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Tag: Entrepreneurship

A roadmap for your business in turbulent times

Roadmap business

By Dr Linda Meyer In an era where economic, regulatory, and social conditions can shift rapidly, business leaders need to rethink the purpose of a 12-month plan. Rather than serving as a fixed script, the annual plan should serve as a strategic anchor that provides clarity on intent, priorities, and outcomes, while remaining open to refinement. Its value lies in aligning the organisation around a coherent direction, not in locking leaders into assumptions that may become obsolete within months. Agility is enabled when plans are principles-led, assumption-aware and outcome-focused, allowing leaders to adapt without losing strategic coherence. Operationalising agility Although many leaders speak about the importance of flexibility, few successfully operationalise it. Building real agility requires deliberate choices at the leadership level. Decision-making authority must be clearly defined so that teams can act within agreed guardrails without constant escalation. Budgets should evolve from static control mechanisms into dynamic tools that include contingency, scenario-based allocations, and regular re-forecasting. Shorter planning cycles, disciplined review rhythms, and access to timely, reliable data must support execution. Agility is not the absence of control; it is the presence of clarity, accountability, and informed discretion. Decoding signals One of the most challenging leadership judgements is distinguishing between staying the course through uncertainty and persisting with a plan that no longer reflects reality. The difference lies in evidence rather than intent. Staying the course is justified when core assumptions remain valid, and performance variance can reasonably be attributed to temporary disruption. A plan becomes misaligned when underperformance persists, explanations become repetitive, and operational realities increasingly contradict strategic assumptions. Signals warranting reassessment include structural changes in customer behaviour, persistent margin erosion, regulatory shifts, or weakening of capabilities required to deliver the strategy. Effective leaders test assumptions early and adjust before momentum is lost. Discerning innovation Rapid technological change, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, further complicates annual planning. Leaders should approach such developments as strategic enablers rather than reactive distractions. The focus should be on identifying where technology can meaningfully improve productivity, decision quality or service delivery, rather than chasing every innovation. This requires disciplined prioritisation, clear investment criteria, and strong governance to ensure alignment with strategic objectives. By embedding technological considerations into the planning process in a structured way, leaders can harness opportunity without destabilising focus. Ongoing vigilance Over the course of the year, leadership confidence is built through consistent sensing and reviewing disciplines. Regular performance and risk reviews, explicit testing of assumptions, and structured scenario discussions enable early detection of change. Equally important is external scanning of regulatory trends, market dynamics, and competitor behaviour. High-performing leadership teams foster a culture that encourages challenge and surfaces emerging risks early. This allows organisations to adjust course thoughtfully and decisively, guided by insight rather than urgency. Dr Linda Meyer is the Managing Director of ADvTECH’s Independent Institute of Education – Rosebank College, ADvTECH’s Waterfall School of Business, and Capsicum Culinary Studio and the President of Rosebank International University College in Ghana.

From owning your space to daring to become a success: 7 books with practical tips from inspirational women

books with practical tips

By Keshia Africa Over the last ten years, the career landscape for women in entrepreneurship has changed tremendously. Women have single-handedly redefined what modern entrepreneurship looks like, in the world of business. Today we take a look at inspirational South African women in business and the books that they’ve written. If you’re a woman in business, looking for inspiration and advice on how to overcome the odds that have been stacked against you, this list is for you: 1. Meeting Your Power: Returning Home To Yourself by DJ Zinhle and Nokubonga Mbanga Entrepreneur and Dj, DJ Zinhle and business coach Nokubonga Mbanga, co-wrote this book. Both women tapped into their lived experiences as women in business and within their personal lives and shared their lessons with us. Meeting your power was written to ignite the desire you have within yourself, to do great things and also be great while doing so. If you want to be an empowered woman, this is the book for you. 2. Own Your Space by Lori Milner and Nadia Bilchik These two authors have successfully navigated the corporate world and also assisted other women in doing so. If you ever wondered if there was a toolkit for women in the world of work, this book is it. The book is filled with guidance, practical advice, disciplines and techniques specifically designed to help you tap into your true potential. The authors have focused this book on women who want to take their career to the next level. Does this sound like you? 3. Nothing is Impossible by Anthea Ambursley Anthea Ambursley is an award-winning entrepreneur. She experienced many highs and lows as she embarked on the journey of creating successful business ventures. Because of this, she realised how much she had to share with the world. Packed with valuable and practical insights, Nothing is Impossible is the book for any entrepreneur;  which will help you set and achieve the goals you want to, in your own business. 4. Keep Going by Keneilwe Magula Keneilwe Magula, aside from being an author, is a certified life coach, entrepreneur and NLP practitioner. Adversities and challenges are all a part of the journey in our careers. Kenielwe lives and believes that life is a journey, and it is how we respond to it, that will impact how it plays out. She encourages readers to navigate the journey and be reminded that your current location is not your final destination, and you should, Keep Going. 5. The Business Tango by Anna Shilina  Placing the microscope on entrepreneurship and intrapreneurship, author Anna Shilina compares business to the tango – a dance that requires strategic planning, continuous effort and hard work. This book was written from her experience combined with that of other business professionals from various fields within entrepreneurship. If you love to read about someone’s personal experience that provides thought-provoking questions to your own life, this is the book for you! 6. Dare to become a Success by Mulenga Kasoma We all have hopes and dreams in this world, and things we’d like to achieve. However, for many of us, that’s all they are. Mulenga Kasoma’s book speaks about the courage it takes to put action behind those goals and how everything you desire is on the other side of discipline. This book is full of practical guides designed to help you move your life from where you are to where you want to be. Start succeeding in your life, stop making excuses and Dare to become a Success! 7. Power in the Paddock by Yolanda Sing Author and entrepreneur, Yolanda Sing’s life, and corporate career came to a standstill when she fell ill with a malignant brain tumour. It was in her time of recovery that she realised how much she had to share with the world; specifically, those caught in careers that are very demanding and no longer inspirational. Yolanda’s book shares how she became an entrepreneur on a mission through building her own company, after surviving a life-threatening condition. Her book is filled with hope, healing and transformation and written to show you that even in moments of despair, hope can arise within you.