Business Tips from the Speakers at TIKZN GIBS East Coast Radio Business Breakfast

Last week I attended this business breakfast and came away with some great business insight from the business leaders in attendance.

(Nick Binedell, Trish Taylor, Zamo Gwala, Nicola Tyler, Jake White, Bernice Samuels and Anwar Jappie - picture by Abhi Indarajan)

Five of South Africa's most influential thought leaders, strategists and trendsetters converged at Durban's ICC.  The event was sponsored by TIKZN.  The theme of the GIBS / East Coast Radio Business Breakfast was Strategy, Transformation and Branding. The MC was the hilarious Darren Maule from East Coast Radio.

Here are some of the tips that the speakers shared:

Zamo Gwala - TIKZN 

• There is now a brokering unit to help companies with their EIA's 
• Business confidence is high as delegations from India and Japan have visited KZN 

Jake White - Director of Rugby, Sharks Rugby

• You need to become bigger and stronger
• You need to understand what you are good at
• What does your business stand for?
• Have a plan, have a direction.
• Backing players leads to success.
• Experience comes with a massive responsibility
• Experienced players set the trend and tone
• Decide how you will be innovative
• Think outside the box
• Build up a network
• He used to look at other sports codes to see what he could learn from them
• History tells you something

Nicola Tyler - CEO of BRG

• Leaders know how to get results 
• Leaders realize it's not about them
• A plan is a set of anticipated steps 
• You have to align what you Think, Say and Do. 

Nick Binedell - GIBS

• What do we have to do as leaders to create those outcomes?
• We learn to lead
• Why are we doing what we are doing?
• This country has produced economic champions
• What attracts you to certain companies?
• Relish the uncertainty
• Do you have training going on in your business? 
• Never take the same route to work
• Do you really understand your city and the markets?
• Does your company engage in Africa?
• You have to take the risk

Bernice Samuels - Chief Marketing Officer - FNB

• You are surrounded by info now so you start resisting a lot of it
• You want to become a brand champion
• Social Media is a weapon of mass communication
• Everyone is a broadcaster 
• You need to give something to people that is meaningful
• What is it you are broadcasting?  Do your clients understand it and relate to it?
• A brand is not a logo
• A brand should have a strategy behind it
• What is so special about your brand?

Anwar Jappie - Brand Director - Nike Africa

• Be brave
• Go into spaces where people say you can't do it
• Look through the lens of the youth
• The youth are confident and opportunistic about Africa
• Half of Africa's population is under 25
• The Youth want to be treated with dignity and respect
• Consumers want it now
• This is now a portable life
• Africa is Number 2 Growth in Mobile Usage Worldwide
• You have to have a digital plan
• Mobile first, then digital
• Be laser focused, who are you speaking to?

All in all much food for thought.

Article by +Fred Felton