Picture a global retail chain with hundreds of staff worldwide and dozens of employees, or a factory that sources from suppliers in 10 different countries - each a microcosm of the corporate, global economy. What’s the one thing they all need consistent access to? Cash. This basic need lies at the heart of a transformative rush for liquidity as the economic platform collapses. But it’s not just global entities who are trying to fathom the new money map, so too are individuals.

Bondage to Consumer Culture

So many of us are  bonded to our idea of wealth  — even though it isn’t working for us or the planet — because of the very nature of our relationship with money. We expect money to fulfil our fantasies, calm our fears, ease our pain and send us soaring to fleeting heights of gratification. In fact, we are programmed to think most of our wants and desires are met by money. We buy everything from hope to happiness. We no longer live life, we consume it. Transforming our relationship with money and re-evaluating our emotional frequency patterns around money could put us and the planet back on track. We need to learn from our past, gain clarity on our present and create a new, reality-based relationship with money, discarding assumptions that don’t work. How do we do that? We alter our money frequency.

The frequency of Money

To attract what we want in life we must have joy for that thing. Joy is more than happiness. It’s made up of three states: excitement, ease and love. For the longest time we’ve been practicing a habit that comes from decades of programming that there’s not enough. We’ve adopted narratives from our religions, cultures and parents that are aligned with “your actions are so loud I can’t hear what you’re saying’, meaning we’ve automatically practiced what we’ve witnessed or experienced. Our parents may have come from a place of scarcity where the world didn’t have enough information spread around or enough opportunities for everybody. But that narrative is no longer true. Today we live in a digitally abundant world that gives us access to everything we need, and we need to shift our mindsets away from the linear, industrial revolution to this dynamic, digital age we’re entering.

If we had to think of the opposite trio of emotions, it would become clear, that particularly following the financial restrictions that came from the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us sit on the opposite side, feeling depression, anxiousness and fear. If you’re feeling that that money has become elusive and fraught with deep worry, you’re repelling the financial state you’re trying to acquire. Apply this to a new job that you want or a new business contract or even new clients you’re trying to attract – it requires discipline to relearn how we respond to the energy of money.

The beginning of a new road map for money

Using the word ‘relationship’ in a sentence with money may sound odd, because it’s not alive. True, but we are choosing to trade our life energy for it. We are giving  energy to what we’re doing so we can earn and then use it. That’s why money sparks emotions like fear, guilt and avoidance or excitement, joy and abundance. So while money has no reality, our life energy does. For this reason there are three things we need to give weight to when making a persuasive or an emotive decision.

Financial Intention

Money also requires purpose. We need to give instructions and directions to the energy of money, much like giving ourselves GPS coordinates to reach a destination. How much you need for what purpose. I retrained my brain and emotions to give direction and capacity to where my money should be sitting. How much do you want to make and what do you need it for?

Financial Cadence

This is the rhythm of how you interact and transact with your money. How often do you want to make money? And what value do you place on this relationship?

Financial Container

This is the vessel you mentally hold for your income to sufficiently pay for your basic needs and comforts. Is it the size of the swimming pool or the size of a goldfish bowl. Is it porous like a sieve or built from solid concrete? It is also independent from crippling financial beliefs, debt, and an inability to manage modern conveniences.

What do we have to show for it?

If the daily grind is making us happy, the sacrifices and inconveniences would be worthwhile. But for most people that’s not the case. So, now is the time to become financially fit and to transform your money health radically. Don’t be afraid to ask people to assist you with this shift. Get help, read books, watch videos, get a coach. I went on a money course and then had a coach for three years just talking about money, the flow of money and following abundance meditations - it’s all about a frequency shift away from the narratives we told ourselves to a space where we can create new ideas and attract the money that will elevate us to a state of joy.

ABOUT JOHN SANEI

Futures Strategist, John Sanei, makes sense of future trends and merges them so individuals and organisations can forge forward with confidence, elevating their leadership vision with new possibilities. At the intersection of human science, neuro science, quantum technology, futurism and business strategy research, John travels virtually, locally and internationally to deliver keynote speeches and masterclasses. He’s received global recognition as Africa’s first Singularity University Faculty Member, a lecturer at Duke Corporate Education as well as an Associate Partner at the Copenhagen Institute of Business Studies. As the author of four bestsellers, and currently working on his fifth, John has fulfilled his goal of staying on top on futures trends and the latest in human psychology by researching and publishing a book a year.

The construction sector might have hit a slump amid the COVID-19 pandemic, but Golden Rewards, overall winner of the 2020 Eskom Business Investment Competition, was the exception.

The effects of the two-month suspension of work when the country went into a national hard lockdown in March 2020 had a huge impact on businesses, in general, and the construction sector, in particular. The past few months have been geared towards rebuilding and getting back to profitability for those businesses that have survived the rough tide.

Golden Rewards, whose main business is road maintenance, vegetation management, fencing, and road signs, bagged the main prize that saw it walk away with a whopping R300 000,00 in prize money from the Eskom Development Foundation’s annual Business Investment Competition (BIC) last month.

Golden Rewards was among over 600 small business that took their chance and entered the 2020 Business Investment Competition.

“Being the overall winner of the BIC awards, beating nationwide finalists, means a lot to me and my team. I really cannot thank Eskom enough for the contribution it is making to the growth of my company and for its contribution to where we are today as Golden Rewards 1981 cc,” says Nomwethu Sotshongaye, owner of the business.

In its 12th year, the BIC is aimed at capacitating black-owned small businesses through monetary and business training interventions that assist them to become self-sustainable.

The competition targets registered black-owned South African small businesses that have been operating in the manufacturing, agriculture and agri-processing, trade and services, and engineering and construction sectors for a minimum of two years.

The prize money amounted to R1,3 million, with the overall winner walking away with R300 000,00, while category winners scooped R131 250,00 each, first runners-up R75 000,00 each, and second runners-up each receiving R50 000,00.

Golden Rewards’ Brackenfell headquarters in Cape Town are striking, befitting of a business having grown immensely since its launch in 2013 and currently valued at around R10,6 million. Sotshongaye employs 52 people, sometimes more, depending on the duration of her contracts.

Sourcing general labourers from local communities where her projects are being implemented is always top of her strategic objectives, as empowering locals and making an impact on local economic development are her first priority.

Sotshongaye markets her business through tendering, word of mouth, and networking – and does so successfully. Golden Rewards recently landed three new contracts. Her current thrust is to pursue bigger contracts through joint ventures or subcontracting.

Furthermore, she looks forward to more work from national and local government, the South African National Roads Agency SOC Ltd (SANRAL), Eskom, and more.

Sotshongaye comments, “I am a proud Eskom Contractor Academy graduate. Being announced the BIC’s overall winner was unexpected. This encourages me to do more and to continue making a difference in our communities”.

The 2020 BIC winners per category are as follows:

Manufacturing

• Winner – K1 Recycling cc
• First runner-up – Basils Business Opportunities
• Second runner-up – NJE Brand

Trade and services

• Winner – Immaculate Cleaning & Hygiene Services Pty Ltd
• First runner-up – Ncumisa Chartered Accountants and Auditors
• Second runner-up – Reactive Maintenance Specialists cc (trading as React24)

Engineering and construction

• Winner – Ilanga Lezintaba Zolwandle Consulting Pty Ltd (trading as ILZ Consulting)
• First runner-up – Mokgoroac Lepoka Trading and Projects
• Second runner-up – Bonema Technologies Pty Ltd

Agriculture and agri-processing

• Winner – Olive Leaf Investments Pty Ltd (trading as Rabbitville)
• First runner-up – Azowel Projects
• Second runner-up – Baaa Enterprises (trading as Baa Health)

BIC finalists participated in a two-day Business Connect workshop on 30 and 31 March 2021, where they interacted with industry leaders and networked with like-minded entrepreneurs.

“The Eskom Development Foundation congratulates all the 2020 winners of its annual Business Investment Competition (BIC). Eskom is cognisant of the role of SMEs in skills development, job creation, and economic growth and seeks to empower SMEs to sustain their contribution to the NDP and government’s Priority 1 of economic transformation and job creation. It is Eskom’s considered view that such interventions are needed, more so now in the face of the prevailing gloomy economic outlook,” says Eskom Development Foundation Chief Executive, Cecil Ramonotsi.

Get paid on time – 5 tips for small business owners

 Small businesses can master the skill of getting paid on time – here’s how

By Viresh Harduth, Vice President, Small Business, Sage Africa & Middle East

For small and medium businesses, getting paid on time is one of the biggest administration headaches. After all, when customers don’t pay on time, cash flow takes a knock and you need to borrow money to pay suppliers and service providers.

Let’s not forget that nobody enjoys the awkward conversations and annoying admin that go along with chasing up payments.

Knowing how to prompt customers to settle their accounts on time, without harming your relationship with them, is an essential skill for every small business owner to master.

Here are five tips about how you can get people to pay up by the due date, while reducing the stress involved.

Invoice accurately

One of the best ways to get paid fast is to ensure your invoices are error-free and comply with the customer’s requirements. Include the details they ask for, such as contact and company details, Purchase Order (PO) numbers and breakdowns of costs for different line items.

If you’re dealing with a bigger company, it might be worth checking upfront which information they want on the invoice and which formats they prefer. Once you have this process waxed, it is likely there will be less delay.

Make it easy to pay

 Your goal should be to make it as simple as possible for someone to pay when they open your invoice. Ensure it’s easy for them to find your banking details on the invoice, for example.

Some payment platforms let you include a click-to-pay option in your digital invoice. Especially when dealing with consumers rather than businesses, offer them a range of convenient payment options, including debit and credit card, Snapscan, Zapper, QR code, EFT, and instant EFT.

Communicate clearly

Ensure customers know and agree to your payment terms (whether upon presentation of the invoice or 30 days) before they buy a product or service from you. Include your standard payment terms on every invoice to remind them.

1. Put processes in place to remind customers to pay

This tip is absolutely vital. No-one enjoys running after customers to ask for overdue payments. Putting procedures in place for this task can take some of the pain out of it.

Here are some ways to remind people to pay your invoice, including how to escalate matters for late payment or non-payment:

• Add receipts to your emails and resend the invoice so you can see if the recipient opened them.
• Send an invite to a short meeting to talk about the late payment. This should only be a 15-minute slot but seeing it in their calendar will remind them you need to be paid.
• For smaller businesses, you may wish to be lenient. You can ask if they need help paying and could offer to split the invoice over two months to help with their cash flow. You could also remind them that to pay in a way that suits them best.
• For bigger businesses, try sending them an audit of all outstanding invoices. Appeal to your customer’s better nature. Explain that you’re a small business and having payments made on time is crucial.

 Automate processes

Some accounting solutions will automate parts of the invoicing process, minimising the need for manual data input and the room for error. This will also save you a great deal of time so you can focus on the areas of your business that add value, whether it’s strategy, sales or customer interaction.

Late payments are still a headache

While several large South African companies recently pledged to pay small and medium businesses faster, the issue of late payments still looms large. Late payments not only impact cash flow for many businesses, but they could threaten the survival of many beyond the COVID-19 pandemic.

During this crisis, it pays to work with your customers to ensure prompt payment. Open discussions around the fears and pressure points your customers are facing will help you decide on a reasonable compromise or set out clear payment terms from the offset. It will also help you maintain a good relationship throughout these uncertain times.