Business Plans
Start up information
We all want to know how to write a good business plan… should the need arise.
Some South Africa information here too.
The Government of South Africa actually has quite a few initiatives for business development.
http://196.29.134.193/seda/index.asp
http://www.business-plan-help.com/
http://www.planware.org/bizplan.htm
www.sba.gov/starting_business/startup/basics.html
http://www.freelegaldocs.co.za – Legal South Africa documents
Government Initiatives for Small/Medium businesses
Glad to see they are attempting to help business with starting up and guidance with business plans etc.
ORGANISATION |
SUPPORT OFFERED
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CONTACT
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GOVERNMENT SUPPORT
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| RED Door | A one-stop shop for new and existing businesses looking for assistance and advice. | Eight RED Door Advice Centres around the province. >More details |
| Tourism Business Development Unit | Advice and support for tourism businesses, including 22 Tourism Business Help Desks around the province. | 6th Floor Waldorf Building, St George’s Mall, Cape Town 021 483 8726 >More details |
| Agri-business Support | A wide variety of support, training and information for all farmers. | Agriculture Western Cape: Elsenburg 021 808 5111 >More details |
| Umsobomvu Youth Fund | A national government project to create opportunities for youth employment and youth entrepreneurship. Business Development Support Vouchers enable clients to buy business support services from approved service providers. | Open for Business The Business Place, 6 Anton Anreth Arcade (behind SARS-building in Hans Strydom) 021 425 7816 >More details |
| Small Enterprise Development Agency | A project of the national Department of Trade and Industry to support small businesses. They offer comprehensive support and advice on all aspects of running a business, and provide links to finance providers. | National Call Centre: 0860 103703 >More details |
PRIVATE SECTOR AND NGO SUPPORT
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| Cape Craft and Design Institute | Offers advice, training, networking and exhibition support for any business involved in the craft and design industry. | Cape Peninsula University of Technology 021 460 3982 >More details |
| Clotex | Offers a wide range of training for the clothing and textile industry. Clotex also has information on legal issues, finance, computer skills and technology. | 15 Lower Hope Rd, Rosebank, Cape Town 021 686 0522 |
| Cape IT Initiative | CITI is a regional trade association, networking body and a promotion agency for the ICT industry. It runs a number of mentoring and support projects for small IT companies. | Bandwidth Barn, 125 Buitengracht St, Cape Town 021 409 7000 >More details |
| Business Partners | A specialised investment company for SMMEs, offering finance, property management, mentorship, consulting and on-going business support through industry-specific units. | 60 Sir Lowry Road, Cape Town 021 464 3600 >More details |
| Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship | Provides advice and training for entrepreneurs, as well as helping to find finance. | UCT Graduate School of Business 021 406 1440 >More details |
| Entrepreneurship Development Unit | Provides a variety of training and support services. | University of the Western Cape, Cape Town 021 959 2240 >More details |
| Matie Gemeenskapdiens (Community Service) | Offers support and training including basic business skills for women entrepreneurs and people with disabilities. | Tygerberg and Stellenbosch 021 808 3645 >More details |
| Business Beat | Helps entrepreneurs to identify viable business opportunities and develop their business skills. | 50 Lower Main Rd, Observatory, Cape Town 021 448 9075 >More details |
| NICRO Business Centre | Provides training and support for people wanting to start their own small businesses, especially former offenders, families of offenders and victims of crime. Finance services and micro loans are also available. | Mitchells Plain, Cape Town 021 397 6063 |
| Micro Enterprise Network of NGOs (MENNGOS) | Provides training, support and networking for all small businesses, including a "Women Supporting Women" network. | 12 Spin St, Cape Town 021 461 4642 >More details |
| Zenzele | Trains unemployed people in welding, woodwork, sewing, catering and tourism. It helps graduates to form co-operatives, and also provides business development and incubation services. | New Crossroads and Khayelitsha, Cape Town 021 361 1840 |
INFORMATION SERVICES
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| Library Business Corners | Business Corners are available at most libraries in the Western Cape and provide a wide range of books, pamphlets and other information resources, as well as a place to display your business cards and products. |
Library Business Corners office |
| SBP | SBP provides research and development services to promote strategic partnerships and a better regulatory environment for business growth in Africa. They have a range of useful publications. | 79 Oxford Road, Saxonwold, Johannesburg 011 486 0797 >More details |
| BIG News | An independent newspaper and website specifically to help business owners grow their businesses and create jobs. Regional supplements are published in Gauteng and the Western Cape. | 3rd floor, 37 Strand St, Cape Town 021 426 5203 >More details |
capegateway.gov.za – Awesome user friendly government site for all information you need in Cape Town regarding everything. Who ever initiated this deserves a big vote.
Feasability Study
Usually you need a plan to start a business if you want to approach people for funding or help or partnership.
Venture Capital in South Africa
America seems to have quite a few of these type of “angels” who put money into companies. I must admit, some of the things they invest in look really bad. But I guess they have to put the money somewhere.
In South Africa, there are some organizations that help entrepreneurs and so on.
- http://www.vconline.co.za/ – Venture Capital South Africa.
- endeavor.co.za – Endeavor is not a fund. We’re talent scouts, part non-profit accelerators, part real-time business school.