WealthWisemagazineSouth Africa

June 2011

Investing in volatile times

Vol I/No. 5

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Japan'searthquake:More than meets the eye

Corporates and the Government: a win-win situation?

New! Business Column: Presentation skills

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CONTENTS

On the Cover18 More than meets the eye

21 Investing in volatile times

28 Cut through the red tape...

34 Business Column

LifeWise9 Quick Read: Right or Wrong?

10 What's stopping you?

13 The art of handling criticism gracefully

MoneyWise17 Quick Read: Is diversification the answer?

24 Don't expect real growth from equities in the next 12 months

BusinessWise27 Quick Read: Networking tips top grow your business

31 How to enhance customer experience

37 Effective SMS marketing

CareerWise39 Quick Read: Work resolutions

40 When is theft not theft?

Agenda43 This month we inspire you to...

44 Destination: 131 on Herbert Baker

48 A breath of fresh air: Babel

52 On the bookshelf

54 Events, Workshops and Seminars

Regulars:

3 Contents, 4 Foreword, 5 Mailbox, 6-7 Contributors, 51 Competition, 56 Last Word, 57 In our next issue

WealthWise 3

This June edition represents a milestone for our team. Halfway through 2011 with five editions up and running, we are glad to announce the continuous growth of WealthWise magazine and its readership, reported at close to 95.000 hits during May.

We value every feedback, positive or negative, we receive and we strive to bring you the best quality information on money management, wealth creation and wealth management.

This June also embodies the start of our monthly Business Column, currently presented by business training provider Optima, which we hope will further assist business leaders and entrepreneurs in being the best they can.

You will also remember that we dedicated part our March edition to assisting parents to offer financial advice to their children and promoting young entrepreneurs.

We feel that educating the younger generation on money issues is an important part of our mission and since in June, South Africa’s celebrates Youth’s Day, we have committed to bring every June a special supplement dedicated to this cause, namely Oodles. Look out for Oodles this month in our Publications menu tab on www.wealthwisemag.com.

We hope that our publication will inspire you to make every day, long-lasting changes to a wealthier future.

All the best,

Denisa Oosthuizen Managing Editor WealthWise magazine

FORE WORD

4 WealthWise

MAIL BOX

Have your say! Write to us at editor@wealthwisemag.co.za! The best comments will be published in our next edition!

Each month we showcase your best comments, feedback and suggestions for WealthWise magazine.This is your page!

WealthWise 5

Dear Denisa, Thank you very much for the book we recieved, it is fabulous! Dionne will definitely enjoy reading it! Carley Oosthuizen, Personal Assistant to Dionne Collett, one of the winners of our March competition

Maria’s story is inspirational and real. I introduce everyone I know to her story and her products. In her and Nerissa there is a legacy that is South African and a story that is universal of a true entrepreneur. These are fantastic products that speak for themselves. Awesome stuff! Way to go Maria & Nerissa. Rehema from fuseconsulting.co.za, comment on Maria Garcia International - An entrepreneurship story

I like the helpful info you provide in your posts. I will bookmark your blog and check again here regularly. I’m quite sure I’ll learn plenty of new stuff right here! Good luck for the next! Roxanne Nowacki, comment on How not to manage your business and personal finances

Great article and excellent food for thought. Karen van Zyl, comment on "Anger Management"

A wonderful written piece on anger. Having spent the last couple of months fighting an inain sense of anger, I can fully understand the article and the advise given. Christel from zerenity.co.za, comment on Anger Management

WOW! This is amazing, I wonder which multi-national she was behind, wont surprise me, her products are amazing! Melody, comment on Maria Garcia International - An entrepreneurship story

CONTRIBUTORS

Robert Kinsley is a financial journalist turned City banker and entrepreneur, founding and running Moorgate Communications financial PR agency. He is also an accomplished author, publishing his first book, "The Pursuit of Happiness", a 'lad-lit' comedy on his life as an English banker in New York, in 2000. In his book "What's stopping you?", Robert navigates through his mental hurdles to show reades how they can, too, overcome fear of failure. Read Robert's insights on the fear of failure in our LifeWise section, page 10.

Tonie Jere is Communications Officer at Front Foot Strategic Consultants, a young and enthusiastic business marketing company that hosts and manages quality events, seminars, conferences and industry forums of any size. Their expertise cover a wide variety of industries plus training. Read Tonie's opinion on the business synergies of a corporate-government partnership in our BusinessWise section, page 28.

6 WealthWise

Evan Jones is Managing Director at Cadiz Wealth. Evan started the Cadiz Wealth team in 2011 with the intention of presenting wholesale offerings into the retail market. Cadiz Wealth has since grown to include Collective Investments, Life investments and alternative investments. Evan wrote the piece on investing in the volatile markets in our MoneyWise section, page 21.

Hendrien van Zyl is a learning solutions specialist at Optima, a global specialist provider of training and expert support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs). She is responsible for the designing and developing of learning strategies, systems and programmes, as well as competence assessment tools across technical, management and soft skills. Hendrien wroteour business column on delivering an insightful presentation in our BusinessWise section, page 34.

WealthWise magazine

Publisher REO Media Solutions

Managing EditorDenisa Oosthuizen

denisa@wealthwisemag.co.zaeditor@wealthwisemag.co.za

ContributorsRobert Kinsley, Tonie Jere, Evan Jones, Hendrien van Zyl, Carla

Rossouw

Sales and Marketingdenisa@wealthwisemag.co.za

Graphic DesignREO Media Solutions

Distributionwww.wealthwisemag.co.zawww.wealthwisemag.com

CopyrightAll content and information

within WealthWise publication is property of the Publisher and

should not be reproduced, copied or entirely quoted

without the prior approval of the Publisher, being protected under

copyright laws.

Should you wish to make use of any of the content displayed

please contact us at denisa@wealthwisemag.co.za

or editor@wealthwisemag.co.za.

WealthWise 7

The Three Gracez provides a range of services to the aviation/hospitality/corporate industries. Sisters Anisah, Shaziya and Nabilah assist these industries in achieving a competitive advantage based on service, better customer care services and improved corporate grooming and image. The sister wrote an article on enhancing cutomer experience and customer loyalty in our BusinessWise section, page 31.

Carla Rossouw is a Professional Conference Organiser based in South Africa. She writes reviews on Venues, Hotels and Restaurants as well as International Destinations. She will regularly write for our Agenda section reviews of fabulous places. Read her reviews on pages 44 and 48.

Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist and owner of Viljoen Consulting. She is passionate about assisting SMME’s to grow sustainable businesses. Nikki also teaches the fundamentals of sound, basic business practice and compliance andfacilitates workshops specifically geared for the SME arena – Workshops for Entrepreneurs written and facilitated by Entrepreneurs. Read Nikki's blog thougths in our CareerWise section, page 40.

LIFE W I S E

Quick Read: Right or Wrong?

WealthWise 9

Do you feel like you always know and speak the truth and run away from admitting when you’re wrong? Learn to embrace both the right and the wrong:

Do you always like to have the last “right” word? Find out why you step away so much from being wrong. Is it because you feel inferior in front of your peers when you’re wrong? Is it because you feel they are better or always right? Do you feel incompetent, shameful, sad, disappointed, angry when you’re wrong?

Do you have a low self-esteem? Work on your self-esteem. This is what determines or positive or negative outlook on life and how we react to being right or wrong. Wanting to be right all the time stems from our desire to be appreciated by others and not give others the satisfaction of being right when we are wrong.

Look on the positive side. Don’t let bad experiences instill a “not good enough” or “I’m always wrong” attitude. Know that it’s absolutely normal to be wrong sometimes and view this as a positive and productive experience – next time might have a different output in a similar situation.

Determine what “being wrong” means for you, not for others. Often, we have to look at our attitudes towards being wrong rather than the errors we make.

Being wrong is not a stigma. It is a valuable lesson we can use to learn from the experience and understand ourselves better. Being wrong doesn’t change who you are. But it can help you becoming smarter, avoiding the same mistakes and developing yourself in a better person.

Accept you are sometimes wrong and move on. If you tend to get involved in tantrums over who’s right and who’s wrong, step back and do admit where you are wrong, apologize or confess your mistake and move on. People appreciate honesty and are more accepting of your explanation this way.

Know that a “know-it-all” attitude doesn’t help. When you realize that you can’t possibly know everything, you set yourself for learning something new and growing your possibilities.

Learn to say “I don’t know”. Being right or wrong is not everything. Admitting that you have no clue over a situation is much more rewarding that stubbornly blaming the other party over the right and wrong issue. Still, don’t always play the “I don’t’ know” game and make yourself heard in a reasonable way.

10 WealthWise

What's Stopping

You? 10 Signs that you

may have Fear of Failure

by Robert Kelsey

Fear of failure is a debilitating mental condition that affects millions – seriously impacting the academic and career potential of otherwise smart and ambitious people. This impact is exacerbated by the fact many (if not most) sufferers are unaware they have this recognised psychological malaise.

So is fear of failure stopping you from achieving your potential? Psychologists state that certain behavioural signs can reveal fear of failure. Experimenting on US children in the 1960s, academics found a major difference in task execution between children that had high “achievement motivation” (High-AMs) and those that had high “fear of failure” (High-FFs). High-AMs focused on the potential rewards of success – viewing failure as a temporary setback – while High-FFs focused on the potential humiliation of failure and, therefore, usually sought to avoid the task altogether.

Yet such avoidance can manifest itself in various forms, sometimes so subtly that the participant remains unaware of the true motives of their behaviour. Below I set out 10 signs that you may have fear of failure – some from personal experience (as a self-declared High-FF), some from the wide body of psychological research on the subject.

1) Rebelliousness in childhood. In my day they were punks and now it’s the emos. Yet it may go beyond music-based cultures to more serious misdemeanours relevant to the social backdrop of the sufferer, such as being disruptive in classrooms, indulgence in petty vandalism, shop-lifting, smoking – even drugs and self-harming. If otherwise confident it could lead them to become a bully. If insecure, one of the bully’s lieutenants.

2) Difficulty settling into mainstream activities. This was certainly a major one for me. Despite loving football I was incapable of committing to any formalised team at school or in the village, finding excuses or falling out with

WealthWise 11

LifeWise

‘Some of

the most seemingly-

ambitious people may,

in reality, be

indulging in

avoidance-type

behaviour’

coaches. Judo was another one – I declared it boring and pointless, but in fact feared failure, so sought to avoid such a fate through withdrawal. Cubs – again, I hated it because I feared I’d not win the badges the other kids had festooned on their arms.

3) Exam stress. Even mild fear of failure can cause exam stress but High-FFs may take avoidance to extremes – feigning illness (or even experiencing the illness), suffering panic attacks or indulging in extreme avoidance behaviour such as giving up or deliberately sabotaging the exam.

4) Career “dreams”. Extraordinarily, some of the most seemingly-ambitious people may, in reality, be indulging in avoidance-type behaviour. One classic sign is a focus on “wildest dream” career choices such as pop stardom or TV fame. Crucially, the near-impossibility of achieving the dream means they will be kindly judged for being “a trier”, and it may mask their avoidance of realistic but challenging career choices (usually involving qualifications).

5) Office persona. Such masking can follow the High-FF into the workplace. High-FFs are often the office or shopfloor clown – the joker that everyone likes, despite their lowly status. On the surface at least, being popular is far more important to the High-FF than making progress, although – again – this is usually hiding an inner sense of inadequacy.

LifeWise

12 WealthWise

6) Don’t seek promotion. In fact this may go as far as avoiding seeking promotion, even when the obvious candidate. High-FFs will make excuses – perhaps declaring themselves happier among the troops than the officers. This is especially the case when the promotion may be contested. Fearing humiliation, High-FFs can quickly declare themselves out of the contest.

7) Office feuds. And our view of work is most likely to be negative. High-FFs are often highly critical of the way workplace life is executed – sometimes publicly. They can be part of the moaning canteen gang (even its leader). And such criticisms can be directed at particular individuals – usually ones they fear. Inevitably these divisions and petty rivalries can develop into full-blown and disruptive feuds.

8) Over sensitive sense of justice. A classic High-FF trait – and definitely one of my major giveaways – is being overly sensitive to real or perceived injustice.

Assuming slights or insults are meant and personal, looking (and usually finding) prejudice or favouritism to others (real or otherwise), developing acute paranoia about the intentions of senior management. All are High-FF traits and all are self-fulfilling disasters. In its extreme, this can lead to pilfering and absenteeism and other misbehaviour based on a “why shouldn’t I?” mentality.

9) Poor luck. High-FFs are convinced they have poor luck, that they are always in the wrong place at the wrong time. Key moments – job interviews perhaps – are blighted by late trains or random illnesses (food poisoning from a banana was one of mine). New jobs or new responsibilities have unexpected external crises visited upon them that the previous incumbent was free of. Challenges appear from nowhere, opportunities disappear – all seemingly beyond our control.

10) Presentation nerves. This is perhaps an obvious one but one no less harmful for that. Those important moments, requiring a strong performance in front of others, are the very moments we lose our self-confidence: perhaps even developing physical traits such as the shakes, or sweats, or a wobbly voice. I can remember my first radio interview, where I performed so poorly they wondered what had happened to the lucid and confident talker they’d met in the radio-station lobby. I was not invited back.

Robert Kelsey is author of bestseller What’s Stopping You? Why Smart People Don’t Always Reach Their Potential and How You Can. Capstone Publishing, £10.99 or R115 from www.kalahari.net in South Africa. Read more about Robert’s work at www.robert-kelsey.co.uk.

WealthWise 13

LifeWise

The Art of

Handling Criticism Gracefully

by Leo Babauta

If you’re going to do anything interesting in the world, criticism is an unavoidable fact. You’ll be criticized, because you’ll make mistakes, because some will be jealous, because people have opinions about anything interesting, because people want to help you, because some want to drag down those doing anything different. The trick to navigating the icebergs of criticism is to figure out which are helpful, and steer clear of those that aren’t. And above all, do it with grace.

Once my weblog Zen Habits started to take off — I had 26K subscribers at the end of my first year in 2007 — I received all kinds of criticism. Many of them were from new readers, who were mostly incredibly positive and encouraging, but who sometimes would leave scathing comments on a post.

I learned a tactic that worked extremely well. If a comment was mean, I’d take a minute to calm myself down, and then ask, “Does this person have a point (despite their rude tone)?” Then I would respond and thank the commenter for his criticism. I’d acknowledge their point without being defensive. I’d respond with my reasoning, if I felt I had a point, or if the critic was right I would agree and let them know I was going to change things. Either way, I was grateful for their criticism.

This had a startling effect: the commenter would often respond very positively. Thanking the commenter and acknowledging their point is disarming. People who leave rude comments don’t expect you to listen to them, much less be grateful and empathetic. I had many of my critics become friends after doing that — I’ve never seen a tactic have better results.

I would also get criticism from other sites. My usual response has been to ask myself (again, after calming down), “Does this person have a point?” If they do, I’ll see what I can do to change. If not, I’ll move on.

I have learned that criticism is a fact of the game. I can respond with anger, or let it stop me from doing things, or I can let it help me. Or accept that it’s there and move on. I choose the last two.

14 WealthWise

How Not To Handle Criticism

Criticism can bring you down if you let it. People get discouraged when faced with criticism, and just give up. That can be understandable, but why let the words of someone having a bad day (or month) stop you from doing something great?

What would have happened if Shakespeare had stopped writing the first time an audience member jeered one of his lines? Or if Gandhi had given up just because the Brits weren’t happy with his ways?

Often people will instead respond to criticism with anger. They’ll lash out, attack, become defensive and aggressive. If you haven’t read this now-infamous comment thread at www.booksandpals.blogspot.com/2011/03/greek-seaman-jacqueline-howett.html for a review of an indie book, I highly recommend it.

The review is fine, but the comments left by the author of the book are simply incredible. She’s a train wreck that you can’t look away from.

This is how not to respond to criticism. It was the worst way to react. If you’re angry, you do not tell people to f**k off. You do not attack them, blame them for your mistakes, deny that you made any mistakes, and feed fuel to the fire by compounding your mistakes with more mistakes. It would be so much better just to stay silent.

Do Amazing Things

Don’t let criticism stop you from doing anything. If someone tells you that your writing sucks, keep doing it. Make it better. Study people who do it well and rip them off, then make it your own and let your voice infuse what you do. Be great by being honest, by seeking the truth and telling that truth when no one else will.

Create amazing things. Contribute to the world, make the version of the world you want to see.

Go out and do something different. Don’t do things just because everyone else does it. Here’s a secret: If you find yourself swimming along with all the other fishes, swim the other way. They don’t know where they’re going either.

Do something amazing and share it with the world. Criticism can be necessary, but often it is just dragging down the people trying to do amazing things. Don’t let it stop you.

LifeWise

LifeWise

WealthWise 15

‘I would respond

and thank the commenter

for his criticism. Thanking

the commenter and

acknowledging their point

is disarming. ’

How to Handle It Gracefully

Calm yourself down before responding. Always. Responding to a critic in anger is never, ever, ever a good idea. In case I didn’t make that clear: don’t ever respond in anger.

Ask yourself why the criticism was made. Is the person trying to help, to make things better, to help you avoid making mistakes, to suggest positive improvements? Is the person just in a cranky rude mood, having a bad day? Is the person just mean, or jealous? Is there good reason for the criticism?

Regardless of the motivation, ask yourself if there is validity in the criticism. Sometimes there really is, but instead of letting that get you down, let it help you improve. Admit that you’re not perfect at what you do (though you are perfect), and that not everything you do is exactly right, and that you want to improve. I, for one, certainly make mistakes all the time and have a lot I can improve.

Thank the person offering the criticism. Sometimes they’re coming from a place of wanting to help you. That takes courage, and is a very generous thing. Be grateful for that. Even when they’re not trying to be helpful, they’ve taken the time to respond to you — and trust me, getting a response is better than absolute silence.

Provoking a reaction means you’ve done something interesting — and for that, you should be thankful. Either way, thanking the critic will help lead to a positive exchange.

Respond rationally and calmly. Instead of being defensive, be honest. Share your reasons, acknowledge the other person’s points if there’s any validity, and come to a rational conclusion rather than jealously guarding your way of doing things.

Or stay silent. If you can’t respond with grace, then just don’t respond. Silence is a much better response than anger or defensiveness or quitting.

Carry on. You’ve responded gracefully, now get back to doing your amazing things.

Leo Babauta is the author and blogger of Zen Habits, a weblog about “finding simplicity in the daily chaos of our lives”, as he describes it. His weblog is viewed by the publication Time as one of the top 25 blogs worldwide. Read his blog at www.zenhabits.net.

MONEY W I S E

Quick Read: Is diversification the answer?

WealthWise 17

We all know the saying “don’t keep all your eggs in one basket”. While this is often true, is this the truly recommended path for investors and wealth builders?

According to Roberto Lanzilotti, founder WayToWealth who empowers people to build wealth and reach financial freedom in order to live a better life, “the word 'diversification' seems to be the only word in the handbook for investment planners. It's flaunted around by both professionals and non-professionals as if financial success is absolutely and unconditionally dependent on it”.

Most financial and investing planners are taught that diversification is important in a client’s portfolio. Is this really a must-have rule?

“This may surprise you, but diversification is hardly used by true wealth creators”, says Robert.

His opinion is shared to a certain extent by one of the most prestigious financial planners and asset managers in South Africa, Kokkie Kooyman, head of Sanlam Investment Management Global. In his opinion, diversification should not be the primary focus in investing – extreme diversification is dangerous and true wealth creators know that. More about Kooyman’s insights in our July digital edition.

To understand the concept of diversification and wealth creation, read Robert’s insightful articles below:

http://waytowealthpro.com/blog/investing101-diversification-explained

http://waytowealthpro.com/blog/diversification-what-do-you-get-return

We hope these will provide you with enough information before considering your investment strategies.

Roberto Lanzillotti is a WayToWealth coach and business systems mentor, with a keen interest in wealth creation methodologies. He owns a highly successful property business that leverages other peoples’ time and money and provides training for the modern day wealth seeker. Visit his website at www.wealthpro.com.

18 WealthWise

More than meets the eyeThe underestimated effects of Japan's earthquake

article by Plexus Asset Management

Current market perception is that the impact of the terrible disaster in Japan on the global economy is likely to be limited to an approximate 0,5% shave-off of global economic growth. So says Dr Prieur du Plessis, chairman of Plexus Asset Management and author of the Investment Postcards blog.

“The International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) forecast for Japan was lowered from 1,6% prior to the earthquake to 1,4% in 2011,” says Du Plessis. The IMF initially estimated that the damage could be twice that of the Kobe earthquake in 1995, or up to 5% of GDP. “My initial estimates also called for a 0,5% shave-off of global GDP growth,” he adds.

“What has transpired so far is that the extent of the damage could be far worse than I – and possibly the market – initially expected,” says Du Plessis. “The IMF’s initial forecast excluded the effects of power shortages and ongoing risks due to the fallout of the nuclear disaster at Fukushima, which is exactly what is happening now.

“Some 30 percent of Japan’s electricity is generated by nuclear power. Blackouts, especially in the Tokyo area and other northern regions that contribute more than 50% of the country’s GDP, pose the biggest threat to Japan’s economy.”

Apart from Japan’s manufacturing and services PMIs (Purchasing Managers Indices) that plunged in March, the impact of the earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis on the other major economies is not visible yet, says Du Plessis. “The reason probably lies in the fact that trade has not yet been affected in the March numbers due to inventories at shipping centres.”

In the case of China some evidence of the impact has emerged in the March manufacturing PMI indices. “I have plotted some important PMI indices for this year and compared them to ‘normal’ years, excluding 2008 and 2009, which are the years of the global financial crisis. A significant drop in both the import and new export orders PMIs is evident in March,” Du Plessis points out.

Japan is the biggest source of Chinese imports, and with major production disruptions in the auto industry in the broader Tokyo region, China’s imports of auto parts and machinery will be affected the most. “I will not be surprised if the import PMI falls further than April,” says Du Plessis.

MoneyWise

‘The extent of

the damage could be far worse

than the market initially

expected’

WealthWise 19

According to Du Plessis, China’s manufacturing new export orders PMI also came in substantially lower compared to previous ‘normal’ years where March is normally a strong month, especially after the Chinese New Year holidays.

Chinese authorities claim the impact of the disaster in Japan will not be significant. “I wonder,” says Du Plessis. “Bear in mind that Japan is the recipient of about 8% of Chinese exports and consumer and business confidence has been dealt such a severe knock that consumers are likely to cut spending.”

The impact of the lower than expected import and export PMI indices in March led to a weaker manufacturing PMI than I expected (see accompanying Graph A). “Where April is normally a seasonally strong month, I believe there is an above-average risk that China’s CFLP manufacturing PMI beyond April could disappoint even more,” warns Du Plessis.

“While China’s CFLP non-manufacturing PMI in March was smack bang on the apparent seasonal trend, the same disappointment as in manufacturing could await the non-manufacturing sectors’ PMI in April,” he says. “Ditto the economy as a whole.”

“But this is not what the Chinese stock market is telling us,” says Du Plessis. The Shanghai Composite Index tends to lead the China CFLP Manufacturing PMI by one month. Given the current level of the market, it is actually anticipating stronger PMIs through end May (see accompanying Graph B), he points out.

“Sure, a weaker than expected PMI in April and May and thus a slowdown of the terrific pace of economic growth are likely to put any further tightening of monetary policy by the People's Bank of China on hold. This may entice buyers, especially on the outlook of reconstruction in Japan,” says Du Plessis.

“But what about the impact on Chinese company profits?” he asks. “I will not join the bulls like PIMCO and others at this stage and will not add to my positions.”

While the outlook for commodity prices from Q3 onwards is positive on the rebuilding of Japan, the immediate outlook is not rosy, says Du Plessis. “Downside surprises in China’s PMIs are unlikely to be welcomed by the bulls in commodity markets and especially industrial metals.”

According to Du Plessis, the only factor that may lend support to commodity prices in terms of US dollars in the face of this is a further weakening of the US dollar against other hard currencies. That would mean that those prices will fall in terms of other hard currencies.

“I believe the price of crude oil is likely to hold up better than industrial metals, while gold will hold its own,” he adds.

20 WealthWise

MoneyWise

Graph A

Graph B

Sources: CFLP; Li & Fung; Plexus Asset Management

Sources: CFLP; Li & Fung; Plexus Asset Management

Dr Prieur Du Plessis is chairman of Plexus Asset Management and author of the Investment Postcards blog.

Founded in 1995, the Plexus group of companies is an independent financial services provider that specialises in providing innovative, unique and holistic financial solutions for both corporate and individual clients. In South Africa, Plexus Holdings comprises of Plexus Wealth Management (financial planning)and Plexus Asset Management (investment management services and solutions). For more information, phone 021 970 2400, email info@plexus.co.za or visit www.plexus.co.za.

Investing in volatile timesAsset allocation remains key by Evan Jones

WealthWise 21

MoneyWise

The past two years have left some lingering scars on many investors as the bull market of 2003 to mid-2008 had lulled even the most conservative of investors into believing that investing is a simple exercise.

I am often puzzled by investors who, after carefully saving over months, years and decades, are prepared to place large wagers in the financial markets. It is not so much the wagers that astonish me, but the premise that investors believe that a little knowledge of the markets, together with ease of access to markets, combine into a “cannot lose” philosophy.

All too often these initial forays into the market have some initial success. This inevitably draws the participant into committing more and more capital to the venture; with little more than random success as their driving force. It is almost inevitable that, when markets volatility rises, these participants beat a hasty retreat; often after losing a portion of their original capital. All too often we hear of investors who buy at the top and sell at the bottom – clearly a strategy which runs at odds with long term wealth creation.

To a large extent this approach is analogous to saving up and ultimately buying a supercar. There is no doubt that armed with a detailed manual and a comprehensive set of tools anyone could actually functionally perform the role of a supercar mechanic. However, for the vast majority of the population, a more rational approach would be to find a supercar specific garage and book your vehicle in for its regular servicing.

It is strange that these same people will take a large sum of money they have carefully accumulated over time and invest it themselves without considering enlisting the services of a qualified investment manager. It could be argued that this is a relatively recent phenomenon. Over the past decade or two balanced funds, the cornerstone of the investment industry, have steadily given way to specialist investment portfolios like equity, cash and bond portfolios.

The rise and proliferation of the latter type of portfolios suggest that investors believe that they are in a position to choose what asset composition to select by investing across various asset classes offered in specialist portfolios (ie make asset allocation decisions). In the previous era of investments this task was largely delegated to fund managers who, within balanced funds, decided on the optimal

‘About 90% of the

variability in returns

in a typical fund across time is explained

by [asset

allocation] policy ’

22 WealthWise

MoneyWise

asset mix depending on the ruling economic environment.

There is a large body of research which has isolated this specific skill; namely asset allocation, as the primary driver of performance over the long term:

“We found that about 90% of the variability in returns in a typical fund across time is explained by [asset allocation] policy” (Ibbotson & Kaplan “Does Asset Allocation Policy Explain 40, 90, or 100 Percent of Performance”, Financial Analysts Journal, 2000)

In simple terms the asset allocation skill is the ability of an investor, usually a fund manager, to decide on the unique combination of assets which will provide the optimal investment returns on a portfolio.

The research suggests that almost all performance can be attributed to asset allocation decisions. This is the single largest driver of long term investment return and simply cannot be ignored.

Generally speaking asset allocation decision-making requires some process to decide on what economic cycle the economy is in (within Cadiz we identify four economic cycles), and which combination of assets are expected to provide the optimal returns during that particular cycle.

Although this can be a very quantitative process (relying on models to determine which of the four economic cycles the economy is in) the specific mathematical asset allocation is tempered by the fund manager’s experience during previous similar cycles and added by their assessment of the current cycle.

It should come as little surprise that, post the Great Recession which the World underwent in late 2008 to early 2010, the inflows into asset allocation funds such as balanced funds have dramatically increased from previous years; reversing the steady decline that Balanced Funds had experienced over a sustained period of time in the previous decade or two.

WealthWise 23

This, coupled with changes to retirement fund regulations requiring individual members to ensure their contributions are invested according to new asset class limits – something balanced funds already do – suggest a growing need for investors and financial advisers to fully understand the benefits of balanced funds.

So where to from here for investors who enjoy the markets but perhaps would like to rely on the professional investment capability of multi asset fund managers? Fortunately almost all of the large fund managers offer well managed and easily accessible balanced funds.

Better still, balanced funds are profiled into low, medium and high risk (most often reflecting the maximum exposure to equities that the fund may hold). It should therefore be a relatively simple process, in conjunction with your financial adviser, to identify that fund management house in which you trust, ascertain which risk profile balanced fund suits your needs, and invest.

Hopefully your selected fund manager will be able to change your spluttering investment into a purring supercar in no time at all.

Contact Cadiz at +27 21 657 8300, email info@cadiz.co.za or visit www.cadiz.co.za for more information.

MoneyWise

MoneyWise

Don't expect real growth from equities in the next 12 months

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Financial advisors have a more optimistic outlook on expected equity returns and the market valuation of local equities than institutional investors, according to the latest South African Investor Confidence Index.

Institutional investors who participated in the South African Investor Confidence Index survey earlier this month expect zero nominal returns from JSE equities over the next six months and negative real returns over the next 12 months. The financial advisor participants still hope for an average expected return above inflation from JSE equities over the next six and 12 month periods.

“The financial advisors expect returns to be 2.65 percent higher over the next six months and 3.45 percent higher over the next 12 months than the returns expected by institutional investors,” says Gerda van der Linde, executive director at the Institute of Behavioral Finance.

“Almost 70 percent of the institutional participants believe the market is currently expensive, while the balance sees the market as fairly priced,” she says. “Half of the financial planners view the market as expensive, while the other 50 percent believe the market is fairly priced.”

Positive feedback reflects in the Crash Confidence Index, with 73 percent of institutional participants thinking there is a less than 10 percent chance of a catastrophic market crash occurring. This is the fourth time since the inception of the survey in 2007 that at least 70 percent of institutional participants have voiced confidence in the sustainability of the current levels on the JSE, says Van der Linde.

“In analysing the results of the index, the message for South African investors may well be that financial advisors are more optimistic about the market than market signals justify,” she says.

In light of this, financial advisors’ views may differ from their clients’ expectations of equity returns over the next 12 months. She believes any major differences in views may well adversely influence financial advisors’ relationships with their clients.

Results from the South African Investor Confidence Index – a monthly survey conducted by the Institute of Behavioural Finance (IBF) among institutional investors and financial

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MoneyWise

‘Almost 70% of the

institutional participants

believe the

market is

currently expensive’

A recent study by a Boston-based investment management company found that financial advisors misperceive clients’ sentiments and motivations about investment types and risk tolerance. Financial advisors should note from this study that improved communication is essential to better understand clients and clarify perceptions, she says.

“Financial advisors need to rethink how they communicate with their clients. They should focus more on asking questions and listening to their clients’ answers, as well as discussing with their clients risk tolerance and the impact of risk on investment returns over various investment periods.

“This strategy may prove to be vital in retaining clients’ trust,” says Van der Linde. “The only way for a financial planner to get the client on the same side of the table is to increase communication – and communicate even more in volatile market conditions.”She notes that a key insight is to guard against being unduly influenced by noise from headlines while making long-term investment decisions. The average investor may be tempted to focus narrowly (myopically) on market volatility when considering investment risk.

Furthermore, the results from the index suggest that market expectations may be limited. Investors should thus not be impatient to enter the equity market.

“In the near future, the best investment strategy may well be one of phasing investments into equity portfolios. This rational investment approach will ensure one does not miss the lows in the volatile market and it reduces the impact of high prices,” says Theo Vorster, chairman of the Institute of Behavioral Finance.

The Institute of Behavioural Finance has calculated the South African Investor Confidence Index since June 2007.

Enquiries:

Ms Gerda van der Linde, executive director at the Institute of Behavioral FinanceTel.: 011 888 5088Email: gerdavdl@ibfsa.co.za

Theo Vorster, chairman of the IBF Tel: 011 888 5088Email: theo@galileocapital.co.za

BUSINESS W I S E

Quick Read: Networking tips to grow your business

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Building a valuable network is essential in developing a sustainable, growing business. We have prepared some useful tips to help you in your future networking sessions.

Interact often. Whether you attend business seminars, workshops, networking sessions or are a member of a business organization, the more frequent you participate, the more people you can meet and the more leads you can provide for your business.

Join various business organizations in your area. People are more likely to do business with people they know. Being a part of a strong business community fosters strong and trustworthy relationships with other members.

Focus your energy. Spend time with people who can contribute to the growth of your business than those who cannot be of help at all. Focus your attention and energy on meeting the right people who can assist you.

Look out for mentors. An essential part of networking is meeting people well ahead of you in their careers, who can become mentors or guides and whom you can learn from.

Ask for advice. Too often we see people we meet at networking sessions as prospects and future clients. Don’t neglect the possibility of asking questions and learn from their experiences in business. Networking is not only for prospecting, but also for enlarging your business horizons.

Have patience with the people you meet. Don’t be a hassle and don’t expect immediate connections or great results too soon. Relationships need to be cultivated in time.

Look for opportunities to help out. Networking should not be solely focused on getting what you want. Look for opportunities in helping the people you meet. Offer your help, even for little or no money at all and no expectation of return. The more you give, the more you'll reap the rewards afterwards.

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Cut trough the red tape and reach government decision makersby Tonie Jere

The South African Government has created various platforms to communicate with its citizens. All these mediated and un-mediated platforms can be exploited in an effort to strengthen partnerships between business and the South African Government.

Interacting with Government at any level is an enterprise that many in business put off until it is absolutely necessary. This trend in the business sector has seen many valuable projects and solutions to municipal and council problems being aborted prematurely. This has resulted in the relationship between Government and Corporate SA becoming sour over the years. Front Foot and Local Government Business Network (LGBN) presented a Masterclass where the tools to confidently do business with Government at all levels where provided.

Peta Mashinini, Ex-Deputy City Manager of Ekurhuleni Metro, encouraged businesses and business owners to get involved in their respective councils by attending their council meetings. She explained that the political governance within the metro area is aimed at optimising interparty collaboration, streamlining council decisions, monitoring the decisions made, reviewing resolutions and taking corrective actions where necessary.

“Your interaction with Government is very important” she said at the Government Relations Masterclass in Midrand. The framework of metro councils is structured in such a way that during the public participation sessions input from businesses creates dialogue in the interface process that leads up to the output of council decisions.

How can Corporate SA work with Government?

“Corporate South Africa must align strategies with state,” says Development Specialist Vusi Mashabane.

Government is often inundated by corporate sector solutions and projects that fail to align with the social challenges that Government is dealing with. Corporate South Africa is well informed about the spending power, patterns, behaviour, and general demographics and psychographics of their consumers, but knows very little of the public sector with regard to the same variables. This has become the pitfall of the business sector.

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BusinessWise

The truth of the matter is that Government expenditure has been restructured towards social services that are geared towards improving the quality of life for all South Africans. Mashabane said that Corporate SA should align its solutions in addressing the five Government priority areas; education, health, rural development and land reform, creating decent work and fighting crime.

Understanding how decisions are made in the halls of Provincial Government will guide businesses in developing appropriate strategies and business models that will facilitate Government’s nation building process.

The Manager of Development and Adviser to the Executive Mayor of Mbombela, Mr Oupa Pilane, encouraged the business sector to take advantage of Governments current needs to build relationships that open doors for future projects. Government expenditure if often informed by a calendar of events to which the corporate section can take a thematic business approach to.

“Learn about your municipal calendars and deliver your projects within that time period. If you miss the deadline for this year, it’s too late. Aim for next year,“ he said.

It is common knowledge that local and provincial municipalities have an ever increasing need for skills as inexperienced individual are often left to tackle problems to which they do not have an aptitude for. Pilane pointed out that the Local Government Elections have presented an opportunity for the private sector and Government participation. Areas such as planning, IT (GIS), knowledge management, financial system-billing, customer relation, HR –training, civil and electrical, waste management and fleet management have become frameworks for future success stories between Government and the business sector.

As exciting as these opportunities maybe, finding the right person to speak to in Government remains a stumbling block. Mashinini encouraged the delegates to speak to their municipal leaders and find out who is in charge of the area that they want to be involved in.

‘Corporate South Africa must align

strategies with

state’

Mashabane said middle and senior managers in the public sector were responsible for a procurement budget of about R150 billion a year.

"An overview of procurement is SOE [state-owned enterprises] show that they spend as much as the rest of government, R150 billion, in discretionary payments," he said

Any supplier of goods and services needs to talk to this market, which presided over a procurement budget of R300 billion a year.

It is important that throughout this process the business sector remembers to be courteous to the manager or municipal representative that they present their ideas to. Frustrating this individual will not work to in their favour.

BusinessWise

30 WealthWise

Can this be done?

Chris Lazarus, Managing Executive of Vodacom Business says it can be done. ”It has become increasingly important to leverage government relations in your organisation,” he said.

Separating politics from business may seem impossible but a business needs to be focused on becoming the preferred service provider of the council, municipality or nation instead of a particular political party.

Vodacom Business achieved this by maintaining the vision of positioning the company as the preferred partner for government within the ICT sector and to be recognised as an enabler in promoting efficient and effective government service delivery. For Vodacom this involved facilitating more access to government services and information.

Lazarus said Vodacom had identified health, education and safety and security as key priorities in the delivery of services. By expanding horizontally to compete as a provider of converged applications, among other services, Vodacom was able to continue its focus on mobile voice and data. This simple strategy has resulted in a connected Government that is looking toward technology as a strategic tool and enabler for public service innovation and productivity growth.

Vodacom Business already has higher penetration rates in the Government layers of national, provincial and local levels areas due to its understanding of how these government layers operated.

Growing your business network is a balance between your businesses key competencies and applying a great deal of will power. While passion, skills, knowledge, talent and personality can all be cultivated within the business sectors, the current reality is that time is required for the goal of smarter Government and Corporate SA developments to be realised. Front foot and the Local Government Business Network (LGBN) will continue to provide the tools to confidently do business with Government at all levels.

Note: Front Foot and the Local Government Business Network will be holding another Government Relation Masterclass later on in the year.

Tonie Jere is Communications Officer at Front Foot, a business marketing company that hosts, manages and markets quality events and training.

Contact Tonie at 011 880 5202 or email her at tonie@frontfoot.co.za. For more details on Front Foot, visit www.frontfoot.co.za.

BusinessWise

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How to enhance customer experience and increase customer loyaltyby The Three Gracez

We feel that before you can even begin to “WOW” clients with your unique training methods and concepts, you first need to have a complete understanding of the target audience.

There are different ways of enhancing Customer Experience but by far the most important one is Customer Feedback Forms. Customer feedback forms enable you to identify which areas need to be addressed and which areas have exceeded expectations. Once you have identified the areas for development, training can then be put into place.

The main purpose of getting customer feedback is to be able to converse with your customer after they have provided feedback. Automated responses or no response at all miss out on an opportunity to converse with the customer directly and let them know that you appreciate their feedback.

Negative Feedback: Negative feedback requires a personal response. Research shows that effectively handling a customer complaint immediately after receiving it can turn a dissatisfied customer into a loyal customer. At least you may be able to prevent the customer from telling five other people about their negative experience. The time spent following up with the customer will be valuable.

Positive Feedback: Following up positive customer feedback gives you an opportunity to build a stronger relationship with an already satisfied customer. A follow up conversation can lead to some grand suggestions on how you can improve your business. The customer may be so surprised to receive your call that he/she may tell other people about what a fantastic company you are.

Once you’ve created a positive customer experience, you will now want to cultivate customer loyalty. Repeat business is what every company aspires to achieve and this is where a business makes its profit. The value of repeat business is by far the most important aspect of any company. You may only have repeat business if customer loyalty exists. To achieve customer loyalty you may use the following ideas.

Customer Loyalty programs are extremely vital as they reward customers for

32 WealthWise

their loyalty and receiving freebies is always the way to go. Customers love the idea of free “stuff” or discounted prices as this makes them feel special and everyone loves to feel special. As an example, Pick ‘n Pay recently introduced Smart Shopper which allows you to receive points every time you shop at Pick ‘n Pay. These points are then converted into Rands which may be redeemed against purchases. This idea has seen a definite increase in customer loyalty at Pick ‘n Pay.

Birthdays: Receiving birthday SMSes, cards or e-mails are cost effective and great for building customer loyalty. Everyone loves to receive a message on their birthday and this will ensure repeat business and loyalty.

Responding to queries or questions: Prompt response to queries and or questions is extremely important as this is yet another way to increase customer loyalty. This is a golden opportunity to reach your customers and build customer loyalty as they will feel part of the organisation and not just a number. Resolving a problem promptly is the very best way to gain customer loyalty. Not every customer will bring in a sale, but a relationship will be formed.

Well Trained Staff: All customers what to interact with friendly, well informed and well trained staff. You can have the best computer systems, laptops and great products or services but if you staff are not trained effectively, or have low morale then you can say good bye to customer loyalty. Most companies lose out on customer loyalty for this very reason. Ensure that your staff are motivated, well trained and you will find an increase in customers and customer loyalty specifically.

Bear the following in mind:

Never keep your customer waiting – keeping a customer waiting unnecessarily is essentially saying “I have more important things to do than to assist you”.

Never, ever name another customer as a reason for a fault

Shun the “its only one customer” pattern – company loyalty is built one customer at a time, one customer experience at a time, one customer interaction at a time.

In conclusion, excellent customer experiences lead directly to a growth in company loyalty which in turn leads to an increase in a company’s business success. In a nutshell, if a customer has had a negative experience, he/ she will not become loyal to your business or brand, but if they have had a positive experience they will become loyal to you. However, keep in mind you can change a negative experience into a positive one, so do not feel there is no remedy for negative experiences. With all the choices out there in today’s world, ensure that your brand or company is the chosen one.

Contact The Three Gracez at +27(0)82 820 0843, email thegracez@gmail.com or visit www.3gracez.co.za for more info.

BusinessWise

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BusinessWise

Customer Fedback FormA feedback form is used to gather information from their clients/customers to assess the promptness, effectiveness and quality of the services offered. The form usually consists of questions with multiple choice or open-ended questions.

Here is a short example of a feedback form for a workshop event. The form is addressed to the attendees to gather their feedback after that particular event:

In order to help us improve our services to suit your needs and to continuously operate at the highest possible standard, we would appreciate if you could take a few moments to fill this form out.

Or Please share your opinions on what you thought about today’s workshops. You thoughts will be highly appreciated, as we strive to provide the best service for our clients.

Name: ___________________________Company:_________________________Designation:_______________________Telephone:________________________Mobile:___________________________Email:____________________________Website: _________________________

Rate our workshop

Rating: A: Strongly Agree B: Agree C: Disagree D: Strongly Disagree

1. The workshop was interesting _______2. The workshop was very well organized ______3. The speakers were well prepared _____4. I found the workshop useful _______5. The workshop materials and handout were very helpful ______6. I would advise a friend to attend this workshop ______ and so on

Or Rating: A: Excellent B: Good C: Average D: Poor 1. I would rate the services as ________2. I would rate the venue/location as ______3. I would rate the speakers as __________ and so on

Comments and Suggestions

If you have any other comments that you feel we should know about, please feel free to write them here ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Thank you for your feedback!

BusinessWise

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Business Column

Enjoy that dreaded presentation!by Hendrien Van Zyl, Learning Solutions Specialist, Optima

Trainers of presentation skills often attempt to set their students at ease by trying to convince them that the exact same communication skills are required, whether you talk to one person or to one thousand. This might be true to some extent, but, if you have addressed an audience of one thousand, you know that there are real, fundamental differences. With this article we highlight some of the steps to follow in preparing for a presentation to a group of people (of any size) in a business context. Whether a formal or informal presentation, with or without a slide show, to a client or any stakeholder grouping, the planning principles and process remain the same.

Clarify your goal

To start off, ensure that you know exactly what you want to achieve. Clarify your call for action to your audience. Do you want the audience to support your initiative, buy your product or service, ask for a written proposal, join you in the bid for a contract, or simply understand what your service offering in the market is all about? Your objective determines every other decision you make while preparing for your presentation. Consider writing it down to ensure you have clarity on your desired outcome.

Know your audience

Once you are absolutely clear in your mind about what you want to achieve with the presentation, you need to analyse the audience to be addressed. For many people this step feels like a waste of time, but, this analysis may offer insights that result in the development of a completely different presentation than the one you originally planned.

The questions asked by finance people are different from the questions that the marketing department will ask, and whether you have both or only one of these target groups in your audience, you need to understand what they’ll need from you if you want to achieve your set objective.

Questions to ask about the audience include:

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1. How many people will there be?2. Men/woman? 3. Cultural/regional differences? 4. Job titles and departments? 5. Who are the decision-makers and who are the influencers? 6. What do they know about me/my organisation/my product or service/the issue? 7. How do they feel about me/my organisation/my product or service/the issue? 8. Did someone try before me to persuade them to buy the same product or service?

For instance: in illustrating the difference between addressing men and woman; men are much more willing to support an idea, if their main questions have been addressed to their satisfaction. Woman, on the other hand, would typically rather support an idea if there’s an established relationship. In knowing that your audience consists of mainly woman, that would encourage you to a few phone calls, e-mails or even visits before the presentation date.

Formulate a logical sequence

When you are ready to develop your message, one of the most important decisions relates to how to structure the presentation. Determine your key points and organise them in a logical order. This makes it easier for the people to understand, believe and remember. One way to organise ideas is to use post-it notes and write down every possible idea that relates to the objective. Then, post them on a table or wall. Once you’re satisfied with the number of ideas, chunk them together in groups to eventually form a structure - all the while keeping your objective in mind. Examples of structures include:

• Problem - Cause – Solution• Context – Opportunities – Our offering • Problem - Possibilities – Proposa • Needs - Product/service features - Benefits - Next steps; and • Challenges – Options compared – Preferred solution – Project plan.

Create a strong introduction and conclusion

It is only once you have decided on the sequence and content that you can plan the introduction and the conclusion.

Use the introduction to grab attention by:

• Quoting someone or relevant statistics• Sharing a personal experience; or• Asking a rhetorical question.

Then, tell them why they should listen to what you have to say and provide an overview of your main points to be covered.

Repeat the main points in the conclusion again with your call for action to your audience, without sounding repetitive and dull. Thank your audience for their time,

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provide the opportunity for any final questions and agree on the next steps. Do not introduce a new topic or address issues you forgot about earlier. Leave your listeners with a sense of closure, and not with a feeling of unresolved issues or unfinished business.

At this stage in the preparation process you have gathered all the information and the parts can be structured into an introduction, body and conclusion. Make sure the different bits of information flow logically and make sense to you, to be convincing to your audience and achieve your objective.

1. Formulate the objective2. Analyse the audience3. Develop the message4. Plan the introduction and conclusion; and5. Structure your presentation.

Being prepared really builds your confidence and calms the nerves!

About the author: Hendrien Van Zyl

Technical ability

Design and develop learning strategies, systems and programmes, as well as competence assessment tools across technical, management and soft skills.

Experience

25 Years in education, training and development, including design, development, facilitation, coaching, and management of training projects in various industries. Services rendered also include HRD consultation, formulation of training strategy, policy and procedures and alignment with regulatory requirements (SETA, SAQA and NQF).

Expertise

Design and deliver learning solutions in support of strategic business objectives – on time and within budget.

Optima is a global specialist provider of training and expert support to small and medium enterprises (SMEs), financiers of SMEs, business advisors to SMEs, entrepreneurs and other business leaders and managers in commercial organisations.

BusinessWise

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BusinessWise

Effective SMS Marketingby Denisa Oosthuizen

SMS Marketing is the medium of choice for businesses who want a quick, accessible and widespread tool to tap into their customers. Here’s why and how you can make it work for you and your business.

Minimize costs. If you’re looking at cutting down marketing costs and still reach your customers, focus on placing product or service messages directly into their hands via a SMS campaign. Other examples are e-mail campaigns and viral marketing.

Build relationships with existing clients. If you want to keep your database of customers happy, you can regularly notify them about your latest product launches and service promotions via SMS. These are called “push campaigns” and refer to sending outbound messages to clients who have opted for SMS communication or you have done business with.

Target new clients. If you are looking to target new customers, don’t send an SMS campaign, especially when the prospects have not opted for SMS communication. “Pull campaigns”, where customers respond to your advertising message by sending an SMS to a shortcode or keyword are ideal in this case. This way, new prospects show their interest in your product/service, which makes it easier to follow-up via phone calls, emails or with SMS “push campaigns” to notify them of additional products/services.

Include auto-reply. If a new prospect has shown interest in your SMS “push campaign”, include an auto-reply SMS with your company’s contact information, explaining the way in which the prospect will be contacted by a representative of the company.

Initiate conversations. SMS marketing can be used as a conversational campaign to provide free information, advice, tips and insights for customers. This is an opportunity to talk to your customers, initiate conversations and gain valuable feedback from them.

Promote competitions, promotions and events. SMS Marketing is ideal in communicating to your new and existing customers of upcoming competitions, product updates, promotions, discounts or even events/workshops for consulting companies.

Send reminders. SMS Marketing is very effective in reminding your new or existing client of their previous interest in a product/service, especially is the offer has a deadline or expiring term as is the case with promotions, discounts, events.

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Adhere to industry regulations. SMS promotional competitions have to comply with certain industry standards. Read more about it on WASPA website at www.waspa.org.za.

Use mobile messaging providers. Start-ups don’t necessarily need to hand out big cash to a specialist consultant or agency to implement SMS campaigns. Local mobile messaging providers can help putting out SMS campaigns in place, manage your SMS contacts and even provide reports on campaigns.

In South Africa, look out for TouchBasePro (www.touchbasepro.com), a provider of SMS and email marketing campaigns and BulkSMS (www.bulksms.co.za), a wireless application service provider of bulk SMS messaging to SMEs and individuals.

WARNING!

SMS Marketing and the Consumer Protection Act (CPA)

According to the Consumer Protection Act (CPA), en force since 1st of May 2011, consumers can report unwanted SMS marketing messages if they have not given prior consent or if the SMS content does not comply with the regulations. This is bad news for marketers who use unsolicited messages to consumer.

To make sure your business adheres to the CPA regulations with regards to specific SMS marketing and direct marketing campaigns, it might be wise in the future to consult the new national opt-out register, Do Not Call Registry (DNCR) and compare with your database. While the registry might not be available yet, it is clear that such efforts will have an impact on upcoming SMS marketing campaigns.

If your database contains information that was willingly provider by consumers via filling a form when manifesting an interest in receiving more info about a product/service or if your business has already developed a relationship with the client, it should be safe to proceed with SMS marketing.

Finally, SMS marketing has to comply with the industry’s standards as confined by the Wireless Application Service Providers’ Association of South Africa (Waspa), which states that businesses need the consumer’s explicit consent to send messages via SMS. Any unwanted and unsolicited SMS marketing messages from their members can be reported directly to Waspa.

According to Waspa, the SMS messages must include a “Stop” command for the consumer to use if he or she does not want to receive any future communications from the company via SMS, even if the user has previously expressed his or her interest in receiving SMS messages from the company.

For more info, contact Waspa on +27(0)11 476 7710, e-mail info@waspa.org.za or visit www.waspa.org.za.

CAREER W I S E

Quick Read: Work resolutions

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Career longevity, respect and acknowledgement in the workplace are not impossible to achieve at all. Here is our “power list” to help you succeed:

Treat yourself and others with respect. If you want others to respect and recognize your work, firstly show respect to yourself, then to others, including your colleagues and superiors.

Set good values and write them down. Live your life after the values that best fit you as a person. If you want to set yourself apart, make professionalism, honesty and reliability your best attributes.

Believe in yourself. Everyone of us is special and deserves the best.

Get inspired and passionate about your work. Working daily in a job you love, doing the things you love keeps you energized and in high spirits. Remind yourself everyday why you do the work – be grateful for what you have!

Fire away the stress. Find ways to de-stress yourself. Creative work or frequent work breaks help you keeping up the productivity.

Take responsibility. Whatever you do, be responsible for your decisions and actions.

Listen. Learn to listen in your interactions with other staff and management before you reach a conclusion.

Cultivate relationships. Growing relationships, networking and mingling with the best people in your industry are not only for the big bosses. Get out there and foster new relationships!

Build your brand. You are your own brand: develop, cultivate and promote your brand – You – with every step you take.

A few Don’ts: Don’t brag. Don’t play the victim. Don’t be negative. Don’t blame others. Don’t over-promise and under-deliver.

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When is Theft not Theft?by Nikki Viljoen

One of the most confusing experiences that I ever had is when I caught someone, literally with their hands in the cookie jar. We held the disciplinary, followed the rules and the staff member was dismissed. The Commission for Conciliation, Mediation and Arbitration (CCMA) did not uphold the finding and we ended up paying a huge amount of money as a settlement. Here’s a similar story – let’s bring in the protagonists.

Mike runs a small retail business in a busy mall. He has several staff members, but today we are going to meet George and Jane, who are both sales people in the shop.

Everybody works well together and as a team and Mike is grateful to have such a great team. We all know that month-end in a mall is crazy busy and there is no time to stop and smell the coffee, let alone slip out of the store to go and buy anything.

George has a new girlfriend whom he is besotted over and he is constantly messaging her from his cell phone and even sneaking the odd call while he ‘collects’ product from the stockroom. Suddenly in the middle of a conversation where he is arranging to meet the love of his life after work for dinner, he runs out of airtime.

Caught up in the moment and concerned that he won’t connect with her that evening, George doesn’t stop to think about what he doing. George walks into the staff room and takes Jane’s phone out of her handbag that was lying open on the table and calls his girlfriend back.

As he makes the call, Jane walks in and finds George making a call on her phone – she freaks and rushes off to tell Mike! This is the first hint of any kind of dishonesty and Mike is furious.

When George is confronted, he admits that he took the phone of Jane’s bag and that he used it without permission, but he denies that he ‘stole’ the phone. Mike disagrees because as far as he is concerned, when you take something without permission – it’s theft.

George is disciplined, found guilty and is dismissed. George goes to the CCMA and they overturn the dismissal and Mike has to pay out 12 month’s salary as a settlement to George. Mike is gobsmacked, as I am sure most of you are right about now.

’Unauthorised possession

is not

automatically a

dismissible offence ‘

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The CCMA found that ‘dismissal was too harsh a penalty in this case because the charge had been unauthorised possession” of the cell-phone and that nothing was documented about dishonesty or that the relationship of trust had been destroyed.”

You see, ‘Unauthorised possession” is not automatically a dismissible offence and had they proved or shown that George was dishonest or that he could no longer be trusted, the outcome would have been very different.

The reality of the situation is that as individuals, we would never even dream of representing ourselves in a court of law, and yet as Entrepreneurs, we consistently and continuously insist on representing ourselves and our company’s in labour issues.

Please ask for help when you need it, experience shows that it will cost you far less in the long run!

Nikki Viljoen is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849, at nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or www.viljoenconsulting.co.za.

Employees and CCMA

An article published on The South African Labour guide website, titled “Employees and the CCMA”, explores the increasing number of referrals made by dismissed employees to the CCMA.

“A further alarming fact that is emerging is that employees are very often in the position where the employee has far greater knowledge about labour law and fair procedures than does the employer”, says the article.

It continues: “In addition to this, more and more employees are learning that, because employers are frequently inadequately prepared, the employee's referral to the CCMA actually succeeds in the employee being awarded a financial compensation.

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Even if it is only one month salary, the employee still comes out on top because the referral has cost him absolutely nothing, whereas the employer has retained legal counsel to pull him out of the compost heap. There is no doubt that awards are being handed down in favour of the applicant employee, even if the dismissal is procedurally and substantively fair – simply because, due to poor or inadequate preparation, the respondent employer, has been unable to prove, to the satisfaction of the Commission, that the dismissal was procedurally and/or substantively fair.

And employees are aware of all this and they take advantage of it. Is it an unfair advantage? I think not. Any adversary is fully entitled to take advantage of any weaknesses in his opponent’s defense – that is the name of the game”.

The conclusion? Employees are becoming more aware of their own rights and the cards they can play in a situation of unfair dismissal. Employers must be prepared to thorough fully learn, understand and correctly apply dismissal procedures. Just because they are the employers doesn’t mean the battle is already won. By them. Practical guidelines to employers when presenting theft cases before the CCMA

According to Nadira Deonarain and Yogesh Singh from Bowman Gilfillan Attorneys, when presenting the employer's case before the CCMA, employers should firstly lead evidence to prove that the employee committed the misconduct for which s/he was charged and demonstrate that the sanction of dismissal was appropriate in the circumstances.

Accordingly, when leading evidence to prove that theft was committed, the presenter must draw the Commissioner’s attention to the following: that the employee knew that theft is prohibited and is a dismissible offence; that the problem of shrinkage in the industry has become commonplace, with the result that the issue is not about the monetary value of the item stolen, but about the operational requirements of the employer; the nature of the skrinkage problem in that specific workplace; that the rule against theft has been consistently applied in that workplace.

The appropriateness of the sanction is primarily dependant on the seriousness of the misconduct and its impact on the employment relationship, involving the totality of circumstances; the importance of the rule that had been breached; why the employer imposed the sanction of dismissal, as he must take into account the basis of the employee’s challenge to the dismissal; the harm caused by the employee’s conduct; whether additional training and instruction may result in the employee not repeating the misconduct; the effect of the dismissal on the employee; and the employee’s service record. For further information, contact advice@labourguide.co.za or visit www.labourguide.co.za.

CareerWise

AGENDA

This month we inspire you to...

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Pin up the things you love!

Pinterest.com is a virtual pin-up board where you can freely conceptualize your own mood boards with things you love. Request an invite, browse through the various sections of interests and pin up your own! Plus other users can comment on your own choices too. Go to www.pinterest.com to get started.

Become (more) Whisky wise

Remember our last month's feature of the best whiskies and whisky places in town? But hey, why not savour a good whisky at home or impress your friend with an awesome gift? WHISKYdotcoza went live in May and promises to be the online mecca of whisky lovers. There's an impressive list of whiskeys sorted by various criteria for the discerning shopper. Look out for their best buys and promotions at www.whisky.co.za and check their Facebook page www.facebook.com/WHISKYdotcoza. That's a great gift indeed!

Know your Alzheimer's risk - online!

Through years of dealing with people suffering from brain degenerative diseases, Patrick Holford and a team of scientists from Oxford University have concluded that Alzheimers is a preventable disease and not an inevitable part of aging. Now through the non-profit organization the Food for the Brain Foundation, they have launched an online test which can detect if a person is at risk for Alzheimer’s later in life. Check out the free 15 minute DIY test at www.foodforthebrain.org. The test is designed for people aged between 50 and 70 years old and gives an instant result.

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131 on Herbert Baker Boutique Hotel opened its doors in August 2010, when the current owners, Michael & Sheri Valente, decided to convert this family home into a boutique hotel. The exclusive boutique hotel, named after the street on which is situated, is perched on the Groenkloof hill with magnificent 180º views of the Pretoria city skyline, including one of the city’s best known landmarks, the Union Buildings.

Facilities at 131 include a restaurant open to the public, a small conference facility, pool area set in a courtyard and a garden area with the before mentioned view. by Carla Rossouw

The outside area is suitable for al fresco dining and small group functions underneath canvas umbrellas, a must-have against the fierce African sun.

131 is conveniently located within 15 minutes from the Pretoria central business district, 5 minutes from Brooklyn, a popular neighbourhood for business, shopping, dining, movies, spa and so on and thus caters well for both business and leisure guests, local and international travelers. The boutique hotel is also located in close proximity to many embassies and high commission offices based in the suburbs of Brooklyn, Groenkloof, Waterkloof, Hatfield and Arcadia. Perhaps in line with the desired exclusivity of the venue, the gate guard makes for an interesting first impression with a very unique uniform.

The hotel spans eight guest bedrooms, tastefully decorated with extra length king beds, flat screen TV, electronic laptop safe and mini bar. Each room has a private balcony and some rooms have a view overlooking the reserve, where guests may be lucky to spot some game. The spacious en-suite bathrooms are equipped with bath and separate shower, Crabtree & Evelyn bathroom amenities, slippers and robe (which guests can also purchase). Room rates start from R3 000 per person sharing, R4 500 single and includes breakfast and airport transfers if required. Children are welcome.

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Agenda: Destination

For the business traveler, complimentary internet is available throughout the property and there is a boardroom or private dinner venue suitable for 20 guests maximum, with private entrance and wheelchair friendly. This room features a beautiful, fixed boardroom table and leather chairs. Equipment included in the conference rate: plasma screen, DVD player, data projector and flip chart.

The outside patio / grass area can be utilized for any function, weather permitting, with a maximum group size of 150 guests for cocktail events and 75 guests for sit down functions. There is 24-hour security with parking inside limited to approximately ten cars and more secure parking in the street. The Day Conference Package is R600 per person, with half- day Conference Package from R450 per person.

Ristorante Grissini

Ristorante Grissini is open to the public, Monday to Sunday, with a maximum seating capacity of 40 guests for delicious meals prepared by Head Chef XanthyaKriel. The intimate restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and can be utilized as a private, exclusive venue, subject to availability and number of in-house guests.

Breakfast options include a continental breakfast at R60 per person or full English breakfast at R120 per person. Should guests prefer a smaller breakfast option, they can also choose an omelet, French toast or toasted croissant.

For lunch and dinner, Ristorante Grissini has an a la carte menu, mostly Italian type dishes. For exclusive use, as in a group booking, clients would be able to choose form a selected a la carte, buffet or set menu.

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Agenda: Destination

One of my recent visits to 131 on Herbert Baker was for dinner with friends at Ristorante Grissini on a Monday evening, when many up market restaurants are closed.

The restaurant has windows on three sides, with breathtaking views of the city. The relaxed and warm atmosphere is enhanced by a fireplace against the winter chill. In summer the windows and doors open to let in the summer breeze.

Grissini has an adequate wine list, though rather expensive at a first glance, with prices ranging from R130 to R270 for white wines and R170 to R300 for red wines. We started the evening with a glass of good wine and some fresh crispy grissini (bread sticks) whilst deciding on the main orders.

Only two of us opted for starters. My friend enjoyed the Beef Carpaccio, lightly peppered, seared and thinly sliced, dressed with a sprinkle of lemon juice, fresh rocket, sliced mushrooms, Parmesan shavings and toasted rye bread (R75).

I had the Fusion spring rolls, filled with a combination of pancetta, avocado and Brie, served with sweet chili sauce and a leafy salad (R75). It was a pleasurable choice, but not quite the taste sensation I had expected.

For mains the gentlemen both ordered the Fig & Wine Fillet, topped with roasted figs, a red wine and lamb reduction and a generous dollop of mascarpone cheese (R150). Although it didn’t live up to their grand expectations and taste buds, arriving barely lukewarm at the table, the fillet was still enjoyable nonetheless.

My friend ordered the Polenta and Parmesan Crusted Kingklip served with a parsley and lemon zest cream sauce (R130), which she thoroughly enjoyed. I opted for the Risotto Milanese made with Saffron, white wine and Parmesan cheese topped with a Cognac flamed lobster tail bound with fresh cream (R100).

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Agenda: Destination

This is actually a starter, but was perfect for a main meal. I enjoyed the taste of the risotto, a dish that often tends to be bland. This risotto was very tasty and went well with the rather small lobster tail.

The a la carte menu also offers a wide variety of salads and pasta dishes. On this occasion we concluded our meal only with coffee and we left the desserts out to be experienced in anupcoming visit.

In conclusion, 131 on Baker Street is a welcome addition to Pretoria’s five star up market category, though rather expensive in my view. The restaurant experience was moderate, but pleasurable. It’s definitely worth a visit. My advice: go for their Italian risotto, pasta or fish with a good wine aside for a delicious night out!

The boutique hotel is located at 131 Herbert Baker Street, Groenkloof. Book at 012 751 2070/1/2/3/4, email info@131.co.za or visit www.131.co.za.

Photographs: Grant Pitcher

A breath of fresh air: Babel at Babylonstoren by Carla Rossouw

The restaurant Babel opened in November 2010. A glass structure with open kitchen, with a mainly white and natural wood interior in the purest minimalistic style, the restaurant offers a culinary experience like a breath of fresh air.

Babel is located on the Babylonstoren organic farm together with a multitude of other interesting facilities counting a hotel, spa, wine cellar, guest cottages and a very impressive garden which includes: olive and citrus orchard, berries, prickly pear maze, stone fruit, almonds and bees, an indigenous fragrant garden, a citrus block, a vegetable patch, apples and pears, grapevine pergola and guava avenue. Ducks and chickens complete the beauty and diversity of the landscape.

We experienced Babel on a Friday afternoon. When we left from the Somerset area, it was bright and sunny, but the closer we got to Babylonstoren, the colder and more misty it became. Slightly perturbed by the drastic change in weather we arrived at Babel, not knowing that this will turn into a great feast.

Babel is all about organic, fresh, seasonal and creative produce. As friends we thought: why should each one of us only choose one dish and stick to that if we can share and experience more? We were only a party of three sitting at a table big enough for eight after all.

As a complimentary appetizer the waiter brought a pear poached in red wine with thinly sliced turnips and it succeeded 100% in wetting our appetite. Our choice of wine was a Neil Joubert Chenin Blanc (R60). We asked to be served everything together and caused quite a stir amongst other guests when our meal arrived at the table. It turned out to be a lot of food.

Photo: Babylostoren.com gallery

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Our feast consisted of beetroot soufflé with baby sorrel salad, cabernet sauvignon syrup and blue cheese (R55), smoked Franschhoek trout with Van der Merwe guava and caramelized parsnip (R120), cauliflower sandwich with guava, cheese and nuts (R75) and slow roasted pork belly with satsuma tom yum broth (R110).

This was accompanied by a seasonal green salad, oven baked aubergines and crispy potato wedges.

All of this was utterly delicious and the unusual combination of tastes and textures allowed for a culinary experience that will be remembered for a long time. As I am not based in the Cape, I can barely wait for the next opportunity to visit Babel.

Babel is an excellent option for those looking for something different and to top it all, very reasonable, especially compared to other restaurants in the area.

Babel is located on R45, Klapmuts Road, next to Backsberg. For bookings call 021 863 3852 or visit www.babylonstoren.com.

Photos: Carla Rossouw

Agenda: Destination

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Competition

WIN one of 10 educational CDs "Payroll with a Voice"!

Rekopane Payroll Services have developed South Africa’s first Payroll Audio Support Program called ‘Payroll With A Voice’, assisting entrepreneurs to ‘Demistify payroll for good’. ‘Payroll with a Voice’ programme is a comprehensive payroll workshop packaged in an audio and documents CD containing audio presentations of the different principles that affect payroll, customizable payroll plans, job descriptions and performance appraisals, plus payroll registration compliance.

All you need is a CD\MP3 player to start enjoying and learning more about payroll. Learn at your own pace, anytime, anywhere. For more information on 'Payroll with a Voice", visit www.rekopanepayroll.co.za/payroll-with-a-voice.

To stand a chance to win one of these CDs, join our WealthWise Club absolutely free by subscribing at www.wealthwisemag.com/wealthwise/subscribe or by clicking the Subscribe button on the website's menu bar. Competition starts 10 May and ends 10 July. Winners will be notified in mid-July via phone/email.

Learn about payroll at your own pace, anytime, anywhere!

On the bookshelf...Zakes Mda, Sometimes there is a void, Memoirs of an outsiderPenguin, R260,00 from Exclusive Books (www.exclus1ves.co.za)

In his memoir, award-winning and renown South African playwright, novelist, professor, artist, musician and film maker Zanemvula Kizito Gatyeni Mda, known as Zakes Mda, describes his biggest life influences and events that shaped him from childhood until the present days.

Candid, humorous, often emotional and deeply personal, Zakes intertwines his personal story and family affairs with the political and social history of Lesotho and South Africa over half a decade. At fourteen, Zakes is forced into exile in Lesotho, then Basutoland, to join his father, A P Mda, considered

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Agenda: Books

WealthWise recommends

the “founding spirit” of the Pan African Congress (PAC), a party that broke away from the African National Congress (ANC) in 1959. Away from South Africa, Zakes enjoys his freedom years drinking at the sheebens of Maseru and becoming acquainted with political exponents and activists. His high school and working years are laden with the spectacular insights in the growth and development of both PAC and ANC in exile.

First drawn by painting, drawing and jazz music, Zakes developed his literary gifts from an early age. From love letters to poetry and play writing, Zakes has evolved to become one of the most performed and published play writers in South Africa and abroad. His published work has resulted into a teaching role in creative writing at the Ohio University, where he earned two master’s degrees, followed by a doctorate at the University of Cape Town.

Today Zakes lives in small town Athens, Ohio and travels to South Africa regularly to support local theatres through his playwrights, promote his novels (“Black Diamond” is one of his most recent writing) and get involved in economic empowerment initiatives, such as the beekeeping project in his former ancestral village in Eastern Cape. He regularly visits the Southern African Multimedia AIDS Trust, which he founded in Sophiatown.

“Memoirs of an Outsider” is a fascinating book. The title is a true reflection of Zakes’ own perception as an “outsider” who observed the social and political scene of South Africa from a distance, being sidelined in many aspects of the country’s society. Although based in USA, Zakes is very much an exponent of the social and cultural advancement of South Africa. Zakes has written over 20 playwrights and novels since 1977. His most recent novel, “Black Diamond”, was published in 2009. One of Zakes’ most awarded and popular writing is “The Heart of Redness”, published in 2000 and reflecting the Xhosa’s culture and myths, past and present.

Robert Kelsey, What's stopping you? Why smart people don't always reach their potential and how you canCapstone Publishing,R147.00 from www.kalahari.net.

British financial journalist and entrepreneur Robert Kelsey’s own fear of failure becomes a study case and an insightful journey to overcoming this problem in his book “What’s stopping you?”. Witty, funny and deeply personal, the book touches on Robert’s failure in childhood and early adulthood, his academic and career disaster, his self-help journey to overcome what he though it’s failure and it turned out to be a fear of failure. In his book, he argues that there are basically two stances with approach to failure: the High-AM and High-FF. The High-AMs has high levels of achievement motivation and view failure as a temporary setback, whereas the High-FFs, in which Robert recognized himself, are afrid of failure, setting either unchallenging or beyond

Malcolm Gladwell, Outliers - The Story of SuccessPenguin, R170,00, www.kalahari.net

What makes a person successful? Why do some people achieve so much more than others? Is it because of talent or IQ level? Is it because of upbringing and background? Is it hard work, dedication or just luck? In “Outliers”, the world’s most influential thinker and author of best sellers “The Tipping Point” and “Blink” Malcolm Gladwell reveals that the story of success is far more surprising that we ever could imagine. Provocative, entertaining and eye-opening, “Outliers” looks at everyone from rock stars Beatles to software billionaire Bill Gates, from professional athletes to math geniuses to deliver a fresh perspective on success. If you enjoyed “The Tipping Point” or “Blink”, you will definitely love “Outliers”. A highly recommended read!

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Agenda: Books

The High-AM/High-FF divide has a significant impact on our potential for success in our career and even life. Working with the London Association for Counselling & Psychotherapy, Robert unlocked the key to a brighter future for himself and was determined to teach others to find the way out of these mental hurdles. Expect self-knowledge and understanding and no miracle cures. Founder of Moorgate Communications financial PR agency, Robert has published his first book, The Pursuit of Happiness, a 'lad-lit' comedy on his life as an English banker in New York, in 2000.

Events, workshops and seminars

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Agenda: Events

The Old Mutual Trophy Wine ShowWhen: 9 and 10 JuneWhere: CTICC, Cape Town and Sandton Sun, Johannesburg

Unlimited wine tasting and the best wines of the year reviewed for you. This is what you can expect at the Old Mutual Trophy Wine Show public tasting, heading for both Cape Town and Johannesburg. Tickets are R120 at the door or get yours from www.computicket.com. For more information see this link: http://www.oldmutual.co.za/about-us/sponsorship/arts-and-lifestyle/trophy-wine-show/public-tasting.aspx.

The 13th Encounters South African International Documentary Festival When: 9 to 26 JuneWhere: selected Nu Metro cinemas

Watch local and international documentaries, workshop and discussions at selected Nu Metro cinemas in Johannesburg (NuMetro Hyde Park) and Cape Town (NuMetro V&A Waterfront). Go to www.numetro.co.za to secure your place and www.encounters.co.za to check out this year's programme.

Vodacom Funny FestivalWhen: 7 June to 11 JulyWhere: Baxter Theatre Centre, Cape Town

Capetonians are set for a fun encounter with some of the country's most loved comedians to the likes of Nik Rabinowitz or Eugene Khoza. Your chance to get entertained in style and support local acts! For more information and bookings go to www.computicket.com.

The Grahamstown National Arts FestivalWhen: 30 June to 11 JulyWhere: Grahamstown

Drama, dance, arts, crafts, theatre, music, film, visual arts. These are enough reasons to indulge in Grahamstown's best known and popular festival. For more details go to www.nationalartsfestival.co.za.

Do you have an event, workshop or seminar you would like to promote in WealthWise magazine? Send your suggestions to editor@wealthwisemag.co.za and we will publish your event in these pages!

Midrand Outdoor Adventure Eco and Travel ExpoWhen: 10 to 12 JuneWhere: Inanda Country Base, Kyalami, Johannesburg

Planning your next getaway already? Be inspired by the outdoor adventures, holiday destinations and tour packages on display at one of the most exciting travel expos in Gauteng. Go to www.outdoorexpo.co.za and check out the fun you can have!

Agenda: Events

2011 Integrated Marketing Communication Conference ExpoWhen: 6 and 7 JuneWhere: Hilton Hotel, Sandton, Johannesburg

The second Integrated Marketing Communications Conference (IMCC) showcases the hottest global media trends and the latest in multimedia marketing innovation to the national media industry leaders. Cutting-edge marketing presentations delivered by top speakers from the marketing industry, marketing trends and branding strategies are on the agenda. For more information check out www.imcc.co.za.

Online marketing, e-Brochure and Network FunctionWhen: 7 JuneWhere: Shere Empowerment Convention Centre

The CCBC in conjunction with the Marketing Guys and Niche Training & Development invite you to an informative and interactive morning where you will learn how to save up to 50% on Marketing, improve your service levels, get online and network with professionals. For more information go to www.ccbc.co.za/events.php.

The Networking Mini ExpoWhen: 18 JuneWhere: Perfectly Fresh Tapas Bistro & Restaurant, Pretoria East

The Friday Club and Capital City Business Chamber presents the Networking Mini Expo. This is an ideal opportunity to display your business. For more information go to www.ccbc.co.za/events.php.

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The Baxter Dance FestivalWhen: 27 June to 2 JulyWhere: Bexter Theatre, Cape Town

Watch performances and choregraphy from young South African dancers and a variety of dance styles at The Baxter Dance Festival in Cape Town. Visit www.baxter.co.za for details.

LASTWORD

Procrastination by Nikki Viljoen

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The quote today is by an anonymous person who once said “Procrastination is the natural assassin of opportunity.” Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy – the universe certainly delivered a swift sharp well aimed boot to my rear end when it gave me this particular quote.

Make no mistake – I am the master of procrastination – except in my world it is called anything but – Procrastination.

Much like I never, never, ever exaggerate, I don’t procrastinate either! Oh don’t get me wrong – I dream, I plan, I just have to do this or that, it’s too late in the day or it’s too early or I need a cup of tea, or a quick trip to the bathroom. I’m really tired and I can’t concentrate or need some ‘down’ time – anything to distract myself from what I know I have to do – all justified, all legitimate and all very true!

Here’s the thing though, when I do get my head together and I actually sit down and in the words of Jacob Zuma “apply my mind”, the actual task itself usually doesn’t take long and it’s usually quite painless, completely contrary to my initial perception. Then of course I end up kicking my own rear end because I have procrastinated to such an extent that I have left everything to the last minute and put myself under pressure. How ridiculous is that!

Have I learnt the lesson – sometimes I think I have, but the reality is, if I am completely honest, that I still procrastinate.

Thankfully though, I have been made aware of my negative ways and nowadays when I find or realize that I am procrastinating, I stop and make a list of the reasons as to why I am avoiding the task in question. Once I have the understanding of what the problem is, then I can solve it and get to the task a lot quicker. The challenge of course, is to actually admit that I am ‘procrastinating’.

Will I continue to procrastinate in the future – of course I will, it is human nature, but I will also be far more aware of what I am doing and hopefully that means I will continually check to see that I am managing my time in the most efficient way.

So how about you – how do you manage your procrastination?

Nikki is an Internal Auditor and Business Administration Specialist who can be contacted on 083 702 8849 or nikki@viljoenconsulting.co.za or www.viljoenconsulting.co.za.

Read Nikki's daily bites at www.businessreality.blogspot.com and www.whenrealitybites.blogspot.com.

NEXT

EDITION

I N O U R

WealthWise 57

Offshore InvestmentsKokkie Kooyman, head of Sanlam Investment Management (SIM) Global, sheds some light on offshore investment and the global investing environment.

Get the growth without the multipleDr Adrian Saville, CIO of Cannon Asset Managers, looks at ways to overcome the curse of overpaying for growth.

Corporate Image and GroomingIt is never too late to look the part. We uncover the best grooming advice in our July issue!

To invest or not in wellness programme?Agnes Hove Chiweshe, Managing Member at Sequor Consulting, Johannesburg, looks out at one of the biggest investments companies should make in the current economy: wellness programmes.

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