Business Success is Built on Solid Business Foundations
The 3rd Vaal Region Small-, Medium- and Micro-Enterprise (SMME) conference was aimed at inspiring and motivating small business owners to greater heights of business excellence. It is also part of a bigger community impact strategy to address the staggering unemployment statistic of 54% in our area. The overwhelming response to this year’s conference is testimony to the entrepreneurial spirit that exists within our communities.
The months of brainstorming, planning and coordinating that went into organizing this event have indeed borne fruit and more than 450 delegates attended each day of the two-day programme. This fully sponsored event sought to once again help Small, Medium and Micro Enterprises in the Vaal Region - and surrounding areas - by providing information pertinent to business growth and development.
The broad themes of Business Foundations and Business Success provided the platform for the conference and topics included Leadership, Business ethics, Governance, Compliance, Understanding economics, the Entrepreneurial spirit, Innovation and Creativity, Enterprise development and Knowledge management.
The jam-packed programme included presentations and panel discussions where delegates were encouraged to interact with high profile individuals from a diverse spectrum of business interests. This format afforded an opportunity for lively and constructive debate around business related issues and topics that are imperative to the SMME sector.
The phenomenal line-up of presenters included, Eric Tockell (Founder of the Wimpy Group), Edith Venter (Edith Unlimited), Linda Ntuli , Paul Jones (Kairos Projects), Judi Sandrock (Medium Enterprise Development Organisation) and Daddy Khuselo (Mbuso Management solutions). In addition to these top speakers, the panelists included Carel van Aardt (Professor at the Bureau for Market Research, UNISA), Kris Dobie (Ethics South Africa), Lala Lesejane (CIPC), Martin Manmohan (Business Analyst, ChemCity) and Sibusiso Biyela (Local Economic Development Manager, Emfuleni Municipality).
Networking opportunities abounded through lively interaction between delegates and numerous service providers in the exhibition areas surrounding the conference arena.
As in the past, the best SMMEs in the Vaal region are eligible for prizes in the SMME awards. This year the competition format has been changed dramatically and will involve a ten month training and mentoring program prior to judging. The culmination of the program will be the gala prize- giving event, hosted at the Emerald resort and Casino, at which three SMMEs who show greatest business development and growth, service excellence and commitment to success will be recognised. Registered, South African owned businesses, operating in the Vaal Region were encouraged to enter the competition. This incredible opportunity for small business development was made possible through the sponsorship of local corporate partners and the Emerald Foundation.
The Emerald Foundation, in partnership with LUSA Community Chest, would like to thank all the sponsors and corporate partners who invested in the success of the 3rd Vaal Region SMME conference.
For more information on becoming a partner for future conferences please contact Thanu at LUSA Community Chest- 016 976 0933, .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).
