Take Charge – Career Snippets
Looking for a business venture to try this year? An authentic Mzansi-style enterprise in the consumer and technology industries is the way to go, according to Manuel Koser, Silvertree Internet Holdings co-founder and MD. He lists the following five as gre
Indigenous and ethical personal and home care products: Creating products using organic or homegrown ingredients that are friendly to the environment and the body, is the next best thing – especially in the booming natural hair industry. “There is a lot of room to play in the African hair care market as it’s often overlooked by the major FMCG companies,” Koser advises.
New beverages: The world is more health conscious, so concentrating on this growing trend is a win, Koser says. “It’s less about a standard fizzy drink, but rather one that’s kind to the body as it’s made from natural ingredients. Think non-alcoholic: water plus cucumber, for example. The market for this will grow.”
Ethical snacking: Veganism is on the rise, and the lifestyle is seen as an advantage for making ethical plant-based snacks and goods that are health-oriented. “It’s about unique, tasty and functional foods that cater to the modern, time-starved consumer,” Koser explains. Buy, sell and compare online:
E-commerce has made life easier, and technology has allowed many the luxury to access services at their fingertips. This is a business trend you can invest in. “Many South African consumers use services such as Google, Amazon, Uber and Spotify daily – these are world-class products that function at a global scale. Go after products and services in the right space, and consumers will follow,” he says. Reinvent the wheel: There’s no need for new ideas – making the old more accessible to millennials and closing the gap by cutting out the middleman is key in 2019, Koser says. “Today, a lot of services are easy to automate – think about connecting a homeowner to a prospective renter through a digital solution where renters can be qualified, in terms of their finances, personal information and criminal records. Quick and simple. And no middleman.”