.

Assessment fee = total workers’ pay, divided by 100 multiplied by the assessment tariff.

Logic must also tell you that there are many individual types of jobs that are exempt from being assessed as they carry very little if any kind of risk.

Who is exempt from being assessed?

In terms of the Act, the following institutions are not required to be assessed.  These are, but not limited to:
“
• National and provincial spheres of government, including parliament;
• A local authority who has obtained a certificate of exemption from the Workmen’s Compensation Act;
• A Municipality that has received an exemption;
• An employer who has, with the approval of the Director General, obtained from a mutual association a policy of insurance for the full extent of his potential liability in terms of the Act for all employees employed by him.”

Well I say that is pretty clear – so if you employ anyone, including yourself, and you wish to become exempt – you have to apply and receive a certificate evidencing the exemption.  Exemption is not automatic.

Next week we will have a look at when the Commissioner varies the tariff of assessments, when the employer must pay and ‘how to’ pay.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

Sales 101 - Selling in Tough Times - Part 3

SALES 101 - Selling in Tough Times – Part 3

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC

Following on from last week, here are some more tips on Selling in Tough Times.

Be Prepared
This one I am seriously found wanting on!  You see, since all of my leads come out of Networking, I have already, very briefly met the person that I am having a meeting with (except of course when it is a referral), so I do know a little bit about them, presuming of course that I remember who they are.

The problem is that I have a very bad memory with names and faces and the fact of the matter is that I am usually meeting them for the second time, for an in depth meeting, several months down the line.  What I should perhaps (in fact very definitely) be doing is googling them and finding out as much as I can about them and what it is that they do so that I am not going into the meeting blind.

What this tells the person that you are meeting, when you know a bit about them and what it is that they do or what their company is all about, is that you are serious about what it is that you do.  It creates a tremendous amount of credibility for you as it shows that you were interested enough in what is to come out of the meeting, to find out more about them and then be able to discuss or ask questions that make sense.

Sell reliability.
Well now, this one certainly pertains to me.  I often start off amused and then slowly (actually it quite quickly) become quite irritated with a sales person, that waxes lyrical about the technical stuff that happens with a product. 

I am not a techno person, so I don’t understand the stuff and when I don’t understand it, throwing all the technical jargon at me, just makes me realize how many things can go wrong with the product.

Tell me the bottom line in easy to understand English.  Tell me in easy to understand English if there is a guarantee and what brings it into effect. 

Two of my favorite sales (and they both happened over a year ago) are:  It was time to upgrade my cell phone, something that can normally be extremely frustrating for me.  I walked into MTN at Rosebank and spoke to the young chap behind the counter.  I said something along the lines of “I am a Nokia girl, this is what I have – I want the same or better and I don’t want to have to pay in.”  Five minutes later I walked out with my new phone, all the paperwork done and dusted.

The second one was the purchase of my digital camera.  Now I am not one to rush around like a mad thing taking happy snaps all the time, but I do take photos from time to time and it was time to drag myself kicking and screaming into the 21st century.  I walked into the camera shop in Cresta and spoke to the young chap who always sorted the printing of my photo’s out.  I said something along the lines of “I have no idea of the brand that I want, I want something simple that I can point at the general direction and it takes a reasonable photo.  I don’t want to have to decide weather it is dark or light, the camera must do that for me, and it must not cost more that R2.50 (that’s always said with a huge grin on my face, but they understand what it is that I am saying.”  Fifteen minutes later I walked out of shop with a new camera, camera bag and several other accessories.  The camera had been programmed for me and all I have to do is press the two buttons – one to switch the thing on and the other to take the picture.  Perfect!

In both of these instances, the sales person listened to me.  They listened to what it was that I wanted and they gave it to me.  In most of my other disastrous shopping experiences the sales person doesn’t listen to what it is that I want, instead they try to give me what they think I should have.  Half the time I don’t understand what they are trying to say because I am not a technical person and I have no interest in hearing all that waffle.

Most people will tell you that I am extremely difficult – I disagree.  If you give me exactly what it is that I want I am the easiest person on the planet.  I am sure that if you tell these two salesmen that I am difficult they will disagree and tell you that it was the easiest and quickest sale that they have ever made.

Next week we will look at some more tips on Selling in Tough Times.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Networking 101 - Networking is also for Corporate Employees

Networking 101 - Networking is also for Corporate Employees

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

I still have a number of colleagues and friends in the Corporate World (shame hey!), and am often amazed at some of the comments that I hear about networking.  The one that astounds me the most is “I don’t go to networking events because I get ‘hit on by people looking for work’!”  Oh how sad!

On a personal level, I just don’t think that most corporate people ‘get it’ – the plot I mean, or what networking is all about.

Not going to a networking event because you are afraid of people trying to get you to give them work or because they would like to become your service providers is just not clever. 

Yes, some people will ‘hit’ on them – there is no doubt about that.  In fact I can pretty much guarantee it, however they fail to see the ‘big’ picture!

You see by not going to these events, they will not be meeting new people and by not meeting new people, their own network is not going to grow, and not actively growing their network is not clever.  In fact it could have some serious, adverse repercussions on their businesses.

I am often reminded of this when I attend some of the Business Engage (www.businessengage.co.za) functions.  Business Engage is supported by many of the Corporate’s in the financial world – in particular banks and insurance companies.  In most instances the Corporate has taken out a block membership to Business Engage for their staff.  Most of the functions are attended by someone who “represents” the Corporate entity and in many cases, this someone has no interest what-so-ever in networking.  In fact they see this as an obligation to their employer and a chance to have a free meal.

They are so easy to spot and it’s not difficult to see how different they are to the entrepreneur.  The entrepreneur is bouncing around the place, interacting with new people, exchanging business cards and generally working the opportunity that they have, whilst the corporate employee is sticking to their respective groups and trying hard not to ‘talk to strangers’!

My message to the Corporate world is this – “you guys need to get with the programme”!  When it comes to making and sustaining sound Business Connections  - the entrepreneur is streets ahead of the corporate.  Entrepreneurs are hungry for new contacts, they explore every business opportunity available to them, from meeting that new contact to looking  for new innovative ways to do business!

Let me put it this way – we all talk about the bottom line – my bottom line is this:

All of my business comes through networking!  I do not advertise, I do not do any marketing.  You will not see anything about my business on a flyer.  There are no advertisements in magazines or any other periodicals.  Yet I am beginning to be well known in the market place.

I wonder why that is?  Perhaps it is because I am a natural networker and I use every opportunity to talk to people, about who I am and what my business is.

The question is – shouldn’t you?

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

Business Tips - From Employee to Entrepreneur - Part 5

BUSINESS TIPS – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 5

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC – November 2012

So far we have looked at:-
1. The difference between being an employee and an employer;
2. Your Purpose:
3. The People around you and
4. Your Personal Footprint.
5. Knowledge & what you do with it
6. The Generosity of your Spirit
7. The Role of Technology in your Business
8. Self Confidence
9. Creativity and
10. Focus

Believe it or not there are a whole lot more – today we will explore a few more.

1. Vision.
One of the greatest strengths that many Entrepreneurs have when they start out is their ability to ‘think big’!  One of the biggest weaknesses that many Entrepreneurs have is to ‘start big’!  The first thing that they seem to do, once they have borrowed the finance to start the business is to rush out and buy the designer car, the designer clothes and live the designer life – the problem with that is, that it is never sustainable.

I was told the tale the other day of a chap who applied for and received financial assistance from the bank to purchase some much needed machinery that would assist him in automating much of his factory, which of course would increase his capacity because he could now produce his products a lot faster and a lot cheaper and this in turn would mean that his sales would increase too.  Now please understand the loan was for quite a considerable amount – it was in excess of R2m.  As soon as this chap had the money in his account he rushed out and bought . . . . no, not machinery – well I suppose technically a brand new sports car would be considered a machine!  The result . . .  as soon as the bank found out what he had done, they forced him to return the car and he immediately lost R100 000 on the deal.  Quite frankly, I have no sympathy at all.

Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing whatsoever wrong with dreaming the big dream and thinking big, but when you start out, you need to ‘start small’ and grow big.

2. Result
Being able to achieve your dream and make a success of  the business that you are trying to build, is not just about your efforts.  It’s not just about ‘doing’!  Sure your actions are important and without them you will never get going or get to where you want to be.  The key here is ‘achieving’, it’s about getting the desired results. It’s about being able to measure what you are doing, so that you can manage your efforts to ensure that you achieve the results that you are looking for.

Let me explain . . I often find myself running around like a headless chicken.  This usually happens when I receive a panic call from a prospective client, who needs XYZ now and not a moment later.  Because I am always on the look out for new business and despite the fact that I have scheduled time for my current clients, I will drop everything to try and meet the requirements of the prospective client, who at the end of my running around, gathering information, putting a proposal together – then decides that they will ‘shelve’ the idea to another time when they have sufficient time/money/resources (insert what you want here) to implement what they were thinking about.  I on the other hand have run around like a mad possessed person, getting everything together so that I could meet their rushed deadlines and achieved . .  exactly nothing!

Now remember, I still have clients who have expectations and I have yet to meet my deliverables, so that usually means that I have to work through the night or over the weekend to ensure that I give them the results that they expect and that they pay for. My result here is that at the end of all of this, yes I have met my deliverables, but I am exhausted, frazzled and often angry with myself, the prospective client and the world in general – not a good place to be.

As you can see, my personal challenge (and I suspect that it is true of many Entrepreneurs), is that I have to learn to say ‘no’ to prospective clients who have unrealistic, last minute requirements.  In other words, My efforts need to harvest achievements.

Next time we will continue to look at some of the other issues that you will need or be aware of to become a successful Entrepreneur.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Motivation - The Price of Excellence

MOTIVATION – The Price of Excellence

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

William Arthur Ward says “the Price of Excellence is discipline.  The Cost of mediocrity is disappointment.”

I cannot begin to tell you about the number of clients who I see on a daily basis who are faced with the disappointment that comes because of their own mediocrity.

Oh don’t for a minute think that they are disappointed or angry or even resentful because they see themselves as the problem or that they have been mediocre in their businesses or with their staff or with the VAT/Tax man.  Oh no!  Their disappointment is always because of something or someone else.  It couldn’t possibly be because of what they may have or may not have done!

The reality of course is usually very different.  It is entirely because of their own actions or more often than not, their inactions.

Often though (to give them a little benefit of the doubt), their action or inaction is directly attributable to their lack of knowledge on the subject.  Again, in all truthfulness, this is also directly attributable to their own lack of discipline.  I can actually see everybody’s hackles rising as they read these words.  But actually that is exactly what it is – lack of discipline because inadequate research has been done and it’s been a case of, “Jump right in honey, the water is just fine!”

You see too often we have an idea for a product or business and without doing the proper research or understanding the full consequences of our actions or inactions, we just jump right in and then of course when we fail, it’s everybody else’s fault, definitely not ours.  We didn’t have the self discipline to sit down, do the research, work out the numbers, calculate the risks against the rewards and then make an informed decision.

Of course, there are those of us who have the information and the know the risks but who choose not to work in a disciplined environment, or who want to ‘cheat’ the system or who thrive on taking risks.  For those too, it’s also everyone else’s fault when they get ‘caught out’.  It’s the VAT/tax man who has killed their business – not their lack of discipline to manage their VAT or tax.  Or how about the Department of Labour, who has imposed a huge fine for non compliance, that may result in the business folding – not their unfair Labour practice or lack of discipline in following the rules, that protect both them and their staff.

In both of these instances (and thousands of others that result in the failure of a business), the implementation of simple policies and procedures and the discipline needed to follow them, would have been sufficient to avoid the problems and their subsequent consequences altogether.

But no – it’s easier to apportion blame than it is to admit that we were in the wrong!

It’s easier to ‘go with the flow’ than it is to set the boundaries and limits and be disciplined enough to stay within these parameters.

Be warned though – those of you who just ‘go with the flow’ usually end up learning and also paying for the hardest lesson of all – the lesson of failure and disappointment.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.

HR 101 - What to do When . . . You are not sure about Workmen's Compensation - Part 1

HR 101 - WHAT TO DO WHEN . . .  You Are Not Sure About Workmen’s Compensation? – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen – N Viljoen Consulting CC.

Please note that this pertains to South African Labour and Best Practice Requirements.
There seems to be a great deal of confusion about who must register, where to register, how to register and when to register, so I thought it would be a good idea to try and demystify it.
So here are the important factors to consider as a Business Owner. Who Must Register With The Workman’s Compensation Fund and How Does One Register:
As a Business Owner in South Africa, if you employ a staff member (and that includes you – so if the only staff member is you) then you need to be registered. The Compensation for Occupational Injuries and Diseases (COID) Act of 130 of 1993 defines and employer as:
“Any person, including the state, who employs an employee and includes:-  Any person controlling the business of the employer;

- If the services of an employee are lent or temporarily made available to some other person by the employer, such employer for such period as the employee works for that employee;
- A Labour Broker who against payment provides a person to a client for the rendering of a service or the performance of work and for which service or work such person is paid by the Labour Broker.”

Well that is pretty straight forward – so for example, I as Viljoen   Consulting CC do not have any staff members on the one hand, but ‘pay’ myself a salary on the other hand (to get the best tax benefits), so I will now need to Register for Workman’s Compensation.

The form that is required to be completed is the prescribed (Form WA52 – which can be downloaded from the Department of Labour site or requested from myself) and the employer is required to submit a separate form for each business he/she has.

What Records Are To Be Kept By the Employer

The Act says that the employer has to keep a register or some form of record of the earnings and particulars of employment. This record must be kept for a period of 4 (four) years.

The Act also says that this record must be kept open for inspection, not only for a representative of the Health & Safety fraternity but also for the Health & Safety Representative who must be elected in terms of the Act or also in terms of the Mine & Health Safety Act 29 of 1996 or for any of the shop stewards or similar Union officials.

Next week we will have a look at when to submit the return of earnings, what an assessment is and who may be exempt from being assessed.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

Sales 101 - Selling in Tough Times - Part 1

SALES 101 - Selling in Tough Times – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting

I keep hearing all around me that we are in the middle of an economic crisis and a credit crunch.  I must say that I am really not convinced!  I mean the interest rates haven’t gone up – so I am not totally sold on the whole concept.  That said, for those who have ‘bought into’ the whole ‘economic crisis’ scenario and also for those like me who want to make life really easy for themselves, here are some tips on the “how to” sell in tough times.

Existing Satisfied Customers.
I have no doubt that even at our worst, we have left some satisfied customers in our wake.  Surely to goodness, logic must tell us that if we have satisfied them once, it cannot be that difficult to satisfy them again.  Reconnect with them, rekindle the relationship that you once had with them and find out what it is they need/want/desire.  If it is something that you can do for them – fabulous, if it isn’t, don’t stress, connect them with who they need out of your database.  This still means that you are adding value to them and they will remember you all the more for it.

Ask for Referrals
What is it about the human race and South African’s in particular, that we find it so incredibly difficult to ask for help?  We find it very easy to help, to assist – I mean, we are internationally known for our friendliness and generosity. Yet we cannot seem to ‘ask’ when we need the help.

It’s very easy you know, just do it – ask for what you want.  Ask your friends, your relatives, your clients (past and present) to refer you to the people within their circle of influence.  It will cost them a few minutes of their time and it will increase your sales exponentially.  How cool is that?  Even more cool is the number of references that you are likely to get out of the exercise.

Putting on the Pressure.
It is said that in the tough times, it is not a good idea to put pressure on a client in order to close the deal.  I would take that one step further and say that it is never a good idea to push someone into a corner in order to close a sale!

Be warned – if you do push a client like this, in all likelihood you will never sign a deal with them ever – not just this one deal, but never another deal ever.

People like to take some time to think about what it is that they want to do.  They like to think about the pro’s and con’s of what they need/want/desire – the more pressure you apply the more they will resist and the more desperate you will appear.  You will not only lose the sale, you will lose the client too.  Don’t do it!!

Next week we will look at some more tips on Selling in Tough Times.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Networking 101 - The Value Add of Referrals

NETWORKING 101 - The Value Add of Referrals

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

At some point you are going to need the contacts that you have met whilst networking.

Today is only Tuesday and I have already referred about 15 people this week, out of my data base – all of whom I have met whilst networking. 

You see in some instances, many of my colleagues ask me to refer people because, well firstly, they know that I have met with and chatted, on a one on one, type basis, every single person in my data base. Secondly, I have listened to what it is that they do and asked questions about their businesses.

Can I guarantee their work, or their commitment – no of course I can’t, but it is certainly a lot more trustworthy than picking someone out of the yellow pages!

So what does that mean for me – well firstly the person who has asked me for assistance, now on a subconscious level feels that they  “owe me”.  What this means is that the next time they hear of someone in need of the type of work that I do, they will be very quick to refer me because that will then even the score.  That means that work will be coming in.

Secondly, the person who has been referred – knows that I have referred them and now on a sub-conscious level they also ‘owe me’.  What this means is that the next time they hear of someone in need of the type of work that I do, they will be very quick to refer me because that will then even the score.  That means that work will be coming in.

There are some instances where people, who I refer, simply feel that they are not in a position to refer me to anyone – now here comes the fun part.  I have worked out a deal with these service providers – I get their time for free!  So now I have my own contractual attorney – I never sign anything without her having a look at it (for free).  I have my own Labour Attorney – I can give advice to clients and check my facts before I give the advice (for free).  I have my own Accountant, who does my books and looks after my tax issues (for free), and so on.

In fact, I am far better off than any Corporate Company – because I have specialists who are passionate about what they do and are committed to giving good service and value for money – where have you ever found a Corporate Company that can make that statement, with conviction and honesty?

The bottom line is that I have built a ‘Virtual Company’ out of my networking.  I have opened myself up to recognize the potential value, to my business, of every single person that I have met.  I did that by meeting one person at a time, engaging in a conversation with that person, by understanding what it is that they do and by listening to what people want.

How strong is your ‘Virtual Company’ – and do you actually have one?

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za

Business Tips - From Employee to Entrepreneur - Part 4

BUSINESS TIPS – From Employee to Entrepreneur – Part 4

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting CC –

So far we have looked at:-
1. The difference between being an employee and an employer;
2. Your Purpose:
3. The People around you and
4. Your Personal Footprint.
5. Knowledge & what you do with it
6. The Generosity of your Spirit and
7. The Role of Technology in your Business

Believe it or not there are a whole lot more – today we will explore a few more.

1. Self Confidence
As an entrepreneur you need a whole bunch of self-confidence.  There will be times when you will be the only person who believes in YOU and what you are capable of doing.

Understand yourself, understand who you are, understand what you are capable of and understand how far you are prepared to go to achieve your dream.

Understand that there will be occasions that you will walk on the road with someone, be they mentor or collaborator or partner or customer or supplier or friend, but there will also be times that you will walk alone – be prepared for it and deal with it.

There will be times when you celebrate your successes and there will be times when it will feel as though you are all alone in the world – in those times, will you still believe in yourself?  That is a question that you have to ask yourself and that is a question only you can answer and it will require a brutally honest answer.

2. Creativity
Understand that as an entrepreneur, even accountants or auditors, are creative.  Yes, you actually read that correctly.  ALL entrepreneurs are creative – they have ‘created’ something, they have breathed life into something that did not exist.  That’s huge!  We are creative when we ‘put the picture’ together in our minds of how we want our businesses to look, to feel and to work. That is also why it is of the utmost importance that entrepreneurs reserve time to dream.  If you cannot dream it, it will not happen and only having one dream is kind of defeating the object – we need to dream all the time.  Take time out to dream, book it in your diary if you need to, but make sure that you take the time to draw pictures in your mind of what you want to happen, to dream the future.  Remember though it will still require an action (well to be honest many actions) to turn that dream into a reality.

3. Focus
One of the quickest ways to lose you way is to lose your focus.  Whether you are working on a document or preparing a presentation or raising an invoice or indeed running an entire business, when you lose focus you veer off the road and all manner of disasters and conflict await you.

Here’s the thing, although women (and even some men) proudly profess to be effective and efficient at multi-tasking, the fact of the matter is that the brain is designed and wired to only hold one thought at a time.  You may think that you are holding two or more, but realistically you are ‘switching’ between thoughts or in effect losing focus, particularly if the two thoughts are on unrelated issues.

Make sure that you always have your ‘end goal’ clearly visible – mine are on ‘post it notes’ all over the office, so I can see them all the time.  That way you will have them in your thoughts constantly and it will make it that much easier to maintain your focus.

Next time we will continue to look at some of the other issues that you will need or be aware of to become a successful Entrepreneur.

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or http://www.viljoenconsulting.co.za

Motivation - The People You Don't Even Know

MOTIVATION – THE PEOPLE YOU DON’T EVEN KNOW

By Nikki Viljoen of N Viljoen Consulting CC

It is said that “your life can be changed in a matter of seconds by people you don’t even know”

For me, I don’t think it even matters as to whether or not you are actually even open to the possibility of that moment or even open to the change that that moment might bring.

These are the moments, or what, Oprah Winfrey calls “Ah Ha!” moments, that usually come completely out of the blue or when you least expect them and yet quite possibly they are the moments that can and probably will change the direction of your life or be the defining moment when you change intrinsically as a person.

That’s not to say that you will only experience one of these moments in the course of your life time.  I certainly haven’t!  But then of course why would you limit yourself to only one of these deliciously appetizing, soul defining moments?  You don’t have to you know.

That said, like your first kiss or your first love – your first ‘Ah-Ha’ moment is one that you are unlikely to ever forget.  I certainly couldn’t.

My defining moment came in November 1999, when I sat in front of a complete stranger by the name of Vanessa Paige and she was reading my Tarot cards.

Now I can see all of you smiling and nodding your head in unison – a Tarot card reading!

Well let me tell you, this was not a Tarot card reading that you have done by the Gypsies  who live in caravans or the fortune tellers that you engage with at the fun fair.  This was a reading like I have never encountered in my life! And this was the reading that changed the course of my life and who I am as a person.

You see Vanessa told me that I was a worthwhile person.  That I had the right to make my own decisions and my own choices.  That it was my life and that I had the right and the power to live it.  She told me that I had “given away my power” to bosses that used and abused it, to friends who did not appreciate me and to family, who took as much as they could and then discarded me.

Vanessa made me understand that I could take my power back, I could be somebody, a worthwhile somebody, who could make a valuable contribution to this world. All I had to do was to believe in myself and start to love – me.

And you know what else?  Vanessa told me that she believed in me!

This was the first time that anyone had ever said anything like this to me and the effect was quite profound.

It has been a slow and sometimes painful journey, but it has also brought me much happiness and fulfillment.

I now own my own business.  I make a difference in the lives of others.  I write for magazines and newspapers. I have been interviewed and appeared on TV.  I have been the guest speaker at huge functions – but most of all, most powerful of all – I am the master of my own destiny.

And all it took was one brief moment in time, with someone I did not know!

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za.