Cape Town - Small business coach Anton Ressel unpacks how business incubators work, what types of incubators entrepreneurs can join, and what benefits they bring to small businesses.
He cautions that before you consider joining one, you first need to assess your business needs to see if the programme is worth your time. "Incubation is time consuming and it requires commitment. What you put in is what you get out," he says.
According to Ressel, not every business owner needs to join an incubation programme.
He suggests speaking to other entrepreneurs who have been through specific programmes to listen to their experiences before joining an incubator. "Speak to people who have been in the programme ... do your homework and go in with your eyes open," he says.
Gary Hopkins, the owner of I Love Coffee, also shares his experiences with incubators.
WATCH this week's episode of #EntrepreneurCorner for more
Did you find this useful? We need your input to identify your most pressing issues. Send us your questions. Our resident coach Anton Ressel or one of our another experts will answer as many as possible in future shows. You can also engage with us on Fin24's Twitter and Facebook pages. Look for our hashtag, #EntrepreneurCorner.
ICYMI, Watch the previous episodes of #EntrepreneurCorner below:
WATCH: #EntrepreneurCorner: Upscaling is about your customer
WATCH: #EntrepreneurCorner: Don't obsess over protecting your idea
WATCH:#EntrepreneurCorner: Why it's crucial that you pay yourself first
WATCH: #EntrepreneurCorner: Make it easy to do business with you
WATCH: #EntrepreneurCorner debuts: The funding conundrum
You may also find these past articles from Anton useful:
Know when to give up if your business isn't working
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