Judges take Salegh back to core branding basics

LESS is more was the lesson learned by small business owner Fawaaz Salegh, whose brand is cluttered by too many offerings, according to judges in this week’s episode of television show It’s My Biz.

This was one of the downfalls of many businesses that wanted to attract more loyal clients, they said.

The show, focusing on small business, is in its fourth season and airs on Thursday afternoons on e.tv. It features small business owners receiving advice from seasoned entrepreneurs, who pull no punches.

The three judges, who are experienced business owners in their own right, advised Salegh that adding too many elements to his business, CBT International, could be detrimental to his brand. The judges sent Salegh back to the drawing board and advised him to consider rebranding.

After leaving school at a young age, Salegh began working in office automation, selling copiers and printers for Canon, where he worked his way up until he was a top salesperson for three years running.

A nudge from one of Canon’s UK directors motivated him to start his own business. Salegh turned his start-up capital of R15 000 into R80 000 by buying two end-ofrange copy machines and reselling them. His business offers everything from personal loans to hi-tech equipment, home appliances and building materials.

However, Paul Raphaely, Jenna Clifford and David Bate said he should focus his portfolio. The judges deliberated on Salegh’s combo packages, which include kitchen, digital, wedding and rental packages.

Bate, who owns Leopard Frog Vineyards, advised Salegh to grow the depth of his business by selling to lowincome households. Salegh’s dream of opening a store to compete with the likes of HiFi Corp might not be the best move for his brand, Bate said.

Bate said the scope of the enterprise was too large and that he would benefit from narrowing it and deepening the core business of office automation.

Clifford said the variety of combos confused the store’s brand. She advised Salegh to focus his business by sweetening the deals and targeting them using male and female demographic frameworks. She suggested that a practical way to get his creative juices flowing was to page through magazines to get inspired by what was out there.

Raphaely runs NoMU, a local range of food and lifestyle products. He advised the young entrepreneur to cut through the clutter and find the core of what his business stood for. Raphaely termed this the “brand essence”.

The judges also said CBT International should enlist the help of professional agencies that could help him to do the things needed to focus the brand. These included help in setting up a vibrant online presence and developing ideas.

It was like being back at school for Salegh.