Micro-MBA hits Grand West!

In its quest to contribute to economic and social development in the areas surrounding Grand West Casino and Entertainment World, the Grand West CSI division identified small enterprise businesses that it could partner with. This partnership aims to grow these businesses financially as well as to ensure their sustainability.

TSiBA Education was contracted to facilitate a micro-MBA workshop to some of these entrepreneurs. The workshop took place from 12-16 April and was attended by 18 small business owners.
Of all the modules covered during the workshop, Money Management was by far the most popular due to its practicality and simplicity. This was closely followed by Costing and Pricing which came as an “eye-opener” to most of the business owners. Other modules focused on Market Investigation; Using a calculator for business; Buying; Selling; Writing a Business Plan and Stock Control.
The initial 5-day workshop is followed up by 3 days of mentoring to ensure that the entrepreneurs apply what they have learnt in the classroom. The delegates from this workshop receive certificates of completion in July 2010.

TSiBA Education is proud of its association with Grand West CSI and will continue to support its objectives by delivering these much-needed skills development programmes.

Entrepreneurship develops at TSiBA Eden

Last week some of us at the Entrepreneurship Centre visited TSiBA’s Eden campus in the Karatara village. In October of 2009, TSiBA Cape Town merged with the Eden campus, forming TSiBA Eden. The two schools share the same vision, and now share the same name as they hone the skills of eager students and aspiring entrepreneurs.

TSiBA Eden is a rural community green business and entrepreneurial college. The campus currently provides approximately 70 students from the surrounding community with a two year course in business and entrepreneurship, with an emphasis on green enterprises. The curriculum includes water conservation, permaculture and environmental management components, and may soon develop an additional energy component.
The TSiBA – Northeastern University (NU) Field Study Programme is coming up again, and part of the programme is a week-long service project in rural South Africa for the 40 NU students. We visited Karatara to check out the local project options for the students, and left with many new ideas and friends. We also met many local entrepreneurs!

As a TSiBA student, running a business is part of your education. As a result, many students at Eden run their businesses right on campus, including a clothing and convenience shop, bakery, and vegetable garden. Local entrepreneurs set up shop on campus as well- the group of senior citizens below created and sold jewelry at the entrance to the auditorium.
The trip was a success and we are close to finding a service project for the NU students. Stay tuned for more updates as the field study programme approaches!

Afriversity/TSiBA Entrepreneurship Centre Strategy Workshop

On May 3rd Afriversity Cape Town, together with TSiBA Entrepreneurship Centre hosted a free 3-hour Strategy Workshop where they focused on various aspects of growing small businesses in South Africa.

Afriversity Cape Town, is a not-for-profit organization, founded to train, support and provide incubation for promising Entrepreneurs.

The workshop focused on questions like:

1. What will your business look like 3 years from now.
2. What will you be doing to grow your business.
3. Do you have a clearly defined strategy to ensure growth and success or are you "flying blind" like so many business owners today?
4. Do you own your business or does the business own you?

The workshop was held at the TSiBA Entrepreneurship Centre, where 25 Entrepreneurs attended. The purpose of the workshop was to develop and implement new strategies, that ensure growth and sustainability, and to assist the small business owners persist through the current global economic slow down.

The sessions were very interactive, and gaging from the responses we received from the entrepreneurs the workshop came at a critical time, because many of these entrepreneurs are at a crossroads with their businesses.

Here is just a few of the responses we received from the attendees:

1. WOW, this is great stuff we received here today, Thanks ones again for inviting me.
2. My business will greatly benefit from todays workshop, I'm so happy to be invited.
3. I wanted to give up, but after this workshop I have a new focus to grow my business, THANKS SO MUCH!!
4. I've gained such alot of insight today, please have more of these sessions we need this.



The TSiBA Entrepreneurship Centre will stay committed to help entrepreneurs, and will continue to partner with other organizations like Afriversity to give our entrepreneurs the services they need in such a crucial time like these to help them stay afloat.

A big thank you to Brian Adams and his team from Afrivesity for the time they invested to help entrepreneurs achieve their goals!!

For more information on Afriversity go to their website or:
Contact Brian Adams on 021-418-0450
Email: brian @afriversity.org