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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Audiobook: The Secrets of Closing the Sale, Zig Ziglar

Years ago, people raved about Zig Ziglar. When I attempted to read one of his books, it just didn’t resonate with me. But, as `they’ say, the book finds you when you are ready for it. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook.

He reminded me a lot of Jim Rohn. [I am a raving Jim Rohn fan]. With both, I absolutely love their advice, sense of humour and, Southern accent. 

It’s been a treat to listen to him. There is a bit of repetition towards the end of the audiobook, I think his son compiled this audiobook into a ‘best bits’, so repetition is inevitable. 

Here are some of the key points for me regarding sales from this book:

• Integrity is the most important aspect when it comes to sales. 
• Honesty.
• We are not being rejected, it’s the offer that is being refused. 
• People will say no to a sale because they don’t know enough. 
• Customers will be concerned with the price just once, but, will be concerned about the quality throughout the process and lifetime of the product.
• Good things aren’t cheap and cheap things are rarely good. 
• Sales is a transference of feeling; believers are closers. 
• Convincing is different to persuading. You persuade by asking questions. [Persuasion leads to action].
• You can’t make a good sale with a bad guy.
• People buy what they want when they want it more than wanting the money it costs. 
• If you want to make it big, you have to make it early.
• See an alarm clock as an opportunity clock.
• Making a sales call is much more successful in the morning. It’s only 20% effective between 13:00 and 16:00 and less than 10% effective after 16:00.
• Be consistent with your approach.
• A timid sales person has skinny children.
• To respond is positive, to react is negative. 
• Don’t throw in the towel after the first approach. (Zig Ziglar is of the opinion that you should follow up at least five times!)

Here are a few wonderful Zig Ziglar quotes:

“You will get all you want in life if you help enough other people get what they want.”

“People often say motivation doesn’t last. Neither does bathing — that’s why we recommend it daily.”

“You don’t have to be great to start, but you have to start to be great.”

 “Lack of direction, not lack of time, is the problem. We all have 24-hour days.”

5/5