I’m turning 40 soon.
If I met 20 year old me today and had a conversation with him, this is what I would tell him in no particular order:
ON LIFE
- The only real job of your life is to know yourself.
- It’s OK to lie sometimes.
- Go. To. Therapy.
Comair just voluntarily filed for business rescue.
Caxton just pulled entire magazine business.
Edcon in business rescue.
Associated Media liquidated.
Only 6 weeks of lockdown. Imagine another 6 weeks. We need to end this lockdown.
"Life is not a zero-sum game and nor is business."
As the end of this decade approaches, here are ten years of business lessons from a startup founder.
Win R40 000 worth of Side Hustles prizes including:
👉 1 on 1 coaching
👉 Side Hustle Masterclass
👉 Side Hustle Mindset online short course
👉 Exclusive Side Hustle Community
👉 5 Business Books
Enter Now:
The more you share, the more entries you get.
If you are trying to build a business in South Africa, I think it's time to consider leaving.
It's tough enough to build a business anywhere. Doing it with no electricity and an incompetent government is impossible.
BIG NEWS! Today I'm announcing the launch of the Slow Fund🐢!
Every day for the next 365 days the Slow Fund will give one person R1000 to start a side hustle.
R365 000 --> 365 businesses --> 365 days.
#sidehustle1000
Why do this & why now? thread...
1/ SAA is seeking R21bn bailout.
How else could we use that money to stimulate the economy?
I wonder...
A short thread using rough figures.
Let's use R100 000 as startup capital.
R21 000 000 000 / R100 000
= 210 000 businesses receiving funding
I've never built a startup that was easy.
If yours feels impossible and broken, that's ok. It feels that way until it doesn't.
Nothing worth building is easy.
This is a great thread filled with ideas for "Cocktail attire", but... yes, there's a "but".
Wear sneakers if you feel like the best version of yourself.
Wear a t-shirt if you can make it elegant and you feel like the best version of yourself.
Wear a light suit, dark suit,
Let's talk about this because you may get invited to a party this holiday season that calls for "cocktail attire." What is cocktail attire? And how can you do it well? 🧵
I have helped a lot of people start businesses.
Here are five things that hold most people back and how to get over each issue:
#1
. Perfection
Perfection is perilous. It doesn't exist.
Waiting for it is a roadblock.
Seek feedback, not perfection.
Be prolific, not perfect.
Strong opinions loosely held.
A life changing principle. It's OK to believe something with conviction and passion.
If the facts change, it's also OK to change your opinion and then hold a new opinion with conviction and passion.
Let me get this straight - at Lockdown Level 3 I can't walk my dogs in a public park but people can gather in closed rooms in big groups for hours and sing the virus at each other's faces every day if they want.
We're in the upside down.
A lesson in leadership from the President tonight:
1. Summarize what has been done.
2. Commend the good work done.
3. Talk about what is being done.
4. Explain what will be done.
5. Acknowledge your team (citizens)
6. Admit to mistakes made.
7. Commit to be/do better.
Your employees are not your family.
You have a family at home, so does your team.
Calling it a family sparks guilt associated with disappointing a parent.
It's passive-abusive & needs to stop.
Build a team, build a unit, build another analogy.
Let go of the family narrative.
"It wasn’t a paper cut kind of bleed, it was more of an aorta kind of bleed straight from the heart of the business and gushing from the neck. We were losing money quicker than we were making it." - This is a quote from my new book. You can buy it here:
Suing a startup for lost future value of equity because you lost out on a deal is not a smart move for a venture capital firm.
Do not raise money from investors who sue startups. Do not trust investors who sue startups. This is shocking.
The longer we don't sell alcohol, the safer South African people are. The facts are so clear. Insane how much we ignore this because of our societal addiction to this drug.
Emergency rooms aren't filled with people tripping on Acid. Just saying.
I found an online store that has stock of toilet paper and you'll never guess what I did...
I bought the exact amount that I needed for two people to last a week.
Like a psychopath.
Schools need to teach courses in side hustles and business building.
Not doing so is criminal in 2021.
We are not equipping young people for the present and future economy.
#sidehustle
#sme
#smallbusiness
#Entrepreneur
When you start writing a book you tell yourself that it doesn't matter if it hits the bestsellers charts. But when it gets there, it's always a surreal feeling!
#bestseller
#startasidehustle
Mental fitness is a constant fight in my life.
I've been fighting this fight for many years as a startup founder and entrepreneur.
It's tough and constant.
You're probably fighting it too & could use some help.
Here are some things I do to stay mentally fit...
🧵👇
I used to feel like I was too important and busy to do the dishes at home. Now I know that having the time to do the dishes means I'm making the right decisions in life.
It's OK to have a weekend, take a break, read a book, exercise or relax - ie, not work.
If you're feeling guilty about it, stop.
Inspiration occurs in the most unexpected places sometimes.
18 years ago I started my first job at
@Radio702
. I was a stupid kid trying to break into broadcasting. That day I met
@AkiAnastasiou
for the first time. I doubt he'd remember but I was so impressed with how welcoming & helpful he was. Go forth into the next chapters, Aki!
So much in life comes down to timing.
The music you like.
The books you hate.
The friends you make and lose.
Your career choices.
Your happiness.
Your sadness.
Often timing makes all the differences. Sometimes you just need to be patient and wait or walk away.
I'm really tired of hearing this advice: "Every SME needs an e-commerce presence NOW."
Rubbish.
E-commerce is a complex beast.
If you're considering opening an online store to save your business you need to plan carefully and think strategically.
A short thread:
I think our country could do with 31 500 new business instead of one failed money pit airline making a few rich thieves even wealthier while taking money from a dying economy.
I've had enough of this bullshit.
Your business starts before you start your business.
Get your mental health in order.
Get your physical health in order.
Get your relationships in order.
Give yourself the best chance at success.
You should be embarrassed if you send emails at 2am.
Getting 3 hours of sleep is stupid, not a badge of honour.
It's time to start calling dumb things dumb and dangerous things dangerous.
A good business is a sustainable business.
A sustainable business puts people first.
Some days my imposter syndrome is so overwhelming that I sit with a knot I'm stomach until I go to sleep that night. If you feel like that today, remember, it's not just you.
The Kindle version of my debut book is now available!
Here's the link -
Go forth and read about the turmoil of entrepreneurial life.
Tell your friends, leave reviews, share and start something!
#DoFailLearnRepeat
As always,
@Yoco_ZA
stepping up to help small businesses grow. So proud of this company! Thank you for joining in my mission to start side hustles in SA!
We are partnering with
@nicharry
to give away 365 Yoco card machines to people starting their side hustles as part of the newly launched Slow Fund 🚀
Learn more about how the Slow Fund is empowering entrepreneurs here:
Working unusually hard and long hours is OK for a period.
That period needs to be clearly defined with an end in sight.
There also needs to be a damn good reason to justify it.
Hard, long hours are only a problem when they become your every day normal and you think it's OK.
The Business Builder's Toolkit finally in print!
This is the first batch that is heading out to stores right now!
Really happy with the cover, the content and the partnership with Daily Maverick.
The launch happening in just under two weeks.
#business
#leadership
#startups
People don't quit jobs. They quit bosses.
If you are trying to retain the best talent:
- Be a better manager
- Create a deep and intentional company culture
- Engage your team's curiosity
- Pay people enough so that money isn't their issue
- Be transparent
- Be honest more often
I produce content every day.
Whether it's a newsletter, an article, a post on LinkedIn/Twitter/TikTok or others or videos, I produce content every day.
There is method to my madness.
Here are some insights to help you create content more effectively...
🧵👇
I'm giving away R4000 worth of prizes to help you get that business builder mindset:
• 8 x books
• 1 x
@Yoco_ZA
Neo card machine
• 2 x pairs of custom bamboo socks
ENTER NOW:
Would you let a potential new hire contact your ex-employees for a reference?
If you're asking them for references surely they should be asking you for some too?
Businesses need to work harder to secure talent. Transparency should be the norm.
What do you think?
Mr Beast installing 100 wells in places around Africa is unbelievable.
I'm sure there are many corrupt NGOs still trying to get one well installed scratching their heads and taking aim at him and his efforts.
More power to
@MrBeast
and his team. Incredible work.
No founder should have to make this kind of choice.
Yet many will need to at some point.
In the first episode of my new show, It's Not Over, I talk to Styli Charalambous and it gets deep, quick.
Listen/Watch now:
@dieworkwear
Your point is valid, but cocktail attire for men means men all look the same. For women it means colour and variety.
If the bride and groom remember my shoes five years later then their wedding wasn't memorable enough. If they've invited me they probably already know I'll wear
More than 125 000 people graduate with MBAs each year. There is nothing special about an MBA anymore.
Learning only gets you so far in business.
It's the DOING that counts.
#business
#leadership
#career
This is terrible, TERRIBLE advice.
You are more than your startup!
If your startup fails, it does not mean that your identity has failed.
If your startup succeeds it doesn't mean you are necessarily successful elsewhere.
This is naive and dangerous advice to spout.
Everyone hating on
@elonmusk
for his policy on remote work at Tesla is ridiculous.
Let's get it straight: It's his company. It's not a democracy.
Don't like it? Leave.
I don't really see the problem.
I'm talking to all kinds of businesses going through a rough time financially. Stick with it team.
This shit is hard and it gets harder before it gets easier.
Ask for help.
Talk to friends.
Don't suffer in silence.
Hey
@Absa
,
@sethgodin
wrote about you today:
Ask a few people to name a logo they like.
With very few exceptions, people will choose a logo that’s associated with a brand they admire.
That’s because what makes a good logo is a good brand, not the other way around.
Our economy needs to open up urgently.
Masks are now MANDATORY if you go out in public.
Wear a mask. Challenge those who don't. People's livelihoods depend on it. No more screwing around.
Masks = opened economy = recovery.
#Masks4All
I'd like to see the pay breakdown for men vs women before you change your name.
How's the wage gap at Womentum? Better than at Momentum?
Money where your temporary rebrand is, please.
Your name is yours to own. You use it to fulfil your purpose. We’ve changed our name to honour every woman & her limitless potential to shatter barriers. Womentum is the action behind our intention, which is to be here for every woman’s journey to success.
#SheOwnsHerSuccess
.
🚨 New Podcast Episode! 🚨
In episode 3 of the 2nd season of The Curious Cult Show,
@VinnyLingham
and I discuss abundant thinking for entrepreneurs and so, so much more. This episode has golden nuggets littered throughout.
#Entrepreneurship
#startups
Managed to get my hands on the first official
@dailymaverick
print edition and absolutely loved reading a newspaper for the first time in many years.
Congrats team!
Love the smart addition of QR codes to add multimedia to the mix.
Is anyone else tired of reading American?
The American Pandemic.
American news.
American politics.
American views on global issues.
American films.
American TV shows.
American websites.
American tech giants.
American billionaires.
American rappers.
I'm tired of American
[THREAD]: Introducing Yoco’s payment gateway 🚀
Now you can plug Yoco payments into your website!
It takes 10 minutes from the time you sign up to when you can accept your first payment on your website. No card machine purchase required.
Stop being so damn humble.
There is an "I" in team.
Constantly knocking yourself and your achievements leads to what I call ACHIEVEMENT DYSMORPHIA.
I wrote about this and why it's affecting leaders and managers:
My podcast, It's Not Over, has just hit the 50 000 download mark!
It's pretty amazing when other people dedicate their own valuable time to listening to something that I have created.
I can't wait to reach that 1 000 000 mark!
Website:
Hell yeah! My book, How to Start a Side Hustle, has been selected for the
@ExclusiveBooks
#Homebru
collection!
Find it promoted in stores and online all month.
If you needed a sign to start a side hustle... THIS IS IT!
Proud and excited to announce this partnership. Nedbank is contributing to the Slow Fund.
We're helping more people start side hustles by providing:
1. Capital
2. Mentorship/Coaching
3. Business Education
So many side hustles, so little time!
Got a great idea for a side hustle but don’t know where to start? Nedbank can help. We’ve partnered with
@nicharry
to give aspiring entrepreneurs mentorship and start-up funding to help bring their ideas to life.
Interested? Apply here
#TogetherBekeleBeke
In partnership with
@dailymaverick
I have launched a weekly SME Toolkit Newsletter.
The first issue went out today and was focused on adding value to your communities as small business owners.
Please sign up and share:
#smallbusiness
I am obsessed with getting the real, honest story from smart people building difficult things. Here's the conversation I had with
@aishapandor
, the incredibly smart and talented co-founder of one of South Africa’s top startups, SweepSouth.
❌ Correcting a lie that people believe about entrepreneurship:
“Start a business, be your own boss & take leave whenever you want.”
If you want to take regular leave & enjoy weekends then find a job you love and let the boss worry about their business while you go on holiday.
South Africans have done well with mask-wearing but I still see people with their noses out or with no masks at all. Let's do better so we can open the economy and save lives.
#TeamSikhaba