Initiatives & Movements - The Small Business Site

It’s SPRING – but more importantly, today is #AbsaSmallBizFriday

Make a big deal out of small businesses with #AbsaSmallBizFriday. For the 13^th year in a row, South Africans have come together in a spirit of “each one, reach one”, and to show the world how important small businesses and entrepreneurs are to our country and the greater global economy.

Mike Anderson, Founder & CEO of the National Small Business Chamber (NSBC), says #AbsaSmallBizFriday gives every person the opportunity of boosting a small business, countrywide. “We’re asking South Africans to buy from a small business; tell a friend about a small business they’ve supported; and shout it out on social media that we care about small business because they serve us and employ us.”

ByNSBC Editorial Team1 day ago0Comments

Spring celebrates the arrival of Small Business Friday

The 13^th #AbsaSmallBizFriday has arrived. This Friday, 06 September is South Africa’s biggest small business day of the year. This powerful and meaningful movement is about mobilising all South Africans to support and buy from their local small businesses.

South Africa’s biggest and most meaningful movement was created 13 years ago in response to small business owners’ most pressing need: getting more customers. The day is now a national tradition. A vast majority of consumers agree that shopping at small, independently owned businesses supports their commitment to making purchases that have a that have a positive social, economic, and environmental impact.

ByNSBC Editorial Team4 days ago0Comments

Sponsored contentInspiration & Motivation Small Business Friday

Kiko Vitals – Empowering women to excel

Meet the Absa Small Business Friday featured Small Business of the week – Kiko Vitals.

Kiko Vitals is dedicated to revolutionising women’s well-being through all-natural solutions for hormonal, gut, and holistic health. They are a proudly South African, empowerment-driven company offering best-in-class products lovingly formulated for wellbeing and a platform for community and support.

After certifying as an Integrative Hormone Health Coach, Kerri-Lee Taylor (Founder of Kiko Vitals) deeply understands and is passionate about the intricate relationship between lifestyle, nutrition, and hormonal balance.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamAugust 8, 20240Comments

Initiatives & Movements Inspiration & Motivation Small Business Friday

Pink Codrs Africa – Championing Diversity in Tech

Meet the Absa Small Business Friday featured small business of the week – Pink Codrs Africa.

Pink Codrs Africa was founded in 2017 to address the worldwide shortage of female engineers, particularly in Africa, by empowering women to become digital technology experts and building a robust network of female engineers throughout the continent.

As the founder of Pink Codrs Africa, Mbali Hlongwane has dedicated herself to bridging the gender gap in technology by empowering women across Africa with essential skills and opportunities. For Mbali, the journey into entrepreneurship was driven by a deep-seated passion for gender equality in tech. "Recognizing the gender disparities in the tech industry ignited a fire within me," she shares. This passion led her to establish Pink Codrs Africa, a platform designed to empower women through education, community, and advocacy.

Building Pink Codrs Africa wasn't without its challenges. Mbali recalls facing moments where setbacks seemed insurmountable. "Resilience has been crucial," she reflects. "I learned to adapt, pivot, and find solutions even in the face of adversity." Through strategic partnerships, proactive grant applications, and community engagement, Mbali navigated challenges like limited resources with determination and foresight.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamAugust 2, 20240Comments

Initiatives & Movements NSBC Member Success Story Small Business Friday

Muzi Capital Media – A story of resilience

Meet the Absa Small Business Friday featured Small Business of the week – Muzi Capital Media.

As a broadcast media company, Muzi Capital Media engages in a wide range of activities aimed at delivering captivating and informative content to its audience. They produce and distribute television and radio programmes, podcasts, documentaries, news reports, and other multimedia content. Their team of skilled journalists, producers, directors, and technicians work tirelessly to create compelling stories, engaging interviews, and thought-provoking discussions that resonate with its viewers and listeners. They also collaborate with advertisers, sponsors, and partners to generate revenue through advertising and sponsorships, ensuring the sustainability and growth of their company.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamJuly 26, 20240Comments

Initiatives & Movements NSBC Member Success Story Small Business Friday

Max Recruitment – Resilience is a strength

Meet the Absa Small Business Friday featured Small Business of the week – Max Recruitment.

Max Recruitment was founded in 2006 by Natasha Andrew and has played an integral role in partnering with many leading organisations to recruit, source and manage the highly skilled talent they need to succeed in an increasingly competitive and crucial economic situation.

Natasha started her career working in law but wasn’t able to find her purpose and joy in the law industry. At the age of 22, she decided to move into human resources with a focus on recruitment. She gained extremely valuable experience as a recruitment consultant in the motor industry. When she turned 24 she took the opportunity to start Max Recruitment.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamJuly 19, 20240Comments

NSBC Member Success Story Small Business Friday

Niche Integrated Solutions – Breaking barriers in tech

Meet the Absa Small Business Friday featured Small Business of the week – Niche Integrated Solutions.

Niche Integrated Solutions is a 100% women-owned company that specialises in emerging technologies. Their offerings include ERP end-to-end, banking end-to-end, robotics, automation and other emerging technologies talking to 41R (Fourth Industrial Revolution).

They offer software as a service, implementation services, support and training. In a male-dominated industry, they pride themselves on being at the forefront of 4IR. Furthermore, they work in industries like aerospace, mining and defence, and drive disruption through emerging technologies. They offer a distinct differentiator to organisations keen to adopt digital transformation.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamJuly 5, 20240Comments

NSBC Member Success Story Small Business Friday

iBidOnStorage – Turning trash into treasure

Meet the Absa Small Business Friday featured Small Business of the week – iBidOnStorage.

iBidOnStorage is an online auction platform that specialises in self-storage auctions. The website was developed to provide storage operators with a safe, easy and efficient way of disposing of abandoned goods while minimising the expenses and risks in doing so. The development of their website has allowed sellers and buyers to come together in one marketplace, and they have simplified what was traditionally a difficult and very risky process in South Africa.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamJune 28, 20240Comments

Initiatives & Movements NSBC Member Success Story Small Business Friday

Nyathelani SA – Turning limitations into opportunities

Meet the Absa Small Business Friday featured small business of the week – Nyathelani SA.

Nyathelani SA is a company that focuses on backup power, electrical installations and construction. Zandile Vuma started Nyathelani in 2004 and has been the powerhouse in keeping the business growing and developing.

From humble beginnings, she sold atchar to foreign markets, and she used the money gained from these sales to finance a business which bought and resold clothing. By bootstrapping her business, she took her initial steps towards financial stability.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamJune 21, 20240Comments

Initiatives & Movements NSBC Member Success Story Small Business Friday

Mbewu – Growing healthy communities

Meet the Absa Small Business Friday featured Small Business of the week – Mbewu.

Mbewu is a platform that gives small-scale farmers and agri-businesses the opportunity to sell directly to the public. They invest a lot of time in vetting incredible small-batch producers so you receive produce from the best local providers.

Charmaine Kearabilwe Monama started Mbewu back in 2018 as a side hustle while juggling her corporate career as a market researcher and brand consultant. The motivation was to find a more affordable way to keep feeding her family healthy foods. When COVID-19 hit, Mbewu grew exponentially, and this led to her resigning from her corporate job in 2021. This was a huge leap of faith, but it has paid off. They opened their first brick-and-mortar shop in Randburg Square in 2022.

ByNSBC Editorial TeamJune 14, 20240Comments