ELSIESRIVIER
Woensdag, 20 November 2013 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | epos: nuus@tygerburger.co.za | www.tygerburger.co.za
NATIONAL WINNER: BUSINESS PLAN COMPETITION
She’s got the right stuff STAFF REPORTER
skills, technical ability, experience and knowledge in terms of the industry, and encourage these youngsters to fulfil their entrepreneurial dreams. “Too many entrepreneurs fall through the cracks in South Africa and entrepreneurial awards platforms such as this are crucial to recognising and developing influential entrepreneurs.” He added that Williams was awarded the overall title due to an exceptionally well presented business plan that touched on all of the essential elements needed to take her idea from plan to business. “This was especially seen in the due attention she gave the financial aspects of the business. Not only was the plan detailed and well thought out, the business concept itself is practical, making the business plan one which could quickly be implemented.”
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usiness beware! Bishop Lavis has a businesswoman who is going places. Janine Williams (24) took on the rest of South Africa and emerged as the national winner for the 2013 Business Partners Limited/SME Toolkit SA Global Entrepreneurship Week’s Business Plan Competition for Aspiring Young Entrepreneurs that was announced at an awards ceremony held in Johannesburg last week. She outshone 240 fellow entrants from across South Africa to secure the accolade. Williams, a Certified Financial Accountant, hopes to establish her own accounting practice in the near future, which will offer various business services, including bookkeeping, tax and accounting services and the drafting of financial statements. Now in its fourth year, the competition, which is open to entrepreneurs between the age of 18 and 35, aims to have a positive impact on aspiring and promising South African entrepreneurs by bridging the gap ‘I hope to be fully selfem between simply having an ployed in a few months idea, to actually launching a start-up business. from now’ says winner.
‘She had the best business plan and finances were spot on’
National This year, for the first time, the competition expanded nationally across the country and 20 selected entrants from various region, including rural areas, were invited to attend a regional one-day business workshop to learn the intricacies of compiling a business and marketing plan, as well as how to manage the many functions of operating a business. Each entrant was then required to submit a business plan, based on the knowledge learnt, before five regional winners were selected to be considered for the national title. According to Pierre Mey, executive general manager Support Services at Business Partners Limited, the competition strives to discover aspiring young entrepreneurs that demonstrate strengths in the necessary
Winner Williams says that she had literally been flying high, given that the trip was also her first time on an aeroplane. “When they called my name as the winner, I was really shocked at first and then of course really happy,”she said excitedly. “I currently have a day job three days a week, which provides me with a fixed income, and then I work on my business the other two days a week and after hours, so I already have some clients. “Now that I have won, I hope to be fully self-employed in a few months from now.” Each regional winner received a R5 000 mentorship voucher from Business Partners Limited at the regional events and the overall winner also received an additional R10 000 mentorship voucher, a Samsung tablet, a cash prize of R20 000 sponsored by Business Partners Limited, as well as subscriptions to SMEasy Accounting sponsored by SMEasy.co.za, 6-month subscription to Bizlify, an online business building tool sponsored by Milestone Ventures, and a gift sponsored by IBM.
Janine Williams is proving that Bishop Lavis has what it takes to make it to the top in the business world.