Blogging 101 – Lessons to Make Your Blog Ratings Soar

 Blogging 101 – Lessons to Make Your Blog Ratings Soar

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Contrary to popular belief, there are millions of bloggers out there, all who have a voice of sorts, many of whom have something intelligent to say (and of course those who just sprout absolute nonsense.) How on earth do you get your voice (or writing in this case) to be heard above the clatter?

Here are some thoughts of mine that may help . . .

1. Those who know me will attest to the fact that I tell it like it is.  I don’t sugarcoat things which means, of course, that often what I write about is not necessarily what you want to hear.  Quite honestly, it is also often what I need to hear.

This means that I often tackle subject matter that is universally known as the ‘tough stuff’ and to make myself clear (and in the spirit of transparency,) I don’t mince my words.  I don’t cross over the lines of the law or name and shame very often (and that would pertain strictly to individuals although I have on occasion named Companies) and one of my friends often says “Nikki!  You need a filter!” my response to that is “I’ve never had one and I’m too old and cranky to get one now!”

All of that said, I do believe that it is a good thing to have those “difficult conversations” once in a while and in view of the fact that I write the same way that I speak, I consider these blogs as my contribution to humanity.

2. Share the love! (or, in this case, the information).  Find like-minded individuals and get them to post the blogs on their FB pages or on their websites and allow them to do the same on yours.  Obviously, this means that you will reach a far greater audience.

Be sure though to collaborate with individuals who share the same passions that you do rather than just someone who is willing to let anyone post, as long as they have content.

Let me give you some examples – I was recently approached by someone in the “wellness” industry and believe me when I say “wellness” industry with my tongue in my cheek.  Without saying the name, they sell a well-known men’s “bits and pieces” enhancement pills and they figured that many of my readers are male and that qualified and entitled them to post on my blogs.  As an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist, I of course had a different perspective.  Despite the fact that many of their readers may be Entrepreneurs, the fact of the matter is that my post on their website and visa versa would be inappropriate.

It would also be prudent to do some research and check them out.  Are they who they say they are and do they do what they say they do? Check out some of their posts – are they aligned to what you do and visa versa.

Remember too that this is a collaboration so you both need to benefit in terms of traffic to your website or other social media coverage.

3. Tip number 2 flows neatly into tip number 3.  It doesn’t have to be your own material.  No-where is it written that you have to only use your own material!  It’s your blog and you can do as you please!

That said, of course, it is always a good idea to get the other author’s permission and make sure that you give them the credit.

If you don’t even know who wrote the material, be sure to mention that.  It will strengthen your credibility and your trustworthiness. 

4. Finally, many people are of the opinion that you should blog or tweet, not both!

I say “the hell with that” and do both!  The reality is that some folk enjoy tweets as opposed to blogs and others prefer it the other way around.  Why not cater to both?  Either way, the choice is yours – there is no wrong or right way here, it’s what suits you the best.

Till next time . . . happy blogging!

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 - Introverts & Extroverts

 Networking 101 - Introverts & Extroverts

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

I was discussing Networking with one of my colleagues the other day when he turned around to me and said, in all honesty “I’m not a natural networker because I am an introvert!”  I stood there with my mouth hanging open . . .  for several seconds.  You see, I am a natural networker and I am also an introvert!  Ok, everybody, you can get up off the floor now and stop laughing!  I am an introvert!  Ask my shrink!

It’s not that I am shy around people or afraid to be in public.  Those of you who know me can attest to that.  I not too good at small talk though, I much prefer to get into debates on issues that are important to me or not . . . Being with people on a constant basis often leaves me completely drained of all energy and I spend most weekends, on my own, relishing in the “space” that I have on my own without any other people around me.

I am not “naturally” good with people and although I have been told that I am a “people’s person”, I don’t feel that way at all.  Mixing with people and interacting with them is a conscious thing for me and it is something that I have to work at – hard.

Why do I work hard at it?  Well, that’s quite simple – you see I understand the value of networking.  I don’t see networking as a waste of time or pain in the butt (although generally speaking, for introverts it is exactly that).  

Networking for me is me investing in myself and my company.  You see, by developing my network in the way that I have, when I need a particular product or a particular service, I don’t have to spend hours doing research on the internet, or paging through the yellow pages, or time and money sending out endless e-mails looking for help. It takes me one or two phone calls to find the exact person that I am looking for.  In fact, if the truth is told, most of my colleagues phone me when they need anything because I usually have that particular contact within my database.

For me, that is a triple win situation.  You see not only do I add value to the person who is looking for someone/something, but I also add value to the person in my database who is that someone or who can provide that service, but in connecting these two, I have added huge value to myself – both will feel indebted to me and payback is always very sweet!

There’s a great deal more to Networking as an introvert, so more next time.

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

Business Tips – Preoccupations

 Business Tips – Preoccupations

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Dr Renate Volpe, in her Leadership Insight Nuggets, says “The “new age” leader appreciates that preoccupation with living issues, affects our ability to perform at optimal potential”.

My obvious question (well to me it’s obvious) is – how could it not affect our ability to perform at optimal potential?

In my youth, I can clearly remember often being told (or hearing it being told to others), “don’t bring your problems to work!”  Whilst I do understand that we are employed or alternatively, we employ people to perform a specific task or function, the reality is that we are human beings.  As human beings, we have feelings and emotions and we are not programmed like a “light switch” to be turned on and off.  Quite frankly that’s like ripping the wings off an aircraft and expecting it to fly!

That said, there are often those employees that always seem to have something wrong.  If it’s not one thing then it’s another. They seem to live their lives in some form of a disaster area or another, and the constant emotion that this generates as they go from person to person looking for sympathy and attention can be very trying as well as exhausting.

So where and how do you draw the line?  Realistically, as an employer, you do need to have your productivity and the quality of your product or service, maintained.  You do have to ensure that the work gets done because if you don’t, you will lose clients and losing clients will put your business, your staff and you at risk.  It really is a fine line and different things work for different people.

Although I don’t really do the “emotional” thing very often, when it comes to staff – I am aware that different people handle different things in different ways.  Some people withdraw, some people act out – the bottom line is that as the employer, you have to know and understand your employee and then you have to deal with each employee based on who they are and how they react to any given situation.

Obviously, that does not mean that you have to allow yourself to be abused by your employee and no, showing your “soft side” does not make you a softie, but you do need to be able to show empathy and support.

How you do that of course, is up to you.

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 

Inspiration - Responsibility

Inspiration - Responsibility

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

The quote today comes from Abraham Lincoln who said: “You cannot escape the responsibility of tomorrow, by evading it today!”

Actually, this very topic came up with one of my colleagues yesterday.  He is an entrepreneur – “a visionary” he calls himself.  His usual take on things to do with business is to get the business going – get it up off the ground and running and then look at things like registering it as a company or for VAT or PAYE or even get the books done or the policies and procedures put into place.

Personally, I really think that that is a stupid idea!  I can just see everyone’s eyebrows raising and throats being cleared.

Ok, let me explain myself – so you’ve started the business with this really brilliant product, that is unique to you.  You’ve started on your own and pretty soon you have to employ someone because you just can’t keep up with demand.  Before you know it, you’ve had to employ 10 people, you’ve moved premises three times and you now have to rent a warehouse to distribute from and you want to go national.  Orders are pouring in and you really don’t have the capital to meet the demand of this growth spurt.

You go to the bank for a loan and here is where the whole thing begins to go pear-shaped.  You see you are still trading as a Sole Proprietor, so there is no Financial History on your Company, you don’t have a business plan never mind financials or projected sales or anything for that matter.  No bank, or in fact an investor of any kind will lend you money without the right information.

To make matters worse, you seem to have employed a “rotten apple” type individual who is hell-bent on stirring up trouble and at this point, you can’t do anything as you have not issued anyone with a Letter of Appointment and you are not registered with PAYE, UIF or Workmen’s compensation.  Said individual keeps threatening to go to SARS or Department of Labour to report you, which would probably result in a SARS audit, which could become hugely costly for you as you are way over the minimum for VAT and you’re not registered for that either!

Pretty much a disaster, I am sure you will agree.  So now it becomes a race against time trying to get all the documentation done and registered and you’re running around like a mad person trying to put out some fires (in terms of SARS and the Department of Labour), whilst simultaneously trying to light other fires (under the rear ends of the red tape bureaucrats in said financial institutions who grant loans) and still trying to meet your deliverables and manage your company.

Not a good place to be.  Now if you had started in the correct manner by registering your company, then getting your financial stuff in order with a proper bookkeeper/accountant in place to give you monthly management reports, your bank accounts – just by themselves would have given you financial history that would be working in your benefit right from the beginning.

Then issuing Letters of Appointment to staff as you employed them and putting policies, procedures and templates in place to protect yourself from “rotten apple” type employees who try and hold you over a barrel, would all have resulted in a completely different type of scenario.

Which situation do you think would have been easier?

 

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

Blogging 101 – 10 Tips when Blogging – Part 3

 Please note that tomorrow, being 24th September, is a public holiday here in South Africa, so a blog will not be posted.

Blogging 101 – 10 Tips when Blogging – Part 3

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Following on from the previous articles where we looked at Being yourself, People are just People, Say what you mean and mean what you say, Keeping it tidy, Interpretation and Perception, Success or Failure and Everyone has their own Journey, here are some more tips around the content of your blogging.

1. Water, Water Everywhere, but Not a Drop to Drink!

Nowadays we often hear the term “Information Overload”.  That said I also often hear people saying that they “don’t have the information that they require” or that they “don’t know where to find” the information that they need.

There is an abundance of information freely available on the internet.  Here’s the thing though, you have to learn how to look!

Much like the “good old days” when we actually went to the library to do our research, we had to know where to look to find the information that we needed.

Walking into the library for the first time for me was really overwhelming.  I must have been around 5 or so at the time.  I remember standing in this huge building, surrounded by really tall shelves that were filled to capacity with what looked like millions and millions of books.

I stood rooted to the spot, bursting with the desire to read everything in sight but having no clue where to start.

The internet is pretty much the same - you have to learn to define and clarify your questions in order to access what it is that you need to see.

Follow like-minded people or people who are clearly experts in their fields.  Connect with and follow your clients to find out what they want and need.  Join groups and discussions and interact with them all.  You will be amazed at the amount of valuable, interesting stuff that you will come across.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask for help.

Most people are by nature helpful.  Sure you get the odd idiot who would rather kick you to the curb than give you the time of day, but by enlarge, the average person will help.

Here’s the thing though, you have to ask for help.  It’s unrealistic to expect people to automatically, intuitively know when you need assistance. 

So if you find yourself feeling a little overwhelmed – ask for help.  More often than not you’ll find that the answer is a lot simpler than your thought it would be.

The reality is that it is human nature to complicate things!

3. Don’t give up!

The final piece to this puzzle - don’t give up!

In order to get to your destination, you have to take that first step.  I understand that you may be feeling daunted and unsure, but just get started.

I was terrified when I wrote my first article and as soon as it was posted, I wondered what all the fuss was about!  I celebrated the achievement and went on to write the next one and the next and I am still having fun and writing, more than 2000 articles on.

So stop thinking about doing it and just get it done!

Till next time, happy blogging!

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 – Being a Connector

 Networking 101 – Being a Connector

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

For the most part, networking for different people means different things.  For some, it is about building relationships with a view to doing business in the future. For others, it is about selling their product or services – quickly.  Some, on the other hand, use networking to be able to buy whatever product or services that they need in order for their businesses to run smoothly and for a very select few it is about being a “Connector”.

Part of me being a natural networker is that I am a natural Connector.  Connectors are people who do not only attend networking meetings to build relationships, to sell their products, to buy another’s products or even to have a few drinks or a coffee with someone, they like to match people up.  They like to introduce people to one another.

Thursday is my networking meeting day.  It is the day that I sit, from around 9.00am to around 4pm at “my office” at a coffee shop and I meet with people all day long.  These are the people that I have met briefly at a networking event, be it at the Inner Circle, or Business Engage, a Business Masters gathering, Rachel’s Conversations that Matter or indeed, even someone that I have met on Facebook or LinkedIn.  I allocate an hour for each person – some take longer, some don’t need the whole hour and strangely enough, some don’t even pitch at all!

I listen to their stories, and am often amused by the fact that many arrive at the meeting and they have no clue as to why they are there!  All they know is that I have phoned them up, booked an appointment to see them (sometimes as much as 3 months in advance), confirmed the appointment the day before it has to take place, and now they are here!  To them, I say – Well Done!

I digress - so I listen to their stories, try and understand what it is that they do in their business, who they need to ‘connect’ with and why.  As they talk I make notes and ask questions in order to understand something in a few minutes, that they have sometimes built up over months and years.  As I make notes and ask questions about the target market and the like, my mind wanders through my database and the kind of people that they should be connecting with.  I start off by industry and then work on the individual in that industry.

For example, if I am talking to someone in the printing industry (yes I know we all need business cards, but there is just so much more to printing), my natural reaction would be to put them in touch with all the Training people (training manuals, course material – presentations and the like), all the Event Marketing people (banners, corporate gifts and the like), Team Building people (course material, manuals, banners), Advertising and Marketing people (corporate gifts, brochures etc) and of course the Corporate Gift people ( pens, t-shirts and the rest of the paraphernalia, that goes with that).  Sure, if I hear of someone who needs to have their Business Cards printed I will send them along to you too!

Whilst listening to your story and asking the questions that I ask, I may also understand that you may have a problem somewhere in your business.  You may be experiencing difficulty with your financials and may be looking to outsource your Bookkeeping functions or you may be needing someone to help you with your frustrating IT problems, or you may be battling to get the right staff – whatever that problem is, I have no doubt, that somewhere in my database there will be someone who I can refer to you to be of assistance to you.  Even if they are not in my direct database, I can go to Business Masters, Inner Circle, Business Engage, or Every Woman and ask for assistance.  Somewhere, someone knows somebody who knows somebody else, who knows or who can refer me to someone who knows who you need to help you with whatever problem it is that you have.

Hence the saying “There are no problems, just opportunities!”  Your problem is someone else’s opportunity!

When I am connecting people (and believe me when I say it isn’t just at my Thursday meeting that this happens), I am in my element – this is the world that I love.  Why you may ask, well it’s because I can add value to the people in my database (or network) by moving them from one contact to another.  In this way, the networks of all the different contacts ‘cross pollinate’ so to speak and in so doing I add value to myself and also grow my Network.

You see my networking isn’t just a matter of you helping me right now or of you selling me something right now, it’s about finding synergies, from the people that I have known for years and the new people that I am meeting right now.  It’s about bringing the ‘old’ and the ‘new’ together so that they can do business together.  

It’s about building credible relationships, not only between myself and the new people that I meet but also between the new people that I meet and the people that I have known for years.

So what does networking mean to you?

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

Business Tips – Politics In The Workplace

 Business Tips – Politics In The Workplace

By Nikki Viljoen – N. Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Dr Renate Volpe, in her Nuggets on Political Intelligence, says “Good politics advance the organizations agenda as a whole.  They are appropriate and future-oriented.  Negative politics maintain the status quo, promote groupthink and advance the individual’s agenda, usually at the expense of others.”

Being an Internal Auditor in many ways was my saving grace.  You see I had to remain objective, I had to put myself apart and in doing so I was fortunate enough not to get involved in the internal office politics.  What I  did do however was watch the political plays that were taking place and the various agendas that were played out, both transparent and hidden,

Very like the politics in any country, the politics in a company can actually make or break careers and if not controlled and managed properly, could ultimately result in the downfall of the company, particularly if there is a huge amount of in-house fighting and egos that are out of control.

In-house fighting and bad office politics usually have the employees taking sides as they battle for their place in the hierarchy and hold on tightly to the coattails of the person that they have backed, and this usually results in a split in loyalties.  The focus of the business and its requirements is lost and quite frankly when your eye is off the ball, chaos reigns.

Politics that is good for business and positive and for the betterment of the employees, as well as management and the clients, usually will result in better and greater achievements.

The bottom line – happy employees and happy customers make good business sense.

For further information regarding Renate please go to her web address at http://www.drrenatevolpe.co.za.

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 

Inspiration - Responsible for Who We Become

 Inspiration -  Responsible for Who We Become

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

It has been said that our background and circumstances may have influenced who we are, but that we are responsible for “Who” we become.

All around me I hear excuses from people.  Excuses about why they cannot do something, or why they have failed at something. Hell, I even had a chap, who for the purposes of this missive shall remain nameless, who said that I “have to” mentor him because he was previously disadvantaged!  What absolute crap is that?

Many years ago, my father said to me “You have no control over the name that you bring into this world because it is the name that I have given you, but the name that you take out of this world is the name that you have made for yourself.”

It is something that I have taken very seriously all my life.  I am careful about the promises that I make because I have to keep them.  I am careful about the commitments that I make because they have to be honoured. It is my name that is at stake and quite honestly it is the only possession that I have that I will take to the grave with me.

The result of this for me, is that I have never blamed my background or my circumstances for anything – there’s no real point is there?  I am the only one who can make the changes and I am the only one that can make things happen (or not happen) in my life.  

So why is it, that where ever I go, I hear tales of woe and stories about how the government is to blame, or apartheid, or the interest rates, or global warming or the taxman or anything else that they can think of and blame?  Why is it that we as individuals cannot take responsibility for what we’ve done and learned from our mistakes, dust ourselves off and stand up and start again?  There’s no shame in that at all.

For me, the shame comes in the fact that we don’t take responsibility and own our own mistakes, but that we find it easier to just blame all those around us!

So which one are you?  Do you stand tall and proud?  Do you take responsibility for what you do or do you find it easier to blame everyone and everything else?

What kind of name will you take out of this world?  What legacy will you leave your children?  What name have you given them?

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

HR 101 - Attendance Registers

 HR 101 - Attendance Registers

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

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

I am often astounded by people’s reactions when I tell them that it is a legal requirement for staff to complete and sign in, in an attendance register or some sort of digital replacement.  The usual response is something along the lines of “well George has been with us for a number of years now and he is like part of the family and we don’t want to change that in any way, so we don’t want to implement an attendance register.”  Fine – if that’s the way you want it, my job is merely to tell you about it, whether you listen or heed that advice is, of course, your prerogative.

So why is it then, that 9 out 10 people who react like this when I tell them to implement an attendance register end up phoning me to assist them with a CCMA case several months or even years down the line?  Well, that’s really quite simple.  You see, George (who was “like part of the family”) has decided to leave the company for greener pastures and when he left he wanted and was entitled to have his leave paid out.  The problem of course is that there was no record of the amount of leave that he took, so you guessed it and paid it out to him in good faith.  He, on the other hand, was only part of your family because it suited him at the time and now he wants his pound of flesh, so to speak – and he knows that there is no record of when he was on leave and so he will claim as much as he can, going back for as long as he can and there is pretty much, nothing that you can do about it.

Having an attendance register in place, and insisting that the staff abide by it, means that you have taken the emotion out of the situation.  Now no one can get hot under the collar because they were sure that they were at work on that day and you were sure that they weren’t.  The attendance register will prove who was at work and when.  

Remember though, the attendance register must be signed EVERY day when the employee comes to work and not months in advance or months in arrears.  Even your domestic worker who comes in once a week or your gardener who comes in once a week should be signing the register.  In fact, my rule is – if the attendance register has not been signed, it means that you were not at work and if you were not at work, then you will not be paid.

It’s quite simple, isn’t it?

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 

Blogging 101 – 10 Tips when Blogging – Part 2

 Blogging 101 – 10 Tips when Blogging – Part 2

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Following on from the previous article where we looked at Being yourself, People are just People, Say what you mean and mean what you say and Keeping it tidy, here are some more tips around the content of your blogging.

1. Interpretation and Perception

I always say that the 3 most dangerous words in the dictionary are perception, assumption and expectation, as they never meet reality.  Well, I have added the 4th word and that is “Interpretation.”

Remember when you communicate face to face with someone they not only “hear” the words, but they also “hear” you through your body language as well as the tone and inflection in your voice. If all of those “voices” are congruent with one another, the listener’s interpretation is usually in alignment with what your intended message was.

The written word, however, is a completely different beast altogether and more often than not your words will be misinterpreted.

So be very careful about the words that you use and where possible try and stay away from contentious topics or be prepared to deal with the volatile fall-out.

2. Success or Failure

Well in truth that is completely up to you.  From my experience, however, it is extremely difficult to fail on social media, unless of course you just give up!

Consistency is the name of the game and if you keep trying, you will of course get better as you go along.  You will also get to understand your readers a lot better and then you are able to tweak your posts to ensure that you supply the information that is both wanted and needed by your followers.

The secret is just to keep going and never give up.

3. Everyone has their own Journey

Comparing where you are in the journey of life with someone else, is just crazy! The reality is, you are all exactly where you are meant to be.  Sure there are social media guru’s out there who you may follow, who always appear to be at the head of the pack, who will always be saying something clever and who are always up to date on what is trending or trendy.  I say “So what”!

The reality is that social media is a huge animal and there will always be someone who is being witty and entertaining.  Instead of concentrating on comparing your “lack of” to their abundance, rather concentrate on doing what you love to do best.

Here’s a thought!  In all probability, there is someone out there who is looking to you for guidance and who holds you in high esteem and who would like to be as witty and as knowledgeable as you and the person who you are comparing yourself to also has someone who they hold in high esteem and who they would like to be as knowledgeable as too.

It’s called the Circle of Life and we all have our own little place in it.

On that note, check out next week’s post to look at the final 3 tips.

Till then, happy blogging!

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 with Purpose

 Networking 101 - Networking with Purpose

By Nikki Viljoen of  Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

I was asked the other day, “what my purpose is” when I network. I must confess that I was a little confused by the question until I realized that I was being asked the question by someone who is used to a completely different style of networking to the one that I tend to engage in.

You see for him networking was usually done as an entertaining social sort of thing, where people chatted genteelly around a table with a cup of tea in one hand and a sticky bun of sorts in the other. Where people smiled politely at one another and made small talk about the weather, the cricket/rugby/soccer, the latest fashion and who was doing what to whom on a regular basis.

This kind of networking for me is quite simply, “a no go”. You see I am in the Business of Business to make a profit, making money is easy, but making a profit – well that is an entirely different thing altogether (but that is another story for another time). In order for me to make a profit, I need to grow my business – slowly but surely, one step at a time.

For me to grow my business, I need to look for opportunities, and believe me there is an abundance of them all around, it’s just a question of recognizing them and then doing something with them. 

For me, the easiest way to search for opportunities is at a networking event, where people are serious about doing business and who are hungry to find opportunities.

So for me, understanding my purpose for being at a specific type of networking meeting, is of the utmost importance.

Therefore the purpose for me attending a networking meeting is to meet people and build relationships with them. It is to search for opportunities, whether they are for me as an individual, or a possible Joint Venture, or a Strategic Alliance, or even to see an opportunity for a business colleague or friend or client. 

These opportunities and relationships, will allow me to grow my own business, and provide a “value add” to both my clients and my colleagues.

For me, this is a win, win & win again situation.

So now, what was the question again . . . . . .

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

Business Tips – Keeping Yourself Compliant

 Business Tips – Keeping Yourself Compliant

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Please note that this pertains to South African legislation and Best Practice requirements.  I’m pretty sure though most countries have something similar in terms of legislation in place.

Over the last couple of years, I have met with several small business owners who run their businesses in a less than moral manner.

In most instances, they are well aware that what they are doing is wrong.  In all fairness to them – they are perhaps not fully aware of the extent to which they have put themselves at risk.

That said, they are still very much aware that there are consequences if they run their businesses in a “reckless or fraudulent” way.

In fact, the bottom line and the harsh reality of the matter are that both the Close Corporations Act and the Companies Act have put processes in place that allow the courts to make the members of a Close Corporation or the directors of a Company, personally liable for the debts incurred it they know that they are running their businesses in a “reckless or fraudulent” way.

The Close Corporation Act says: “A member of a corporation shall be liable to the corporation for loss caused by his or her failure in the carrying on of the business of the corporation to act with the degree of care and skill that may reasonably be expected from a person of his or her knowledge and experience.”

The Companies Act says: “When it appears, whether it be in winding-up, judicial management or otherwise, that any business of the company was or is being carried on recklessly or with intent to defraud creditors of the company or creditors of any other person or for any fraudulent purpose, the Court may, on the application of the Master, the liquidator, the judicial manager, any creditor or member or contributory of the company, declare that any person who was knowingly a party to the carrying on of the business in the manner aforesaid, shall be personally responsible, without limitation of liability, for all or any of the debts or other liabilities of the company as the Court may direct.”

So what does this mean exactly? Here’s the story . . . . .

Mike owns a CC (Close Corporation) and he is in construction, but because he has been sequestrated he cannot have it in his own name, so he puts it in the name of his wife Susan.  Susan is a shipping clerk in a huge corporation, who has no idea of how to run a business, much less anything to do with construction.

Mike has five projects on the go and in the usual fashion with some construction people he has taken 75% of the fees upfront to purchase materials and what have you. The balance of 25% will be paid when Mike completes the project and obtains sign off from the building inspectors and of course the client.

  

Mike has purchased material for projects 1 and 2, using the deposit from project 1.  

Mike has purchased material for projects 3 and 4, using the deposit from project 2.  

Mike has purchased material for project 5 using some of the deposit from project 3.  

The balance of the deposit from project 3 and deposits from projects 4 and 5, Mike has used to buy a new bakkie. 

The materials that Mike has purchased are of inferior quality and workmanship and Mike is hoping that no one is going to notice.  Project 1 is about 80% done and just has to have the finishing touches, like the light fittings and what have you done but he has now run out of money and there are no new projects in the pipeline.  Project 2 is about 50% done and project 3 has just been started.  Neither projects 4 nor 5 have been started at all.

Mike has dealing with several suppliers during the course of these 5 projects and they know him and he has been paying cash upfront or settling the bills on a pretty regular basis.  A relationship has been forged and Mike goes to get more materials promising to pay as ‘soon as he gets to the office’.  Mike has purchased sufficient materials to ‘finish’ project 1 and he is banking on the balance of the money for project 1 to continue with project 2. The problem is that Mike has used inferior fittings and finishes and both the building inspector and the client refuse to sign off because this is not what was ordered or paid for.  In the meantime, the suppliers are hounding Mike for payment and he is now not even taking their calls.

Mike is now deep in the smelly brown stuff – he has set up and is running a business fraudulently as being sequestrated is he is not allowed to register or run a business in his own name.  He has accepted money for work, materials have not been purchased.  Materials purchased are of inferior quality and workmanship, he has not paid for some of the materials.  Mike has spent the money that he was paid on other things.  The workers have not been paid and there is now no money at all.  Mike is now trying to file for bankruptcy which means that the suppliers will get a fraction of what he owes them. Mike has run this business in a fraudulent manner and the Court can hold him responsible in his personal capacity and actually prosecute him to the fullest extent of the law – this could mean not only fines and penalties, but it could also mean jail time.  Actually, if the truth is told, the Court will hold Susan responsible in her personal capacity a well since she is the legal owner of the business and she was complicit in the fraud in that she allowed Mike to register a business in her name.

None of what Mike did, was done by accident, it was all done deliberately and with forethought.  Mike overestimated his own luck and his own intelligence.  You see, by running the business in Susan’s name, Mike thought that he would be outside of the law and could not be held responsible.  How wrong could he actually get?

Please understand that the days when less than honest business owners could get away with this kind of behaviour are long gone.  Hundreds and thousands of small business owners and individuals lost their businesses and their livelihood and sometimes even their homes because of the unscrupulous behaviour of some people – it may take a while, but these days, these people can be brought to justice and be held accountable for their actions.

Remember too, that ‘ignorance of the law’ is no excuse.  Make sure that you understand what your obligations are and make sure that you follow them and that you are compliant.  

Being proactive is always a lot easier than constantly trying to be reactive.

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 

HR 101 – What to do When . . . Staff Have Accumulated Leave

 HR 101 – What to do When . . . Staff Have Accumulated Leave

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

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

This can be a real nasty!  Clearly, it is in your own best interests to have the correct wording for what you want, in your letter of appointment.

The Basic Conditions of Employment Act says that the staff member is entitled to a minimum of 15 working days leave per annum.  It also states that the staff member cannot ‘sell’ you their leave.

Here’s the problem – there’s nothing in there to stop staff members from accumulating leave and this is where you will ultimately have a problem, one way or another.

Obviously, prevention is better than cure, so let’s put down here some of the things that you should have in your letter of appointment:

Let’s break down the 15 days per year as per the Basic Conditions of Employment Act requirement.  Now if your company closes over the December holiday period, your staff will only accumulate 3 maybe 4 days per annum, which means that they should still take those days during the course of the year.  I would suggest that you have a clause that says something along the lines of – leave cannot be accumulated. At least 80% of the leave must be taken within the course of the year, the balance of 20% must be taken by no later than 31st March of the following year.  Leave accumulated and not taken at this time will be forfeited and lost. Remember though that if the employee resigns or is dismissed, the leave that has not been taken (unless it was forfeited and lost) has to be paid out at this time.

If your company closes down in December, but the staff member wants their full leave during the course of the year.  Your letter of appointment should state clearly that taking leave during the closure of the Company is mandatory and that any leave not taken at that time must be taken during the course of the year.  Staff will only be granted leave at a time that is convenient to the Company.  There is nothing in the Basic Conditions of Employment Act that states that staff can take leave as and when they feel like it, it has to be at a time that is convenient to the Company.

Then, of course, you will have the odd members of staff who will phone you on a Monday morning and say “Oh, by the way, I’m not coming in today because I am taking leave.”  Not nice!  So in your letter of appointment, you should state that – leave must be applied for at least a week or month (whatever is convenient to you as the employer) prior to leave being taken.  This will give you a chance to put measures in place to accommodate being short-staffed.  If the nature of your business means that everyone is under extreme pressure during certain times of the month this can also be factored into the Letter of Appointment along the lines of – Leave will not be granted during the period between the last weekend of a month and the first weekend of the following month.

If you follow these simple guidelines, the only time you will have a problem is if a staff member has applied for leave and you as the employer has denied them that leave for whatever reason. If the employee then resigns or you dismiss them, you will have to pay them out. Don’t do that and believe me you will be paying out – big time. Remember that leave that is paid out when a staff member leaves, is paid out at their current rate of pay, not the rate of pay that they were on when the leave was originally supposed to be taken, but the current rate of pay.

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 

Blogging 101 – 10 Tips when Blogging – Part 1

 Blogging 101 – 10 Tips when Blogging – Part 1

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

I have of late been engaged with blogging and tweeting more and more on a daily basis and in some instances, I have been both shocked and horrified at some of the comments that I have received and then on the other hand hugely amused and somewhere in the middle too - mildly irritated!  I guess it all has to do with these 4 little words that I consider to be the most dangerous in the dictionary - perception, assumption, expectation and interpretation as they seldom meet reality.

To try and share some of the key points that I have learnt and perhaps defuse some of the reactions based on those four little words, let’s have a look at some of these tips here.

1. Be Yourself

The internet is not a stage or a film set where you play a part.  It might seem like a great place for you to role-play or indeed emulate someone else.  The reality however is that if you are trying to brand yourself or your business, you will do more harm than good if you are not authentically you!

To add to that, why on earth would you want to be anyone other than you? If you are branding yourself, actually even if you’re not branding yourself, why would you want to be or portray yourself as someone else?

Be consistent as you brand yourself across social media platforms.

2. People are just People

One of the things that I always talk about when networking is that it is not about whom you know, but more often about whom you don’t know that knows who you know.  Quite a tongue twister I know but the reality is that irrespective of whether you connect with someone who has 10 followers or someone who has 10 000 followers, you have no idea who they are connected with.

You need to make every connection count and in order to do that, you cannot discount people because they only have a small number of followers.  That small number of followers may include someone who can take your business to the next level!

3. Say what you mean and mean what you say.

Now this one I particularly like!

You should never say anything on social media, not just –Twitter, but social media in general, that you are not prepared to defend in person.

Be true to who you are as a person, be true to your beliefs, be true to the topic and you will develop credibility and trust with your followers.

4. Keep it tidy

I know that I always talk about the “telling of the story” and keeping the message short and brief, or “tidy” as I like to call it, may seem to be a contradiction in terms.  That said I still stand by both.

The reality is that if you have a one-liner that people don’t understand because they have no frame of reference, it’s not going to help you in any way. In fact, if your readers or followers are anything like me, it will frustrate them to such an extent that they will leave anyway.

True as that may be, the story does need to have a point and shouldn’t waffle all over the place.  The story also needs to be entertaining and create pictures in the mind of the reader and leave a lasting impression.

On that note, check out the next post to receive some more tips.

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 Business Cards

 Networking 101 - The Importance of Business Cards

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

In her cards on Networking Tips, Dr Renate Volpe says “Your business card should read like a headline that is promoting your business.”

Ain’t that the truth?  I can tell you I have seen some strange cards out there.  Some really strange shapes and some really strange textures and some that you can only read if you put them against a white sheet of paper!

For me it’s about being able to read the bloody thing!

I hate to admit it, but there are some cards that I have actually thrown away in absolute frustration!  It tells me who they are and all the numbers are there, cell, work, fax, e-mail – the whole toot.  The problem is that the writing is so small that I needed a magnifying glass to actually read them – there are only just so many times that I am prepared to go downstairs to fetch the magnifying glass to read a business card – so out it went.

Then of course there are the cards that are so different that they do not actually fit into any kind of card holder.  Sure they make an impression, but they also frustrate the hell out of a person – so out they go too.  

Please don’t get me wrong – be different, be innovative – make a statement, but for goodness sake make a statement that most people can read and make a statement on a receptacle that we can keep somewhere comfortably.

The card should tell a person, clearly, who you are and what you do and the numbers should be of a size that anyone can actually see (never mind read).   Be different, be daring but most of all be BOLD.  Your aim at the end of the day is to get someone to contact you – they need to be able to read the numbers on the card in order to do so. 

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

Business Tips – Intellectual Property

Business Tips – Intellectual Property

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Let’s start at the very beginning – what exactly is Intellectual Property?  Is it something to do with an ‘Invention’ or perhaps something that is associated with a particular product, then don’t leave out things like designs or even copyright?  Would you consider any of these IP (Intellectual Property)?  The reality is that it is all of these and still so much more.  It’s also about all the information that you have in your head and how you use it.  Think about it for a minute – if you go to the doctor, you would not even think twice about the fact that you would need to pay him – you would automatically expect to pay “professional” people.  Yet people think that they can phone me up (whether they actually know me or not) or mail me and ask for all sorts of advice on whatever topic they think that I might be versed in and expect to get that information for free.  Why is that do you suppose?  Is it because I don’t have an “MD” or a “PHD” behind my name? Here’s the thing though, just because I don’t have a degree behind my name, doesn’t mean that I haven’t paid my dues, one way or another!

The reality of the situation is that I have the information and I have in it my head, I don’t have to do the research.  Much of the information that is in my head had been gathered over a period of over 50 years.   It’s information that I have paid dearly for, with my time, with my sweat and with my insatiable curiosity.  I have done without, in many instances, to get my hands on the information.  I have struggled and been tenacious in my quest to get there and do it.  That’s not to say that you could not go that route yourself – much of the information is freely available – what it will cost you is your time, your ability to understand the information and often the price is the cost of your experience.  

The problem here, as I see it, is that you want the information now.  It’s instant gratification that you want.  You don’t have to want to go and look it up on the internet or spend some time in a library or even experience the thrill, the taste or the pleasure of it.  You just want the answer and if I am the only one to be in a position to give it to you right here and now, well then my dear, that makes it my Intellectual Property and that gives me the right to charge you either the time that it takes for me to give it to you or for the actual information or both.  Of course whether you are prepared to pay for it would also come into play, but make no mistake – it’s mine to give or withhold as I see fit.

Mentoring is something that I am very passionate about and it is something I really believe in.  I have a mentor and there have been several people over the years that I have mentored.  That said, I don’t necessarily believe that it is your God given right to demand a mentor or even expect a mentor to give you anything for nothing – even mentor’s need to put food on the table and what kind of mentor would I be if I gave you everything of me and in me and then starved to death – not a very good example I’m afraid!  So where is the line between what I am prepared to give out for nothing, nada and with love and no expectation and where I get to a point where I say ‘enough now – you have to start paying, or reciprocating in some way’?

I recently had an experience whereby I was asked by a colleague to mentor someone (let’s call her Jane).  Jane got half way through a university degree, she then dropped out because of financial constraints and now Jane works as a clerk for a corporate company.  Jane now wants to become an Internal Auditor and wanted my help.  Let me be clear on that Jane wanted my help, I didn’t particularly want Jane in my life!

It was pretty clear from the get go that as much as Jane wanted the help, she didn’t want to pay for it and certainly she did not want to be inconvenienced in any way.  In other words, Jane wanted my help but Jane wanted help in her time and on her terms.  Jane never phoned when she said that she would, she didn’t get back to me when she said that she would and when we eventually did commit to a meeting, she didn’t pitch – not only did she not pitch but she also did not even have the good manners to contact me and tell me that she couldn’t make it.  

How rude!

How absolutely disrespectful!

When I reacted and charged Jane for wasting my time, not the consultation you understand and not the mentoring – but for wasting my time, Jane had a conniption fit!

Poor Jane – you see, she may not pay me, but I will still have the knowledge that she wants and now will not get and quite honestly money is something that is very easy to generate.  

Me, what don’t I have - well thankfully I don’t have Jane!

You, what do you have?  Do you have a mentor with the Intellectual Property that you would love to have and do you treat them with respect or do you ‘trash’ them, much in the same way that Jane tried to ‘teach me a lesson’ by refusing to respect me, by refusing to understand the value of what I could have given and shared with her?  

I wonder, what is my Intellectual Property worth to you? 

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 

Inspiration – Our Calling

 Inspiration – Our Calling

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd 

Dr Naomi Stephan says “You have a calling which exists only for you and which only you can fulfil.”

We are, each and every one of us, governed by our beliefs.  Whether that belief system was implemented by our family or whether it is one that has been chosen and designed by ourselves, matters very little in the long run.  The fact and reality of the matter is our actions (and indeed our inactions), the way we think and what we do with our lives, is governed by our belief system.

It is my belief that we are all here on this planet, sharing this journey with the billions of other people all around us, for a specific reason and that that specific reason is our life purpose.

Now, I know that many will disagree with me and then of course there are those who will insist on embarking on a negative journey, one that is full of anger and destruction or hatred and hurt.  That is their choice and I have no doubt that they will reap their just deserts one way or another.

 I am filled with a feeling of hope that we all will find our true calling, the only one that we, as the unique individuals that we are, can fulfil.

I am full of a sense of anticipation when I look around and see all the opportunities.  The journeys and the projects that we have already started or that wait patiently for us to start.

I am engulfed with a sense of wonder at the realization of what my purpose is and that of my own personal calling and I do understand that it is something that only I can do, and I think I’m ready, hell – I hope I am ready to take it on and meet the challenge.  Actually, if the truth be told, I can’t wait to get started! I am chomping at the bit, straining against the inactivity, frustrated at the fact that I have to wait, for a little while in any event, while everyone rests over the holiday periods or because they are busy with something else and I know that perhaps I should also be resting so that I am fit and able to take on the huge task ahead of me.  But the reality is that I cannot wait, I am eager to start – I want to see where the journey takes me!

The feeling for me is akin to what I feel when we are about to get an electrical storm. I can sense it, I can smell it, I can feel it and I know that pretty soon I will see it too.  It’s exciting, it’s really scary and I am almost breathless with the anticipation of what is to come and the profound effect that I know it will have on my life.  My senses are all ‘a tingle’ and I am intoxicated with the delicious expectancy of what is about to happen.

So perhaps this missive is a warning to all who know me, a warning that this year will see me like I have never been seen before.  The words at the end of my e-mail of “Lead, follow or get out of the way” will never be truer and I challenge you all, to take the opportunities, seize the day and live every moment with every fibre of your being and then step back – step back and watch what happens!

 

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

HR 101 – What to do When . . . You Have to Pay UIF

 HR 101 – What to do When . . . You Have to Pay UIF

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

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

It is said that there are three things in life that you can count on, they are:-

1) You will pay taxes;

2) Things will change; and

3) You will die.

Keeping this in mind, I am constantly amazed at the number of people who think that they don’t have to pay UIF (Unemployment Insurance Fund) for themselves and their staff members.

Here’s the thing, it is a legal requirement.  If the Labour Department sends an Inspector to your place of business or even your home and they discover that you have staff members or that you have a Gardener or that you have a Domestic worker or that you pay yourself a salary and you do not pay UIF, you will be fined.  There is a penalty.

Don’t be thinking that because you have had the same gardener for the last 20 years and he only comes in once a week, that you don’t have to pay UIF on his behalf.  You do and please don’t come with the ‘he’s a casual’ story either!

The Basic Conditions of Employment Act is very clear on this.  A casual worker is someone that you pick up on the side of the road and who does something for you on a ‘once off’ basis.  You never see him again, you probably don’t know his name and you certainly don’t welcome him into your home or your garden on a weekly basis.   

In fact, anyone who works for you for more than 24 hours a month (that 3 days people) is considered a permanent employee and is entitled to the benefits of a permanent employee irrespective of whether you have given them a letter of appointment or not!

So make sure that you have registered your business as an employer and make sure that you have registered yourselves as employees and register your Gardener and your Domestic worker and then register yourself.

It’s really not a big deal and the amount of money that has to be paid every month is really quite insignificant in the grand scheme of things.  That said, the irritation, the inconvenience and the size of the fine that you will get if you do not comply is far greater than making the payment every month and with the introduction of e-filing, paying this is an absolute pleasure.

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 

Blogging 101 – Focus on Your Readers

 Blogging 101 – Focus on Your Readers

By Nikki Viljoen – Viljoen Consulting (Pty) 

This is most definitely a case of “Do as I tell you and not Do as I Do!”

Let me explain . . . 

You see I started out writing my blogs for my own gratification, my own enjoyment.  Not for the enjoyment of anyone other than myself.  Sounds really selfish, doesn’t it?  But that is the honest truth!

Now, most folk will tell you that you need to focus on what your readers want to read about, not what you necessarily want to say and yes, they are usually two very different things. Pretty much like when you are doing the research on what you are going to sell (be it product or service), you need to ascertain what people want rather than what you think they need.

The reality of the situation is that no one really cares about what you think or indeed what it is that you have to say unless of course, it happens to be what they want to hear or have a need to hear (and yes those are also two very different things too).  If you don’t give them what they want, they will just go somewhere else to get it – yip, people are pretty fickle like that.

Fortunately though, what I wanted to write about because generally it was something that I had just learnt and was excited about and just wanted to share – or alternatively, something that I needed to hear, was also something that most SMME’s (small, micro, medium enterprises) wanted to read themselves.  I am just lucky that it turned out that way.

That and the fact that I have penned in excess of 2000 articles, makes me believable, especially when they read an article and it resonates with them – the general consensus then is that I must know what I am talking about, so they read another one and so on.

The fact of the matter is that if you are looking to earn money out of your writing, it has to be about the reader – you have to pander to their every need.  You have to strike a chord in them or challenge them or give them righteous indignation – something that makes them think about what you are trying to say that they either wholeheartedly agree with or they completely disagree with.  If it is the latter you need to hope that they are indignant enough to respond to you in some way that will open up a discussion.

Fortunately for me, my blogs (and yes even the business ones) are generally presented in the form of a story, and it’s in the ‘telling’ of the story that I am most successful.  You see, I am a person who sees the words in pictures and when I read I have this whole video thing going through my mind as the words conjure up the most colourful pictures and when I write, I tend to write in the same way.  The words produce pictures in my mind and this is what people tend to grab ahold of. Those pictures in their minds have more impact on the story being told or the lesson that is being learnt than just a bunch of facts and figures would have and this gives the words (or the lesson) great value.  

People usually appreciate getting good value for money and they appreciate it even more if they get the great value without having to pay anything, including the usual school fees that come with starting a new business or going on your own.

Me, well I don’t really care one way or the other – you see my words give me the greatest value and the most enjoyment, and there’s nothing more that I could actually want from them. The fact that they also make a difference in the lives of others . . .  well that’s just a hidden bonus for both the reader and me!

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 – Be On Time

 Networking 101 – Be On Time

By Nikki Viljoen of Viljoen Consulting (Pty) Ltd

One of the most frustrating things, specifically in a facilitated or semi-facilitated networking meeting is the stragglers coming in.

Imagine the scene if you will – a person is standing up, telling everyone about who they are and what it is that they do.  How wonderful their product or service is and why it is that people should be purchasing said product or service from them.  Everyone in the room is focused on what this person is saying and hopefully, either deciding that they need the product or they know of someone who may require the services of the speaker.  

In the middle of all of this, another person enters the room.  So far not a problem I am sure that you would agree.  The room is packed though and said person wants to slink into the only remaining seat which is clear across the room.  So there is many “excuse me’s” going on with much bending over and head bobbing, whilst they find the seat that they are looking for and finally settle in.  

By this time the speaker has lost their thread and momentum, the rest of the networker’s have lost their focus and have forgotten the questions that they wanted to ask – the moment is lost.

If possible make sure that you can get to the venue on time, if not a little early.  Before anyone heaves a huge ‘sigh’ and rolls their eyes heaven bound – I know that no-one intentionally wants to be late, but then for goodness sake, use a little bit of common sense – wait until the person who is talking about themselves is finished and either steps down or sits down – there is time enough at this point to dash off to the seat in the corner that you now have had time to see.  This will cause the least amount of interruption and allow the speaker to say what it is that they need to.