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You cannot claim to be pro-business unless you are for the people, because business is about people. This was clearly demonstrated by this week’s collapse of US President Donald Trump’s business advisory councils, in protest against his refusal to denounce the white supremacists who staged a rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, which resulted in violence and the death of a woman.
Likewise, you cannot claim to be for the people unless you safeguard their sources of income and wellbeing.
Sadly, so many in politics and business are prisoners of their own fundamentalist positions, choosing to oppose whatever their perceived enemies support. In so doing, they create a whirlwind of negativity that saps the energy of even the most determined optimist.
As the world collapses into this man-made calamity of unconstructive conversations, it is only those entrepreneurs with the mental strength to focus on the work at hand who will succeed.
In the past we used to turn on the television to receive our daily fix of bad news. Nowadays, we are privy to reports of corruption, oppression, death and destruction coming via our cellphones – along a seemingly endless stream.
Whether the world has really gone from bad to worse or we have simply become more aware of global catastrophes is uncertain, but it appears as if the world goes in cycles.
World War 2 was tragic, but the peacetime that followed resulted in untold prosperity in the West.
The fall of apartheid saw the black middle class double in number as established South African companies became global giants. Cynics define this as capital flight.
The world turns without our consent, and the seasons do not seek our permission to change. Flowers will bloom again and the icy news will blow away.
As a small business owner, you want to ensure that you remain in business in all weather and against all odds.
To do so, you need to bear this in mind: Life is an unfair game. You will be blocked at every turn by your competitors and the people who prefer them.
And in the corporate world it is no different. I have seen many young managers thrown under the bus by the mentors who have been assigned by the company to help them.
In the minds of the insecure employee, every colleague is an enemy who must be crushed or watched while armed with a dagger.
Crying about it does not help. Our ancestors put it more succinctly: “Impangele enhle umakhala egijima” – meaning, a beautiful guinea fowl is the one that runs while crying.
In other words, do not let your troubles stop you from living your life.
So firstly, pay no heed to the social activists who bring lots of sympathy and no opportunity. They are a distraction. You have to direct your anger at the system.
Secondly, you have to fall in love with sales because that is where your business gets its revenue. If you are not interested in people, do not bother opening shop.
And be prepared to listen more than you talk, as dealing with customers means staying silent for long periods while they tell you their needs.
If you were used to scoring 100% in sports and academia at school, you can be sure that the business world will humble you. A sea of no will erode your confidence as if it was a beach dune, so you need to constantly reassure yourself as self-reliance is a skill that you cannot afford to lose.
Thirdly, know that success does not mean perfection. Embrace your mistakes.
When the situation gets tough, forget the times when you have failed. Remember only those times when you emerged victorious, or a compliment that someone has given you.
This is when you should relax and find humour in the situation. After all, you will not know how good you are until you face hardships.
Kuzwayo is the founder of Ignitive, an advertising agency
