Publications
Partners
From a humble start, knocking on doors looking for business, to running a company with branches across the country, Arnoux Mare – founder and CEO of Innovative Solutions Group – attributes his success to two things: alignment with a skilled workforce, and a 'never say die' attitude.
Mare was last week named CEO of the Year for the second year running at the African Leadership Awards held in Mauritius. The awards recognise leaders who have demonstrated the ability to guide their businesses though turbulent times.
The company, established seven years ago in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, has grown into a market leader. It services a range of sectors from finance, administration, and taxation to accounting to auditing.
Under Mare’s leadership, Innovative Solutions has grown from a start-up to an entity with over R1bn turnover per annum.
Mare shares 5 top tips on growing from a start-up to a market leader.
1. Take emotions out of business decisions
It is important not to base business decisions on emotions. Entrepreneurs must be particularly careful not to make critical decisions on a whim. Assess the short-term, medium-term and long-term impact of every decision you make.
If something doesn't make sense at every one of these stages, make a thorough re-assessment.
2. Embrace innovation and remain relevant
The age of technology forces businesses to keep innovating to remain relevant and competitive. Mare believes lack of innovation, regardless of industry, can lead to premature death and allow entrepreneurs to be overtaken by their competition.
"Businesses are born every day, and what was relevant 10 years ago may not necessarily be applicable today," he says. " Therefore, it is important to keep improving and listen to the needs of the clients."
3. Look after your staff
Employees can make or kill a business, Mare says – and recognising and incentivising good performance goes a long way in growing a good work ethic among employees. "I am of a firm view that happy employees make better employees. Looking after employees extends to skills development and putting the right people in right positions," he says.
4. Focus on what you do best
"It is always tempting for entrepreneurs to spread their reach and gain more income, but experience has taught me that it is better to focus on what you know best and do it well. A never-say-die attitude goes a long way in sustaining your goals during tough times," Mare advises.
5. Identify a gap in the market
Do not go with the crowd, Mare says. "Identify a gap in the market and take full advantage of it. When you identify a gap in the market, it becomes easy to set yourself apart from the competition and excel."
