Share

How to succeed as an entrepreneur

Johannesburg - Sizwe Nzima from Cape Town is the winner of the 2013 Engen Pitch and Polish competition for entrepreneurs.

Out of the 226 online entries received for the annual competition for entrepreneurs, 25 entrepreneurs pitched in round 1 with 15 going through to round 2.

A total of seven contestants pitched at the semi-final. Along with Nzima, Felicia Mshololo and Justin van der Walt made it to the very last round.

“There are many people who have bright ideas, but they can’t get them across. Pitch & Polish is a fantastic programme because it helps teach people to do just that,” said Dave Wright, director: corporate planning at Engen Petroleum.

Entrepreneurs who want to build and sustain a profitable business need to learn to be their own rainmakers, according to Allon Raiz, CEO of Raizcorp, which runs the programme.

"South Africans are incredibly innovative and have a deep rooted entrepreneurial spirit, but it is very often the difference between being a rainmaker or not that determines the success of the business,” he says.

The term rainmaker originally comes from American Indians who would ritually sing and dance in times of drought, calling on the gods to bring rain to save their crops.

Learn to be a rainmaker

In a business context, rainmakers can be trusted to execute their jobs with speed and expertise. They tend to have great listening skills, huge energy and a hunger for success.  They also tend to be confident, likeable, powerful individuals with seemingly magical abilities to generate income, according to Raiz.

"Winners are never whiners. They integrate an absolute belief in their own success into their daily work. They don’t blame the economic climate for a lack of success. They know that the economy generally doesn’t create opportunity, people do."

Raiz said a rainmaker figures out what others want and finds a way to offer that to them. They don’t complain about the economy. They create their own economic opportunity.

It is a false perception that a rainmaker is a person who is naturally more gifted or has some sort of unattainable advantage, according to Raiz.

"There is no magic involved. It is quite simply a question of attitude coupled with a good business foundation."

Tips to reach the top

 - Print plenty of business cards and have them available at all times.

 - Dress for success if you want to be taken seriously.

 - Make yourself available and easily contactable for customers and potential customers through appropriate voice mail and by returning calls quickly and efficiently. Always communicate in a positive and approachable tone.

 - Treat every person you meet as a potential customer or business contact.

 - Don’t get left behind. Continually strive to educate and update yourself in your line of business.

 - Be active in the business community. Join business forums and trade organisations.

 - Follow through on your promises and commitments – remember to always be as good as your word.

 - Inform potential customers of the value of your offering and leave room to negotiate on deals.

 - Follow up and keep in regular touch with new and existing customers.

 - Maintain your databases and leverage new media such as social networking.

 - Be bold by being willing to give and to consistently add value.

 - Review and reflect on your own performance regularly and adjust your course where necessary – be your biggest critic.

- Fin24

* Share your experience of setting up a business or simply ask a question. Our business panel can put you on the right path.

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Rand - Dollar
18.93
-0.1%
Rand - Pound
23.90
-0.0%
Rand - Euro
20.44
+0.1%
Rand - Aus dollar
12.34
+0.1%
Rand - Yen
0.13
-0.1%
Platinum
906.59
+1.1%
Palladium
1,012.66
+1.1%
Gold
2,221.84
+1.2%
Silver
24.88
+1.0%
Brent Crude
86.09
-0.2%
Top 40
68,346
+1.0%
All Share
74,536
+0.9%
Resource 10
57,251
+2.9%
Industrial 25
103,936
+0.6%
Financial 15
16,502
-0.1%
All JSE data delayed by at least 15 minutes Iress logo
Company Snapshot
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE
Government tenders

Find public sector tender opportunities in South Africa here.

Government tenders
This portal provides access to information on all tenders made by all public sector organisations in all spheres of government.
Browse tenders