Author: Leslie

Why do we need entrepreneurship?

• We can continue in disillusionment, joke about load shedding, a world-wide pandemic, the resultant economic collapse, or we can change the narrative and seek the opportunity in the catastrophe.

• What is required is a mind shift change from receiving from my government, my parents, or my employer to a self-empowered mind of self-reliance.

• When we become focused on self-reliance, we can learn to connect between problem and opportunity.

• Once we see the magnitude of problems as opportunity, it will be obvious that there is a lot to be done. It is within everyone’s power to be a problem solver and to monetise the solutions.

What is the situation in SA?

• Problem = Opportunity. We have lots of problems

• We must stop waiting for government to give us something.

• We cannot eat politics or hatred

•  All the most successful economies are built on entrepreneurship action.

• South Africa is known to have some of the lowest Total Early-Stage Entrepreneurial Activity (TEA) rates in the world.

• The only thing we can do to change (if you are not happy) is to pitch up at the next election and vote. Other than that, it is outside off our powers, but seeing what is wrong, and making it better is within us.  

• We don’t need more hand-outs from Government, or more jobs for skilled people, we need to become the creators of competitive advantage, the strategists that understand that Covid did not put our economy on pause, but that everything will look different in the future.

What is bootstrapping?

• Bootstrapping is the Entrepreneurial term used to display the idea that people can pull themselves up by their bootstraps once they are motivated and equipped to do that.

• Like with all business strategy, the concept is focused on an individual or groups Vision of their ideal future.

• Bootstrapping is about using the rags effectively to create richness.

• Start-ups often have low levels of resources, but are often not using what they have access to the best of their advantage.

• The development method is focused on what the community / business has to offer, equipping them to use their existing resources to be both entrepreneurial and strategic to develop revenue streams/wealth from this grass-root level.

• Once revenue streams are started and stable, the focus moves to business coaching, governance and sustainability.

Bootstrappers?

• Bootstrappers is about the fundamentals required for Grassroots Entrepreneurship or Business redevelopment.

• The building blocks to sustainability are to live within your organisational means, to get the work, to do the work cost-effectively and to get paid in time.

• BootStrappers can assist with solution based outcomes, from developing business models and strategic plans, by coaching/teaching valuable business skills, sorting out governance issues, which will ultimately turn you into a sustainable business owner. 

• Sustainability will enable you to be self-reliant, a future employer on the twisty road to self-realisation.

• If you think about this logically, the entrepreneurial science is built on innovative problem-solving skills that can be taught / learned.

• These skills are displayed by passionate and tenacious leaders, who are willing to start with a big vision, often a small budget and lots of perseverance.

• Bootstrappers is a Strategic Business Development Agency focused on early stage Entrepreneurship Development and/or Strategic Development / Repair of Start-ups or Small, Micro and Medium sized Enterprise’s (SMME).

The South African economy is in serious trouble. As a matter of fact, it was in serious trouble before Covid hit our shores in March 2020. The Government had no or any real space to move. Basically, bad governance, too much debt, socialist views of a big portion of the voting population and blatant theft from leaders without any recourse/restitution has led to disinvestment and downgrades by rating agencies.

It is often easy to blame others for our problems. But we are free to choose/vote, but not free from consequences of our choices. Post Covid, the government

Dr Leslie and Elzabe Boshoff can contribute to strategic entrepreneurship development in South Africa. They have a combined entrepreneurial history of more than 50 years. Leslie holds a National Technical Diploma, a Masters and Doctorate degrees in Entrepreneurship and Entrepreneurship Strategy Development.  Elzabe is in the final three months of her honours qualification in business administration.

The post Covid period calls for an Entrepreneurship Business Development Agency to serve as a catalyst for new entities and to assist current organisations to navigate the changes that the post Covid world brings.

The partners chose Port St Francis as their home, and as the home for the agency for some interesting reasons. St Francis already has some very interesting Entrepreneurs. The town also has the necessary infrastructure and a labour pool available. Currently it is a peaceful and a save town to live and we love the water.

Why BootStrappers? Generally, a boot-strapper develops a business model with the lowest possible operating costs and a very short cash cycle i.e. fast inventory turnaround and a cash-only approach to selling.  We are living our message, keep your personal overheads low, and spend less than you earn, reinvest your profits, share resources’ with the experts and don’t put all your eggs in one basket. 

BootStrappers the will be established and promoted through the office. As we all know, tourism is seasonal in the region. The Port of St Francis office will also accommodate a development service and a booking office for many tourism related businesses. Currently the agency will act as a for commission booking office for the following services:

The next thing that God is speaking about is restoration. “I will restore what the locus has stolen from you”. I was given this prophetically a few times over the last three months. When you think about this, restoration does not only include God restoring us, but it includes us restoring the harm we have done. I am still chewing on this thought, but I want to make a point of listing the people or institutions I have harmed in my past. This is not a list of those who just don’t like me, it has to be a list of those who I justifiably did (or do) wrong to.

Here is my confession, and I am going to use a very old example. About 20 years ago, we sold a trip to a group of international students. The issue was that our business was under so much pressure that we overcharged them. The trip went well, but I justified my behaviour (to myself) that if I don’t do it, staff will lose their jobs thus doing the wrong thing is ok.  One could argue supply and demand, but in my heart, I knew our mark up was over the norm and it has bothered me for decades.

Governance, Leadership and Sustainability include a spine. Right is Right and wrong is wrong and if we are expecting God to bless us, not to have holes in the pockets where the money comes in, we have to deal like that.

This extract is from yesterday’s Daily Maverick. “there will be a price to pay for the Covid-19 corruption that has considerably weakened our ability to respond to the pandemic…. It is difficult to countenance the notion that whoever profits off this destruction and impacts our ability to save lives and restore society, can reasonably be said to represent society faithfully. It is so clearly immoral and bereft of ethical integrity that no sane and reasonable person could possibly defend it. It is simply beyond the pale; unacceptable in every way”.

This is our truth, we can no longer use excuses as a scapegoat from our reality. If you choose to lead an organisation, do it with a spine, do not make debt that you cannot repay, govern your organisation well, if you can’t, get a gatekeeper who can (and allow him/her to get on with it). If it is too good to be true, it normally is. As for the terrible individuals responsible for the theft from the poor, it is never too late to change and start the restoration process. 

You are not done until the final whistle, God only knows why terrible things happen to good people (and there is a lot of it going around). If you lose your loved one, if you lose your job, or your house, stop think and breathe, take a timeout, it might be God telling you to rethink/redirect. God tells us to stay away from the fighters and the s… stirrers, because they will steal your peace. Talk to someone shining brighter than you, someone that can guide you through the rubble and back into a purpose filled life.

St Francis

• We can feel summer – on the coast it is also entrepreneurship season

• Most of the SME’s are getting ready for season

• Expectations of a busy time for SA tourists

• International tourism season from January

Why do we need entrepreneurship?

• We can continue in disillusionment, joke about load shedding, a world-wide pandemic, the resultant economic collapse, or we can change the narrative and seek the opportunity in the catastrophe / problems.

• What is required is a mind shift change from receiving from my government, my parents, or my employer to a self-empowered mind of self-reliance.

• When we become self-reliant, we can learn to connect between problem and opportunity.

• Once we see the magnitude of problems as opportunity, it will be obvious that there is a lot to be done.

• It is within everyone’s power to be a problem solver and to monetize the solutions.

What is the situation in SA?

• Problem = Opportunity. We have lots of problems

• We must stop waiting for government to give us something.

• We cannot eat politics or racial hatred

•  All the most successful economies are built on entrepreneurship action.

• South Africa is known to have some of the lowest Total Early-Stage Entrepreneurial Activity (TEA) rates in the world.

• The only thing we can do to change (if you are not happy) is to pitch up at the next election and vote. Other than that, it is outside off our powers, but seeing what is wrong, and making it better is within us.  

• We need to become the creators of competitive advantage, the strategists that understand that Covid did not put our economy on pause, but that everything will look different in the future.

What is bootstrapping?

• Bootstrapping is the Entrepreneurial term used to display the idea that people can pull themselves up by their bootstraps once they are motivated and equipped to do that.

• The idea is focused on an individual or groups Vision of their ideal future.

• Bootstrapping is about using the rags effectively to create richness.

• Start-ups often have low levels of resources but are often not using what they have access to the best of their advantage.

• The development method is focused on what the community / business has to offer, equipping them to use their existing resources to be both entrepreneurial and strategic to develop revenue streams/wealth from this grass-root level.

• Once revenue streams are started and stable, the focus moves to business coaching, governance, and sustainability.

What is the difference between a small business owner and an Entrepreneur?

• If you think about this logically, the entrepreneurial science is built on innovative problem-solving skills that can be taught / learned.

• These skills are displayed by passionate and tenacious leaders, who are willing to start with a big vision, often a small budget and lots of perseverance.

• Small business ownership is a franchise, or a coffee shop. It is not innovative as such but can still create lots of wealth.

Bootstrappers?

• Bootstrappers is about the fundamentals required for Grassroots Entrepreneurship or Business redevelopment.

• Generally, a boot-strapper develops a business model with the lowest possible operating costs and a truly short cash cycle i.e. fast inventory turnaround and a cash-only approach to selling.

•  We are living our message, keep your personal overheads low, and spend less than you earn, reinvest your profits, share resources with the experts and don’t put all your eggs in one basket. 

• We want to serve as a catalyst for new entities and to assist current organisations to navigate the changes that the post Covid world brings.

• Bootstrappers is a Strategic Business Development Agency focused on early stage Entrepreneurship Development and/or Strategic Development / Repair of Start-ups or Small, Micro and Medium sized Enterprise’s (SMME).

Sustainability and Governance?

• The building blocks to sustainability are to live within your organisational means, to get the work, to do the work cost-effectively and to get paid in time.

• Governance is Godly – assist with sorting out governance issues, which will ultimately turn you into a sustainable business owner. 

• Sustainability will enable you to be self-reliant, a future employer on the twisty road to self-realisation.

Where is the opportunities?

• The South African economy is in serious trouble. As a matter of fact, it was in serious trouble before Covid hit our shores in March 2020.
• The Government had no or any real space to move. Basically, bad governance, too much debt, socialist views of a big portion of the voting population and blatant theft from leaders without any recourse/restitution has led to disinvestment and downgrades by rating agencies.

• But we have problems to solve!!!!

God and restoration

• Entrepreneurship is creative. God is creator.

• God’s purpose for us is the serve him and to serve others.

• Our calling is to create businesses that creates self-worth and a community in owners and workers

• The next thing that God is speaking about is restoration. “I will restore what the locus has stolen from you”.

• When you think about this, restoration does not only include God restoring us, but it includes us restoring the harm we have done.

• I want to make a point of listing the people or institutions I have harmed in my past. This is not a list of those who just don’t like me, it has to be a list of those who I justifiably did (or do) wrong to. Maybe I can still restore that in my life.

• Governance, Leadership and Sustainability include a spine. Right is Right and wrong is wrong and if we are expecting God to bless us, not to have holes in the pockets where the money comes in, we must deal like that.

• You are not done until the final whistle, God only knows why terrible things happen to good people (and there is a lot of it going around). If you lose your loved one, if you lose your job, or your house, stop think and breathe, take a timeout, it might be God telling you to rethink/redirect.

• God tells us to stay away from the fighters and the s… stirrers, because they will steal your peace. Talk to someone shining brighter than you, someone that can guide you through the rubble and back into a purpose filled life.

Contrary to the popular belief, people deal better with the whole truth than a sugar coted version thereof. The night Emma died; we had to drive from St Francis to PE. It was torture because the messages were confusing. We were even told that she was standing next to the car and completely fine. Understandably, that was our best outcome, but we can also read between the lines and we knew it was much worse.

All the latest management theory encourages transparency. It is said to be the basis of modern motivation. The people you are leading are not stupid, uninformed or incompetent. The truth is, they know the business well, and you (the leader) are often the one that doesn’t. The sugar coated version of the truth makes you vulnerable and creates unrealistic pressure to perform miracles that you cannot do. Secondly, they will start making their own conclusions and they are more often than not demotivating and unflattering of your leadership. 

The questions for leadership are: Did you become the hamster on the 24 hour day wheel?  Are you stressed when you continuously feel responsible for others? Do you feel that you are the only one working and all the others are either incompetent or just passengers?  Do you feel disempowered or a reputational loss? Do you struggle to trust others because you believe that you can do it better? Do you believe that you can save everyone by doing everything yourself?

You are the visionary and they are there to execute. If they are the wrong people for that, you made bad appointments, undo it. God put you in the position to lead, not to blame others or to be a martyr.  When you, and the people you are leading, face up to your real truths you are positioned for change.

This is an important landscape and narrative to address. We are all now part of a global pandemic that is accompanied and the economic disaster. Nothing will ever be the same, therefore our thinking cannot backslide into old patterns, we need a fresh approach on how to navigate around treacherous waters together and not only come through this reasonably intact, but prosper.

Optimism is viewed as a desirable attribute in business, but to my mind it is only helpful if it is within the realism spectrum. Unrealistically optimistic people often repress or ignore problems, insisting that everything is fine and the future is rosy.  They are then surprised by trouble and wonder why it happened to them. Leaders can no longer disregard a stated and lived Godly Vision, a Godly Purpose and Measurable Goals.  This “fairy dust” view of leadership obstructs the need to alter course, to govern well, to plan for sustainability and to achieve business goals.

Most successful businesses have both a gatekeeper and an Entrepreneur. Entrepreneurs are often very dynamic. When / if they bullishly ignore the “Elijah” in their circle, or the truths hear for long enough, they lose the ability to lead with direction and become like a vessel without course. Unless Purpose is of God, life turns into pipedreams, and we will continue to work without sustainability.  

When your life is a pipedream, you keep running to the next thing, to the material thing or the next habit to satisfy the need for short term gratification. The new car, the second car, the third car or whatever it is that blows your hair back at the moment, but it is not the way to experience peace and wellbeing.  Chasing the wind is a sure recipe to plough the same unproductive field for years. The thing is, bad leadership habits lead to consequences, which leads to pain, and that pain often involves many stakeholders.

A good Leadership and reputation is built on truth, an expression of hope and inner joy. Truth is not build on sugar coating messages of a fairy dust of a good future, but on reality and measurable fact. Deceived others about the rosiness of their future cannot become a business strategy. Creating illusions of wellbeing creates incapability to connect and developing real intimacy with others. Unrealistic promises to stakeholders make them disillusioned, untrusting and the leader lonely and miserable.

Covid did not put our Country on pause for just a few months; it has changed our lives forever. Confinement is becoming the new normal and over a few days we have raced into the fourth industrial revolution. This is impossible when you measures for productivity are unclear or hour / time based.  We have to trust our workforce, we have to adapt to measurable outcomes of productivity.

We are now working unsupervised and from home. We often spend our days in isolation, no more meeting with people, no more banter at the water station. On bad whether days I stay in my very colourful pyjamas and the front door is not even opened. Even Simon Cowell sits in his launch, in pyjamas, with kids running around and presents Americas Got Talent. 

So when it comes to optimism, pessimism and the new post Corona world, “hope for the best, prepare for the worst” is the way to go. Be honest with yourself, when you are in pain or dealing with loss or failure, do what my chemistry lecture said, get a glass of red wine, find a comfortable spot on the beach, feel sorry for yourself for a few minutes, think long and hard, develop a new picture, write down the vision, make the goals measurable and ready, set go…

We all understand the basics; and yes, under the poverty line it is often made more complicated than stated here. If we earn R10, 00 we should only spend R9, 00 and save / invest the R1, 00. Secondly, Adam Smith was right; we must all do what is good for ourselves. Maybe our own wellbeing should become the focus, the politician must work for us to remain or to be into power, the father must work to feed his children, the businessman wants to market, get orders, manufacture, ship and get paid for his efforts. Our leaders are appointed by us, to serve our needs, not theirs. Let us to hold them responsible to their duty to serve. Remain informed; don’t let racial hatred get in the way of your wellbeing, it is a blame game and a scapegoat for self-enriching behaviour. 

We should no longer live in a sugar coated reality our political leaders can make our lives better without God, Good Governance, Business Investment and Entrepreneurial will. The government’s purse is empty and too many leaders are just corrupt and self-serving.

The plight of the poor does not matter. They are suffering and I often wonder if they understand that they can effect the change. Our leaders are stealing food, they are stealing education, and they are stealing medical care the people they claim to represent. Our Government has acuminated so much debt that our grandchildren will still pay for this. The view that the voter is owed good governance from their government only exists in a few civil society organisations.

Killing the goose that lays the golden egg is stupid, socialism without increasing capital has never worked, and SA will be no exception. We can no longer afford to shrink the cake in the name of apartheid or whatever politicians is dishing up for us to consume. Someone has to pay for dinner. We need to bake a new rainbow striped cake that we can all eat from. To do this we have to understand those who want to do business. The idea that a lot can be done with a little is just one mind shift away.

Entrepreneurship development is creative, opportunistic and on the capitalist spectrum of things. It is the opposite of everything is a problem, instead everything is an opportunity.   For the rest of us, if we want to stay, we will have to contribute to entrepreneurship and the economic development of the nation.  

God gave us two ears and one mouth for a good reason. We need a giant soapbox, where we can listen and talk, not political talk, but hear the voice of the poor, the voice of the parent, the voice of the worker and the voice of the business person. We can no longer afford the political smoke screens and the lobbyist agenda.  We must develop a shared vision that will improve our situations at home.