WATCH | Episode 40: How small business can navigate the digital era
Our guest in the final episode of Small Business E-volution, which aired on Channel 412, is TymeBank’s Mmasetena Nyatlo. Watch previous episodes below
01 March 2024 - 12:29
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Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
Small Business E-volution, hosted by Nontobeko Gumede, is a weekly segment on Business Day TV focusing on the challenges and opportunities for small business owners across SA as they navigate the e-commerce and technology landscapes to gain maximum advantage from the new digital market place.
The series taps into the thinking and activities of industry leaders and small business owners.
* We apologise for the three videos still unavailable and are working hard to restore access to these on our new channel.
EPISODE 40
Longevity continues to be a challenge for many SMEs. While some startups get off the ground quickly due to a keen interest in their product or service, meeting that demand can be difficult.
TymeBank’s product head for SME banking, Mmasetena Nyatlo, shares her expertise with host Nontobeko Gumede on how to prep your startup for rapid growth.
EPISODE 39
Gumede sits down with techpreneur Aune Aunapuu, the CEO of Yaga. Aune shares the growth of pre-loved fashion in the African market over the years, including the complexities of relying on Facebook as a marketplace.
EPISODE 38
SA is slowly becoming one of the leading e-commerce developing markets in the world. With high market growth expectations, some experts predict that 2024 will be the year online retail will start to accelerate and catch up with the international uptake.
Gumede is joined by Bob Group's head of marketplace, Craig Lubbe, to discuss some of the market trends dominating the digital space.
EPISODE 37
TUNL is an award-winning parcel shipping startup offering affordable and seamless parcel shipping from Africa to the US, EU, UK and Australia.
Host Nontobeko Gumede speaks to co-founder and CEO, Matthew Davey, on how ecommerce has shaped the logistics industry for SMEs and how they have attracted the right investors over the years.
EPISODE 36
Gumede speaks to Idan Jaan, head of partners at Retail Capital SA, about the various strategies SME can adopt to help understand and manage their debt better.
EPISODE 35
Online marketplaces like Takealot experienced a 33% increase in Black Friday sales in 2022 and recorded more than 3-million visits to their site on the day. PayFast saw an impressive 24% growth in sales going through its payment gateway.
While Black Friday brings in a boost in sales, it’s not always a clear win for SMEs. Host Nontobeko Gumede is joined by the head of growth at TymeBank, Jarred Deacon, to discuss ways SMEs can make the most of Black November.
EPISODE 34
Mobile technology has changed the way companies function and interact with the consumer. For operations with hundreds or even thousands of devices and SIMs to manage, combating runaway data and airtime spend can cost hundreds of thousands of rands each month. Host Nontobeko Gumede explores mobile device management in detail with the CEO of Mint Solutions, Danielle Afriat.
EPISODE 33
Despite the valuable contribution SMEs make to the SA economy, the creation rate of new small businesses in SA is one of the lowest in the world, while the failure rate of SMEs has been reported to be alarming.
Host Nontobeko Gumede speaks to Experian’s head of strategy and innovation, Jaco van Jaarsveld, about the 2023 statistical insights from the Business Debt Index and the macro-economic indicators that have an impact on the ability of companies to pay their creditors.
EPISODE 32
The Council for Medical Schemes has recommended that schemes cap their contribution increases for 2024 at 5.7%. However, due to an increase in medical inflation, none of the medical schemes would accommodate this.
Gumede explores TymeBank’s efforts to provide affordable primary healthcare insurance solutions for third-party beneficiaries with TymeBank’s managing executive for insurance, Nuno da Silva.
EPISODE 31
Digital payments are facilitating financial inclusion across Africa, with 69% of adults now having a mobile money account. Notably, SMEs are among the primary beneficiaries, as digital payments enable growth and reduce costs.
On this episode of Small Business E-volution, Gumede speaks to Mastercard's division president for Sub-Saharan Africa, Mark Elliot, about the significant rise in cashless payments and the role this plays in stimulating South Africa's digital economy, especially the township market.
EPISODE 30
The insurance industry, as with all other sectors, has had to adjust to the fast-paced digital transformation boom, but at what pace is the industry adapting to this change and how are consumers impacted by all of this?
Nontobeko Gumede finds out from Mishaya Chettiar, executive head at Everything.Insure.
EPISODE 29
On this instalment Gumede speaks to the CEO of Konsise, Philip Tillman, about the significant development in SA's VAT regime, the intriguing “Mother-in-Law” effect in relation to the potential for real-time VAT data transmission to SARS, and what this means for SMEs.
EPISODE 28
We chat about all things around cyberattacks and cybersecurity on this week's episode. According to research conducted in 2021, 43% of cyberattacks target SMEs, equating to four in 10 businesses. Recent reports noted that these attacks increased 18.8% between the last quarter of 2022 and first quarter of 2023. Businesses in the e-commerce industry are vulnerable because they mainly operate online.
Gumede is joined by data protection company Veeam's system engineering manager, Ian Engelbrecht, to discuss the reports and how businesses can protect themselves.
EPISODE 27
There are many factors to consider before scaling your business. These can range from the developments in technology, demand for your products or services and funding.
This week Gumede speaks to Rean Bloem, GM of funding at Retail Capital, a business funding company that has funded more than 50,000 SA businesses with more than R8.5bn over the past decade. Bloem shares the factors to consider when scaling your business, and explains the funding opportunities that are available for SMEs.
This week we highlight the end of Women's Month which had the theme, “Accelerating socioeconomic opportunities for women's empowerment”. Denise Neethling, head of marketing at Paymenow, joins Gumede to talk about how the company's Earned Wage Access solution can give women more control over their finances.
EPISODE 25
In this week’s episode, Pheello Maboea, chief technology officer at Healthforce and Kena Health, joins Nontobeko Gumede.
Kena Health is a healthcare service that allows you to consult a nurse, doctor or therapist from your smartphone
Maboea discusses the challenges of building a healthcare app in SA and how small businesses can benefit from the NHI bill.
EPISODE 24
The process of digitisation means more retail stores have an online presence and with that comes the need for safe online payment systems to ensure they are not the victims of cyberattacks.
Payfast chief commercial officer David Adams joins Nontobeko Gumede to talk about his company’s online payment service.
EPISODE 23
It can be challenging for SMEs to keep up good saving habits and maintain a consistent cash flow in the current economic climate.
On this week’s episode TymeBank chief strategy officer Greg Illgner talks to Gumede about how SA’s best savings rates can work for SMEs.
EPISODE 22
Mayo Twala, founder and CEO of microfinance application My Stock-Up Exchange, uses gamification to encourage working-class South Africans to save and invest.
On this week's episode she joins Gumede to discuss how she came up with the idea of using gaming to promote saving and investing while a student, the challenges of setting up a small business in the UK and her hopes for the SA economy.
EPISODE 21
Having realised the value of agriculture in daily living and how farmers were affected by the absence of a platform in the e-commerce space, serial entrepreneur Karidas Tshintsholo created the Khula app to connect farmers to markets and markets to farmers.
On this week's episode he joins Gumede to discuss how the Khula app is advancing e-commerce in the agriculture industry and what this looks like.
EPISODE 20
Artificial intelligence is currently at the centre of fourth industrial revolution conversations. However, there exists an older tech trend which is more specific to SMEs. Robotic process automation (RPA) is an automatic technological system created to mimic the tasks of workers.
This week Gumede is joined by Filum Ho, CEO of Apollo Studios, to discuss RPAs, how they function and the many benefits for small businesses.
EPISODE 19
The brain drain experienced in SA is a growing challenge due to factors such as a lack of employment in the country while remote work opportunities provided by global organisations are accelerating.
On this week's episode Playroll COO Simonetta Giuricich joins Nontobeko Gumede to discuss the company's released white paper, “SA's Brain Drain: Towards Fresh Conversation For HR Leaders”, and how they have been able to assist businesses hire employees anywhere in the world.
They are joined by the founder and CEO of Platform45, Shaun Richards, who shares insight on how he has been affected by the brain drain and how he has made use of the services offered by Playroll.
EPISODE 18
There are many considerations one must take into account when starting a business. One of them is the type of business ownership — partnership, private company or a sole proprietorship, for example.
On this week’s episode of Small Business E-volution Mmasetena Nyatlo, product head of SME banking at TymeBank, joins Gumede to discuss some of the factors you need to consider when choosing a business ownership type and the benefits of a sole proprietorship when starting your online business.
EPISODE 17
This week we take a look at Sage's annual survey, “Small Business, Big Opportunity”. Results from the survey show that despite the current economic climate, SA SMEs are eager to implement technologies that will give them a competitive edge in their markets.
The survey also reveals that 54% of businesses anticipate an increase in revenue and that business owners are confident about their companies' success rates. Pieter Bensch, executive vice-president and MD at Sage Africa and Middle East, joins Gumede to discuss these findings and also shares insights on how SMEs can make use of Sage’s software solutions.
EPISODE 16
On this week's episode Gumede is joined by Tsepo Sehona, co-founder of Spongein, to discuss how the education sector has been able to adapt to digital transformation.
Sehona sheds light on how his business model enables students to access knowledge and information at any time and from any location, giving them the convenience of learning at their own pace. He also shares the financial implications of running this business model in today's volatile economic environment.
Technological advances have meant that businesses can reach more consumers because of the growth of e-commerce. Research suggests that language can significantly affect consumer behaviour in e-commerce since people are more inclined to buy goods or services from websites that offer such goods or services in their native tongue.
Due to the diversity of linguistic and cultural groups in SA, it may be challenging for SMEs to cater to this.
This week the CEO of Botlhale AI, Thapelo Nthite, joins Gumede to share his entrepreneurial journey of building an online platform that uses AI technology to help customers engage and transact in languages they understand. He sheds light on the challenges that exist, such as language barriers in the e-commerce space, and how AI can be used to solve them.
EPISODE 14
Despite a lack of adequate infrastructure, SMEs are still under pressure to adapt to digital transformation as that adaptation is imperative to competitiveness in the ever-changing business landscape.
This week Gumede and TymeBank’s CCO, Cheslyn Jacobs, discuss the importance of SMEs adapting to new methods offered by digital transformation and how they can adapt despite the challenges.
EPISODE 13
According to recent data, a sizeable proportion of restaurants and businesses in SA are using delivery to reach customers more effectively. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Uber Eats, one of the top SA online food delivery services, has experienced significant growth.
In this week's episode, Uber's merchant operations lead, Vuyo Maselana, speaks to Gumede about how the company is assisting SMEs in the current economic climate. Thabang Monama, CEO of Mofine Foods, joins the two to talk about how he has been able to leverage the Uber Eats platform to reach more customers efficiently.
EPISODE 12
Many South African students struggle with the reality of having to choose what they want to do with the rest of their lives before they truly know what they enjoy and what their professional prospects are. This is particularly true for students from underprivileged homes who must deal with the problem of limited internet access.
Lebohang Diale, CEO of Gradesmatch, joins Gumede on this episode of Small Business E-volution to discuss how they built an online platform that assists learners in SA in selecting the appropriate career path. The pair also discuss the financial implications of running this type of business in today's socioeconomic climate.
EPISODE 11
The Covid-19 outbreak appears to have accelerated the shift to a cashless society. Cash transactions in SA have decreased from 57% in 2017 to 35% in 2022, according to Statista. Mudiwa Gavaza, a business writer and tech enthusiast, joins Gumede on this week's episode of Small Business E-volution to talk about whether SA is a cashless society, and discuss the tools that entrepreneurs can use to succeed in the e-commerce industry.
Lungisa Matshoba, CEO and co-founder of Yoco, a mobile payment and software company that provides small companies in SA with a simple way to take card payments, joins in the conversation to share insight on the use and benefits of their point-of-sale machine.
EPISODE 10
Digitalisation has forced both consumers and businesses to relook at communicating and filing of streamlining processes. The rise of cloud computing has allowed businesses to soar to new heights.
Host Nontobeko Gumede is joined by EasyBiz Technologies MD Gary Epstein to examine cloud computing and how SMEs can make the most of it.
EPISODE 9
Cash flow is crucial for the success of your business, whether you run it online or in a physical location. According to SCORE.org, 82% of small businesses fail due to a lack of proper cash flow management. The percentage is at a 90% high in the e-commerce sector. This is because of the delays between manufacturing and sale to revenue and seasonal demands and costs in the sector.
On this episode of Small Business E-volution, we talk all things cash. Gumede is joined by the managing executive for TymeBank’s SME strategy and execution, Hannalie Marsh, to discuss efficient ways to manage cash flow in the e-commerce space.
EPISODE 8
With the growth of e-commerce and digital changes, many people fear losing their jobs. However, there is a silver lining: by using efficient and dependable techniques, e-commerce has the potential to make it easier for people to find employment and for businesses to find human resources.
The CEO of Job Crystal, Sasha Knott, and the CEO of Col'Cacchio Holdings, Tashalene Reid, join Gumede to talk about how AI technology helps organisations recruit faster and more efficiently.
EPISODE 7
Online marketplaces offer fertile ground for SMEs to grow and thrive. In exchange, those companies charge various fees — including a percentage-based success fee for every sale. An 11-year lead has cemented Takealot as the biggest online retailer in SA, at present housing about 8,000 sellers.
The company's CEO, Frederik Zietsman, joins Gumede to discuss how the online store has made a name for itself and the challenges SMEs face when selling through a third-party marketplace.
EPISODE 6
E-commerce is growing at an unprecedented rate in SA. Business Insider says that the Covid-19 pandemic's limits on conventional retail stores led to a 30% decline in in-store shopping. This has sparked numerous changes as small business owners have been forced to adapt to the current digital landscape.
On this week's episode the founder of Flux Trends, Dion Chang, chats to Gumede about the various SA e-commerce trends and how SMEs can tap into them.
EPISODE 5
There is no denying that SMEs in SA are suffering significant difficulties due to the country's present economic climate, including never-ending load-shedding schedules, rises in running costs, and higher living expenses in general. TymeBank CCO Cheslyn Jacobs joins Nontobeko Gumede in-studio to share ways in which small business owners can mitigate costs in these difficult times.
EPISODE 4
LinkedIn is known as a platform to find employment and employees but, in reality, it's a lot more than that. Gumede is joined by the CEO of Turn Left Media, Marius Greeff, to discuss how SMEs can use LinkedIn correctly as an e-commerce brand.
EPISODE 3
In this week's episode we discuss how the term e-commerce is becoming increasingly important in the lexicon of today’s tourism managers all around the world. Gumede is joined by the CEO of Zulu Nomad, Phakamile Hlazo, to discuss the opportunities, and threats, which digital transformation brings to the tourism industry.
EPISODE 2
Gumede interviews Arjun Khoosal, the CTO of Kandua, which is an online platform hosting small businesses in the home services industry. Khoosal shares insight on how the industry is adapting to the digital world.
EPISODE 1
SA has seen a rapid increase in online spending post-Covid. Consumers are not only becoming increasingly savvy but they continue to demand more from their checkout and payment processes, forcing businesses to reshape their business models on how they can connect and improve customer experience digitally.
Gumede is joined by TymeBank’s chief commercial officer Cheslyn Jacobs to talk about the e-commerce space and how the digital bank aims to empower Mzansi’s small business owners.
Support our award-winning journalism. The Premium package (digital only) is R30 for the first month and thereafter you pay R129 p/m now ad-free for all subscribers.
WATCH | Episode 40: How small business can navigate the digital era
Our guest in the final episode of Small Business E-volution, which aired on Channel 412, is TymeBank’s Mmasetena Nyatlo. Watch previous episodes below
Small Business E-volution, hosted by Nontobeko Gumede, is a weekly segment on Business Day TV focusing on the challenges and opportunities for small business owners across SA as they navigate the e-commerce and technology landscapes to gain maximum advantage from the new digital market place.
The series taps into the thinking and activities of industry leaders and small business owners.
* We apologise for the three videos still unavailable and are working hard to restore access to these on our new channel.
EPISODE 40
Longevity continues to be a challenge for many SMEs. While some startups get off the ground quickly due to a keen interest in their product or service, meeting that demand can be difficult.
TymeBank’s product head for SME banking, Mmasetena Nyatlo, shares her expertise with host Nontobeko Gumede on how to prep your startup for rapid growth.
EPISODE 39
Gumede sits down with techpreneur Aune Aunapuu, the CEO of Yaga. Aune shares the growth of pre-loved fashion in the African market over the years, including the complexities of relying on Facebook as a marketplace.
EPISODE 38
SA is slowly becoming one of the leading e-commerce developing markets in the world. With high market growth expectations, some experts predict that 2024 will be the year online retail will start to accelerate and catch up with the international uptake.
Gumede is joined by Bob Group's head of marketplace, Craig Lubbe, to discuss some of the market trends dominating the digital space.
EPISODE 37
TUNL is an award-winning parcel shipping startup offering affordable and seamless parcel shipping from Africa to the US, EU, UK and Australia.
Host Nontobeko Gumede speaks to co-founder and CEO, Matthew Davey, on how ecommerce has shaped the logistics industry for SMEs and how they have attracted the right investors over the years.
EPISODE 36
Gumede speaks to Idan Jaan, head of partners at Retail Capital SA, about the various strategies SME can adopt to help understand and manage their debt better.
EPISODE 35
Online marketplaces like Takealot experienced a 33% increase in Black Friday sales in 2022 and recorded more than 3-million visits to their site on the day. PayFast saw an impressive 24% growth in sales going through its payment gateway.
While Black Friday brings in a boost in sales, it’s not always a clear win for SMEs. Host Nontobeko Gumede is joined by the head of growth at TymeBank, Jarred Deacon, to discuss ways SMEs can make the most of Black November.
EPISODE 34
Mobile technology has changed the way companies function and interact with the consumer. For operations with hundreds or even thousands of devices and SIMs to manage, combating runaway data and airtime spend can cost hundreds of thousands of rands each month. Host Nontobeko Gumede explores mobile device management in detail with the CEO of Mint Solutions, Danielle Afriat.
EPISODE 33
Despite the valuable contribution SMEs make to the SA economy, the creation rate of new small businesses in SA is one of the lowest in the world, while the failure rate of SMEs has been reported to be alarming.
Host Nontobeko Gumede speaks to Experian’s head of strategy and innovation, Jaco van Jaarsveld, about the 2023 statistical insights from the Business Debt Index and the macro-economic indicators that have an impact on the ability of companies to pay their creditors.
EPISODE 32
The Council for Medical Schemes has recommended that schemes cap their contribution increases for 2024 at 5.7%. However, due to an increase in medical inflation, none of the medical schemes would accommodate this.
Gumede explores TymeBank’s efforts to provide affordable primary healthcare insurance solutions for third-party beneficiaries with TymeBank’s managing executive for insurance, Nuno da Silva.
EPISODE 31
Digital payments are facilitating financial inclusion across Africa, with 69% of adults now having a mobile money account. Notably, SMEs are among the primary beneficiaries, as digital payments enable growth and reduce costs.
On this episode of Small Business E-volution, Gumede speaks to Mastercard's division president for Sub-Saharan Africa, Mark Elliot, about the significant rise in cashless payments and the role this plays in stimulating South Africa's digital economy, especially the township market.
EPISODE 30
The insurance industry, as with all other sectors, has had to adjust to the fast-paced digital transformation boom, but at what pace is the industry adapting to this change and how are consumers impacted by all of this?
Nontobeko Gumede finds out from Mishaya Chettiar, executive head at Everything.Insure.
EPISODE 29
On this instalment Gumede speaks to the CEO of Konsise, Philip Tillman, about the significant development in SA's VAT regime, the intriguing “Mother-in-Law” effect in relation to the potential for real-time VAT data transmission to SARS, and what this means for SMEs.
EPISODE 28
We chat about all things around cyberattacks and cybersecurity on this week's episode. According to research conducted in 2021, 43% of cyberattacks target SMEs, equating to four in 10 businesses. Recent reports noted that these attacks increased 18.8% between the last quarter of 2022 and first quarter of 2023. Businesses in the e-commerce industry are vulnerable because they mainly operate online.
Gumede is joined by data protection company Veeam's system engineering manager, Ian Engelbrecht, to discuss the reports and how businesses can protect themselves.
EPISODE 27
There are many factors to consider before scaling your business. These can range from the developments in technology, demand for your products or services and funding.
This week Gumede speaks to Rean Bloem, GM of funding at Retail Capital, a business funding company that has funded more than 50,000 SA businesses with more than R8.5bn over the past decade. Bloem shares the factors to consider when scaling your business, and explains the funding opportunities that are available for SMEs.
EPISODE 26
This week we highlight the end of Women's Month which had the theme, “Accelerating socioeconomic opportunities for women's empowerment”. Denise Neethling, head of marketing at Paymenow, joins Gumede to talk about how the company's Earned Wage Access solution can give women more control over their finances.
EPISODE 25
In this week’s episode, Pheello Maboea, chief technology officer at Healthforce and Kena Health, joins Nontobeko Gumede.
Kena Health is a healthcare service that allows you to consult a nurse, doctor or therapist from your smartphone
Maboea discusses the challenges of building a healthcare app in SA and how small businesses can benefit from the NHI bill.
EPISODE 24
The process of digitisation means more retail stores have an online presence and with that comes the need for safe online payment systems to ensure they are not the victims of cyberattacks.
Payfast chief commercial officer David Adams joins Nontobeko Gumede to talk about his company’s online payment service.
EPISODE 23
It can be challenging for SMEs to keep up good saving habits and maintain a consistent cash flow in the current economic climate.
On this week’s episode TymeBank chief strategy officer Greg Illgner talks to Gumede about how SA’s best savings rates can work for SMEs.
EPISODE 22
Mayo Twala, founder and CEO of microfinance application My Stock-Up Exchange, uses gamification to encourage working-class South Africans to save and invest.
On this week's episode she joins Gumede to discuss how she came up with the idea of using gaming to promote saving and investing while a student, the challenges of setting up a small business in the UK and her hopes for the SA economy.
EPISODE 21
Having realised the value of agriculture in daily living and how farmers were affected by the absence of a platform in the e-commerce space, serial entrepreneur Karidas Tshintsholo created the Khula app to connect farmers to markets and markets to farmers.
On this week's episode he joins Gumede to discuss how the Khula app is advancing e-commerce in the agriculture industry and what this looks like.
EPISODE 20
Artificial intelligence is currently at the centre of fourth industrial revolution conversations. However, there exists an older tech trend which is more specific to SMEs. Robotic process automation (RPA) is an automatic technological system created to mimic the tasks of workers.
This week Gumede is joined by Filum Ho, CEO of Apollo Studios, to discuss RPAs, how they function and the many benefits for small businesses.
EPISODE 19
The brain drain experienced in SA is a growing challenge due to factors such as a lack of employment in the country while remote work opportunities provided by global organisations are accelerating.
On this week's episode Playroll COO Simonetta Giuricich joins Nontobeko Gumede to discuss the company's released white paper, “SA's Brain Drain: Towards Fresh Conversation For HR Leaders”, and how they have been able to assist businesses hire employees anywhere in the world.
They are joined by the founder and CEO of Platform45, Shaun Richards, who shares insight on how he has been affected by the brain drain and how he has made use of the services offered by Playroll.
EPISODE 18
There are many considerations one must take into account when starting a business. One of them is the type of business ownership — partnership, private company or a sole proprietorship, for example.
On this week’s episode of Small Business E-volution Mmasetena Nyatlo, product head of SME banking at TymeBank, joins Gumede to discuss some of the factors you need to consider when choosing a business ownership type and the benefits of a sole proprietorship when starting your online business.
EPISODE 17
This week we take a look at Sage's annual survey, “Small Business, Big Opportunity”. Results from the survey show that despite the current economic climate, SA SMEs are eager to implement technologies that will give them a competitive edge in their markets.
The survey also reveals that 54% of businesses anticipate an increase in revenue and that business owners are confident about their companies' success rates. Pieter Bensch, executive vice-president and MD at Sage Africa and Middle East, joins Gumede to discuss these findings and also shares insights on how SMEs can make use of Sage’s software solutions.
EPISODE 16
On this week's episode Gumede is joined by Tsepo Sehona, co-founder of Spongein, to discuss how the education sector has been able to adapt to digital transformation.
Sehona sheds light on how his business model enables students to access knowledge and information at any time and from any location, giving them the convenience of learning at their own pace. He also shares the financial implications of running this business model in today's volatile economic environment.
EPISODE 15
Technological advances have meant that businesses can reach more consumers because of the growth of e-commerce. Research suggests that language can significantly affect consumer behaviour in e-commerce since people are more inclined to buy goods or services from websites that offer such goods or services in their native tongue.
Due to the diversity of linguistic and cultural groups in SA, it may be challenging for SMEs to cater to this.
This week the CEO of Botlhale AI, Thapelo Nthite, joins Gumede to share his entrepreneurial journey of building an online platform that uses AI technology to help customers engage and transact in languages they understand. He sheds light on the challenges that exist, such as language barriers in the e-commerce space, and how AI can be used to solve them.
EPISODE 14
Despite a lack of adequate infrastructure, SMEs are still under pressure to adapt to digital transformation as that adaptation is imperative to competitiveness in the ever-changing business landscape.
This week Gumede and TymeBank’s CCO, Cheslyn Jacobs, discuss the importance of SMEs adapting to new methods offered by digital transformation and how they can adapt despite the challenges.
EPISODE 13
According to recent data, a sizeable proportion of restaurants and businesses in SA are using delivery to reach customers more effectively. Since the Covid-19 pandemic, Uber Eats, one of the top SA online food delivery services, has experienced significant growth.
In this week's episode, Uber's merchant operations lead, Vuyo Maselana, speaks to Gumede about how the company is assisting SMEs in the current economic climate. Thabang Monama, CEO of Mofine Foods, joins the two to talk about how he has been able to leverage the Uber Eats platform to reach more customers efficiently.
EPISODE 12
Many South African students struggle with the reality of having to choose what they want to do with the rest of their lives before they truly know what they enjoy and what their professional prospects are. This is particularly true for students from underprivileged homes who must deal with the problem of limited internet access.
Lebohang Diale, CEO of Gradesmatch, joins Gumede on this episode of Small Business E-volution to discuss how they built an online platform that assists learners in SA in selecting the appropriate career path. The pair also discuss the financial implications of running this type of business in today's socioeconomic climate.
EPISODE 11
The Covid-19 outbreak appears to have accelerated the shift to a cashless society. Cash transactions in SA have decreased from 57% in 2017 to 35% in 2022, according to Statista. Mudiwa Gavaza, a business writer and tech enthusiast, joins Gumede on this week's episode of Small Business E-volution to talk about whether SA is a cashless society, and discuss the tools that entrepreneurs can use to succeed in the e-commerce industry.
Lungisa Matshoba, CEO and co-founder of Yoco, a mobile payment and software company that provides small companies in SA with a simple way to take card payments, joins in the conversation to share insight on the use and benefits of their point-of-sale machine.
EPISODE 10
Digitalisation has forced both consumers and businesses to relook at communicating and filing of streamlining processes. The rise of cloud computing has allowed businesses to soar to new heights.
Host Nontobeko Gumede is joined by EasyBiz Technologies MD Gary Epstein to examine cloud computing and how SMEs can make the most of it.
EPISODE 9
Cash flow is crucial for the success of your business, whether you run it online or in a physical location. According to SCORE.org, 82% of small businesses fail due to a lack of proper cash flow management. The percentage is at a 90% high in the e-commerce sector. This is because of the delays between manufacturing and sale to revenue and seasonal demands and costs in the sector.
On this episode of Small Business E-volution, we talk all things cash. Gumede is joined by the managing executive for TymeBank’s SME strategy and execution, Hannalie Marsh, to discuss efficient ways to manage cash flow in the e-commerce space.
EPISODE 8
With the growth of e-commerce and digital changes, many people fear losing their jobs. However, there is a silver lining: by using efficient and dependable techniques, e-commerce has the potential to make it easier for people to find employment and for businesses to find human resources.
The CEO of Job Crystal, Sasha Knott, and the CEO of Col'Cacchio Holdings, Tashalene Reid, join Gumede to talk about how AI technology helps organisations recruit faster and more efficiently.
EPISODE 7
Online marketplaces offer fertile ground for SMEs to grow and thrive. In exchange, those companies charge various fees — including a percentage-based success fee for every sale. An 11-year lead has cemented Takealot as the biggest online retailer in SA, at present housing about 8,000 sellers.
The company's CEO, Frederik Zietsman, joins Gumede to discuss how the online store has made a name for itself and the challenges SMEs face when selling through a third-party marketplace.
EPISODE 6
E-commerce is growing at an unprecedented rate in SA. Business Insider says that the Covid-19 pandemic's limits on conventional retail stores led to a 30% decline in in-store shopping. This has sparked numerous changes as small business owners have been forced to adapt to the current digital landscape.
On this week's episode the founder of Flux Trends, Dion Chang, chats to Gumede about the various SA e-commerce trends and how SMEs can tap into them.
EPISODE 5
There is no denying that SMEs in SA are suffering significant difficulties due to the country's present economic climate, including never-ending load-shedding schedules, rises in running costs, and higher living expenses in general. TymeBank CCO Cheslyn Jacobs joins Nontobeko Gumede in-studio to share ways in which small business owners can mitigate costs in these difficult times.
EPISODE 4
LinkedIn is known as a platform to find employment and employees but, in reality, it's a lot more than that. Gumede is joined by the CEO of Turn Left Media, Marius Greeff, to discuss how SMEs can use LinkedIn correctly as an e-commerce brand.
EPISODE 3
In this week's episode we discuss how the term e-commerce is becoming increasingly important in the lexicon of today’s tourism managers all around the world. Gumede is joined by the CEO of Zulu Nomad, Phakamile Hlazo, to discuss the opportunities, and threats, which digital transformation brings to the tourism industry.
EPISODE 2
Gumede interviews Arjun Khoosal, the CTO of Kandua, which is an online platform hosting small businesses in the home services industry. Khoosal shares insight on how the industry is adapting to the digital world.
EPISODE 1
SA has seen a rapid increase in online spending post-Covid. Consumers are not only becoming increasingly savvy but they continue to demand more from their checkout and payment processes, forcing businesses to reshape their business models on how they can connect and improve customer experience digitally.
Gumede is joined by TymeBank’s chief commercial officer Cheslyn Jacobs to talk about the e-commerce space and how the digital bank aims to empower Mzansi’s small business owners.
This series is sponsored by TymeBank.
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Published by Arena Holdings and distributed with the Financial Mail on the last Thursday of every month except December and January.