Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas from all at STIMULUS

Event Update: SOS Business Surgery- Business Planning 2012 (08/12/11)

Hello, my name is Donna-Ray Campbell and I write the 'Event Update' column on behalf of Stimulus for the Entrepreneurial Report.                                                            

SOS Business Surgeries are events that we

hold monthly that give an opportunity for 

entrepreneurs to learn life skills, share experiences

and gain information that will allow them to take

practical steps to development.At these events one2one sessions can be booked in advance for a closer and private review of you particular situation. 

                                                                                              

 Our SOS Business surgery took place last night 
at Freshly Ground Cafe. Our topic for the event 
was business planning 2012. During this session
we had Miss Rudo Nyangulu [Stimulus Group CEO]
delivered a workshop on planning skills in preparation 
for 2012.

The session began with a small exercise called ‘Living in Full Colour’ this exercise is a personality ‘self’ assessment. Its purpose was to reveal the personality types of the participants so that theyare better able to understand themselves and how they impact their businesses positively and negatively.

This level of understanding is particularly important in business planning and S.W.O.T analysis when considering your contribution to the business. This knowledge also makes it easier to see where and when you need essential help in areas you are weak in. It also aids in understanding the general characters you will encounter in your day to day business and how each character needs to be handled, to achieve the best results.

We were next tasked to write down our personal goals for the next five years and to write our business goals for the next five years. This was done to help business owners grasp the concept of separating their personal goals, limitations & strengths from their business goals, limitations & strengths. Thereafter we had to breakdown our five year plan goals into annual goals that would feed into the ultimate plan. This is so we don't just make plans for the sake of having something on paper but to ensure that we are focused on achieving S.M.A.R.T objectives that will keep us focused on the vision of the company.

Once we had broken down our five year plan into a year by year schedule, we then further broke down this schedule into quarterly and monthly tasks. We were then able to clearly see what we need to achieve by the first quarter of 2012 and then the second quarter and so on to achieve our five year goals. We were then tasked to review our quarterly plans at the end of each quarter and at which time if we have not met our goals we have the opportunity to re-forecast, revise our plan for the following quarter with a view of getting back on schedule during that calendar year. This session gave everyone the basic fundamentals of business planning and successful implementation. 
 
We ended the evening with a discussion and questions it is always a breath of fresh air for Entrepreneurs to be thinking out of the box and engaging their peers in constructive discussions about business on the ground in Zimbabwe.

Photography provided by E:thos Photography

Miss Rudo Nyangulu our CEO and our speaker for the evening

Our members enthusiastiaclly tackling our in living colour exercise

Some members presented their business plans to everyone this was one of our presenting panels

One of our members drafting his business plan for 2012

Our members asking the panel about their business plans and giving input

Africa’s hopeful economies [The Economist]

 

Africa's Hopeful Economies - Read full story here

Stimulus Talk Event: Marketing & The Entrepreneurial Enterprise(21-11-11)

Hello, my name is Donna-Ray Campbell and I write the 'Event Update' column on behalf of Stimulus for the Entrepreneurial Report.

The Stimulus 'Talk  Event' is a new event we have added to our calenders where we aim to have corporate businesses and consultant professionals from around the world to share with us on specific subject areas of business and then allow the audience to ask questions. The main objective of this type of event is for those present to gian knowledge, understanding or direction from those 'in-the-know'. These events are aimed to catalyze the growth of our member businesses by providing services for them that would otherwise be unattainable or just beyond their financial or capability reach.

In our inaugural\event we had three speakers; Mr Basil Makoni, Mike Tashaya and Paradzai Jawona.

Mr Basil Makoni is an seasoned marketer for over a decade, based in Zimbabwe. 

Mr Mike Tashaya owns a marketing consultancy based in Manchester in the United Kingdom.

Mr Paradzayi Jawona an experienced marketer who specialises in Micro- Enterprise Development in New Jersey / New York, United States of America and he gave his presentation via videolink.

Mr Makoni started the discussion with a comprehensive introduction to marketing. He aso spoke about the need for innovative marketing and the need for a one on one approach with all stakeholders. He spoke of how marketing is a means of communication with your stakeholders and needs to be effectively and efficiently used to present an accurate picture or message to your audience. Marketing ensures sustainability of a product,  thus you need to ensure it is well communicated to the consumers. He also spoke on the importance of having a Marketing plan which will enable you to break down your goals into practical and acheivable actions.

Mr Tashaya a marketing consultant talked on how he assisted companies to develop their marketing stategies and touched on personal branding as being an important part of mrketing your business. He said, "standing out in the global market place begins with personal branding" and how "You need always be the best that you can be, what stands out when it comes to marketing is your confidence, apperance and body language." 

Mr Jawona, a micro enterprise specialist addressed the group via a weblink for New Jersey. He discussed the issues pertaining to the changing global world and its impact on micro enterprise development. He said that traditional marketing from textbooks is no longer a practical approach particularly for SME's and he talked about the value of online marketing in out context. When asked, "How do we come up with marketing strategies when the global economy is crumbling?" Mr Jawona responded stating that, 'your marketing strategies need to be adaptable to the various set-ups in the economy in your local environment and on the gloable stage. 

The key to marketing for entruprenurial SME's therefore is to be personnble, to be adabtable and to engage your stakeholders at all times. 

Photogrpahy provided by The Zimbo Jam and taken by FungaiFoto 

Basil Makoni

Mike Tashaya

Paradzayi Jawona

Stimulus Group Founder, Rudo Nyangulu inroducing the speakers

Stimulus Members and visitors listened intently

Event was recorded and will be available on DVD

Event Update:SOS Business Surgery-Brand Development(17-11-11)

Hello, my name is Donna-Ray Campbell and I write the 'Event Update' column on behalf of Stimulus for the Entrepreneurial Report.             

SOS Business Surgeries are events that we hold monthly that give an opportunity for entrepreneurs to learn life skills, share experiences and gain information that will allow them to take practical steps to development. At these events one2one sessions can be booked in advance for a closer and private review of you particular situation.

Our SOS Business surgery took place last night at Freshly Ground Cafe. Our topic for the event was selling your brand online and offline (in the streets). For the first half of the session we had Mr Fungai Tichawangana, the CEO of Aripano Infinity, owners of The Zimbo Jam online portal among others. Mr Tichawangana is the leader in online marketing and online business in Zimbabwe therefore he was the obvious choice to tell us in detail, the benefits and the reach that online marketing has.

Mr Tichawanganga took us on a whistle stop tour through his journey in establishing and running 'online businesses' in Zimbabawe over the last decade. He shared how the ease and accessibility of the internet has been his driving force to develop online portals resulting in him building his entire 'media empire' online . It was certainly an eye opener to have a Zimbabwean based business / business man whose businesss is solely online give us the neccesary information first hand. To be told the benefits and that it works in Zimbabwe is one thing but to hear it first hand from a living and breathing individual who has done it and got results was very convincing and encouraging. We explored current statistics, for example, Zimbojam has on average 3 million page views  on their website monthly, which means that advertising on their site exposes your advertising campaign to a large number that will be going to the site anyway therefore we do not have to look for them. I think these are figures worth the time and consideration of marketing your business online.

We then had our very own Miss Rudo Nyangulu facilitate a group activity in which we were separated into two groups, 'online' and 'offline'. We were given the task of creating a company and design a marketing strategy online and another group did the same only this time they were offline. This was a very interesting exercise as initially we had to brainstorm and come up with a product and company name. We then put our branding skills to use and creating a marketing  campaign. Each group then present their campaign and explained how they arrived at it.  The presentations were very interesting,  we had a jewelry company created online called 'Afribling' and an events company called 'Taf events' who had no internet access at all. This exercise was in aid of bringing to light the fact that neither form of marketing is sufficient on its own, online marketing is complimented by other offline marketing strategies so include both if you want to have the greatest impact on your target market.

Thereafter we had a discussion session where we all highlighted faults that we saw in each campaign and we all reviewed our idea's it was very entertaining as well as informative. It was great to see young entrepreneurs defending their opinions and utilising knowledge and information  we had gained  at previous Stimulus events. it was so encouraging to see that people have been learning at our events. I so look forward to our next event as they are now a very interactive occasion.


Photography provided by E:thos Photography

Mr Fungai Tichawangana

Mr Tichawangana talking us through the various ways of marketing our businesses online

The group Discussion in the second half of the meeting was very animated

The discussions had serious points as well as the entrepreneurs got into the detail of their brief

The making of a diamond by Donna-Ray Campbell

Mrs Donna-Ray Campbell
M.D Donna's Hair & Beauty

Hello my name is Donna-Ray Campbell, wife mother and entrepreneur. I would like to take this opportunity to share with you, the journey I have taken so far as an entrepreneur.

As a child I believed that I could solve my own problems and achieve anything. I wanted to have my own money that I governed and was free to spend as I desired. I therefore went out and carried out a survey of our home for a venture to make money, I quickly noticed we had fruit trees and vineyards that bear fruit all year round, so I set off to our local fruit vendors and proposed to supply them with my various fruits throughout the year and they would pay per delivery, thereafter I never needed pocket money! Back then i had no idea or appreciation of the magnitude of the entrepreneurial skills I possessed but nevertheless there was no stopping me. My tenacious determination to conquer and achieve blossomed into an independent and self-motivated lifestyle.

When the fruit business got boring and the cash flow seemed insufficient, I sought out my next opportunity, whilst maintaining my current business. My aunt owned a hair salon and I decided to employ myself on her behalf! Every weekend and after school I would go to the salon and assist her. She noticed my perseverance, and she offered me an attachment position. I welcomed this opportunity with open arms as this meant I would learn a new skill and experience for free! A year later I was given a managerial position at her salon.  As a result, in 2006 when my aunt emigrated I had earned an opportunity to buy her salon which became my first business. I renamed it ‘Donna’s Hair & Beauty Salon of which I am still managing director.

While it all seems so easy I failed to mention the hardships in my journey, like balancing school work, chores and an attachment, this required me to be extremely efficient at everything I did and I had to manage my time efficiently. This could have been seen as torture by the average teenager but this was my training and grooming which I craved.  During this period I learnt to be responsible for managing my time and duties and to never let the pressure show, lest I be relieved of my responsibilities. After I completed my A Level’s I had a new responsibility to transform my aunt’s salon into my own. This was a challenge as I had no capital which meant that I could not give the business the face lift it so desperately needed at the start, but I went with my business through the paces. Slowly but surely as I earned I invested straight back into the business and with each punishing stage of development and establishment I achieved the refurbishment.  After my first year I decided to accelerate growth in the business by increasing my income so I got a job. I got a job as an assistant at a family butchery and there I learnt the ins and outs of the meat industry and soon climbed up the ladder to become the operations manager. The butchery developed my management and public relations skills which I rely on to this day. My new job in addition to the salon profit enabled me to replace all my equipment gradually after achieving the cosmetic ‘face-lit’ it required. This was a slow process put it's been a steady uphill climb which is great as I managed to develop the business without getting into debt.

This may seem like a long winded way to growing the business but I believe that slow and steady organic growth allows for a better foundation for your business and personally I am learning and developing, moving towards my goals slowly yet with confidence that I will reach them.
I believe the key to business start-up is not competing with other business in the beginning but focusing on establishing a foundation. It's always good to know what members in your industry are doing but do not lose yourself in competition when you should be establishing yourself and discovering then communicating your unique selling point. Remember to always set achievable goals, and have a clear vision which gives you the ability to see where you plan to be in the future and how to get there. Even if you stumble and fall along the way in your entrepreneurial persuits, the road still awaits your journey, all the best! 

Speed Networking Event-Business planning 2012 (07-11-11)

Hello, my name is Donna-Ray Campbell and I write the 'Event Update' column on behalf of Stimulus for the Entrepreneurial Report.


The November calender of events was opened with our monthly Speed Networking Event which was held at Picobello Restaurant. Stimulus Speed Networking Events occur on the first Monday of every month.These sessions have two main aims;

1. To introduce the theme for the month to come to allow us as a group to plan ahead

 2. To provide an event where we can actively network, share ideas and find opportunities to do business together.

These sessions typically have one speaker who gives the group a taster of what we can expect to 
learn as we continue to participate in networking events with Stimulus.


Our speaker Last night was our very own Miss Rudo Nyangulu, the CEO of The Stimulus Group. She began with an introduction to Strategic Planning for your business. Miss Nyangulu said, 'the foundation of any business planning strategy is the getting the business plan itself right'. She then posed the question Why plan? is it necessary or should we just go with the flow? She then gave us a quote, 'Failure to prepare is preparation to fail' which was the foundational principal for why we should plan; to eradicate failure as an option for your business. 


We then looked at the components that are essential for a good Business Plan. A business plan is a road map to achieving your business vision. It provides direction, focus and a measure that allows the entrepreneur to plan for the future and helps the business avoid bumps in the road ahead. Miss Nyangulu then went on to explain that a business planning is key, as it helps entrepreneur determine where the business is going , how the business is going to get there, the costs involved in getting there and what will be done when problems arise in the course of achieving this goal. These are all essential elements in running a business and it's clear to see why they should be considered prior to their execution.

Miss Nyangulu also touched upon the importance of planning and the best ways to implement your plans successfully. She then discussed the types of business plans one can make; short term plans,  medium term plans and a long term plans. Each of these are relevant to different phases in your business' development and your operational plan. Finally we looked at the role risk management plays in business planning. It is fundamental to have a risk management strategy that you develop alongside your plans. This is a list of risks affecting your plans and what you are going to do about them to ensure they do not derail your plans. After this we all felt very equipped to plan for 2012.

Stimulus members Networking  prior to the event

I always have a smile on my face at Stimulus meetings because our minds are always enriched

Stimulus members deep in conversation about planning 2012 for their businesses

Branding Part Two: Creating a Brand by Musekiwa Samuriwo

Creating a Brand

There are some key factors necessary when creating a brand

You must have:

1.       A name – branding is about marking or putting a name to something.

2.       A vision and relevant strategy – a business must be built on vision and strategic thought

3.       Objectives – the brand is always influenced by timelines and clear actionable intentions.

4.       A product – ideas are tantamount but ultimately they must take the shape of a product or service  

5.       A plan – ultimately it is important to have a clear plan of action

As the above factors take shape a business will have a specific perspective that can be visually and orally communicated to customers. 

Company literature and graphics must then reflect the emergent values. 

Test your powers of observation again

Can you see the white arrow in the FEDEX logo?

 If the answer is no, look again if yes well done.

Creating a brand implies that people you work with believe, understand and communicate the values a business engenders. Furthermore, all the structures in a business including support systems, processes and procedures reflector should reflect brand values.

What’s in a name and tagline?

Something that suits your existing and potential customers’ perceptions of you. 

·        Names have the power to build associations - When establishing and communicating a name it must attempt to meet your customers expectations.

·         Names refers to you and your customer the same way. Importantly; internal and external interpretations of a name must match. 

·         Names that do not clash with your values - Values refer to principles and standards of behavior. It is important that your name doesn’t go against the values you engender in your business.  

·    Tagline is based on you core competencies -  The tagline or promise is an important aspect of your brand as it captures what you do in one phrase, one set of words or one sentence. 

    When Sony says they 'Make Believe', is it something they can deliver? (from a competence perspective.)

Keys to developing a name

•       Awareness - who needs to see it?

•       Association - what must they connect to the brand?

•       Logos and symbols – what symbols are appropriate?

•       Characters – which characters connect with you customers?

•       Slogans (Hook) – what is the catch?

•       Packaging - how does your product look?

•       Pricing – how much is it worth?

•       Distribution – where can it be found?

•       Quality – does it meet or satisfy expectations?

•       Benefits - what does someone get out of it?

•       Share of Market - what is your share of the market?

This is some food for thought to set you off on the right path in creating your brand.

Others in this series: Branding - An introduction by Musekiwa Samuriwo

Networking Main Event: Establishing a winning brand (19-10-11)

Hello, my name is Donna-Ray Campbell and I write the 'Event Update' column on behalf of Stimulus for the Entrepreneurial Report.


The Stimulus 'Networking Main Event' is a monthly event where we strive to collaborate with corporate's and member businesses to provide solutions that are 'SME friendly' for our members. These solutions are aimed to catalyze the growth of our member businesses by providing services for them that would otherwise be unattainable or just beyond their financial or capability reach.

In our October Main Event were looked at Establishing a Winning Brand. A business, be it service delivery or sale of goods,  needs to be easily identifiable and differentiated from its competitors. It also needs to be clear what that business does, how and why. To achieve this one has to build a solid brand therefore a brand strategy is essential. We had our "brand strategy guru", The African Knight, Musekiwa Samuriwo address the group on developing a brand strategy.

He began his presentation with questions one should ask themselves when establishing  their brand, for example; 

Do you have a clear understanding or view of how your industry may be different ten years into the future?

Are you seeing further than your competitors?

To what extent is your brand influencing the new rules of competition within your industry?

Such questions provoke ones mind to think strategically about their brand and the "domino effect" that occurs enabling an entrepreneur to develop a winning brand.

He also touched on how you would  be able to extend your brand, he asked if as entrepreneurs in the 21st Century if we are thinking globally and acting locally. Or if we are thinking locally and acting globally? Better still are we thinking glo-cally? 

When we have carried out this analysis we can then strategically focus our brands not only on our target market but on growing that market. He touched on co-branding and closed on brand and corporate strategy, removing the disconnect. 

*Mr Samuriwo is writing an eight part series on brand development for the Entrepreneurial Report which is posted weekly on a Wednesday. 

We then had our Online brand development partner Mr Simbirirai Maramba from Enchant Creative address us. He gave us an introduction to developing 'Your Brand Online'. He informed us of the importance of having an online business presence and the figures spoke volumes: Facebook has 3 billion users, Twitter has 200 million users and linked in has 70 million users worldwide. Now these are figures worth looking at particularly as Facebook has now confirmed that there are 900 000 Zimbabweans living in Zimbabwe who are on  Facebook. Of those 500 000 access the internet via a mobile device. These figures show the potential for growth of a business by utilising social media and other online tools for brand development. 

What are you doing in your organisation to capture the attention of the potential 900 000 consumers online? OR possibly the 900 000 people that you could tell about your business online and they could in turn tell their friends and family, neighbours and village headmen? The internet could become a pivotal link in your marketing strategy if you learn how to use it effectively as a brand development tool. All in all the event was an eye opener for most of the participants and both presentations certainly gave me a lot to think about in my own business brand strategy development plan.

See images of the event below:                                                                               

Networking at its best!Stimulus members meeting and greeting each other

Miss Nyangulu welcoming new faces to Stimulus!

Group activities ensure sharing of idea's !

Strategic thinking!members were challenged to come up with answers for the  above mentioned questions

This session had a lot of member participation  and involvement!

Rudo Nyangulu deep in conversation!

Musekiwa Samuriwo explaining strategic thinking

Myself and Mr Simbirai Maramba demanding the crowds attention!

Mr Maramba in action!

As always i bring light moments to the events and keep people relaxed.