BizCrush

Episode 18: Dr. Abraham Brink

BizCrush Sponsored by the SLC Group: https://slcgroup.co.za
Dr Abraham Brink was a leading figure in the manufacturing industry for decades. This is shown by the fact that in 2014 he was chosen as president of the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers in Houston. Brink joined the Karbochem division of Sentrachem in 1977 as head of research and development.
More than 30 years later, as a director of Karbochem, he played a key role in the management buyout of Dow SA in 2003. Brink believes there is always a solution for every problem, no matter how big. However, he also thinks that South Africa currently lacks the specific niche skills to handle large projects.

Episode 17: Dr. Rutendo Hwindingwi

BizCrush Sponsored by the SLC Group: https://slcgroup.co.za
Come along on a journey with me as we delve into the African business world with Dr. Rutendo Hwindingwi. With over 20 years of expertise, he's the man and founder behind Tribe Africa Advisory, crafting business programs for major companies across the continent. Beyond the suits and strategies, he also wears hats as the non-exec director of the British Chamber of Business in Southern Africa and the Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce Digital Forum Committee. Rutendo recently gifted us with his latest book, "Reflections Of A Son Of The Soil: A Collection Of 55 African Proverbs." and that was also the starting point of a fun and laughter episode as we delve into his vast experience, the nuances and opportunities of doing business in Africa. 

Episode 16: Porcupine Union

BizCrush Sponsored by the SLC Group: https://slcgroup.co.za
Workplace productivity is commonly assessed by evaluating the influence an employee has on the business and its stakeholders, explains Marie Huyser, HR Director of Porcupine Union.
Porcupine Union is a company specialising in providing user-friendly HR technology, HR systems, and innovations to diverse industries and part of the King Price group of companies.
They are currently in the midst of establishing an office in the United Kingdom.
According to Huyser, despite the potential support from artificial intelligence in recruitment technology, it can never entirely substitute human interaction.
She emphasizes the difficulty of creating a system that is both straightforward and user-friendly for both managers and employees.
 
 

Episode 15: Philip Moore

BizCrush Sponsored by the SLC Group: https://slcgroup.co.za
I discuss the challenges kickstarting and managing a successful business in South Africa with Phillip Moore, an accomplished entrepreneur.
Drawing on his four-year stint as an Operations Manager in Nigeria and his venture into the medical software sector upon returning to South Africa, Phillip shares invaluable insights.
I delve into his entrepreneurial journey, which led to investments in Rhino SA, a prominent technical brand specialising in rugby gear and apparel. 
 

Episode 14: Julie Calidicott

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Seeking to transform service delivery in the motor industry, Julie Calidicott became an automotive industry entrepreneur.
She established Pinewood SA, addressing the challenge of reselling, implementing, and managing the Pinewood Dealer Management System software for South African motor dealerships.
This product is intended to help dealerships deliver better client service in a very complex, multifaceted environment. Now, years later, the motor industry and the vehicle dealership franchise model are experiencing disruption and revolution.
Customers are also becoming even more demanding, while the world is increasingly moving online, making big data all the more important.
At it again, Julie has recently launched an auto tech company, Motify, exploiting new opportunities to improve automotive customer service delivery through people-driven big data.
I talked to her about this and other developments around vehicle industry service delivery.

Episode 13: Africa Nkosi

BizCrush Sponsored by the SLC Group: https://slcgroup.co.za
While there are ongoing discussions regarding the perceived shortage of skills in Africa, an entrepreneur from Soweto, Africa Nkosi, the co-founder of Khonology, a software development business, is dedicated to demonstrating that Africa unquestionably possesses the capability to create world-class business solutions through technology, digitisation, and automation, as well as compete on a global scale.
"The core issue is not the potential or skills," he emphasizes, "but what is taught at universities, in contrast to what the market truly demands. With Khonology, we have successfully harnessed the power to deliver substantial business value, promote equal revenue sharing, and drive employment opportunities."
A substantial portion of their business revolves around bringing ideas to life, creating scalable solutions, and identifying and nurturing the right talent.

Episode 12: Venete Klein

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Venete Klein, a renowned business author and the owner of a highly successful consulting firm, shares the winning formula for success: "Keep your focus sharp and outwork everyone around you."
With humble beginnings as a waste clerk in the banking sector in 1978, Klein's determination propelled her to become the first female Executive Director for Barclays in South Africa in 2005.
In 1997, she participated in the Nelson Mandela professional development program, which provided valuable international experience in the US banking sector.
As the first female president of the Afrikaans chamber of business, Klein emphasizes the importance of making a meaningful impact and understanding the intricate details of one's business to ensure sustained growth.
 

Episode 11: Jason Morris

BizCrush Sponsored by the SLC Group: https://slcgroup.co.za
Jason Morris's journey started in the cinema business before taking a daring leap and founding a freight company with just R750, resulting in an impressive R20 million turnover in one year. Later, excelling in law as a debt counsellor, Jason emphasizes the importance of an information-driven society and advanced technology, giving the younger generation a 'business headstart.'
As the Managing Co-Director of Snaid and Morris, a prominent law firm in South Africa and the UK, they specialize in insolvency, litigation, and family law, thriving on strong relationships, even attracting foreign interest. Jason's tenacious "do-it-yourself" attitude keeps him ahead in the game. 

Episode 10: Thina Nodada

BizCrush Sponsored by the SLC Group: https://slcgroup.co.zaEven as a young schoolboy, Thina Nodada showcased his entrepreneurial spirit, standing out from the crowd. However, he soon realised that he had a burning desire to carve his own path. With this fierce determination, Thina embarked on a transformative journey, honing his skills through a rigorous graduate program focused on imports and exports while working for a prominent logistics company.Driven by a vision to make a lasting impact, Thina Nodada founded Waymaker Trade Solutions in 2018—a groundbreaking global trade solutions company. Acknowledging the untapped potential of Africa, he couldn't help but feel a sense of regret. While the continent exported its valuable resources, it wasn't producing enough goods for its own needs, but this represents an immense opportunity for Africa from a trading standpoint. klipkouers.com

Episode 9: Brian Lupton-Smith

BizCrush Sponsored by the SLC Group: https://slcgroup.co.zaThe director of a company needs to stay close to the coalface, yet remain detached enough to effectively direct the business.This, according to Brian Lupton-Smith, has been the key to the success of Witon Chemicals over the past quarter of a century.Witon is a Latex Compounding organisation servicing the local Textile and Flooring industry.Born in the Cape but bred in KZN, Brian’s character as a young man was shaped through experiences on the Unicorn Shipping fleet and during the Border War, before being mentored in the Carpet industry by Stephan Colle at Belgotex.Brian places a high premium on mentoring, as he believes Witon is all about its people.As he says, “If they can grow, they will grow the business…” klipkouers.com