Exhibitors’
8
Corner
The platform to grow, connect and equip SMME businesses. May - June 2021 - Issue #8
ISSUES STRONG
MANAGING DIRECTOR
(DIAMOND BERRY ENTERPRISES)
Nhlanhla Dabengwa
CHIEF EDITOR Mellisa Tshuma
EDITORIAL TEAM
Jennings Chibike Khayelihle Sibanda Anittah Munyaradzi Chidonhwe Loveness Mpofu
ADMINISTRATION Charllote Mpofu Gugulethu Ncube
MARKETING & SALES Charllote Mpofu
Magazine Design David Papayi
DIAMOND BERRY ENTERPRISES
Office 320 Africa House, 10th Avenue & Fife Street Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
MARKETING & ADVERTISING TEL: +263 29 226 2993 CELL: +263 71 570 0593 EMAIL: newsroom.excomag@gmail.com, info.diamondberry@gmail.com
PUBLISHED BY DIAMOND BERRY ENTERPRISES Exhibitors Corner www.diamondberry.co.zw / www.excomag.co.zw
excomag
May - June. 2021
Exhibitors’ Corner
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BE INSPIRED
EDITORS NOTE
Melisa Tshuma Chief Editor Excomag
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I
t’s good to be here again we hope your year is already shaping up as we come close to the end of the first half of the year. Hope you are still on those resolutions you made and working towards achieving most at the end of this year. It has been heartening to know how our nuggets and profiles have been shaping up your business ventures. Proceed with a sober mind that is eager to learn new ideas in every curve no matter the uncertainties that try and hinder us. In businesses we have different people with different attitudes and characters hence it becomes necessary to have a defined code of conduct. This will enable the business leader to make progressive disciplinary measures in an organisation. How you deal with employees after a certain integral issue has been breached has an impact to other staff members therefore it is important to set disciplinary measures in line. Delve in to know how to do so. In an event that you have taken a break in the establishment of your business volunteering can also be taken as a turn to learn more or in turn give back to the community. Sir Winston Churchill once said we make a living by what we get, but we make a life by what we give. Take a moment to give away time and services to other people and you benefit by being able to market your skills and get exposed to different environments. Michel Coulombe once said glowing skin is a result of a proper skincare. It means you can wear less makeup
May - June. 2021
How you deal with employees after a certain integral issue has been breached Delve in to know how to do so. and let skin shine through. What better way to make your skin glow than using natures gifts to us, the baobab tree. They say good skin boosts ones’ confidence; if my skin looks good, I can deal with anything. In this issue we profile a lady who is responsible for the good skin around town. Providence Moyo tells a divine story of how her products have changed people’s skincare routines through the use of indigenous plants. How better a way to conquer the world each day looking better in the inside and glowing from the outside! We are imperious of you SME leader and your team for the good effort that you are doing, keep on keeping on. We would be glad to hear from you about how you have been inspired to change your world through the various articles and profiles contained here, please write to us at newsroom@excomag.co.zw Remember the corona virus is still amongst us don’t let your guard down. Stay Safe, Mask Up and Practice Good Hygiene. Together we will conquer. Be inspired, be motivated!
Exhibitors’ Corner
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7 STEPS TO BUILDING THE RIGHT TEAM FOR YOUR BUSINESS.
MANAGER’S REMARKS
Nhlanhla Dabengwa MD. Diamond Berry Enterprises
Nhlanhla Dabengwa
M
ost new entrepreneurs work alone in developing their idea or a solution to a problem, but ultimately realize that starting and growing a business requires more. Not many people have the bandwidth to simultaneously cover all the required bases in finance, marketing, manufacturing, and operations, as well as solution development. It takes a working team to build a business. What many don’t realize is that building that team is as critical and as difficult as building the solution. If you have the wrong people on your team, or the team can’t work together, you have no chance of making an
epic business, no matter how great your solution. Witness the many memorable failure examples, including Friendster, Pets.com, TN Bank and Rera Online Farm. I see plenty of guidance and mentorship on developing ideas, but very little on how to build the right team. Thus I was particularly pleased to see the new book, “Do Big Things,” by Ross, Paccione, and Roberts, that highlights the team building process specifically, based on their years of experience facilitating leadership teams around the world.
→
After all leaders are readers.
Too many teams are formed as groups of people thrown together with outdated and naïve ways of working with others.
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Manager’s Remarks
→ The authors detail seven steps, which I adapt here to new businesses, for mobilizing the hearts of minds of your team, in order to make the epic impact that you envision:
1. Define your desired business culture and find people who fit. The first step is to assemble people who are willing and able to work together as a team. Getting subject matter experts is necessary but not sufficient. Finding interns or family members to save money won’t work. You need team members who are aligned in their thinking and action.
2. Make sure the team embodies a common definition of success.
Every new business team has a big job to do – against swirling priorities, rapid change, and seemingly impossible deadlines. Too many teams are formed as groups of people thrown together with outdated and naïve ways of working with others. With scarce resources, this means that the average team is destined to flatline and fail. Don’t let your new business be the casualty.
Find people who share your vision of success and have confidence in you and what you are setting out to do. Teams that do big things do not team casually or randomly. They are willing and able to leverage failure, without losing confidence, since every business has many unknowns
3. Everyone must choose to contribute, activate, and connect. Each team member must be determined to bring their best to the role, bring out the best in others, and choose to partner across their areas of expertise to deliver on the shared objective of a successful new business. Make it clear how you will measure each person’s results.
4. Assure each team member has barrier breaking authority. Because every new venture has limited resources, the team will have to deal with real barriers, perceived barriers, and symptomatic barriers. The toughest barriers are competing priorities caused by business leadership not being aligned on a common purpose, strategy, or plan.
“”
If you have the wrong people on your team, or the team can’t work together, you have no chance of making an epic business, no matter how great your solution!
5. Foster solid relationships to keep focus on what matters. It’s impossible for a team to effectively focus its energy on executing a plan when team members are distracted by poor relationships with one another. If you want epic team results, equip team members to have epic relationships, and clearly communicate purpose and milestones expected.
6. Energize the team around a shared purpose and reality. A team can only build a successful business when the members of that team have an open mind that is receptive to your vision of changing the world. Energy that is being used to protect yourself cannot simultaneously be used to build the connections necessary for the team to succeed.
7. Convert your vision to milestones to mobilize hearts and minds. Empower the team to create action plans for delivering a new and innovative business. Every team member must be equipped to ask the types of questions that lead to positive results, not boilerplate questions that aren’t intended to solicit answers or forward movement.
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Exhibitors’ Corner
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COVER STORY
NATURE’S BEAUTY UBUHLE BEMVELO Divine Pro Skin Care Founder Providence Moyo
Providence launched and established the Divine Pro Foundation which envisions a future where obstacles are changed into possibilities, opportunity and dreams.
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Cover Story
“”
Kick starting this business was not a walk in the park. I had to sacrifice my profession and encounter brick walls. I am glad that I chose not to give up
Did you know that the skin is the body’s largest organ? If you didn’t know now you know! → Just like any other organ it requires one to diligently take care of it through careful washing and moisturising. As such most individuals have invested a lot in skin care products such as soaps and moisturisers which in some instances do not yield desired results.
The case is different with Bulawayo headquartered skin care establishment, Divine Pro Skin Care whose products which are manufactured from indigenous plants harnessed from rural Zimbabwe. Divine Pro Skin Care, founded in 2014 by the City of Kings award winning and most prolific female entrepreneur, Providence Moyo, offers a wide ranging of skin care products such as Lemon Acne Soap, Baobab Rooibos Soap, Restoring Daily Cream, Powdered Baobab, Tissue Oil And The Mangongo Tissue Oil. Divine Pro Skin which is on track and widening its wings into the country has already established a new branch in the capital city, Harare. Just like its products in all other shops dotted around the country, they are suitable for all types of skin and age. Providence chronicled her journey towards the establishment of her skincare products business. “I realised that we are surrounded by nature and this nature can function as viable raw materials. So, out of creativity and past exposure i decided to try my hand in skin care products made from indigenous plants” she said. “Kick starting this business was not a walk in the park. I had to sacrifice my profession and encounter brick walls. I am glad that I chose not to give up” she added. Some may not know but Providence was gainfully employed as a teacher in South Africa relishing the privileges and safe nets the job comes with, but her passion and destiny calling was too strong to ignore. Divine Pro Skin Care is affiliated to the Southern African Essential Oil Producers Association (SAEOPA) which is an organisation for the advancement of agricultural projects with a bias towards SMEs and rural areas in particular the promotion of essential oil and vegetable oil production. Guided by its motto “Nature’s Beauty (Ubuhle bemvelo), Devine Pro Skin Care aims at being the most preferred provider of hypoallergenic skin and hair care products, not only in the region but
world over which are natural. Besides manufacturing and distributing skin care products Divine Pro manufactures juices which are made up of indigenous fruits, one is the baobab juice produced from the indigenous fruit known as Umkhomo and the Tamarind Juice. The juice has found its way into shelves of local shops. “To keep the business afloat we decided to introduce the Baobab Fruit Juice which is made up of Baobab fruit and the Tamarind juice as well. The juices are readily available in many local shops such as Greens Supermarket, Choppies, TM Pick n Pay, Jet Stores and Edgars Stores” added Providence. On her way to being an entrepreneurial giant Providence acquired a certificate in leadership management which has sharpen her business management skills. She also participated in the African Women Entrepreneurship Programme (AWEP) in Miami. In 2016, she was also part of 40 young women in business mentees, under the guidance of Reverend Sara Nyathi, in the Women in Development Dialogue training session in the city of Bulawayo Her company, Divin Pro Skin Care has enjoyed some success and international recognition. “In 2017 we had a German based cosmetics company referred to us for business grooming in areas of skin care products” she said “Fast forward to the year 2018 Divine Pro Skin Care received the prestigious Emerging Entrepreneur award in the Small to Medium Enterprises” she added. In 2020 she received the prestigious southern region enterprising woman of the year golden award with MegaFest. Providence has also worked on projects meant at uplifting women entrepreneurs and women in general. In this light she has shared business ideas and ideas relating to trade in Ghana where she was invited to speak to female entrepreneurs. She also helps rural women who are keen to venture into business through mentoring and helping them achieve their goals. On top of that Providence launched and established the Divine Pro Foundation which envisions a future where obstacles are changed into possibilities, opportunity and dreams. The Foundation is determined to change lives of orphans, vulnerable women and youth with counselling and empowering life skills. The mother of two is a Christian fellowshipping at Eagle Life Church under the spiritual guidance and mentorship of Pastor Dr. B Chiza and prophetess Chiza. Providence and team are not looking to stop or settle but aim at spreading the wings of Divine Pro Skin Care beyond the borders of Zimbabwe.
Providence Moyo – Chronology of Accolades. • 2016 AWEP International Visitor Leadership Program (USA) Chicago, Miami, Colorado, Denver & Washington D.C • 2017 SES Received senior expect from Germany. • 2019 Ghana, Accra in June keynote address on how to strengthen business and trade in Africa
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• 2020 Kenya, in March on women’s day gave a talk to Kenyan artisans on transformation (Changing obstacles into opportunities) • 2020 Zimbabwe won a Megafest business award • Business Connect game changer of the decade award. • 2021 March women’s day launched the Divine Pro Foundation.
Exhibitors’ Corner
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FAILING BUSINESS?
FINANCE
MoB Capital Pvt. Ltd.
MY BUSINESS IS GOING DOWN, → WHAT COULD BE THE PROBLEM? When a business is said is to be going down, those are a lot of factors that would have contributed towards this predicament. This applies to either a sole trader who owns a small market enterprise, a fully registered small company or a big establishment. Itself and among these factors, profitability is usually a major concern to most business owners as a company’s returns are the lifeblood within most enterprises. When a business fails there early warning signs to look out for that can help you deal with the matter before it becomes too damaging. Listed below are some of the factors which should be considered to avoid having to find one questioning whether their business is going down or the likelihood of their business surviving the next coming months.
LACK OF CASH IN THE BUSINESS. Struggling to pay other regular expenses or supplies is a strong indication that the business is in financial distress. A problem with cashflow is usually the first sign that trouble is brewing. This can be evidenced by failure to timely pay rent, electricity or water bills. Maybe your business is also receiving threatening letters from its creditors. As a business owner you need to identify the specific reasons for lack of cash, while it is also common cause for business in this situation for them to be unable to collect their own debts efficiently.
YOUR CUSTOMERS ARE PAYING LATE. Most SME businesses usually sell off their stock on credit then only receive payments later on. It is an effective method if you have loyal honest clients, but if that’s not the case then the business will suffer. However, these late payments are a common cause for business failure as they prevent you from working in full capacity. You may be forced to pay your supplies way before your own customers pay you for goods and services rendered and if these incoming payments are late it compromises your finances even more. Which is why strengthening your payment collection system is a must, but for bigger companies’ debt factoring can also help because they hand over control of collection procedures to the factoring company.
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YOU DON’T KNOW YOUR BUSINESS FINANCIAL POSITION. Keeping financial records is important because if you don’t know exactly how much your company owes, or is owed by debtors, it is easy to slide into insolvency. According to Investopedia, insolvency is a state of financial distress in which a person or business is unable to pay their bills. You run the risk of wrongful trading, if you continue operating whilst insolvent. It is important to keep management reports including cashflow forecasts, profit and loss accounts, balance sheets to show full financial position of your business.
LOSS OF KEY CUSTOMERS. If you rely solely on one or two large customers and one of them leaves it can be catastrophic for cashflow. This is so because in the event you lose those clients to competitors or due to a change in taste among other reasons, there tends to be a decline in sales resulting as well in the decline as well of business returns, especially if it where big clients that had an influence to your cashflows. This is why it is important to advertise and increase your customer base. It takes time to secure more business, but sliding into insolvency can happen very quickly and the loss of key customer and maybe the start. You need to constantly market your business even when business is good. It can be reassuring to know that you are able to attract key customers or major brands, but it is important not to rely on them solely.
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Keeping financial records is important because if you don’t know exactly how much your company owes, or is owed by debtors, it is easy to slide into insolvency.
May - June. 2021
TAKE CARE OF YOUR SKIN
PROFILE: DIVINE PRO
Founder Providence Moyo
→ About Divine Pro Divine Pro skin care is a certified member of (SAEOPA) Southern African Essential oil Producers ‘Association which is an organisation for the advancement of Agricultural projects with a bias towards SMEs and rural areas in particular the promotion of essential oil and vegetable oil production to promote and uphold the status of this profession in all sectors of the population and to perform such functions as maybe desirable for the attainment of these objectives. • Divine Pro Skin Care is a Zimbabwean registered company • established in 2014, Registration number (1484/2013) with the aim to be the most preferred provider of hypoallergenic skin and hair care products • Our key raw materials in manufacturing are harnessed from the • indigenous plants of Southern Africa • We make our products so they can appeal to all skin types • We are located at Bulawayo Rainbow Hotel Josiah Tongogara & 10th ave
Our Vision
To be the leading and most preferred provider of hypoallergenic skin and hair care products and natural foods manufactured using materials harnessed from African indigenous plants.
Our Mission
To enhance natural beauty by availing a lasting solution to a variety of skin problems. Our ingredients are sourced from local rural communities, which ploughs back to empowering and transforming the community to self-sustainability to eradicate poverty.
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Our Values
Transparency | Integrity | Fairness Quality | Empowerment of Communities
Our Services
• Bridge the gap between science and technology in the provision of quality products and services. • Use of advanced technology in conjunction with natural skin care treatment to proffer solutions to our customers. • To be a one stop shop for beauty and skin treatment. • Manufacturing and supply of quality products conforming to local and international standards. • To Have a client return rate of 90%
Historical Background Divine Pro Skin Care and Therapy formally started as a manufacturer and distributor of natural skin care products. The products are blended in-house using all-natural non-modified ingredients which include Um’khomo, the pulp of Baobab fruit, Baobab oil, Marula Oil, Mangongo /Manketti oil, Hemp seed oil, among others. These are found and processed from trees and plants which are indigenous to Zimbabwe and Southern Africa. At Divine Pro our vision is to be the best at providing top of the range and hypoallergenic skin care products that cater for all skin types. Email: divineproskincare@gmail.com, prov.moyo77@gmail.com Phone: (+263) 778 131 887, (+263) 775 238 233
Exhibitors’ Corner
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SME INDABA 2021
SME INDABA
Excomag
SMEs are notably the engine that drives economic development, employment creation, goods and services we consume on a daily basis. → The SME sector is fast growing to be an important part of the eco-
nomic fabric of Africa which play a critical role as a catalyst in furthering growth, innovation, prosperity and poverty alleviation. Yet still with that being said and done the sector is one widely neglected and underutilised faced with a lot of big challenges namely uncertainty, technology, diversity, complexity, information overload, lack of access to finance, markets and not to mention the Covid-19 after effects. Partnering Khayil Consultancy, Diamond Berry Enterprises and the Exhibitors Corner hosted the second annual instalment of the SME Business Indaba with the theme “Navigating Uncertainty” in response to the post Covid- 19 lockdown effects to businesses and the uncertain future the sector is facing. Traditionally the Business Indaba which aims to bring together various stakeholders ranging from the financial sector, capital markets, business consultants governmental and non-governmental arms and progressive SME associations
es, ideas and create a synergistic environment with much as homework to do in their different spheres of existence. Cutting the long story short resolutions and recommendations where shared as to how moving forward it will be imperative to have symmetrically dotted follow up engagements to arm the SME in this everchanging business environment.
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how do we navigate these uncertain times as small business players without enough financial reserve and muscle to penetrate the already closing economy?
This year’s edition which was held at the ZITF Tea room was moderated by the exuberant and prolific Miss Noma (Nomalanga Ndlovu) from Outspoken consultants with the initially bidden panellists being Mr Morris Mpala Managing Director of MoB Capital, Jacqueline Nyathi Regional Manager of ZimTrade and Mr Valentine Bakare an experienced corporate finance guru from Imara Investing. With areas of concern being Financial hygiene, building locally, thinking globally and lastly investing for uncertainty. The ringing question and concern for most SMEs would be “how do we navigate these uncertain times as small business players without enough financial reserve and muscle to penetrate the already closing economy?” The highly competent and well vested panel did justice to the concerns by sharing eye opening and thought-provoking nuggets on how SMEs can navigate these uncertain times they facing. The interactive nature of the event probed the business leaders attending at the event to share past experienc-
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May - June. 2020
CREATING A BALANCE SHEET:
BUSINESS TIPS
Excomag
5 STEPS FOR BEGINNERS. → A company’s balance sheet is one of the most important financial statements it will produce – Typically on a quarterly or even monthly basis (depending on the frequency of reporting) Depicting your total assets, liabilities, and net worth, this article will try to offer a quick look into your financial health and can help inform lenders, investors, or key stakeholders about your business. Have you found yourself in the position needing to prepare a balance sheet? Here’s what you need to know to understand how balance sheets work and what makes them a fundamental in business, as well as general steps you can take to create a basic balance sheet for your business.
WHAT IS A BALANCE SHEET? A balance sheet is a financial statement that communicates the so-called book value of a business/organisation as calculated by subtracting all the company’s liabilities and shareholder equity from its total assets. A balance sheet offers internal and external analysts a snapshot of how a company is currently performing, how it performed in the past, and how it expects to perform in the immediate future. This makes balance sheets an essential tool for individual and institutional investors, as well as key stakeholders within an organisation and any outside regulators. Most balance sheets are arranged according to this equation. Assets = Liabilities + Shareholders’ Equity
and accounts receivable • Non-current assets are long-term investments that a company does not expect to convert into cash in the short term such as land, equipment, patents, trademarks, and intellectual property.
2. LIABILITIES
A liability is anything a company or organisation owes to a debtor. This may refer to payroll expenses, rent, utility payments, debt payments, money owed to suppliers, taxes, bonds payable. As with assets, liabilities can be classified as either current liabilities or non-current liabilities. • Current liabilities are typically those due within one year, which may include accounts payable and other accrued expenses. • Non-current liabilities are typically those that a company doesn’t expect to repay within one year. They are usually long-term obligations, such as leases, bonds payable, or loans
3. SHAREHOLDERS’ EQUITY
Shareholders equity refers generally to the net worth of a company, and reflects the amount of money that would be left over if all assets were sold and liabilities paid. Shareholders equity belongs to the shareholders, whether they be private or public owners. Just as assets must equal liabilities plus shareholders equity. Shareholders equity can be depicted by this equation: Shareholders’ Equity = Assets – Liabilities
DOES A BALANCE SHEET ALWAYS BALANCE? A balance sheet should always balance. The name itself comes from the fact that a company’s assets will equal its liabilities plus any shareholders equity that has been issued. If you find that your balance sheet is not truly balancing, it may be caused by one of these culprits:
1. ASSETS
• Incomplete or misplaced data • Incorrectly entered transactions • Errors in currency exchange rates • Errors in inventory • Miscalculated equity calculations • Miscalculated loan amortisation or depreciation.
• Current assets are typically what a company expects to convert into cash within a years’ time, such as cash and equivalents, prepaid expenses, inventory, marketable securities,
Next issue we focus on how to prepare the actual balance sheet.
An asset is anything a company owns which holds some amount of quantifiable value, meaning that it could be liquidated and turned to cash. They are the goods and resources owned by the company. Assets can be further broken down int current assets and non-current assets.
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Exhibitors’ Corner
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THE NEW NORMAL
INSPIRATION
Lady Profound
The highlight of the new normal is a double take → when l hear someone cough, sneeze or snuffle because we have
been conditioned these past months to be hypervigilant for these symptoms. It is funny how life is like a game of freeze tag we played as kids. Once tagged, one had to freeze in the position he or she is in. Now whenever something happens, too many of us freeze like a statue too afraid of moving the wrong way or making the wrong decision. The problem is not having a plan in this new normal but staying too long is your decision. It has been a little over a year since the pandemic hit, yet it feels like it has been like that since l was born. A lot has happened, our way of living has changed, some lost jobs, some businesses closed down, the way we work and study has changed, millions of people died and we are still counting. Welcome to the new normal, where economy has changed completely and it is not going to change back in our lifetime. The world at large is going through a paradigm shift and when a shift like this in thinking or in society and in the world at large takes place only a few people recognize and understand that it is occurring. The rest will be in their comfort zone where they keep doing the same old things in the same old ways thinking it is just a bump in the road, everything will soon go back to normal. The definition of normal has changed. If you want to succeed and archive everything that is possible for you, you will have to work smarter and more diligently than ever before. You will have to work a little harder and stay a little later. The fact is, the race is on and you are in it, if you do not pick up the pace other people will. Although adjusting to change can be challenging, be it be planned or unplanned, gradual or sudden, change is inevitable and it is part of being human. One of the most important things to be aware of is that, the new normal came with a different level of expectations. We may have an expectation that we should be able to do what we used to do before but as long as we hold on to that expectation, we are going to be frustrated because a lot of frustration comes from inflexible expectations. Hence, changing the expectations to match the reality realizing it is not catastrophic will make us realize how fortunate to even have done the things we miss and maybe we will appreciate them even more. It is important to accept the situation you are in and the new normal as a realistic observation and a coping mindset. Methods of
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coping can be practicing kindness because you do not know what the next person is going through, reevaluating priorities, learning from experience and reflecting on how people coped with far worse situations in the past because resilient people reevaluate their expectations and then focus on the new goals. With millions and millions of people dying, and you are still alive, count it as a blessing because with each day passing by and you are still breathing, you have an opportunity to decide to make positive choices and reflect on your values because at the end of the day, it is those little things we overlook, that matter the most. Allow yourself to grieve the old normal so that there will be more space to embrace the new normal. I remember the first days of this pandemic, people had mixed feelings. Some looked forward to the national lockdown and some were worried about how they were going to survive whereas some were probably worried about living in confined spaces dealing with abusive partners or family members. Even so, not everything has been negative. We have seen many of our friends reconnect with family, spend quality time with their spouses and children, take up new hobbies or resuming old ones which had been forgotten in a hectic work schedule, tick off pending items on a bucket list or while away the time to recover the energy. Whatever the case may be, we have passed that phase. Let us not focus on the game of freeze tag hoping things will go back to normal because they will not. Do not focus on all the steps it will take or stare into the abyss at the giant leap it will take because that view will keep you from taking the next small step. As scary as it may seem to make major changes, we usually have enough courage to take the next step. One small step and then another. That is what it takes to raise a child, get a degree, write a book, to do whatever your heart desires. I hope you find enough courage to adjust in this new normal, no matter how small the moves you make, the important this is, you are moving forward and that is all that matters.
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Welcome to the new normal, where economy has changed completely and it is not going to change back in our lifetime.
Exhibitors’ Corner
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TOTAL ROOFING SYSTEMS T/A
PROFILE: SUPA TILES
Available Profiles. Classic | Roman | Shake
WHY US?
→ About Us Total Roofing Systems T/A SUPA TILE is a leading player in the Zimbabwe roofing industry. From being the pioneers of steel-based roofing in the country, to commissioning Zimbabwe’s first manufacturing plant, we have surely cemented our position as the trend setters in roofing! Supa Tile has been specifically developed to provide architects and homeowners the ultimate roofing tile. This product is an instant solution for colourful roofing in a cost-effective manner. We commit to giving you, our esteemed client, the best possible specialist attention in all available roofing alternatives we are your one stop roofing shop! We manufacture stone coated steel roof tiles and accessories. We have absorbed exceptional talents and skills to offer world class products backed by a constantly improving staff. Our factory has an annual production capacity of 35 000 tons and our products are strictly produced to ISO quality system standards. Our roofing tiles have penetrated the Botswana, Zambian and Namibian markets successfully and we look forward to welcoming you to our happy family.
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Economic Efficiency. All our roof tiles are wide yet light weight. Besides a 40% timber saving as compared to concrete roof. You save on breakages, transportation, workmanship and installation. Easy Installation. All our acrylic coated tiles can be bent, cut and shaped to meet the most demanding roof designs. From a minimum 12degree pitch right up to a 90degree angle pitch. Outstanding Durability. Our products carry a 30year warranty – the longest in the industry. Our tiles are designed and manufactured to withstand the most severe of weather conditions, extreme heat, heavy rains, strong winds, everything. We issue a guarantee certificate on all roofs installed by us or our affiliated contractors.
PERFECT FOR RE-ROOFING. Total Roofing Systems T/A Supa Tile will give you a brand-new roof in a matter of days. It is designed to be easily installed over an existing roof, with no structural alterations to an existing building.
Exhibitors’ Corner
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PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE IN YOUR WORKPLACE. Excomag
x
TIPS
Progressive discipline is a process for dealing with job-related behaviour that does not meet expected and communicated performance standards. → The primary purpose of progressive discipline is to assist the em-
ployee to understand that a performance-problem or opportunity for improvement exists. The process features a series of increasingly formal efforts to provide feedback to the employee so that he or she can correct the problem. The goal of progressive discipline is to get the employee’s attention so that he or she understands that employee performance improvement is essential if they want to remain employed. Progressive discipline is used most frequently with hourly or non-exempt employees. Salaried or exempt employees, under most circumstances, never move beyond the written verbal warning stage because they either improve or seek employment elsewhere. Failing that, progressive discipline enables the organization to fairly, and with substantial documentation, terminate the employment of employees who are ineffective and unwilling to improve.
STEPS IN PROGRESSIVE DISCIPLINE. Typical steps in a progressive discipline system may include these. • Counsel the employee about performance and ascertain his or her understanding of their job requirements. Ascertain whether there are any issues that are contributing to poor performance. These issues are not always immediately obvious to the manager. Solve these issues, if possible. An example of an issue is the employee doesn’t understand the goal of what he or she needs to
18 | Exhibitors’ Corner
contribute. A second example of an issue in a poor attendance performance situation is that the employee is taking time off to assist their sick mother. • Verbally reprimand the employee for poor performance. Tell the employee that you will document the next steps in progressive discipline and that termination can result at any point in the progressive discipline process when the employer believes that the employee is unable to improve despite repeated warnings. Document the conversation. • Provide a formal written verbal warning in the employee’s file, in an effort to improve employee performance. Continue progressive discipline as long as you believe the employee is making efforts to bring their performance back on track. • Provide an escalating number of days in which the employee is suspended from work without pay. Start with one day off, escalate to three and then escalate to five. End your employment relationship with an individual who refuses to improve. There is more to write about progressive discipline in your workplace as an SME leader, but we will stop at this for this issue. NOTE: The process of progressive discipline is not intended as a punishment for an employee, but to assist the employee to overcome performance problems and satisfy job expectations. Progressive discipline is most successful when it assists an individual to become an effectively performing member of the organization.
May - June. 2020
SME CORNER OKIDOH
SYLPHLIKE INVESTMENTS (PVT) LTD.
Sylphlike Investments (PVT) Ltd. Has two divisions which focuses on civil works and manufacturing. Civil Works. We are involved in dam construction, rehabilitation and piped water systems. Manufacturing Corporate wear, workers wear, sportswear and promotional wear. Values. • Excellence • Quality • Truthfulness • Efficiency.
THUMEZA
Thumeza Enterprises is a registered Private Business Corporation. Registered in April of 2018, our Business Registration number is1004/18, with our Business Partner number being 0200242326. On a day to day basis the logistics value chain contributes over 50% to the cost of the end product. This is mainly because of inefficiencies within logistics value chain that contribute to long loading and offloading time, lengthy vehicle queues to load, extended time slots for load consolidation and loss-making empty trips caused by a lack of transparency within the logistics ecosystem. In order to help logistics decision makers, make informed decisions within their organizations that will help cut down on these cost elements, our vision is to provide the data on which transporter has the ability to carry what load, to what direction, and when.
INKAZIMULO FARMERS MARKET Inkazimulo Farmers Market is a green grocery retail store operating in Bulawayo which supplies farm fresh produce while breaking bulk tailored to suite any customer from large orders to individual consumers who prefer not to stock. Coming up with creative ways to accommodate busy scheduled people through delivery mechanisms.
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Exhibitors’ Corner
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STRATEGIC VOLUNTEERING: THE POWER OF PRO-BONO.
STRATEGY
Excomag
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Volunteering your time and skill set to organizations in need isn’t just the right thing to do, it can also help your business’ marketing efforts. Behold the power of “strategic volunteering”. 20 | Exhibitors’ Corner
Going pro bono is a win-win. An organization gains your expertise and talent at zero cost, and you gain more experience and positive exposure—not to mention a good feeling. Here’s how to go about it. Here’s a simple but very effective strategy to maximize the impact of a ‘No Budget Marketing’ campaign you may create for your employer or your own business—harnessing the ‘Power of the Pro Bono’ or Strategic Volunteering.
Why volunteer at all? Whether you’re marketing the products or services of your employer or your own business or just simply enhancing your image and value to the people you work for and with, the Power of the Pro Bono can be a simple, quick and no-cost self-marketing strategy. Effectively done, it can help accomplish several important goals for you, including:
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Strategy
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Strategic Volunteering through the Power of the Pro Bono involves simple, quick, no-cost and personally rewarding strategies to promote your image or the image of your employer. Creating positive exposure for yourself as a caring and giving professional or a very positive reflection on your employer; • producing positive name recognition and credibility; • creating tools that can showcase your skills if you produce a newsletter, brochure, video or event. You can even win awards for your work; • helping you learn new skills or enhance existing skills in leadership, project management, social media, accounting, e-marketing, writing or presenting; • making you feel very good about yourself by doing the right thing and helping out a worthy professional, civic or charitable group; and • stroking your creative ego and professional self-esteem by being involved with something worthwhile, creative and fun.
How do you get started? As they say, getting started is the hardest part. We’re helping you ease in by giving you the following five steps to beginning your pro bono journey. Going Pro Bono Step No. 1: Clearly define your or your business’s value proposition. What do you do well that adds value to customers who will pay you for it at a profit? Going Pro Bono Step No. 2: Determine those professional, civic or charitable groups where lots of your customers and prospects are actively involved. Going Pro Bono Step No. 3: Search for linkages between that group’s needs for support, other than money or pure volunteer time, that relate to your value proposition. For a web design firm, that could be a website makeover. For a writer, it could be help with their brochure. For an accountant, it could be serving as a volunteer auditor. Going Pro Bono Step No. 4: Reach out to each group and offer your services. It really helps if you’ve been an active member for several years rather than a stranger—yet another great reason to get involved with your profession or community. Going Pro Bono Step No. 5: When your task is completed, ask for a ‘subtle’ acknowledgement: ‘Website designed by x’ at the bottom of the home page, ‘Brochure content and design courtesy of y’ on the back page of a brochure or a glowing letter of thanks from the group leader with reference in their routine member communication.
Where do you volunteer? There are lots of effective platforms for strategic volunteer activity. Be creative and think outside of the usual box with the following ideas:
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• Start with your own industry and the professional associations that support it. Those groups can probably use the help and you can benefit from all the good will you will gain from the experience. • Other professional, business or civic groups you may belong to or where you’d benefit from the exposure. Start with COSE and your local Chamber. • A charity or non-profit that has personal importance to your family, your boss, your boss’s spouse, the big boss, the big boss’s spouse, or an important customer.
What volunteer activities should you consider? Strategic volunteer activities are “win-win.” The organization benefits from what you contribute, but you also benefit from what you learn or gain. What special skills or talents can you contribute and showcase beyond simply giving of your time? What skills do you want to learn or enhance? What will give you the kind of exposure you need and want? If you want to enhance or showcase ... Leadership or management skills: Manage an event or fundraiser, chair a committee or task force, hold an office or sit on a board Writing skills: Edit the group’s newsletter, write articles for it, PR releases, promotional pieces or blog posts Creative media skills: Coordinate the advertising or PR for the group a major event. Write or produce a video or media tool that helps them recruit members, raise money or train volunteers. Graphic design skills: Design or improve their logo, letterhead, brochure or newsletter layout Web design skills: Design or improve their website Social media skills: Create blogs, their presence on leading social media sites, regularly post content. Presentation skills: Deliver a presentation, emcee an event or serve on their speakers’ bureau or improve their PowerPoint presentations Training or facilitation skills: Teach or facilitate classes or workshops for members or leaders Financial skills: Serve as treasurer or audit their books As you’ve seen, Strategic Volunteering through the Power of the Pro Bono involves simple, quick, no-cost and personally rewarding strategies to promote your image or the image of your employer. The organization wins because you give of your talent, not just your time or treasure. You win because you earn ‘Psychic Income,’ gain positive exposure and learn or enhance career-related skills.
Exhibitors’ Corner
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THE LAW OF TRADEMARKS
CONTINUED
LAW
Edias E. Homera
→ Welcome back to the legal piece, as we con-
tinue from where we left off. In the previous issue where we introduced the law of trademarks, as such this time we will go deeper on this matter.
INFRINGEMENT OF A TRADE MARK 1. It must be noted at this early stage that, to operate a successful business with an unregistered mark in terms of the Act is not only a serious business risk but a threat to the marketing strategies of a business as the mark can be used by other persons to the detriment of the business’s good will or reputation without any legal recourse. section 6 of the Trade Mark Act clearly states that; “No person shall be entitled to institute any proceedings to prevent, or to recover damages for, the infringement of an unregistered trade mark” 2. The law is very clear when it comes to the issues of ownership and title in respect of properties, intellectual property rights that include Trademarks, Patents, copyright and neighbouring rights etc, ownership of such cannot be claimed by mainly acquisition or possession but by registration. 3. It is common cause that once a trade mark is registered it gives the registered owner of the trade mark an exclusive right to use it concerning the goods or services for which it is registered. (See Kerly’s Law of Trade Marks and Trade Names 12 ed at p 261) and the main purpose for the registration of a trade Mark is that no other person may use the trade mark and to regulate unfair competition .it therefore follows that the registration of a trade mark affords the proprietor certain rights recognizable at law and the courts therefore generally recognize that it is unlawful for one competitor to appropriate , imitate or copy the distinctive marks of another and the copying of a competitor’s distinctive marks, any use of the trade mark on goods other than those of the owner of the trade mark is an infringement generally referred to as “passing
off”. It amounts to a misrepresentation as to a rival’s own performance and it also consists an infringement of the right to good will. 4. In terms of the general principles of Aquilian Liability, the wrong doer is liable for damages were there is either intent or negligence on his part; section 6 of the Act therefore affords an aggrieved party to bring an action for damages either in terms of the Act or at common law.
INTERNATIONAL RECOGNITION. 5. It is no secret that the world has developed to be one global unit as technological developments advance so does the need of every business to have future international growth plans and recognition of trusted brands that are applicable to the international market and Zimbabwe being a developing country there is need for every business structure to ensure that their business interests are international protected so as to safeguard its brand name and market and customers. 6. The Government has since the coming of the new dispensation developed certain areas of our law which include the coming into effect of the Companies and other Business entities Act chapter (24:31) in February 2020 , the Consumer Protection Act Chapter (14:14) in December 2019 the Competition Act Chapter (14:28) and the Consumer Contracts Act Chapter( 8:03) , I shall in the next Legal articles comment on the implications of each in the business sector . However, I also implore the government to develop our trade marks regulations so as to include the registration of “sound” which other territories now recognize as registerable. It is therefore in that regard necessary to highlight further that Zimbabwe is a member state to the TRIPS Convention which includes more than 150 member states with the rest given up to the 31st of December 2021 to sign on the changes by the World Trade Organization (WTO), it therefore entails that once
your Business mark is registered in Zimbabwe it is recognizable in the other signatory territories subject to the regulations thereto. Some well-known international Trade Marks are given below:
7. Further it makes it easier to obtain a business “certification mark” to enable your goods or services to be international recognized. a “certification mark “is a mark used upon or in connection with goods or services to certify that they have been examined with regard to Kind, quality, quantity, intended purpose, value, geographical origin, mode or time of manufacture or other characteristics, by 8. government of provincial authority, association or person its purpose is to certify the quality of certain goods and services. some well-known certification marks boards include the SABS, Woolmark, ICA, ISO i.e.
REGISTRATION OF A TRADE MARK 9. Trade marks may be registered through an agent who in most cases is a legal practitioner who is responsible for lodging the respective documents with the Registrar of deeds, Companies and intellectual Property after the payment of the prescribed fees and must always comply with the set-up regulations in the Act. DISCLAIMER: This is the author’s individual opinion; thus, he is not liable of any legal implications. This article is legal information and should not be seen as Legal advice you should consult before adopting the principles herein.
Edias E. Homera is a commercial attorney, LLB (Hons.) UNISA. Dube Tachiona, Tsvangirai Legal Practitioners. For more info contact: 0773515466, homera.attorney@gmail.com
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