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F UT UR E F O CUS • •
Knowing yourself is the beginning of all wisdom. – Aristotle
table business both now and into
the future. In an industry which is
defined by global innovation and
advancements, one cannot afford
to be left behind in the race, left to
rummage in the scraps of our own
self-pity or even left in limbo going
down the river with no paddle and
no rudder. NO!
Aristotle said, ‘Knowing yourself
is the beginning of all wisdom.’
Start with self-observation and
introspection. Can you cope with
the uncertainty? How are your
emotions and how do you deal
with living in our current tumul
tuous and unprecedented political
climate? Are you prepared to plan
a path going forward under these
circumstances? Are you prepared
to ride the waves of our fledgling
and often f(l)ailing democracy?
These are all questions that you
NEED to ask yourself, because if
you don’t you will never be able to
plan effectively for your business.
You will constantly be waiting
for a nudge or a push or an open
door.
This also contradicts the accepted
notion that all businesses need at
least a 5-year and a 10-year plan
to be successful. You cannot afford
to plan month to month or even
one or two years ahead. If you
plan for the now only, then your
vision is not big enough and you
will have little scope for growth
and expansion. Things will always
be as they are… just ticking over
or they will enter a slippery path
into decline. If you do decide
to ride the rocky waves into the
future, then you have to do it with
guts and passion and determina
tion. Be the best you possibly can
be while growing a business that
you are proud of - and one that is
liquid and making money.
Look at your business critically.
Consider what you need and
want for yourself and your family
regarding provision, then consider
what your business needs to pro
vide you with in order to get that
which you want. If your business
can’t provide you with your needs
and wants, then you have some
serious strategising to do.
STRATEGISING!
To strategise effectively you need
to start with a BUDGET. Be
realistic and list everything you
have in terms of assets - physi
cally, materially and emotionally.
Visualise your debt, your bank
balances and your overdrafts.
Calculate your asset to debt
position. Calculate your current
financial demands, everything!
Take time doing this so that you
get the most accurate reflection
of your current business position
as possible. There is no need to
try and hide things from yourself.
Once this is all laid out, then you
can start strategising.
Business planning is not a one
day event. You need to take time,
think, be creative, develop hypo
thetical scenarios in your mind
(and on paper). Draw up forecast
ed figures and make sure that you
are conservative and objective in
your forecasts.
Compare ideas and thoughts.
Speak to a trusted confidante or a
mentor and use them as a sound
ing board. Most important of all,
remove all sentiment from your
decision-making and be clever
by thinking outside the box. Dr
Daleen Smal, in her book The Art
of Money, says ‘You have to align
your thoughts, your feelings and
your actions with the results you
desire’.
Planning in times of uncertainty
is extremely difficult. But uncer
tainty should never STOP us
from planning. I am increasingly
hearing farmers and business
people saying things like “We’ll
see what happens next year, after
the elections”, “I’m not going to
invest now because I’m just not
sure about the market”, “I’ll make
that decision after the next budget
speech” - Yes, of course you are
allowed to be cautious and careful.
But IF you decide that you want
to do business in Africa, then you
must DO business in Africa!
Stop pussy-footing around waiting
for the next gloomy State of the
Nation Address or pronounce
ment from an extremist activist or
politician seeking votes.
If you decide to ride the waves,
then commit to the path, hold
tight and be prepared for many
ups and downs and dips and turns
because that, dear reader, is a
given guarantee when living and
doing business in Africa. But as is
well known, with big risks there
can be big rewards, IF you PLAN
effectively and manoeuvre your
business cleverly. Sun Tzu, the
famous Chinese military general,
strategist and philosopher said, ‘If
you know the enemy and know
yourself, you need not fear the
result of a hundred battles. If you
know yourself, but not the enemy,
for every victory gained you will
also suffer a defeat. If you know
neither the enemy nor yourself,
you will succumb in every battle.’
Planning positions you better,
know yourself and your environ
ment and if you act accordingly,
you will have the best possible
chance of long-term success in
your business.
SENWES Scenario • JUN/JUL 2017
51