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Devan Moonsamy
The month of August is a buzz with activities celebrating women in South Africa. Many businesses even take advantage of this period by offering discounts and incredible deals exclusive to females. This is not just a useful marketing tool but also a great gesture to show appreciation to females in the country.
One of the areas that we see an escalation of female participation due to hard work and commitment has got to be the space of entrepreneurship. Whether it is starting a business from home making cakes or even a full-fledged enterprise with a staff complement, women in entrepreneurship must be complimented.
The thing about supporting a female run business is that you are participating in making her families dreams come true. Many women might set out on the path just to gather extra income, for others it might be the main support stream at home due to the absence of a bread winner. Whatever the journey, the responsibilities are many and the work endless.
When we see a woman selling scones or vetkoek on the side of the road in our neighbourhood, it comes with its challenges. The journey for an entrepreneur is risky. If you are a female it comes with much more challenges. There is the factor of safety, competition and even the challenge of whether they will sell the goods they have made for the day.
As we highlight and celebrate woman, let us look at a few ways to improve the safety and operations in female run businesses.
- Start by selecting and working with reliable suppliers. One of the biggest challenges for entrepreneurs is a supplier that does not deliver on time. This not just sets you back but will be the reason your customer will be frustrated. This is also the reason for customers going to the competitor. This will not positively impact your business. A small business thrives on word of mouth. The gap in your supply chain can be the reason for your business not becoming successful or losing out on dedicated clients.
- If you have a business that consists of staff members, take their concerns into consideration. Whether you are running a laundromat from home in your area or even a catering company, if your staff have concerns listen to them. Being a small business does come with its challenges. Once you have a team that is dedicated and committed to your brand, they will work with you to ensure the business is a success. With that said take care of your staff. Listen to their concerns and work with them to make the working environment one that is comfortable to all.
- In light of the recent spate of attacks on females in the country, it might be a great time to speak about safety in the workplace. If you have a team working with you, engage with them on safety and issues around GBV. Many small businesses often house woman who are from the community and the situation at home does make its way to work. Have regular sit downs with staff that are in abusive relationships and try to ensure their work is a safe place. It doesn’t mean you need to sort out their problems, but guide them on the steps to take to seek help and protection.
- Training is key in any work environment. Even though you are a small business owner training must be implemented to ensure efficiency. Many entrepreneurs start with a skill that they have and this grows as they build their business. If you have the funds available allocate some to upskill and train staff. You can also train yourself and enrol for a course to improve business management. This way you can ensure that staff are upskilled and trained to perform their roles and responsibilities. Training will help you and your company grow.
Devan Moonsamy is the CEO of ICHAF Training Institute, a South African Corporate Training Provider & National Learning Institute. He is the author of Racism, Classism, Sexism, And The Other ISMs That Divide Us, AND My Leadership Legacy Journal available from the ICHAF Training Institute.
The ICHAF Training Institute offers SETA-approved training in business skills, computer use, and soft skills. Devan specialises in conflict and diversity management, and regularly conducts seminars on these issues for corporates. To book a seminar with Devan or for other training courses, please use the contact details below.
Tel: 011 262 2461 | 083 303 9159 |
Email: admin@ichaftraining.co.za devan@ichaftraining.co.za |
Website: www.ichaftraining.co.za | www.devan-moonsamy.com