South Africa: Paving the way for a new generation of top entrepreneurs

Businesswoman of the Year, Dr Nondumiso Mzizana, launches Success Summit: Johannesburg – Dr Nondumiso Mzizana, Businesswomen’s Association Businesswoman of the Year for 2012, is launching Success Summit, a series of business summits that will feature top-drawer speakers, all specialists in their field. The first two summits, which are to be held at The Venue in Melrose Arch on 27 July and at the Sheraton Hotel in Pretoria on 31 August, will not only give entrepreneurs the chance to hear from and meet some of the country’s foremost business thinkers, but also to connect with and network amongst their peers.

Dr Nondumiso Mzizana

Dr Nondumiso Mzizana

The launch summits will feature a stellar line-up of speakers from across the range of business sectors. They include Dr Mzizana herself, Businesswoman of the Year in the Entrepreneur Category, who will be speaking about opportunities in the medical and pharmaceutical industries. Also on the programme are:

·         Ms Qedani Mahlangu, Gauteng MEC for Economic Development, who will be speaking on business opportunities for entrepreneurs South Africa’s economic hub;

·         Ms Nonkululeko Gobodo, South Africa’s first black female Chartered Accountant whose company, Sizwe Ntsaluba Gobodo, is the country’s biggest black-owned accounting and advisory firm; talking on accounts

·         Mr Tim Tebeila, CEO of Sekoko Resources and former President of the National Federated Chamber of Commerce;  talking on mining

·         Ms Ipeleng Mkhari, CEO of Motseng Investment Holdings; talking on property investments and construction

·         Dr Danisa Baloyi, Executive Director of the Black Business Caucus; on her experiences as an entrepreneur and

·         Gert Schoombie of T-Systems, who will be speaking on opportunities available in the technology sector.

Success is about more than just talent and hard work, it is about having the right support too. Large companies know the value of training, mentorship and networking, but where does that leave entrepreneurs, especially those just starting out? Too many small and medium enterprises (SMEs) fail simply for the lack of input that upcoming stars receive in big business. That is about to change.

South Africa has so many incredible young people and so many extraordinary business opportunities,” says Dr Mzizana, “and it is our dream to see all of this potential fully realised in the up-and-coming generation of entrepreneurs.

“Nevertheless, many new and developing SMEs still face enormous business management, financing and market access challenges, so our goal is to give them both the information they need to meet these challenges, as well as the opportunity to establish strong business networks.”

“The purpose of Success Summit is to inspire, coach, mentor and educate entrepreneurs, especially young entrepreneurs, from all cultures and backgrounds,” says Dr Mzizana. “Our vision is to enable them to make the very best of their potential, and we aim to do this by offering them exposure to key businesspeople in such sectors as mining, manufacturing, retail, construction, healthcare, pharmaceuticals, law, investment, finance, agriculture, tourism and the media.

“Together with the opportunity to network with other entrepreneurs, we hope this will help to pave the way for the country’s independent businesspeople to move to even greater heights, and enable them to make everything they can of their businesses and their careers.”

For further information about Success Summit and for registration, visit www.successsummit.net

Tickets are R3 500.00 – proceeds will be reinvested to youth at high schools and women in the rural outskirts of each visited.