Donna McCulloch - From would-be desktop publisher to dealer principal

October 4, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa

About two decades have passed since automotive maven Donna McCulloch plunged headfirst into an illustrious career that started out as a fortuitous by-product rather than by design.

After completing her university studies, Donna McCulloch initially planned to venture into desktop publishing, but with almost zero experience, few employers were willing to give her an opportunity and without a fancy computer and the necessary software – which seemed to be requiring constant upgrades – it was difficult to get a foot in the door.

Franchising - a formula for success

October 4, 2020 Melanie Hawken

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Impact Partner Content: Absa

Absa recognizes the vital role that entrepreneurs play in creating wealth and opportunities in the economy and is deeply committed to supporting them to foster growth and prosperity in South Africa and across the continent.

Franchising is a feasible option for the entrepreneur starting a new business, as potential pitfalls can be avoided with a proven business formula. Franchising is in the national interest as it is a business model that makes a meaningful contribution towards solving one of South Africa’s most pressing problems - job creation.

Why is my utility bill so high?

September 26, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa / by Vishay Rabbipal, Head of Renewable Energy, Absa

As the Covid-19 crisis spread around the world, many people started working from home which required embracing life in a ‘new normal’ overnight. If you are working from home, it is important to feel comfortable in your space. It is natural that working from home means that you will be using more energy.

How can you create wealth through residential property investment?

September 20, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa / by Matthew Edwards

The idea of investing in residential property is considered so intimidating by some, it’s often avoided entirely as a vehicle for wealth creation. The thought of finding the perfect property, applying for a sizable loan, navigating taxes and transfer duties, and finding an acceptable tenant, is enough to make any aspiring new investor turn to easier options – with far lower barriers to entry and less commitment.

Changing the future of the energy sector

September 13, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa | by Justin Schmidt, Head of New Sectors, Absa

In his fourth and final article, Justin Schmidt, Head of New Sectors at Absa, shares his views on the technologies that are changing the future of the energy sector, allowing for even greater adoption of renewable energy solutions.

Unpacking renewable energy technologies - Part 3 Wind Energy

September 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa | by Justin Schmidt, Head of New Sectors, Absa

In article three of a four-part series by Justin Schmidt, Head of New Sectors at Absa, he will unpack Wind with next weeks final articles unpacking the technologies which are changing the future state of the industry. South Africa will see a large investment into generation from wind farms in the coming decade, with this source of energy equating to 23% of the total generation capacity by 2030. In other words, this will be the fastest growing energy source in South Africa in the coming decade. While this is promising you won’t be able to install a huge tower and wind turbine at your business premises. In this article, wind turbine solutions for households and businesses will be explored and although many of us would love to have a wind turbine producing energy at home, the practical implications are explored below.

Unpacking renewable energy technologies - Part 2 Solar Thermal

August 30, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa | by Justin Schmidt, Head of New Sectors, Absa

In article two of a four-part series, Justin Schmidt, Head of New Sectors at Absa, unpacks solar thermal with upcoming articles on wind as a technology as well as concluding the series with a view on the technologies which are changing the future state of the industry. With some houses using a much as 30% to 40% of their energy consumption on water heating, solar thermal is a popular means for many households of reducing their energy bills.

Unpacking renewable energy technologies - Part 1 Solar

August 23, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa | by Justin Schmidt, Head of New Sectors, Absa

In this series of four articles by Justin Schmidt, Head of New Sectors at Absa, he will unpack the three most topical renewable energy technologies and conclude the series with a view on the technologies which are changing the future state of the industry.

Covid-19 health pandemic amplified by a financial fraud crisis

August 14, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa | By Ulrich Janse van Rensburg, Head of Fraud Strategy for Absa’s Retail and Business Bank

A heartfelt call to exercise vigilance when it comes to money matters.

The past few months have been a really tough period for Jack and Sarah. While they are committed to curbing the spread of Covid-19 and have gone out of their way to protect themselves and the people around them during this time, they co-own a popular barber shop, which was closed for business during the first phases of the national lockdown. The lack of income has been a massive worry. Fortunately, the couple had accumulated some savings over the years, which was seeing them through this tough period, but it was fast running out.

Learn the art of creative problem solving in business

August 9, 2020 Melanie Hawken

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Impact Partner Content: Absa

To celebrate Women’s Month in South Africa, Lionesses of Africa is launching a very special one-hour Lioness Business Agility Live Webinar for women entrepreneurs, hosted in partnership with Absa on the morning of Friday 14 August.

Digital Networking During Covid-19

August 1, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa

At a recent online National Small Business Chamber (NSBC) event, Mr Oscar Siziba, Managing Executive for Absa Bank’s Gauteng and Limpopo regions, gave small business owners tips for creating effective digital networks.

Managing distressed business during Covid-19

July 25, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa / by Hwalani Mabaso, Provincial General Manager: Distribution, Relationship Banking, Absa

The Covid-19 pandemic has left many businesses distressed, with some businesses scrambling for survival. It’s important for any business to think of business resilience during Covid-19 and post. If your business is currently in distress it’s crucial to first assess the situation and develop a practical insolvency plan and avoid any false movements which can ultimately impact the business performance.

Josie Van Aswegen, a South African bespoke floral design entrepreneur taking creativity to the next level

July 18, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Josie Van Aswegen, owner of Fabulous Flowers (Cape Town, South Africa)

Impact Partner Content: Absa / Startup Story

Every business has a heart – a core to its operations. The soul and drum beat to the golden thread that runs throughout the works. Fabulous Flowers would not be where it is today without the owner - Josie Van Aswegen. We had the privilege of catching up over the past week. And what a week! Her beautiful new studio in Toffie Lane, Claremont, South Africa, is a pleasure to visit and the creativity happening there is infectious.

Understanding your electricity bill better could be a way to quickly save money

July 10, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa / by Vishay Rabbipal, Head: Renewable Energy, Retail and Business Banking, Absa

The COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown has affected all areas of our daily lives – the way we work, the way we manage our finances and how we interact with each other. In these unprecedented times, many have concerns about the future, their income and are looking at ways to save costs in monthly household budgets. One cost that continues to put pressure on households, is utility tariff increases, and given that most families are home for extended periods, their personal energy use may have increased. Added to this the fact it is winter (there is a usual, seasonal use increase), and costs are being increased to reflect this seasonal peak in demand.

Business agility in turbulent times

June 28, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: by James Noble, Head of Wholesale, Retail and Franchising – Absa Business Banking

No business has been left unscathed by the COVID19 pandemic. Even businesses in the fast- moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector that trade in groceries, health, hygiene, long-life consumables and pharmaceutical products have been impacted due to shorter trading hours and more conservative purchasing behaviour by consumers.

You are one step closer to establishing yourself as a successful eTailer

June 13, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa / by Lesego Mpakanyane, Sector Specialist, Relationship Banking: Wholesale and Retail Sector, Absa

One of the features of our globalized world is the level at which we are able to trade across borders due to easy and convenient eCommerce trade with a value of $2 trillion in 2019, or R33.66 trillion ($/R16.82 as at the time of publishing).

The impact of IoT on retail

June 6, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa / by Absa Business Banking

The ‘Internet of Things’ (IoT) is becoming an increasingly growing topic of conversation in the workplace. It’s a concept that not only has the potential to impact how we live, but also how we work. IoT has particular implications for the retail industry.

Rand volatility – manufacturers should be managing their exposure

May 30, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa / by Justin Schmidt

The manufacturing sector saw capacity utilization fall to 79.3% in February, a 7-year low, indicating that there was rising pressure on the sector even before COVID-19 enforced lockdown restrictions. This underutilization was driven by a lack of demand, as well as the high levels of load shedding.

What is the expected future value of the Rand in 2020?

May 21, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa / by Michael Keenan, Peter Worthington & Wessel Lemmer

Farmers’ expertise lies in the production of agricultural commodities, but the exchange rate is critical to farmers’ profitability. South Africa has one of the most volatile exchange rates in the world, for a complicated variety of reasons, which adds to the risk faced by agricultural producers in South Africa’s risky environmental situation, with unpredictable rainfall. Absa’s expertise in financial markets can help agricultural producers to manage their foreign exchange risks to the benefit of their bottom line.

COVID-19 Funding Relief for South Africa’s business owners

May 14, 2020 Melanie Hawken

Impact Partner Content: Absa

The recent global health crisis has many of us deeply concerned about the health and wellbeing of our family, friends and employees. Not to mention the impact it has on us as business owners. We may consider a multitude of strategies, tactics and angles, but at the end of the day it effectively comes down to one thing – the lifeblood of our businesses…cashflow!

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