Business acumen is all too often associated with being a “hustler”, seen as a natural trait by those born with an entrepreneurial mind, naturally gifted with making money. The truth is that it is an acquired skill and more importantly should be possessed by more than the business owner, but by the employee as well. Also referred to as business savvy, business acumen is not the amorphous ability to just magically flip a profit. In an article on Bigthink.com,…
The 16th of June 2023 marked the 47th anniversary since the Youth uprising of 1976 in Soweto, which centred youth activism in the struggle for equality, against repression. The tragedy which marked the day was a moment where the youth of South Africa asserted their desire to craft a worthwhile future, filled with opportunity and a prosperous future. Nearly half a century later, nearly three decades into a constitutional democracy, this desire, this hope, still remains elusive. In an…
We are living through difficult times, and thus failure may be a likely companion. News24 reported on Tuesday, the 16th of May 2023 that: “The official unemployment rate increased by 0.2 of a percentage point to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2023, from the fourth quarter of last year, Statistics SA reported on Tuesday. The number of unemployed people increased by 179 000 to 7.9 million, the Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS) shows.” Retrenchments, failing businesses, inter-personal relationships…
In-flight magazines are an under-appreciated source of information. Many who criss-cross South Africa on domestic flights use mobile devices or laptops to respond to the innumerable emails which pile up, or quickly add the final finishing touches to presentations they are about to deliver in a city on the other side of the country. However, occasionally, one has the time to reach into the seat pocket ahead of you – or download an electronic version – and pass the…
It is an age-old cliché: ‘When life gives you lemons you should make lemonade’. This simple idiom simply conveys the notion that we should flip the script by: “making the harsh events one faces in life, positive.” South Africa has a surplus of proverbial lemons in reference to our economy at present. A little over a week ago, on the 7th of March 2023, Statistics South Africa (Stats SA) gave us more negative news about South Africa’s declining economy:…
At the beginning of this 2023, it is evident that we are in for a difficult year. “Outgoing Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter described the load shedding outlook for 2023 as extremely bleak.” while participating in a discussion at the Investing in African Mining Indaba on the 7th February 2023, according to EWN. BusinessTech provides more detail on what the outlook for electricity supply is: “Eskom chairperson Mpho Makwena says that the power utility aims to deliver some degree…
A happy new year to all! January begins with a great sense of optimism for the year, with the belief that possibilities lie ahead. As the month progresses and the budget is stretched by December spend, school fees, school uniforms and school stationary; anxiety builds. January however is probably the best month for gyms. With a renewed sense of self at the beginning of the year, many resolve to be healthier, stronger and skinnier for the next 365 days.…
Articles at the twilight of the year, usually look back at the year that was. I have done so myself in the past, however, let’s face it, 2022 was a difficult year, to put it tactfully. Instead, I will look ahead to 2023, hope for the best and share my thoughts on the opportunities which lay ahead. Ever evolving technology remains consistent. According to an article by Futurist, Bernard Marr, published by Forbes, there are ten technological developments to…
Like cryptocurrency, the fourth industrial revolution and blockchain, the metaverse has become a buzzword which describes new technological advancements few are able to explain. What is the metaverse and why does it matter? “But of course, the Metaverse is a combination of many different technologies and it is not just for a game. It will not replace the internet, it will build iteratively on top of it, but it’s not fully predictable, much like there was no technical understanding…
In my previous piece, I made mention of how global factors, particularly the war between Russia and Ukraine, is impacting the South African economy. However, if we were earnestly introspective, the state of the South African economy has sadly been brought about by our own actions and inaction. In the same piece, I make brief reference to loadshedding and how beyond the inconvenience it causes, it impacts our economy. How though is South Africa’s economy impacted, what is the…
Tebogo Mogashoa
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