Township entrepreneurs had their skills improved when government and business development organisations took them through rigorous training that lasted 54 hours at the weekend.
The intensive training boot camp, which started last week Friday and ended on Sunday, saw 26 entrepreneurs from the greater Alexandra area being taught how to use the business model canvass.
Introduced less than 10 years ago, the business model canvas is a strategic management and entrepreneurial development model that allows business people to invent, profile and design their own firms. The boot camp was a partnership between the Industrial Development Corporation, the economic development department, the City of Johannesburg and the Greater Alexandra Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and was led by StartUp Nations South Africa.
"The boot camp, which was attended by entrepreneurs who are trading already, saw them being taught how to grow and develop their enterprises," said Fredell Jacobs, the chairman of the steering committee of StartUp Nations South Africa.
"The programme content included teaching them about the target market, how to locate customers and how to best use their business resources, among others."
He said the entrepreneurs were assessed by a panel of judges on the final day of the programme.
"Three entrepreneurs who walked away with a three-year incubation programme worth R250000 were selected as winners, .
"They will share R150000 in prize money from the Industrial Development Corporation," said Jacobs.
He said the prize money, which would not be handed over in cash, would be used to cover the entrepreneur's needs and expenses.
"There would be instances in which the entrepreneurs would need non-financial support and financial support.
"We will not give the entrepreneurs cash because it could happen that the money ends up not being used for what it was meant for."
Jacobs said so far they had hosted three entrepreneurship development boot camps in Soweto, Ga-Rankuwa and Alexandra.
"Our plan is to host four boot camps in each province in a year. However, we are facing challenges relating to resources because we need to train people to conduct the training and, considering that we don't pay the trainers, it is difficult for some of them to find time for it."
He said it was more convenient to work with community business organisations because they knew their members.
"It is easier to work with the business organisations because they understand the needs of their community," he said.
sibanyonim@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
Skills boost for township businesses
Township entrepreneurs had their skills improved when government and business development organisations took them through rigorous training that lasted 54 hours at the weekend.
The intensive training boot camp, which started last week Friday and ended on Sunday, saw 26 entrepreneurs from the greater Alexandra area being taught how to use the business model canvass.
Introduced less than 10 years ago, the business model canvas is a strategic management and entrepreneurial development model that allows business people to invent, profile and design their own firms. The boot camp was a partnership between the Industrial Development Corporation, the economic development department, the City of Johannesburg and the Greater Alexandra Chamber of Commerce and Industry, and was led by StartUp Nations South Africa.
"The boot camp, which was attended by entrepreneurs who are trading already, saw them being taught how to grow and develop their enterprises," said Fredell Jacobs, the chairman of the steering committee of StartUp Nations South Africa.
"The programme content included teaching them about the target market, how to locate customers and how to best use their business resources, among others."
He said the entrepreneurs were assessed by a panel of judges on the final day of the programme.
"Three entrepreneurs who walked away with a three-year incubation programme worth R250000 were selected as winners, .
"They will share R150000 in prize money from the Industrial Development Corporation," said Jacobs.
He said the prize money, which would not be handed over in cash, would be used to cover the entrepreneur's needs and expenses.
"There would be instances in which the entrepreneurs would need non-financial support and financial support.
"We will not give the entrepreneurs cash because it could happen that the money ends up not being used for what it was meant for."
Jacobs said so far they had hosted three entrepreneurship development boot camps in Soweto, Ga-Rankuwa and Alexandra.
"Our plan is to host four boot camps in each province in a year. However, we are facing challenges relating to resources because we need to train people to conduct the training and, considering that we don't pay the trainers, it is difficult for some of them to find time for it."
He said it was more convenient to work with community business organisations because they knew their members.
"It is easier to work with the business organisations because they understand the needs of their community," he said.
sibanyonim@sowetan.co.za
For more stories like this one, be sure to buy the Sowetan newspaper from Mondays to Fridays
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