BUSINESSLINK NEWSLETTER

SME BusinessLink Community Newsletter 30 January-5 February 2012

HTTP://SMEBUSINESSLINK.COM

January 30, 2012Authored by: Phillip Chichoni

1

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

BUSINESSLINK NEWSLETTERSME BusinessLink Community Newsletter 30 January- 5

February 2012

ContentsCROWD FUNDING FEEDBACK: BEEZY AFRICA TO BLOW GROOVERS OUT OF THE WATER

.............................................................................................................................. 2THE TWO THINGS YOU REALLY NEED TO START A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS..............3IT’S TIME TO GET BACK TO THE BASICS OF BUSINESS............................................4WHAT IT REALLY TAKES TO ATTRACT ALL THE HIGH-END CLIENTS YOU CAN HANDLE5EFFECTIVE BRAND ACCELERATION IN 2012...........................................................7THE MAKING OF A 20-SOMETHING MULTIMILLIONAIRE SERIAL ENTREPRENEUR......8HOW A YOUNG FASHION DESIGNER STANDS OUT IN A CROWDED MARKET.........10YOUNG ZIMBABWEAN ENTREPRENEURIAL ACHIEVERS IN THE DIASPORA............12HOW TO START A BEAUTY SUPPLY STORE.........................................................13ENTREPRENEUR PROFILE: NIGEL CHANAKIRA.....................................................14MOTIVATIONAL IGNITION!....................................................................................15YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS CLUB: FIRST 100 CLUBS LAUNCHING IN FEBRUARY......16BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY FOR BUSINESSLINK YOUNG ENTREPRENEURS CLUBS. . .16BUSINESSLINK COMMUNITY REFERRALS NETWORK............................................16

This free weekly newsletter is sent to subscribers on the BusinessLink mailing list. If it has been sent to you in error, or you no longer wish to receive it, please reply to this email with UNSUBSCRIBE on the subject line. To subscribe just send an email to marketing@smebusineslink.com with SUBSCRIBE on the subject line. Please pass on this newsletter to those in your network.

Don’t miss out on opportunities to grow your businessTo list your profile and / or advertise your products in this newsletter and on the BusinessLink

Community website, please see the back page.

Let’s grow the BusinessLink Community togetherPlease send me your thoughts and feedback by email or

post your comments at www.facebook/smebusinesslink or on our website. Invite your friends and contacts to subscribe to the free newsletter and also participate in our activities and accelerate each one’s growth! Best wishes in 2012.

Phillip Chichoni –PublisherCopyright © 2012 Admiral Business Systems (Pvt) Ltd.

All rights reserved.

http://smebusinesslink.com

BUSINESSLINK NEWSLETTER

SME BusinessLink Community Newsletter 30 January-5 February 2012

2

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

Crowd funding feedback: Beezy Africa to blow groovers out of the water

In response to last week’s article on crowd funding, I got some interesting feedback. Upcoming Urban Groove artiste, Tapiwa Gwatidzo, known as Beezy Africa, is planning to release a CD entitled Urban Testimony and he would like some support.

The artist says the eleven track album will surpass, in artistic quality, most of the current Zimbabwean singers’ music.

To find out more about the artist, please visit www.reverbnation.com/beezyafrica. Please sample his music at the same website or at www.youtube.com/user/beezyafrica and tell us if he is worth listening to. If you think this project is worth funding then we can start asking people to make pledges.

In the meantime, we wait for Beezy Africa to submit a break-down of the costs that need to be met and what he promises to give back in return to those interested in helping.

Please email your feedback or ideas to chichonip@smebusinesslink.com.

Beezy Africa and one of his songs “Mota yemawaya” sleeve

http://smebusinesslink.com

3

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

Tell us what you think.

The two things you really need to start a successful businessBy Phillip Chichoni

Starting a business may sound like a tough mission. True, many new businesses fail, but yours doesn’t have to; not when you follow advice from experts and those who have done it already. Capital and a business plan are very important, but they are not the two things you really need if you are going to start a successful business. The two things are as follows:

At least three clients If you don’t have clients you don’t have a business. Clients will help you define your

product or service, set up structures and create the right communication messages. Because they give you real and live feedback, they help you refine your offering and show its real value. Clients help you perfect your business and marketing plans. Most importantly, clients provide the initial revenue you need when starting up your “real” business. Buy why do you need three?

If you have one client, you are just contract labour. It’s like having a job but without benefits or pension.

With two clients, you have two part-time jobs. You may get paid more than a person with one job, but you have no benefits and you foot all the expenses of doing the jobs.

Three clients and you have a business. When you have three clients you establish systematic ways of working; you are forced to come up with disciplines and systems that form the foundation of your business platform.

A money management systemMost entrepreneurs are skilled in the technical areas of their businesses or

professions. But few have the needed strength in managing funds. That’s the reason why so many small businesses falter at crucial moments; running out of cash when it’s really dangerous.

To be a real business, you need a system of handling your money. First, you need to separate business funds from personal funds. Give yourself an adequate salary from which you pay all personal bills and expenses. Business money should be used only to pay business expenses and the rest kept in the business bank account.

It is crucial to record all financial transactions of the business: money coming in and money going out. Have a simple bookkeeping system from which an accountant can produce monthly income statements. Every week or two, go through the financial records to ensure that every transaction has been recorded. Then when your

http://smebusinesslink.com

4

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

accountant or financial advisor gives you the monthly income statement, go through it with him or her so that you understand how the money is moving in your business.

Only when these two are in place do you have a real business.

It’s time to get back to the basics of business

John was very excited when he got a really good order in June last year. A local company wanted to purchase 10 new desktop computers and his quotation happened to be at the top of the buyer’s list and was selected.

Unfortunately John had no cash to use to go to South Africa and buy the machines. Cleverly, he asked the company to pay a deposit equivalent to half the value of the invoice. Understandingly the firm obliged.

Apparently John had not paid the rent at his home for the previous two months as things had not been moving too well for him. As the landlord again threatened to throw him out, he decided to take a bit of the cash to pay the landlord.

To make up for the shortfall, John looked for “a job” that could give him a quick return. A friend told him that a company he knows was buying new office furniture. With a promise to give the buyer a cut, John got the order. He rushed to source the items required, using the balance of the cash he got from the first company.

The deal paid off as John made enough profit to cover the shortfall caused by the rent payment. His loss, though, was time; the payment for the furniture came after sixty-four days. John had to make up four different stories in explanation as to why the computers were taking so long to deliver.

So John rushed to Johannesburg to buy the machines. He found a “bargain”. One firm was selling the specified machines at half the normal price. A close inspection revealed that these machines had slower processors and smaller hard drives. But the shop owner said he could repackage the machines into different cases showing the specifications he needed, and give him corresponding manuals to boot. John smiled and thanked the heavens.

In early December the computers were delivered and John made a neat profit when the remaining balance of the invoice was paid. “I’m a dealer”, John thought.

If you ask for John’s business card, he will give you any of five. They all look the same at the front, with a nice logo and “JOHN ENTERPRISES (PVT) LTD” neatly printed in red letters. But the back is different for each card. Each one says a different thing: “Office Furnishers”, “Computer Hardware and Software”, “Buying and selling of new and second hand vehicles”, “Real Estate” and “Shelf Companies”.

Who is john and what does he do really? Can you learn to be quick and savvy like him and succeed in business?

http://smebusinesslink.com

5

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

Find out next week.Feedback chichonip@smebusinesslink.com.

What it really takes to attract all the high-end clients you can handle

By Robert Middleton

Well, I've asked this question about a hundred times. And since finally reaching that goal myself and helping hundreds of others either reach or get closer to that goal, today I have the ultimate answer for you...I don't know if you'll like this answer, perhaps not, but I don't like to sugarcoat things. To attract all the ideal clients you want, I recommend you follow these six daily practices:1. Plan - Plan your day every single dayYes, long term and weekly planning are also essential. But nothing beats daily planning - that is, committing to accomplish a small number of high-priority items every day that move you towards your goals. You don't need ten, twenty or thirty items on your list. You need four or five. Simply ask, "What do I need to do today that will take me one or two steps toward attracting my ideal clients?" What we focus on and what we measure gets done. Then take decisive action.2. Write - Write something every single dayAt its core, marketing is about communication. And if you're writing, you are communicating. Most people are worried that they don't have much to write about. But when you commit to writing every single day, I promise you'll soon discover you have more ideas than you have time. Write marketing materials, web content, articles, reports, white papers, books, e-zines, blogs, emails and ideas/notes. You don't have to complete a written document every single day, simply make some progress every day.3. Connect - Speak to one prospect every single dayConnect, whether it's someone you meet for the first time in a networking group or a follow-up to a prospect you just sent a proposal to. Make it a priority to connect daily with at least one person who has the potential to be a client. And if you can't connect with a prospect every day, connect with an associate or a referral source. Call to catch up; go out for coffee or lunch. This simple activity gets those in your network thinking about you, and that often leads to new business. And as a last resort, connect on social media. But this should not be a substitute for live connections.  4. Track - Track your progress every single day

http://smebusinesslink.com

6

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

If you don't know where you are in the game of marketing and where your prospects are, how do you know what move to take next? You don't. Track everything that counts: your web visitors, your e-zine opt-ins, the number of contacts you make, the number of appointments you set up and the clients you win. Marketing is a game. Can you imagine any other game where you don't keep score? It's absurd. 5. Read - Read every single dayKnowledge about marketing and selling is not scarce. But if you don't study this material it might as well not exist. You don't need to read a lot every day, but you always want the stimulation of new ideas.  Read e-zines, blogs, articles and reports online, magazines and books. Read anything that helps you be a better marketer and business person. 6. Mindset - Work on your thinking every single dayWhat you think determines your actions, your actions determine your habits, and your habits determined your life. When I talk about working on your thinking, I mean challenging and questioning your limited thinking. You can start with these thoughts: "Is it really true that I don't have time to plan, write, connect, track and read every single day?" If you believe you can't you won't. Doing these six things every day has the potential to not only transform your business but to transform you in the process. You'll emerge as a more confident, informed, articulate person with the ability to attract more of your ideal clients. Make the commitment to do these things every single workday for the next month (take your weekends off!) and I promise you'll see amazing progress in your marketing.

Cheers, Robert Middleton Action Plan Marketing for Professional Consultants who are committed to making a difference. http://www.actionplan.com

http://smebusinesslink.com

7

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

Effective brand acceleration in 2012By Nigel Jumbe

The brand is a business’ most valuable asset. Popular international brands, such as Coca Cola, Nike, and Samsung are valued in the hundreds of billions of dollars.What is a brand? A brand is a combination of attributes, communicated through a name or a symbol that influences

a thought process in the mind of an audience and creates value. To build a valuable brand, you first need to ask yourself the following questions:

Which products are my main sources of revenue? Which products are not performing and why not? Are your competitors offering any products that you

are not offering and why? How often are you benchmarking yourself against competition and what

measures are you taking? Are you looking at international trends?

How can you start accelerating your brand?

http://smebusinesslink.com

8

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

The first thing you need is to get the right people. In a survey done on behalf of our clients, we discovered that less than 5% of the staff knew what the company’s mission, vision and values where.

This trend seems to be the norm in Zimbabwe. The custodians of the brand have no clue whatsoever as to what service to deliver, how to deliver it and why it is important to deliver it that way.

Once you get the right team- the right people in the right places, equip them to deliver on the brand vision. To build a valuable brand, here is a checklist of questions, answers to which will help you accelerate your brand:

Do you have the right image? Do your customers feel proud to be dealing with you? Do people aspire to trust you?

How much do you know about your customers? How much input do your customers have into products and services? Do you know who your most valuable customers are? Are you rewarding them

accordingly and how? Do you give to the community? How well is your business known? Do you have enough public awareness to

drive your growth strategy? Nigel Jumbe is the MD of Summerhay Media, a branding, marketing and

advertising company. This excerpt is from the presentation he made at the BusinessLink breakfast seminar last Friday.

The Making of a 20-Something Multimillionaire Serial Entrepreneur

Growing up in gritty East San Jose, Calif., Gurbaksh Chahal struggled to fit in. Emigrating from India with his family at age 4, he wore a traditional head covering for Sikh children called a patka to school. It was just one cultural difference that his pint-sized peers bullied him about. But instead of succumbing to what he recalls as a "wild, wild west for minorities," Chahal leaned into his close-knit family for the strength that would become his entrepreneurial fuel.He dropped out of high school at 16, started a business and never looked back. Fascinated by online advertising and the "concept of a click," Chahal founded ClickAgents in December

1998. Less than two years later, he sold it for $40 million. Staying hungry for growth, he started online

http://smebusinesslink.com

GURBAKSH CHAHAL IS FOUNDER, CHAIRMAN AND CEO OF RADIUM ONE

9

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

advertising network BlueLithium in 2004. Yahoo Inc. bought it within three years for $300 million. The latest entrepreneurial venture for Chahal, now 29, is RadiumOne, a fast-growing ad network that leverages social data on the Web. 

The serial entrepreneur, who also published a memoir, The Dream (Palgrave Macmillan, 2008), offers insight on staying competitive, making the most of defining moments, and the one thing he changed that shifted his outlook on life. Edited interview excerpts follow.

On breaking free from bullies: My focus was to think: 'OK, I'm not going to have the most friends, be prom king or the most popular student – but so what?' I fell in love with the Internet, with business and the idea of being in control and knowing that my destiny was in my own hands. I became more determined than ever to succeed.

I'm inspired by… my family. When my parents were working, my grandmother was their equivalent. There was a sense of belonging at home, even though at school I was told differently. My grandmother would always comfort me and say it's all going to work out one day. As a kid it made me realize: 'Maybe she's right, maybe it will.' The DNA of having discipline, ambition, making someone else proud and believing in yourself doesn't have to come from business, it can come from nurturing.

Success Tip: Don't focus so much energy on what you've lost, focus on what you need to win. There will be times when you may lose $1 million in deals. You'll think it's the end of the world, but the next day you may make $1.2 million. Nothing is meant to always work out. You just need a Plan B.

On staying competitive: Many [business] people focus on what is static, black and white. Yet great algorithms can be rewritten. A business process can be defined better. A business model can be copied. But the speed of execution is dynamic within you and can never be copied. When you have an idea, figure out the pieces you need quickly, go to market, believe in it, and continue to iterate.

Biggest business influence: The best CEO of our time, Steve Jobs, for his vision and mastering the execution of it. 

My proudest moment… was seeing the look in my father's eyes when I told him that I sold my second company [for $300 million]. He didn't have to say anything.

On defining moments: You'll probably have two or three really bad days in a year. Those are pivotal points where every decision is instrumental. You have to have a very thick skin and be more focused on solving the problem than worrying about it.

Stress-taming tactic: I disconnect from technology for a weekend, generally once a month. You almost need to so you can think and appreciate what really matters in life – family, friends, your health. I let loved ones know where I am, in case anything happens. But if something does go wrong then I'm not doing my job right, because I should be hiring people who can problem-solve on their own. 

Attitude adjuster: When my grandmother passed away I created a slideshow with pictures of her and me. Anytime I need motivation or hit an obstacle, I replay it.

Advice for young 'treps: People still stereotype all day long. But if you forget your own age, you'll get so focused on the business that you become ultra-confident and people will forget to question how old you are.

Biggest challenge: We have 120 amazing [employees] and we're growing fast, so it's about finding the next 120 people who share the same culture. I'm a true believer the assets go home at night -- and your assets are your people.

http://smebusinesslink.com

10

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

When faced with rejection… embrace it. This will change the entire way you look at life. Whenever someone says they're not interested in working [for me] or buying [from me], it fuels my competitive side. It may not be today or even next year, but I will carefully design a strategy to get a 'yes.' And when a 'yes' fuels you more than the actual deal or opportunity, you can embrace rejection in a much more competitive way.

Favourite book: [Sun Tzu's] The Art of War has a way of broadly looking at life and I've incorporated it into my business philosophy.

If I knew then, what I know now… I would still drop out of high school. (Chuckle.)A big turnoff is… when people approach me and say, 'I have a million-dollar idea and it's going to be amazing.' They think just an idea will make them millions. That's not the way business really works. It's about executing the hell out of your idea -- better than anyone else.What's next: We're launching two massive projects by the end of the year where we'll get closer to the consumer and help make advertising more like information. We're also aggressively expanding internationally. We'll launch in Australia, Canada and France in the fourth quarter. With that, based on the way revenue and profit grows, [RadiumOne] could be on a 12- to 15-month track to an IPO.

From Entrepreneur Media, Inc. All rights reserved.

How a Young Fashion Designer Stands Out in a Crowded Market

From listening to customers to creating a unique product, Rebecca Minkoff shares her top tips.

When Rebecca Minkoff co-founded a New York-based luxury handbags company in 2005, her goal was to develop a high-quality product that was both practical and sexy. What she didn't expect -- especially in the competitive fashion industry -- was that sales would rise so quickly.Revenues at Rebecca Minkoff LLC jumped

to $17.5 million in 2010 from $5.5 million in 2008, according to the Women Presidents' Organization (WPO), which ranked Rebecca Minkoff No. 6 on its Top 50 Fastest-Growing Women-Led Companies annual list.

http://smebusinesslink.com

11

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

"We came out at a time when contemporary bags were hot and exciting," says Minkoff, who is 30 and also the youngest business owner on the WPO list. "We definitely rode that momentum and learned how to build a business along the way."

Minkoff's journey into the fashion business started when, at age 18, she moved from St. Petersburg, Fla., to Manhattan and landed an internship at fashion-design house Craig Taylor. She worked closely with the CEO "who took me under her wing and taught me about the whole business," Minkoff says.

By the time she left the company in 2001, Minkoff was already working on her own designs. Her first taste of national recognition came when actress Jenna Elfman -- best known for her starring role in the TV sitcom Dharma and Greg -- wore an "I Love New York" T-shirt Minkoff designed on the Jay Leno show. After the appearance, retailers began calling and Minkoff spent the next six months "sewing T-shirts on my living-room floor."

Although Minkoff continued designing, starting a full-fledged company was daunting. So, her older brother, Uri, who had founded a small handful of health-care and technology start-ups, joined her, and the duo officially launched Rebecca Minkoff LLC in 2005. Minkoff serves as creative director, while Uri is CEO. The company's first prototype was a leather satchel Minkoff called the "Morning After Bag.""I envisioned a bag that you'd want to take with you on late nights out when you weren't sure where you'd wind up or when you'd come home the next morning," she says.

The $500 bag struck a chord with consumers -- including celebrities such as Lindsay Lohan and Hayden Panettiere. Minkoff's line has expanded beyond handbags to include accessories and women's apparel, which are sold in 300 U.S. retail stores -- such as Nordstrom, Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Avenue. This spring, the 30-person company launched a new division called Ben Minkoff, named for Minkoff's grandfather, which manufactures and sells men's bags and accessories. How to Break into a Crowded Industry

Minkoff's fast-track growth is particularly notable because she found success in an already crowded and fiercely competitive fashion industry. While the number of fashion-design houses has decreased 2.3 percent annually since 2005, industry revenues have been growing 0.6 percent per year, giving the remaining players an increasingly bigger piece of the market, according to IBIS World, a market-research firm based in Los Angeles.

Here, Minkoff shares her top three tips for launching a business in a competitive industry:1. Be unique. Piggybacking on an existing product or service usually won't get your

business noticed in competitive markets, Minkoff says. Yours should fill a need and stand out from the competition. "I created a line for what I wanted to wear -- and

http://smebusinesslink.com

REBECCA MINKOFF'S MORNING AFTER BAG

12

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

what I saw there was a lack of in the market -- in terms of design and function at an affordable price," she says. 

2. Know your price point. Regardless of the industry, customers want a quality product for a great price, Minkoff says. Setting an appropriate price for a product or service is crucial. Minkoff learned that lesson after she downgraded the leather for a particular handbag without lowering the retail price. "I didn't put a tag on it saying it was made with this other type of leather, but the bag didn't look the same, and my customers knew it," she says. "We recognized that immediately when sales for the item didn't perform." 

3. Listen and respond. Establishing communication with customers and making them feel a part of the decision-making process has been important to Minkoff's success. She connects with her 23,000 Twitter followers and more than 16,000 Facebook fans. In 2009, Minkoff launched Minkette, an online forum for customers to share thoughts about the brand."If someone writes in and tells us the strap on a particular bag isn't long enough to wear in the winter when she's wearing a coat, we'll make the bag with a longer strap the next season," Minkoff says. "My customers know I'm listening and responding."

From Entrepreneur.com

Young Zimbabwean Entrepreneurial Achievers in the Diaspora

Before attending college in the United States, Emmanuel co-founded DAPIA Investments, a small company that sought to provide educational science software to rural Zimbabwean schools. Having witnessed the struggles young entrepreneurs faced in Zimbabwe's then hyperinflationary economy, he became interested in seeking ways to help promote development through a bottom-up entrepreneurial approach. In his sophomore year, he went back to Zimbabwe to meet university student community leaders and conducted a workshop on ways youth social entrepreneurs could use Internet tools to

promote their ventures. He also established a social networking website to bring

http://smebusinesslink.com

Please share your inspirational entrepreneurial stories, in Zimbabwe and abroad. Email chichonip@smebusinesslink.com

EMMANUEL MAGARA

13

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

together social entrepreneurs around the world interested in Zimbabwe's sustainable development.

Emmanuel has worked on various leadership boards pertaining to development. During his term in office in the Zimbabwe Youth Parliament, Emmanuel served on a national committee geared towards improving cancer patients' access to healthcare. He is currently on the board of directors for the Oberlin Hot Meals, a non-profit that provides meals to the homeless and economically disadvantaged members of the Oberlin community. In addition, Emmanuel was instrumental in establishing the US-Canada World Bank's Youth Development Peace Network (YDP) chapter – a network of youth leaders working adjunct with the World Bank on youth-related issues. He was also a co-leader of Harambe Cameroon, a venture that sought to bring together students, businesses, non-profit organizations and the Cameroonian government in developing youth entrepreneurial ventures.

Among several awards and recognitions for his work, Emmanuel is an Oberlin College Entrepreneurship Scholar and a national Bonner Scholar. He is also a recipient of the Oberlin College Creativity and Leadership Award for his initiatives to promote youth entrepreneurship in Zimbabwe and the Shansi-In-Asia Award for his service project at an AIDS hospice in Penang, Malaysia. A talented chemist as well, Emmanuel was a recipient of the CRC Press Chemistry Award for excellence in Inorganic Chemistry, the Jewitt Fanning award for having "an unusual promise in Chemistry" and the Harrol Baker Scholarship for being an "outstanding" Biochemistry major.

Career wise, competent in Chinese Mandarin and having travelled to and witnessed South Africa, Malaysia, Singapore and Hong Kong's healthcare-provision challenges and successes, Emmanuel is interested in collaboratively working with experts from around the world to come up with effective African healthcare solutions. He is currently a fourth-year pre-medical student at Oberlin College where he is doing an honours research on Alzheimer's Disease, majoring in Biochemistry with an East Asian Studies minor.

Source: http://www.usapglobal.org/

How to Start a Beauty Supply Store

If you want to start a beauty supply store, then you need to do some planning. There are a lot of products to choose from that you can sell. You may specialize in one area then you can start supplying wide selection of beauty products.

It is important to partner with a manufacturing company that you can rely on so you are assured that you are supplying products that are of quality.

Everyone has their concept of beauty. In order to keep up with beauty standards, people are now taking the time in considering how they look, especially women. They allot a certain budget to buy beauty products that can help in enhancing their beauty. Malls and beauty stores are the places where we could avail products but if you are thinking about making profit out of this, then you can. You can actually start your own

http://smebusinesslink.com

14

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

beauty supply business. The products that you sell can range from make ups, facial creams, anti aging products, lotions and even perfumes and cologne. Actually you can sell any product relating to beauty.

Starting a beauty supply store When thinking about starting a

beauty supply store, you need to partner with a supplier or top beauty manufacturing companies so that you have products to sell. There are a lot of beauty manufacturers that you can tie up with, locally, regionally and internationally. They usually supply in bulk or sometimes in smaller number depends on what you agree upon. You have to think about your business name that is something catchy to people. After that you can create your own label for the products that you are selling. Usually these manufacturers will give you their catalogues and brochures so you can choose the products you want to sell. For costing, you can certainly sell them double their original price.

For women, this is a dream come true business. When you are just stating, it is advisable that you start with just 5 to 6 products so that it is easy to manage. You might want to get some products with brand names already or you can start with your own collection by reselling stuff. Although reselling might involve tedious work, it is very exciting to venture into this business. You need to create your business logo. Start by conceptualizing or brainstorming. Make sure that your label can be remembered by people.

The next thing that you need to think about is your marketing strategy. This will definitely help you to sell your products. You can create a catalogue that you can show your customers. In this way, it will be easy for them to choose. If you are thinking about starting your own product line, it is not an easy task, you have to choose products that will most likely sell.

Identifying your target market will be of great help. It can let you decide if you just want to focus on selling luxury products, skin care or hair care products. If you have identified your target market, it is better to research on what specific product your target market would like.

. Don’t forget the licenses that you need so that you can run your business smoothly.

By the BusinessLink Team

Entrepreneur Profile: Nigel Chanakira

http://smebusinesslink.com

15

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

I am a Zimbabwean charged to propagate the glorious news of Christ's salvation to the ends of the earth and determined not to let anyone within my influence go to hell. Further, I am committed to assist anyone (especially, those living in Africa) who is willing to pay the price, to realize more of their God-given potential.

Interest: Motivating committed people to reach more of their potentialFavorite Quotations Mat 6:33 " But seek ye first his kingdom, and his righteousness;

and all these things shall be added unto you." "Africa is too rich to be poor!""Whatever you vividly imagine, ardently desire, sincerely believe, and enthusiastically act upon...must inevitably come to pass!" Paul J Meyer

"Success is the progressive realization of worthwhile, predetermined personal goals" Paul J Meyer

Nigel went to St John’s College and Churchill High School, Harare, for his high school. He then went to the University of Zimbabwe Class of 1985 where he did the BSc (Hons) Economics , with majors in Economics, econometrics and finance.In 1994, he founded Kingdom Bank, grew it into Kingdom Financial Holdings, merged it with Meikles Africa then demerged. (A

dream which turned into a nightmare, according to his forthcoming book).He is also the Executive Chairman of Success Motivation International, since 2002.

Email your feedback to chichonip@smebusinesslink.com

Motivational Ignition!By Milton Kamwendo

I am not a mechanic although I sometimes wish I was especially when I look at my car service or repair bills. The best I know about a car is that when I put my keys on the ignition and turn the key on something happens. This thing is called the ignition, it ignites something in the engine that gets the engine to start and run. In life we also need a motivational ignition often.

Books The books we read either ignite a new fire, imagination and passion in us or leave us dampened and cynical about life. Books are powerful. Whatever problem or challenge we face the odds are that there is already a book somewhere that someone has written on the subject.

Reading opens the mind to new channels of thought. You can never read and remain the same. Most progressive leaders are good readers. They realize that without continual reading and self development they lose their edge.

http://smebusinesslink.com

16

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

Some people have found it easier to set some goal of say, buying a book per month or reading two books per month. Studies have shown that for many people, after school or some formal program of education they read less than a book per year! Any wonder what is happening to those mental engines that have not been started for so long? The mind is a terrible thing to waste.

ConversationThere are people who major in other people’s personal affairs. Some people call this occupation the grapevine. Such occupations simply fuel prejudice and strain relationships. However, there are some truly igniting and inspiring conversations that inspire ideas, motivation and passion for life. We have to be on the look-out for such conversations and people who positively affect us in this way.

InternetThe Internet is this huge living information organism that grows by the milli-second. No one is able to keep up or contain everything on the internet. The Internet is a blessing for those who know how to use it and a self destructing and hazardous minefield for simpletons..

I have set up an online inspirational community, Motivated for Greatness, that I trust will ignite motivation, inspiration and ideas. Instead of waiting and hoping that someone will ignite us we can also take the responsibility to share our thoughts and the things that inspire us. This community allows people to do just that. If you would like to be a member or simply take a look please visit: www.innov8motivation.ning.com and start the ignition process.

Writing & ThinkingThe mother of every act is a thought. Thinking ignites ideas. Ideas that are not captured usually fly away. Writing is like have a deep focused conversation; it allows you to work in the best workshop in the world - the mind. A mind that is animated with a powerful idea ignites waves of greatness. Think and you will be great!

Committed to your greatness. Milton Kamwendo

Young Entrepreneurs Club: First 100 clubs launching in February

“New ideas for the future will come from young people. Old people have already had their chance and look what they have achieved.”

The Young Entrepreneurs Club launches officially at Maranatha High School on Friday 3rd February 2012. This is the biggest entrepreneurial initiative aimed at changing the mindsets of young people and empowering them to start successful and sustainable businesses instead of just waiting to get a job. It will also set good foundations for professionally managing businesses and move away from the common informal and unprofitable approach to business.Kick start a Young Enterprise Club at your high school, college or community. Visit the website http://smebusinesslink.com/young-entrepreneurs-club/ for more information or send me an email for the information pack.

http://smebusinesslink.com

17

BU

SIN

ES

SLI

NK

NE

WS

LETT

ER

| 1/

30/2

012

Business opportunity for BusinessLink Young Entrepreneurs Clubs

Internet Cafes at every school The first business project that students can undertake is to establish a

commercially run internet café at their school or college, if one doesn’t exist already. This will be run profitably, with full-time staff and proper business management systems in place.

What do you need to set up an internet café at a school and how much capital in needed? Let’s discuss.

In the meantime, BusinessLink has issued Requests for Proposals for Internet Café and the best service providers among SMEs will be shortlisted for these projects.

We are also working on a financing plan so that the projects can get off the ground as soon as possible.

BusinessLink Community Referrals Network

Special OffersDo you have products or services on special offer or on promotion? Have you launched new products or services?Let BusinessLink readers know about them by listing them here. Email your message to marketing@smebusinesslink.com

http://smebusinesslink.com