Hope Factory provides inspiration to business

PORT Elizabeth’s small business incubator The Hope Factory not only delivered large amounts of hope around start-up entrepreneurship, but significant doses of inspiration too when it showcased its success during the Hope Day 2017 event.

The breakfast event at the Radisson Blu hotel was held on Friday to celebrate entrepreneurial development outcomes within the national Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) framework.

It fielded various speakers and an inspirational panel discussion involving four entrepreneurs enrolled in two of the Hope Factory’s development programmes.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) regional office new business development manager Andre le Grange unpacked B-BBEE at the well-attended function.

He revealed that a core DTI objective was to drive localisation in the economy, by assisting domestic businesses to access markets.

Hope Factory chief executive Annie McWalter, looking at developments and progress at the organisation, said: “Through the effective implementation of enterprise and supplier development (ESD) as well as socioeconomic development, (SED) we ensure impactful entrepreneurial development.”

This was achieved while providing added value for clients through customised programmes tailored to their overall company strategies, she said.

“In addition, collaborative partnerships with industry experts such as Andre Vlok, from Crossroads Business Consultants, provide a valueadded service to our entrepreneurs.

“Andre is mentoring Citrus Green Solutions owner Mosa Dikoba.

“He has offered his skills and experience to Mosa through The Hope Factory, pro bono,” she said.

In measuring the effect of entrepreneurial development interventions, The Hope Factory evaluates both leadership and business growth for the SED and ESD programmes.

This is done while the growth success of the ESD entrepreneurs is measured according to growth in job creation, increase in turnover and increase in margins.

Dikoba, who took part in the panel discussion, was hailed as an example of this because he had created 23 new jobs through business expansion and new corporate clients during 2016-17.

During the panel discussion, Dikoba and fellow panellists Nomkhita Kwinana, Nombulelo Majola and Randall Maarman shared their inspiring entrepreneurial experiences and highlighted the value The Hope Factory had brought to their personal development and that of their businesses.

A core DTI objective is to drive localisation in the economy