South Africa: Dr Nondumiso Mzizana, Businesswoman of the Year, adds a key ingredient to entrepreneurial initiative
Dr Nondumiso Mzizana, Businesswomen’s Association’s Businesswoman of the Year for 2011 is hosting her second annual Entrepreneurial Success Summit at the luxurious Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria. The year 2012 saw the success of her entrepreneurial initiative launch.at the African Pride Hotel in Melrose Arch, which boasted a powerhouse of speakers, aspiring and established entrepreneurs. Success Summit aims to take entrepreneurs to greater heights through a series of business summits with speakers who are industry and government leaders. Its mission is to not only connect but to also empower as Success Summit has added a twist to its formula this year.
Success Summit, in partnership with Innovation Hub and Standard Bank will be awarding the most innovative entrepreneur with a R100 000 prize towards their business, courtesy of Innovation Hub.
The second annual summit will include an array of prolific speakers from across the range of the private and public sectors. Amongst the speakers is the founder of Success Summit, the CEO of Sikelela Medical, Pharmaceutical and Dental Suppliers and Business Woman of the Year 2011, Dr Nondumiso Mzizana who will be speaking about Entrepreneurial Success.
Also on the programme are:
• Mr Nkosiphendule Kolisile, Gauteng Hon. MEC of Economic Development, who will speak about the Entrepreneurial opportunities in Gauteng.
• Ms Qedani Mahlangu, Gauteng Hon MEC of Infrastructure, who will be speaking on opportunities in infrastructure development.
• Mr McLean Sibanda,CEO of Innovation Hub, will be awarding the R100 000 prize and explain the function and the opportunities offered by the Innovation Hub .
• A representative of Standard Bank will speak about Standard Bank’s contribution to the rise of entrepreneurship and business funding.
• Dr Nikolaus Eberl, CEO of BrandOvation, will address the importance of branding for companies and individuals.
• Margaret Hirsch, COO of Hirsch’s Home Store and Businesswoman of the Year 2012, will be talk speaking on how to be successful in the harsh retail industry.
• Ms Nonkululeko Gobodo, Founder of one of the country’s biggest black-owned accounting firm, Sizwe Ntsaluba Gobodo and South Africa’s first black Chartered Accountant, will address the issue of financing in companies.
• Mr Emmanuel Mohlomme, NEF Corporate Communications Manager, will speak about how to access business funds through government agencies.
The high failure rate for start-ups can be explained by the lack of investment in human capital, training, mentoring and networking that is usually seen in large corporations. This predicament is about to change as Success Summit builds a supportive network. This year’s partnership with The Innovation Hub sees entrepreneurs with great ideas from the Biosciences, Green, ICT and high-tech industries standing a chance to win R100 000 to inject back into their businesses.
Dr Mzizana explains that: “Success Summit is designed for professionals – not of a certain level, occupation or age but of a particular attitude – businessmen and women who seek to increase their ability to achieve and succeed and are looking for proven strategies that work.”
When asked about the inspiration of starting such an initiative, Dr Mzizana responded: “I have found that budding entrepreneurs (women and the youth in particular), face unique challenges in business. Women struggle to balance their everyday lives with their careers, to say “no” assertively, have difficulty with self-promotion and suffer from lack of confidence. In addition they lack negotiation skills, and have doubts about venturing into business deals. They also suffer from procrastination and other problems. Young people in the corporate world and aspiring young entrepreneurs wanting to start their own businesses struggle to get accurate information, advice and direction due to lack of appropriate mentors, coaches or role models who have appropriate experience and have succeeded in their own right. I wanted to create a forum where women and youths can overcome these challenges and help each other by sharing best practices, tactics and strategies and partner with a financial and government entity that understands the mind of an entrepreneur”.
What to expect as an attendee:
• Urgent questions will be answered!
• Coaching on the toughest business challenges will be given
• Smart ways to jump start your marketing, attract clients, form strategic partnerships, set up business systems, and acquire a prosperity mind-set.
• A customized blueprint for total attitude, life style and strategy that really works and a chance to uncover the pieces that are missing and remove the obstacles that are getting in the way of your prosperity as you move forward in business and life.
• The latest and best systems, processes and turnkey strategies that you can start using right away to make your organization a whole lot more effective.
• Quality networking, expert mentorship, a chance to win R100 000 and Funding.
Details about the event:
Venue: The Sheraton Hotel Pretoria
Date: 27 June 2013 at The Innovation Hub (pitching of ideas for the R100 000 prize)
28 June 2013 at The Sheraton Hotel Pretoria (main event)
Entrepreneurs should bring lots of business cards, and an open mind. Together, we can pave the way for the country’s independent business people and shift the mind-set of seeking jobs and transform it into that of starting a business and creating jobs.
For further information about Success Summit and for registration, visit www.successsummit.net , email info@successsummit.net or call012 346 3072. Tickets are R1 500 – Proceeds will be reinvested to women in the rural outskirts with great business acumen but lack of start-up funding
