Building your reputation, where to start

What exactly is reputation management? Is it public relations (PR) and clever marketing? Perhaps, crisis or social media management?

A reputation is the perception or opinion that others hold about your company. It is formed based on numerous things such as past behaviour, actions, and achievements, and can have a significant impact on how your company is viewed and treated by others. It also impacts whether people want to spend their hard-earned money to be associated with your brand.

There is a tremendous amount of information and opinions available on reputation management. It is indeed all of the above, PR marketing, crisis management, social media management and so much more! It can all get rather overwhelming. “At Reputation Matters, we go back to the basics of reputation management,” shares Regine le Roux, founder and managing director of Reputation Matters.

“It can all be simplified and explained as the perceptions that the stakeholders have of a company based on its behaviour and how it consistently interacts with others. We pride ourselves in helping companies to quantify their value and to understand exactly what part of their business is building or breaking down their reputation.”

Building a positive reputation requires consistency, integrity, and a commitment to meeting expectations. Le Roux shares four tips to serve as a starting point for you and your organisation when it comes to building your reputation: 

Follow the four C’s as a starting point to build your organisational reputation: 

Core values: What are your company’s core values? Are these values something that everyone in the business can speak about fluently? It’s not just about words that sound appropriate, but words that drive decisions and ultimately behaviour. Does everyone in the company know what your core values are?  At Reputation Matters, we share weekly stories of interactions that we’ve had that either resonated or didn’t resonate with our GREAT values; Growth, Respect, Excellence, Authenticity and Trust.

Contribution: What is it that your organisation does? How is it sustainably contributing to the economy, community, and environment in which it functions? What is its unique selling proposition? Are you able to succinctly communicate what your company does in eight words? Does everyone in your company share the same eight words? This is also the golden thread of what needs to be communicated in all your messages and shown through all your interactions with everyone associated with your company.

Communication: It does not help being the best kept secret. Communication is key to building your reputation. Do you have a clear communication strategy and plan in place to engage with all your stakeholders? Are your messages, channels of communication you’ll be using, communication frequency, as well as feedback mechanisms in place? Do you have a clear communication policy so that everyone knows and understands what to communicate to whom, and does this policy include social media protocols?

Count and keep track of the numbers. How do you know that you have a good reputation? Measuring your reputation and the relationship that you have with your different stakeholders will help you to build even closer relationships with them. It will also help you to speak the language of the C-Suite (CEO / CFO / COO / CIO), i.e. numbers, which will add even more value to your contribution around the boardroom table. Understanding what is building or breaking down your reputation, will help you to know what behaviours need to change. Why is this important? Research has shown that a positive reputation contributes to a positive bottom line. 

Would you like to get a snapshot of the health of your reputation? Follow the link to find out more: www.surveymonkey.com/r/HealthFitCheck.

Need help with getting started? Get in contact with the Reputation Matters team on research@reputationmatters.co.za.

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Audiobook: A Higher Standard, Leadership Strategies from America's First Femals Four-Star General, Ann Dunwoody

The two key take homes:

“If you compromise your integrity and principles on minor issues, it gets easier to make bad choices on the big issues.”

"If you walk by a mistake, then you just set a new, lower standard. "

If you see any bad behavior, it needs to be nipped in the bud as soon as possible, don't dwell on it, take action quickly to get it sorted out. 

eBook: "Tips, Tricks, and Building Blocks: Looking After Your Reputation

 

Newly Updated eBook on Reputation Management Offers Essential Strategies for Businesses and Communicators

As the world continues to evolve at an unprecedented pace, businesses are realizing the critical importance of protecting their most valuable asset; their reputation. The Reputation Matters team is thrilled to announce the release of the updated edition of their eBook, "Tips, Tricks, and Building Blocks: Looking After Your Reputation."

“In today's dynamic landscape, building and maintaining a strong reputation is more challenging than ever before. With a wealth of knowledge in communication, reputation, and brand management, our team of experts understands the complexities and difficulties businesses face in protecting their reputation,” says Regine le Roux, managing director at Reputation Matters.

Originally published at the dawn of the pandemic, the first edition of this eBook provided invaluable guidance on navigating reputation management through a global crisis. They have now expanded and updated the eBook to include a wealth of new insights and strategies that can be applied to any situation.”

Reputation Matters’ mission is to empower companies to quantify their value and become truly GREAT businesses. Their values of Growth, Respect, Excellence, Authenticity, and Trust (GREAT) drive them to provide the most comprehensive and effective reputation management strategies available.

To help communicators in their quest to manage and enhance reputation, employee engagement and brand management, they have invested heavily in the development of three cutting-edge research tools: the Repudometer®, Employee Climate, and BrandUmeter. These tools will equip you with the ability to measure and strategically manage your organisation's reputation, ensuring your efforts are both targeted and impactful.

“Within the six chapters of our eBook, our experienced team offers practical advice and actionable strategies that draw upon our extensive knowledge and expertise,” shares le Roux. “From building a solid reputation to managing internal stakeholders and safeguarding your brand, we cover it all. Furthermore, we provide forward-thinking ideas and insights to help you stay ahead of the competition.”

Don't miss out on this invaluable resource! Download "Tips, Tricks, and Building Blocks: Looking After Your Reputation" now and fortify your business's reputation for success.

Get your free copy at: www.reputationmatters.co.za or email research@reputationmatters.co.za

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Interview: Smile FM Interview: Benito Vergotine chats to Regine le Roux about AI and reputation management

Smile FM Interview: Benito Vergotine chats to Regine le Roux about AI and reputation management https://youtu.be/f_eQtMH-uMU

#chatgpt #reputationmanagement #reputationmatters

 

Your reputation impacts your bottom line. Make sure you build a solid one.

 

In today’s competitive business landscape, a company’s reputation can make or break its success. A strong reputation is a powerful asset that not only influences customers’ perceptions but also impacts a company’s bottom line.

Here's an article, where we explore the relationship between brand, reputation and business success, and how reputation affects a company. Click here: 

Or, here's the link: https://reputationmatters.co.za/the-correlation-between-reputation-management-and-a-companys-bottom-line/ 

Would you like to discuss how to build your brand reputation? Let’s set up a 30 minutes chat about taking your reputation to the next level: https://calendly.com/regine-9

Crisis management is not reputation management.

Crisis management is not reputation management.

Too often a reputation only becomes a priority during a crisis.

The reality is that a reputation needs to be nurtured and fostered; it’s a proactive long-term exercise.

Crisis management is a reactive, mop up exercise where organisations are for forced to give urgent attention. 

It’s the difference between cleaning up a pawpaw that’s hit the fan versus nurturing the papaya plant to grow into a resilient, strong fruit-baring tree. 

 

Don't wait for a crisis to strike before investing in your reputation. Start proactively building it today and reap the long-term benefits!

Ready to take control of your reputation? Let’s set up a 30 minutes free consultation to discuss taking your reputation to the next level: https://calendly.com/regine-9

Let's grow together! 

#ReputationManagement #BusinessSuccess

 

AI ai…ai…ai…

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI), what a complex and often controversial topic! I must confess, I've always been cautious about embracing new trends and technologies. Whenever I heard the words AI or ChatGPT, I tended to shy away. In my mind, I have convinced myself that it was a distant problem that might eventually fade away. I believed it wasn't relevant to me. But boy, was I wrong. Very wrong. AI is not going away, and it will undoubtedly have a profound impact on businesses, business owners, employees, and reputations.

The thought of it all is both daunting and mind-blowing; it's truly astonishing! To dip my big toe into the AI pool, I recently started experimenting with it to save time on creating social media posts for my social impact project, Re.Bag.Re.Use. Here's how it works: you simply type in your request, such as creating 30 TikTok captions, and then choose the "voice" you want, whether it be that of a life hacker, salesperson, or journalist. A few seconds later, the tool generates 30 well-crafted social media posts complete with hashtags and emoticons. It's incredible!

Time-saving: Undoubtedly, using an AI tool like ChatGPT will save you time. However, it's important to note that it won't do all the work for you magically. You still need to create the content; ChatGPT is simply a tool to refine your writing. You provide the inputs, and it helps you create better content based on your specific needs.

ChatGPT, as described on their website, is an advanced AI language model developed using AI technology. It is designed to generate conversational responses that mimic human-like conversations. In essence, it's a tool that aids you in improving your language and communication skills. However, to get the most out of it, you need to be as specific as possible with your inputs, otherwise the tool will return generic feedback that you will most likely share with many other companies who ask Chat GPT the same questions.

Relationship building: When it comes to building your business and your reputation, relationships are key. Human interaction and relationship-building have never been more crucial, especially as AI gradually takes over our lives for convenience. Understanding the nuances and insights into what is important to your various stakeholders is vital. Without this understanding, you won't be able to draft content that resonates with your audience.

Ethical referencing: I wholeheartedly understand the challenges that AI and ChatGPT present to academia. There's even an "academic researcher" voice option, which can be quite overwhelming. I recently had a conversation with a colleague who is busy with her PhD and teaches at various tertiary institutions. I am grateful for how fortunate we are to have access to strong academic insights within our team. There are ongoing debates surrounding the use of AI and the best practices for referencing it. From a business perspective, referencing and giving credit where it's due is non-negotiable when using specific sources, whether they are academic, business-related, or your own articles. Proper referencing is particularly important for academic writing. In the business world, the rules are slightly less strict. While you should still reference webpages, books, or articles when writing reports or media articles, tools like ChatGPT are more akin to Word, Excel, SurveyMonkey, or Grammarly. You don't need to reference every single tool you used to write a document.

I believe there's still much to unpack and develop regarding the ethical use of AI and ChatGPT in all industries. While some of us may be a little concerned about AI tools replacing our roles, we need to remember that personal relationship building is an exercise that AI is yet to replace. People want to do business with people that they share values and resonate with.

For more information on managing your reputation, visit www.reputationmatters.co.za or research@reputationmatters.co.za 021 790 0208

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Audiobook: The 10X Rule, Grant Cardone

Absolutely loved this book; it felt very synchronous with conversations I was having while reading it. 

Two of the key take homes for me:

1. It is your ethical duty, responsbility and obligation to be successful. 

2. Whatever your goals are, you need to make then ten times bigger! Think big!

Shining a Spotlight on Reputation Matters and Gestaldt Consulting

Today, I am overflowing with gratitude for my incredible team and the strategic alliances we've formed. The work we do is truly rewarding, and it becomes even more meaningful when we receive glowing reference letters.  

We've recently completed a massive Group-wide employee climate survey for the ProVest Group who is known for providing quality services to the mining sector. 

Reputation Matters® and Gestaldt Consulting Group worked together to deliver a high quality service. Here's an excerpt from the reference letter:

“It has been a pleasure to work with a team of their calibre given the daunting nature of the project. I would recommend them to anyone who wishes to conduct a research project.” ~ Kea Kalebe, Executive-Corporate Services, ProVest Group

Thank you so much ProVest Group for the opportunity to work with you!

Our alliance with Gestaldt Consulting has strengthened our ability to provide exceptional value and unparalleled insights to our clients. Together, we blend our strategic thinking and expertise to offer innovative solutions. 

If you would like us to help you to quantify your value, please don't hesitate to reach out. 

Cape Talk Radio interview: Dealing with your database: The Key to building strong relationships

Dealing with your database: The Key to building strong relationships. I chatted to Clarence Ford on CapeTalk earlier today. Listen to the conversation here: https://omny.fm/shows/mid-morning/dealing-with-your-database-the-key-to-building-str

Dealing with your database: The Key to Building Strong Relationships

Reputation management is all about building and fostering relationships. When it comes to growing your business and reputation, one of the easiest things to do is to build closer relationships with your key stakeholders. However, all too often, organisations find themselves tripped up by a poorly managed database.

Take a moment to reflect: if you had to share urgent news with your closest alliances – employees, customers, the media, and suppliers – in response to a crisis, how confident are you in the state of your database?

Is it easy to access?

Is it up to date?

Does it include specific and correct information for each individual, rather than generic email addresses like info@... or helpdesk@... that are likely to be routed to a bot?

Consider this: do you know the best communication channels for reaching each of your stakeholders? Is it email, WhatsApp, or a phone call? If it's the latter, do you have the correct contact numbers saved, so you can quickly send out multiple WhatsApp messages?

Failing to communicate quickly enough, especially during a crisis, to the right people can have a massive reputational risk for you and your business. Your database shouldn't only become a priority when a crisis occurs. Frantically searching for key contact details during a crisis can be disastrous and costly.

It's crucial to make time to declutter and organize your databases. Neglecting your database and engaging with the wrong people will waste a significant amount of your precious time. Moreover, engaging with the wrong people can also pose a reputational risk. Every individual on your database should have provided their consent according to the Protection of Personal Information Act (POPIA). Additionally, they should be given a way to opt out of future communication. This can all be easily implemented with a Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system.

If you currently don't use a CRM, consider investing in one. Business is all about forming relationships, and keeping track of these relationships is key to building your business. Personally, 

As mentioned earlier, avoid using generic email addresses. Personalizing communication can make a big difference compared to receiving a generic 'Good day' email. Make sure that names and surnames are spelled correctly. Nothing is as irksome as receiving correspondence with your name spelled incorrectly. It might also be beneficial to keep a record of stakeholders' birthdays, as this could serve as a good touchpoint to reach out and connect during the year.

Databases are particularly crucial when conducting research. Having up-to-date databases can greatly impact the success of your project, the quality of the data, and the turnaround times. If you have an up-to-date database that you frequently engage with, stakeholders will be more likely to provide you with reliable feedback. At Reputation Matters, our core business is quantifying value – whether it's reputation, internal climate, or brand identity – for our clients. A big stumbling block that causes the most delays in getting a research project completed isn’t the questionnaire, data analysis or reporting, the biggest delays are usually caused by poorly set up and maintained databases. A lot of time gets wasted fixing databases. It’s quite frustrating for all parties, when you are keen to get the results in, just to put the whole project on hold to update the database with the correct format and contact information, something that could have been avoided if regular updates of the databases were done.

For more information on managing your reputation, please contact research@reputationmatters.co.za, visit our website at www.reputationmatters.co.za, or give us a call at 021 790 0208.

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A wealth of wisdom from Margaret Hirsch

Absolutely value and treasure my friend Margaret Hirsch. Here's an example of her wealth of wisdom! Such wise words:

"I always tell people that God gives you a little bit of money and checks on how you deal with it. If you waste it he doesn't give you any more but if you look after it and make it grow - he gives you a bit more and checks again. It's up to you to use it wisely, save 10%, invest 10% and give 10% to charity - that’s the correct formula."

Here's the full article filled to the brim with leadership insight on Linkedin: 

 

 #leadership 

Selling the invisible: good advice!

Good old solid advice from Selling The Invisible by Harry Beckwith: Survey Survey Survey 

📊📈

#reputationmatters #researchmatters #surveys #business #books

Audiobook: Big Ideas for Small Businesses, John Lamerton

Read by: John Lamerton

Thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook, and it's a good reminder of basic things that we know we need to do, but often forget to. 

Key take homes for me:

> Marketing: There is no such thing as just relying on word of mouth to build your business. You have to have a marketing campaign, if you don't, it's like winking in the dark ~ you know what you are doing, but no one else does. 

> Setting goals: I love setting goals and ticking them off as I get them done. But, what I particularly like about John Lamerton's suggestion is setting three key goals at a time. I already have my annual and monthly goals, but to reach them, he recommends setting three key goals per week and then three per day to get there. Laser focus on each to get them done and not to be distracted by anything. 

> Do something outside of your comfort zone every day. 

> Who you associate with matters, the five people that you spend the most of your time with, will impact your thinking and behaviour. Choose wisely. 

5/5

#AfricaMonth: Creative Africa - Exploring the PR potential of Africa as an emerging economic & reputation powerhouse

Photographer: David Itumbi (Kenya). (L to r) Derick Chiweshe (Zambia), Hazel Zulu (Zambia), Davies Mupenda (Zambia), Pamela Mupoti (Zambia), Regine le Roux (South Africa) , Katasha Ponya (Zambia)

Bizcommunity asked me to share my thoughts on last week's African Public Relations Association (APRA) Conference that took place in Lusaka, Zambia. 

Here's an excerpt linking the theme of the conference, Creative Africa, Exploring the PR potential of Africa as an emerging economic & reputation powerhouse to reputation management:

"...Reputations matter now more than ever. Building a reputation is an artwork, it is not something that can be rushed, there needs to be balance and harmony. To be a true artist, a true master, you have to put in the work and create more than just one masterpiece; consistency is key....

"...There was a kaleidoscope of conversation, a mixture of issues old and new; ultimately all of us sharing challenges of building reputations, finding solutions to better leverage off of research and ultimately fostering closer relationships with each other, our companies and our countries. We are all indeed colourful, creative and all one Africa..."

Read the full article here:

https://www.bizcommunity.com/Article/196/759/238686.html

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Why I love my African skirt.

The chant for APRA* is: One Africa, One APRA, One APRA, One Africa.

Earlier this week while travelling in Lusaka, Zambia, I went exploring. There is something energising and healing to be under the African sky, especially if that sky is bright blue and the sun blazing down. And, as an added elixir, an air of peace, calm and tolerance.

When abroad, I refuse to have international roaming on my phone after receiving an eye watering bill years ago when I was heading to Milan via Dubai. I therefore knew that access to wi-fi and ordering a Yango (Uber equivalent) would be limited to get me from place to place on my day of explorations. Making sure that I was wearing comfortable walking shoes, sun screened and had a bottle of water, I was set to tackle the day.

First stop, the Freedom Statue. From there, a quick check on Google maps (luckily you don’t need the internet to check your location) helped me to head in the direction of the Soweto Market, a recommendation from the taxi driver who collected me from the airport over the weekend.

Heading to the market, there are several other markets on route, bustling with people, shoulder to shoulder, often no room to pass, you just have to go with the crowd; no backing out, you have to just move forward. Go with the flow. The people of Zambia are incredibly friendly, and peaceful, no underlying aggression or tension. I can’t image that I would ever head into a local market on my own in the middle of a township in South Africa, which is rather sad.

As with any market, you can pretty much buy everything imaginable. The two main commodities by the looks of it: second hand clothing, acres and acres of the world’s second-hand clothing and fresh food. Almost every stall has a small megaphone that is plugged into a recording blaring out at full volume the cost of their items. Before the trip, I manged to rupture an eardrum, so in this instance being slightly hearing impaired was a blessing, but the other ear took strain.

There were also a number of stalls selling beautiful African material. At Mama Fasi’s stall my eye fell on a blue patterned piece of material. It was incredibly reasonably priced (I should have bought more material!). After confirming that it wasn’t made in China, but from Tanzania, I asked Mama Fasi, tongue in cheek, if there was perhaps someone who would be able to make me a skirt with it? Anticipating a ‘are you insane? no, not here’, she said, yes! Just around the corner! 

And there, right next to her shop, in the small corridor, was a lady sitting behind her old Singer sewing machine, willing to make me a skirt while I wait. Mama Fasi cleared a wooden bench for me to sit on. (I didn’t want to venture too far as I wasn’t sure that I would find my way back again, and by that time I was a bit marketed~out. There I sat listening to the megaphones chanting, while Destiny, all the way from the Congo, sewed up a storm.

Three of the vendors opposite Mama Fasi’s stall had their lunch in the corridor and invited, no actually insisted, that I join their meal of nshima (pap), chibwabwa (pumpkin leaves mixed with peanuts) and peri-peri chicken. I had bought peanuts earlier in the day which I was able to contribute to this feast.

Destiny did a marvellous job of making the skirt! It even has pockets!

A skirt made in Zambia, by a lady from the Congo, using material from Tanzania, bought by a South African, a truly African skirt!

The skirt isn’t 100% perfect but, the imperfection is perfect. It’s absolutely marvellous, beautiful, comfortable and the pockets a wonderful surprise. To me, this one garment, represents the fabric of Africa in so many ways, Africa isn’t perfect, but it is absolutely marvellous, beautiful, versatile and it will surprise you in wonderful ways, it is home.

We are all one Africa.

[*APRA = African Public Relations Association, and I’m here in Lusaka, Zambia presenting the research that Reputation Matters did on the state of ethics and PR landscape in Africa at their annual conference.]

Ethical standards remain crucial for the African PR industry new report finds

Adhering to ethical standards remains essential for the best practices in public relations and communication. All members of APRA and PRCA are required to follow the APRA Code of Conduct and PRCA Professional Charter and Codes of Conduct, respectively, and are accountable for doing so.

The African Public Relations Association (APRA) and Public Relations and Communications Association (PRCA) have jointly released their report on the state of ethics and public relations industry in Africa for 2023. The report is based on a survey conducted across 21 African countries with 274 respondents.

The report highlights a shift in priorities for PR activities in the past two years, with crisis management (44%) taking over from digital and social media (40%) as the highest priority. Reputation management (42%) is also considered to be a high priority. Ethics management (16%), sales promotion (14%), and event planning (14%) have decreased in importance due to the impact of COVID-19 and the shift towards digitisation.

The joint research also found that training and development in communication strategy development (59%), reputation management (51%), crisis management (42%), and ethics management (41%) are highly recommended in the region. Respondents also expressed a strong interest in training sessions on the metaverse, highlighting the importance of keeping up with contemporary matters such as artificial intelligence.

Other key findings:

• Most respondents work within an organisation that has between two to five employees (17%), followed by 11 to 15 people (15%).
• Communications strategy development (61%) is the most common response for the main function of PR practitioners' roles.
• Crisis management has taken over from digital and social media as the highest priority, with a 10% decrease compared to last year.
• Ethics management, sales promotion, and events planning have decreased in importance.
• Flexible working and remote working are valued only 14% and 10% of the time, respectively.
• 46% of respondents reported working in a hybrid model, 34% are in the office full time, while 17% are fully remote.

Reputation Matters Managing Director Regine le Roux said:

“Prioritising ethics is crucial within the public relations landscape, more so than ever before on our continent. At Reputation Matters we believe that research is the springboard to success, and with this collaboration, the insights will help to build and strengthen the industry to help build individual, organisational, and country reputations. We are thrilled to play a part in quantifying value across the continent."

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Reflection: Breath

To be honest, it’s been a challenging couple of weeks, because when things don’t flow and timelines don’t work out as anticipated, my automatic setting is panic.

Panic and over analysis of everything. It’s as if even the most mundane small non-issue, becomes this massive issue that needs to be analysed and overcomplicated from every possible angle. It’s exhausting. 

Exercise helps, it helps a lot.  In fact it was during my run this morning up Suikerbossie that my inner voice belted out to me: STOP THIS! STOP.THE.PITY.PARTY! 

I woke up this morning being fully in my head and panic mode turned to maximum. The morning walk on the beach with Mark and Bella was an absolute blur because I was more focussed on what I was worrying about instead of taking in and appreciating the magic that an early morning brings, and the appreciation of another dawn with these two incredible two beings. 

As I progressed up Suikerbossie, and rather taken aback by this inner outburst, I realised that I was able to do sweet blue all about everything that I was worrying about at that immediate moment in time. All I was able to do, is agree with myself to tackle one moment at a time. And, the only thing I should be focussing on is Suikerbossie and aiming to reach the top without stopping, and while I’m at it, chuck in some gratitude that I am healthy, and able to run and that I live in one of the most beautiful places imaginable, where I can enjoy a magnificent sun rise. 

Immediate next steps: 

🌅 Stop the pity party. 

🌅 Focus on and deal with one moment at a time. 

🌅 Be fully present and focus on doing one thing at a time, and do it as best you can.

🌅 Be patient, everything works out perfectly.

🌅 Breath.

Three wishes for South Africa: Insights from Business Leaders

 

[Photo:www.canva.com]

Today is Freedom Day. I was intrigued by the heading of this press release when I received it, Three wishes for South Africa: Insights from Business Leaders. A "wish" is not a strong enough business concept, for me it's pie in the sky with no concrete outcomes. But, with that said, I definitely agree that the top three things identified should be non-negotiable goals, something which is actually achievable when egos are set aside and the concepts of ethics and integrity embraced on all levels of a country.

Nonetheless, here's the article, and the wishes: 

Freedom Day on 27 April, is a day that commemorates the end of apartheid and the progress made towards freedom and democracy.  In a recent survey conducted by the Alexforbes investment survey team, business leaders were asked to share their three wishes for South Africa based on challenges that still exist for the county; hypothetical wishes that would contribute to the nation's growth and development.

Don Andrews, Head of the Investment Survey Team at Alexforbes, highlighted the significant social issues that South Africa faces, including poverty, gender and racial inequality, unemployment, and social justice. Despite the progress made, there is a growing sense of disillusionment and frustration among some, who feel that democracy has not delivered on its promises.

The wishes shared by business leaders in the survey were seen as crucial for addressing these challenges and creating a more prosperous and equitable society. The top three wishes were:

1. A corruption-free environment in state-owned entities would ensure their efficient functioning, financial sustainability, and contribution to economic growth.

2. Reducing crime and lawlessness would lead to improved safety, security, and a conducive environment for economic growth and development.

3. Improved access to quality education and meaningful employment would reduce poverty and inequality while ensuring that all citizens have the necessary skills to participate in the economy.

Furthermore, finding a permanent solution to South Africa's energy and electricity challenges was also highlighted as a crucial wish. A reliable, affordable and sustainable energy supply is vital for both households and businesses.

While these wishes are essential, the survey results also emphasised that more than three wishes are required to address the complex issues facing South Africa. Business leaders recognised their role in actively addressing socio-economic challenges and emphasised the need for collaboration with the government to find sustainable solutions.

"The challenges facing South Africa are multifaceted and require a collective effort from all stakeholders," says Don Andrews. "As business leaders, we have a responsibility to actively engage in finding solutions that contribute to the country's growth and development."

The results of the 2022 Alexforbes Annual Retirement Fund Survey, which featured the thoughts and wishes of business leaders, serve as a call to action for businesses. They need to play a proactive role in addressing social issues and working towards a more inclusive and prosperous South Africa.

If you would like to delve deeper into the insights and perspectives shared by business leaders on some of the critical issues facing our country, we invite you to access the full article by clicking on the link below.

Full report

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Audiobook: The Ultra Mindset, Travis Macy

Read by Brain Hutchinson

Some of the key take homes for me from this book:

• Whether you are training for an ultra-marathon, or your first five kilometers, to be successful is all about mindset. 
• If you want it, you make a plan to make it happen.
• You are better than you are, and you can do more than you think you can. 
• Commit not to quit.
• If you are doing something you don't like, reappraise it and say to yourself ‘this is good mental training, it will make me stronger, resilient and prepared to take on other challenges in my life’.
• "80% of success is showing up" ~ Woody Alan
• Work hard and relentlessly in everything that you do. Show up with a positive attitude and your full presence.
• Be a wannabe ~ emulate those people that you respect and admire. 
• Have an ego and use it – until it’s time to put your ego aside. Ego should be used to bolster your own drive and confidence. It should never be about comparing yourself to others.
• Reflection ~ Think about your thinking: what and why. Begin races focused on your what and turn to your why when the going gets tough. What = the mechanics of your plan, including pacing, effort, nutrition and hydration, gear, etc. Think of each step and how you are doing it.  Why = the motivators and goals you’ve set for this race. Why are you doing this and ultimate outcome. 
• When you’ve made a choice, see it through by putting aside any possibility of changing your mind.
• Bad stories, good stories: the ones you tell yourself make all the difference.
• Never quit, except when you should quit. It's okay to stop when it is the smart thing to do, especially if by continuing you put your safety or health in jeopardy. Otherwise, keep going.
• Have fun. 
• Failure is the route to success

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Earth Day 2023

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do makes a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.” ~ Jane Goodall

#earthday #earthday2023 #reputationmanagement #reputationmatters #reputation #respect #excellence #growth #authenticity #trust #makeadifference #gratitude #environment #motivation #quotes 

Celebrating Earth Day one repurposed bread bag at a time

 

Caption: Ladies on the Re.Bag.Re.Use team, colour co-ordinates and cuts empty bread bags into strips of plastic yarn (plarn). These strips are then crocheted into beautiful multifunctional items. There are 15 ladies on the team; five sort and cut the plastic, and ten crochet different products. The initiative has been going for two years, and in that time approximately 38 000 empty bread bags have been saved from landing up in landfill, our ocean or environment.  Re.Bag.Re.Use is also providing an additional income for ladies from our community to put bread on the table with dignity.

Annually, Earth Day is celebrated on 22 April, a reminder for everyone to take responsibility to look after and protect our precious planet and its natural resources. This year’s theme for Earth Day is, ‘Invest in Our Plant.’

The Re.Bag.Re.Use initiative, now in its second year, is made up of a team of 15 ladies who live in and around the Hout Bay area in Cape Town. These ladies sort, cut and crochet empty plastic bags, such as empty bread, courier and retail shopping bags into beautiful multi-functional products.

“The initiative that started as a hobby during the Covid lockdown, has snowballed into a life of its own,” shares Regine le Roux, founder of the initiative. “I wanted to find a way to share my hobby of crocheting with ladies, to help them to earn an additional income,” adds le Roux.

Not only is it a way for the ladies to earn some money, but, it is also our way to keep plastic from landing up in the environment, landfill or ocean.

“To date, we have repurposed the equivalent of approximately 38 000 empty bread bags into beautiful multifunctional products,” says le Roux. “Our flagship product is a shopping bag, however, we have diversified quite considerably. We now have a large range of different products that we offer, such as wallets, placemats, bathroom mats and even stress balls!” shares le Roux.

Five of the ladies sort and cut the plastic into strips, and the other ten ladies crochet these strips into beautiful products. Each lady has their own specific bag or product that they make. “We meet weekly at the local library to take stock of the plastic and plarn balls, which are then shared amongst the ladies. During these meetings we share ideas, teach each other new stitches and patterns and also discuss the progress of orders that need to be completed,” shares le Roux.

One of the younger ladies on the Re.Bag.Re.Use, team Mitchell Maegret Nyika (24), encourages other youngsters to get involved, “You can use your skills to make a difference; it is helping to keep our community clean because we are repurposing empty plastic bags into other products that can be reused. It’s about making something out of nothing.”

The sale of each Re.Bag.Re.Use product pays towards a cutter, crocheter and a percentage is donated to the Neighbourhood Old Age Home (NOAH) and Rotary Club of Newlands to help spread the love even further!

For more information visit www.rebagreuse.com or Instagram: www.instagram.com/re.bag.re.use

Contact: regine@rebagreuse.com WhatsApp 083 302 1528 

Caption: Margaret Nyika (left) and Sakile Ndlovu sharing patterns at the team’s weekly meeting at the local library. The Re.Bag.Re.Use team are continuously innovating and finding new products to make from empty bread bags.

Caption: Mitchell Maegret Nyika on the Re.Bag.Re.Use team crocheting a net grocery bag made from empty bread bags

Caption: The completed product!  Mitchell Maegret Nyika proudly displaying her net grocery bag! These net grocery bags are made from approximately 40 empty bread bags.

Caption: There are a range of different products that the Re.Bag.Re.Use team makes from empty bread bags!

For more information please visit our Instagram page: www.instagram.com/re.bag.re.use/

WhatsApp: 083 302 1528

Email: regine@rebagreuse.com

www.rebagreuse.com

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