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Step#12: How to Run a Successful Business

This is Step 12/12 of our series “How to Start a Business in SA Successfully?”
In this 12-step-series we discuss the 12 Core Elements of How to Start a Business in South Africa. We cover all the big questions… how to run a successful business? create a healthy company culture? recruit the right people?

Last week we covered what compliance documents are needed to start a business in South Africa. If you missed it, simply click here to catch-up now.

How to start your own business

Taking us through these steps: Brend Badenhorst

In an interview style discussion, Brend will lead us through these start-up success steps. Brend is SA’s leading start-up success consultant.

  • Experienced Entrepreneur (Founder of MySME)
  • IMCSA Registered Business Coach
  • Specialist in start-up growth
  • Services SETA organisation (under MySME)
  • UNISA / CPUT Advisory Board
  • Government Speaking Event Contributor
  • Track record of many successful SME’s (see testimonials)
brend

To watch the Video Interview, simply click on the video below:

You can also read through the interview content below – question by question.

Q1: What do you need to have in place to run a successful business in South Africa?

“There are two core elements that still come in. Do you remember the boxes I spoke about in Session 10 (How to Create Structure in Your Business)? The fourth box is compliance, legalities, and HR. So, what you want to do is look at that box now.

Look at the business culture and look at the HR of the company. That’s ultimately going to help you to run the business and manage your employees with order and control.

Q2: What principles can I apply in my business to have a healthy company culture?

“There are five principles that I would advise all my clients to implement in their business culture.

Firstly, and this should be obvious in South Africa, no corruption. You should have a zero-corruption policy – no bribes under the table.

The second one is efficiency. You want to make sure that everything in your business runs efficiently. You want to make sure that your staff members are running efficiently in their work, and that everything runs efficiently within your operation systems.

The third principle is the principle of empathy, respect and treating people fairly. No matter who they are or where they are from, you want to treat everyone who come into your business fairly and with respect.

The fourth one is to keep your word. If you say something, then own up to it. You can’t get out of that, because your employees are watching your words and actions very closely.

The last one is to honour your creditors. When you owe someone money, pay your debts.

These are basically the five simple principles to keep an ethical business culture.

Business Coaching

Q3: How do I recruit the right people for my business?

This is something that a lot of people struggle with, so they start to stress even before they employ people. There’s a reason for that. In South Africa, we are known for employees who can sometimes make things very difficult in a business.

So, what you want to do is first establish the culture in your business. Once you have that core ingredient of the culture, you want to ask yourself who is going to fit into this culture? Now, I’ve got a five-step system of how to employ people and it works like a charm.

The first step is to do the application. I would use a platform like LinkedIn. I would get CVs and ask the applicants to write an introduction letter.

Once they send the introduction letter, I will look for the best one and set up an interview. Which is step number two.

When they are done with the interview, I will give them some homework to see if they really want the job or not. I do it to see if they are willing to spend some time doing homework.

Step number four is to do a second interview. This is when I introduce them to the team.

The last step is to call the references. I can guarantee you that by step number five, the people who really need to be in your business have selected themselves by just following the steps that you have set out for them.

In Summary

We have identified that running a successful business is just as important as starting a business successfully. Having a healthy company culture is crucial and it is very important to find the right people to fit into your culture.

FREE Start-up Workshop - Just Opened!

Start your journey to a become a successful entrepreneur in South Africa by Signing up for our FREE Online Startup Workshop. In this workshop we’ll train you how to apply this information above and much more. Best of all – it is FREE!
How to start your own business

FREE Business Growth Coaching Session

If you are already a trading business and need funding or support to grow, our IMCSA Accredited Business Coaches are ready to assist. We train you how to apply this information above to your business and much more.
Business Coaching
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