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Now is the time to adopt the principle of lean

Article by Mike Anderson (NSBC Founder & CEO)

As 2024 is closing in on us, now is the perfect time to ‘sharpen the pencil’. If your business is not doing what it should be doing and is spiralling out of control with debt, expenses, poor sales, it is now time to adopt the principle of lean and do things differently.

I like to call it “the washing machine effect” – Stick your business into the washing machine and clean it thoroughly; your strategic plan, forecasts, systems, sales, staff etc. Start a new business with the one you have, before it’s too late.

Get rid of everything you don’t need, large offices, expensive cars, poor performing or unwanted staff. Be brutal on the money. This exercise alone will bring relief and a refreshing approach.

Everything you do should be subject to scrutiny and revision, including your vision, business and marketing plans, budget, sales and expense expectations and more. It’s now all about creating a brighter, less stressful view of the road ahead.

Here are a few suggestions for giving your business a profit makeover:

ByMike Anderson: NSBC Founder & CEO5 hours ago

Article provided by Paws-Itive Paws-AbilitiesBusiness Success Inspiration & Motivation NSBC Member Success Story

It’s “Pawsible” focused on enhancing the lives of pets

Centurion’s Heather Whitfield, a dedicated veterinary physiotherapist, is capturing audiences on the People’s Weather channel with her new show, “It’s Pawsible,” focused on enhancing the lives of pets.

The journey to the small screen began when Whitfield initiated a project on Nelson Mandela Day last year, catching the attention of a channel producing a show for the occasion. The producer, impressed by Whitfield’s work, shifted the focus to a series on pet physiotherapy.

ByNSBC Editorial Team22 hours ago

Article provided by CanonLegal Stuff Managing a business

Data protection weak spots businesses must address

Article written by Tracy Burrows (Canon)

Many South African businesses – particularly SMEs – are failing to properly protect sensitive data, putting them at risk of data theft, leaks and penalties.

This is according to Ian Nel, Strategic Planning and Programs Director, Canon South Africa, who says organisations are not gathering, storing or managing sensitive data adequately.

ByNSBC Editorial Team23 hours ago

Growing a Business Managing a business Sales & Marketing

6 top seasonal marketing campaigns

New Year’s Day, Easter, Heritage Day, Women’s Day and Christmas are some occasions celebrated in South Africa but how can they be used in marketing to increase sales for small businesses? Let’s look at what is seasonal marketing and what campaign ideas can be used to cash in on seasonal buying.

ByNSBC Editorial Team23 hours ago

Article provided by AWSGrowing a Business Managing a business

How one small business launched products twice as fast because of the Cloud

Ambitious small and medium businesses (SMBs) know the importance of modernizing their systems—it can help them better serve customers, understand trends, and enhance security to name just a few benefits. Brazil-based software firm 4Asset is a provider of software solutions and tools for customers working with the territorial and socio-environmental regulatory processes of land management. They partnered with Amazon Web Services to develop a plan for modernizing and scaling their company, enabling faster deployment, and ensuring a stronger security. We talked with 4Asset’s Director of Products and Technology, Maurício Fiorese, about the company’s cloud journey.

ByNSBC Editorial Team23 hours ago

Article provided by SnapSacnManaging a business Tech tools

12 things to think about when choosing a card machine for your business

When it comes to choosing a card machine for your business, you might think that it’s as simple as purchasing the first one you see. A card machine is a card machine, right? You just need a quick way to accept card payments from your customers.

The truth is that even when two card machines have the same functionality, they can offer vastly different experiences. The extra features on the device and the service provider selling it determine what kind of experience you’ll have.

ByNSBC Editorial Team23 hours ago

Business Success

Get your business sold: 6 steps to take

Have you decided to sell your business? There are many reasons why someone may sell their business. It could be their choice or not but when you choose to sell your business, it is important to prepare for it and this does take some time. You want to get the best price for your business. Here are six steps to take to sell your business.

ByNSBC Editorial Team23 hours ago

Article provided by Momentum InsureMoney Matters

Safeguard Your Business: protect yourself with the right business insurance

Are you a small business owner in South Africa who is struggling to stay afloat during these unprecedented times? If so, then you are not alone. A majority of small business owners around the country are facing daily challenges that come with running a business. While you are worried about the pipeline of new customers, ensuring there is adequate cashflow or that your employees are excited and want to take the business forward, you don’t need the added headache of worrying about the unforeseen events.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamNovember 29, 2023

Article provided by NedbankCase Study Managing a business Money Matters

The right bank can be the catalyst you need for business success

Raghmah Solomon is a seasoned interior designer who has been in the business for over 16 years. Specialising in the commercial sector, she founded Vortex Design Solutions in 2015 and after 7 years, is flourishing in her industry. But her journey to get there hasn’t been easy. Everything was going well until the Covid-19 pandemic and lockdowns struck, replacing Vortex’s busy schedule with an empty business calendar, literally overnight.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamNovember 29, 2023

Article provided by Digital on DemandBusiness Success Managing a business

EIS (Engineering and Industrial Supplies) builds successful e-commerce store with impressive returns

Want to grow your eCommerce sales by 1470%? EIS, a successful 36 year old company partnered with Saleslogic to build their eCommerce solution. It is a decision which has gained 5425 registered customers over the past four years.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamNovember 29, 2023