The connected workplace

The connected workplace is all about networks - understanding how to work them and how to make them strong and sustainable. In networks, anyone can show leadership and it is important that we establish a link with role models to provide a path to follow.

During my interviews for my book, "Gender Matters - A Practical Response to the Slippery Ladder", I have been surprised at how few women could name a role model, both men and women, they look up to.

BUSINESS ENGAGE TOASTMASTERS : 6TH AUGUST 2014

A demo evening led by the Area Governor of Toastmasters and including some senior Toastmasters.

Toastmasters is an internationally recognised institution for the development of public speaking.  Business Engage recognises the importance of public speaking in both the corporate and entrepreneurial space, especially for women.

In line with our policy of collaboration and not undertaking things that other people already do better we have partnered with Toastmasters International to provide Toastmasters development for our members.

PARTICIPATORY GENDER REVIEW WORKSHOP : 3RD - 5TH SEPTEMBER 2014

Business Engage will undertake an intensive three day workshop for prospective facilitators who would like to become involved with Business Engage to roll out this methodology within private sector South Africa and have another source of income.

Introduction

Over the past few years Business Engage has been compiling a number of initiatives aimed at Gender Mainstreaming in the South African private sector. The one area that remained a dilemma was the issue of whether or not corporates are able to successfully benchmark exactly where they are in their gender diversity journey, using both local and international norms and best practices.

Stellenbosch Digital Speakers: The SnapScan Story

Event Description
If you haven't used SnapScan yet, you're just not cool. One of our newest success stories out of Stellenbosch, these guys from FireID are kicking a** on the mobile payment scene. They've just received a hefty push and a whole wad of cash from Standard Bank. And above all, it's undoubtedly the simplest way to pay.

Startup Grind Johannesburg Hosts Brett Haggard (HYPERTEXT MEDIA)

Event Description
If you are interested in meeting up with other entrepreneurs or you need advice and inspiration in starting your own business, attend Startup Grind Johannesburg’s fire-side chat with Hypertext Media’s Managing Director; Brett Haggard.

Girl Geek Dinner July 2014

Elodie Burls is the Managing Director of Blink Tower, South Africa's leading animated explainer video specialists. Born in the tiny Karoo town of Aberdeen, Elodie completed a BA in English and Drama at Rhodes University before heading to Taiwan to pursue a teaching career.

Upon her return to South Africa in 2006, she started her first business, Tinfon, an online English teaching platform, but she left for London shortly after where she worked at PR agency, Limelight.
In 2010, Elodie and two business partners opened the doors to Blink Tower - a specialist provider of animated explainer videos to local and international companies. Blink Tower's approach is simple: use hand-drawn animation with professional scripts and voice-overs to explain often complex concepts in an easy-to-understand, memorable way.

Peninsula Toastmasters Public Speaking Event

A Toastmasters meeting is a learn-by-doing workshop in which participants hone their speaking and leadership skills in a no-pressure atmosphere. There is no instructor in a Toastmasters meeting. Instead, members evaluate one another’s presentations. This feedback process is a key part of the program’s success.

Startup Grind Cape Town Hosts Simon Mantell (Mantelli's Biscuits)

This month Startup Grind will be hosting Simon Mantell from Mantelli’s Biscuits. A born and bred Capetonian, Simon Mantell started his formal working career in 1976 as a smooth talking 13 year old door to door salesman marketing mirrors after hours to homeowners in the newly built Mitchell’s Plain. This work experience served as an invaluable lesson in developing a thick skin while pitching ideas and products to potential customers.

Connect and Grow your Business Network

Business Networking JULY

Connect and Grow your Business Network

For Professionals, Small Business Owners & Service Providers

- anybody looking to grow their brand awareness

GUEST SPEAKER:  MARGARET HIRSH FROM HIRSCHS, MILNERTON

What are you doing with your 67 minutes on Mandela Day?

Come and support Liesl Schoonraad show us ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE, by lifting 67 tons! Don't miss this record breaking event!

Coffee Club Meetings

YOU are invited to join us for coffee and you can network,
connect and reach out to others!

There are no joining fees nor a cover charge, you only pay for what you order on the day!

Free #CapeMarketing Workshops - Blouberg Team

Free #CapeMarketing Group Workshops & Discussions are for all business owners, managers and marketers who want some additional minds or views on their new marketing challenges, current activity or collaboration efforts:

• Receive personalised advice from other business owners and marketers

• Discover new tricks and tips with the Mini Masterclass

• Collaborate and network with other local businesses in new refreshing group (this is not a 'selling group')

Free #CapeMarketing Workshops - Helderberg Team

Exciting new FREE ‪#‎CapeMarketing‬ Workshops in the Helderberg brought to you by Growth Space and Wonder Woman CPT.

• Receive personalised advice from other business owners and marketers
• Discover new tricks and tips with the Mini Masterclass
• Collaborate and network with other local businesses in new refreshing group (this is not a 'selling group')

The wine industry in the Western Cape

Discussion points:

Logistics in the Wine Industry - Presented by Suren Narismulu, Kimaan Enterprises
State of affairs in the Wine Industry - presented by Bennie Howard, Meerendal Wine Estate

Doing Business in Africa

DESCRIPTION
Crossing the border, according to the IMF’s April 2014 Regional Economic Outlook report, Sub-Saharan Africa anticipates a pickup in economic growth in 2014 but the region still faces risks from both internal and external factors, among them is slower growth in emerging markets which could impact both export demand and commodity prices.

Despite slower growth in emerging markets, Africa still offers one of the world’s biggest growth opportunities.

Building Your Network: 5 Tips For Shy Networkers

August 28, 2013 by Dawn Rasmussen  14

For shy networkers, building your network can be a challenge. A week ago, I attended a business mixer sponsored by the Portland Business Journal, and was immediately reminded about something.

As I walked into the crowded room of about 200 professionals, I remembered that keeping up the art of networking requires you to keep working at it. Like exercising a muscle, you need to keep flexing it in order to keep it in shape.

Not that I have any excuse… I have been (ahem) a little negligent myself lately in getting out into true networking situations where I don’t know anyone.

A heavy client load and multiple projects have kept my time constrained to running from appointment to appointment, with no time (or energy) to commit to going to any after-hours networking events. I’ve been too exhausted.

But that is no excuse.

Facing a Changing Global Economy with Prof Wolfgang Thomas

This July meeting will be the fourteenth anniversary of this Central Library monthly project.  Fourteen years ago July 2000 Prof Wolfgang Thomas gave the key note address at the first SMME breakfast introduced at Central Library- his topic then was the then very new issue of Globalization. He will now be giving us a brief overview of the Key forces in the Changing Global Economy, South Africa's transformation and challenges met and still to be met. He looks specifically at Challenges for a sustained "Africa re-orientation " of South Africa and the need for us to intensify our knowledge about the African markets, the possibility of development partnership.

He will look at the scope therein for large, medium and especially small enterprises, emphasising again the need for public -private partnerships in South Africa.

Why 'Get Rich Quick' Never Works |

Why 'Get Rich Quick' Never Works |:



'via Blog this'

Join SA's most influential community of young investment professionals

Network with other entrepreneurs and professionals, learn from renowned industry experts and ultimately grow your business by connecting with the right people.

How To Leverage Your Alumni Network To Get A Job

Everyone knows that your alma mater’s alumni network can help you find a job. But just how, exactly, does that work?

What if you’ve lost touch with the alumni you once knew, or they all ended up working in fields other than your own?

Is beginning the process while you’re still in school jumping the gun? Is it too late when you’ve been laid off?

As a Syracuse University Alumni, as well as by working for the University of Southern California’s online MSW degree program, I have first hand seen the value of this kind of network.

Evernote Meets Cape Town

Event Description
Evernote in partnership with The African Technology Foundations (ATF) is excited to announce their search for Africa’s hottest homegrown talent in app design and development building amazing products with Evernote API, and feature them as part of the Evernote Platform Awards.

ATF and Evernote will be hosting a Developer Engagement Event on July 8th, 2014 at the Bandwidth Barn, to brief developers on the competition and selection criteria for the top African applications that integrate with the Evernote platform and open API. The event will also include presentation from the Evernote team on the Evernote API (tools and resources), popular use cases for Evernote, and education on the business development/internationalization strategies for South African developers.

What we look for:

Design: Is the application polished, visually appealing, and easy to use?
Development: Does the application incorporate the Evernote API?
Utility: Is the application compelling and/or indispensable?
Originality: Is the application unique and/or innovative among the competition?
The Evernote team will receive and judge pitch sessions from nominated South African app developers as entries into the Evernote Platform Awards.

Prize for the winning team:

 All expenses paid trip for members of the winning African team to San Francisco, California to present their app live on stage during the Evernote Conference.

The developer engagement event will be followed by  a networking session.

We look forward to seeing you there!

Key Dates

July 31: Platform Award nominations close, Evernote judges select final nominees


August 4: Top African finalists are revealed and community votes for their favorites


September 4: African Platform Award winner announced by Evernote


October: Two members of the winning African team will be flown, all expenses paid, to San Francisco to present their app live on stage during the Evernote Conference in San Francisco.

RSVP

Sw7 Accelerator Review and Workshop

Event Details
Sw7 Accelerator Review and Workshop

Event Description
Tech incubator/accelerator with a nine week part time evening Mentor lead programme, thirty plus CEo's mentoring on launching and growth to exit. Come along and find out more about the programme, meet the mentors and decide if it is for you.

July Cape Town Ruby Brigade - Why Test?

July Cape Town Ruby Brigade - Why Test?

Event Description
Salman Ansari will discuss his experiences with testing in Rails (both positive and negative), which led him to question what the real purpose and benefit is behind testing in development, and what he learned in the process. In addition, he will give a brief overview of an ideal approach to a test-driven development workflow in Rails.

What is the #1 reason you network?

Hey guys, was thinking this morning on why would someone actually network or go through the efforts of going to networking events?

What do you really hope to achieve?

Your comments and inputs are expected

Ian
Admin

How To Leverage Your Alumni Network To Get A Job

How To Leverage Your Alumni Network To Get A Job
June 18, 2013 by 2U  0

Everyone knows that your alma mater’s alumni network can help you find a job. But just how, exactly, does that work?

What if you’ve lost touch with the alumni you once knew, or they all ended up working in fields other than your own?

Is beginning the process while you’re still in school jumping the gun? Is it too late when you’ve been laid off?

As a Syracuse University Alumni, as well as by working for the University of Southern California’s online MSW degree program, I have first hand seen the value of this kind of network.

Doing business in Africa

Crossing the border
According to the IMF's April 2014 Regional Economic Outlook report, Sub-Saharan Africa anticipates a pickup in economic growth in 2014 but the region still faces risks from both internal and external factors, among them is slower growth in emerging markets which could impact both export demand and commodity prices.

GENDER MAINSTREAMING WORKSHOP

GENDER MAINSTREAMING WORKSHOP 
This workshop is the culmination of over two year’s research into the business case for Gender Mainstreaming.  We have researched approximately 200 articles, publications, reports, academic papers, etc and have drawn from best practices presented in these as well as Colleen Larsen’s 13 years local experience.

This is a practical workshop which is designed from the point of view of both the individual and the company. What should the company be doing in terms of Gender Mainstreaming to keep up with international best practice, legislation and competitors? In addition, what the individuals themselves can and should be doing to promote gender issues within the company.  This includes both men and women. More importantly, how are they preparing themselves for advancing smoothly within the organisation and taking advantage of the new dynamics which are being implemented.

5 Benefits Of Being Part Of A Network

Should you be a part of a network? There is, and has always been, great power in building networks. And, more importantly, using and leveraging them in today’s business and career world.


In a relatively short time, building tribes and communities has taken on a lead role in our branding and marketing priorities. The immediate, viral, and real time nature of information and communication is nothing short of stunning. In 9/11, Michael Jackson’s death, the liberation of countries, politics, sports, natural disasters, business, and careers, there are major benefits of being a part of and engaging in networks.

Here are five benefits I have enjoyed from being a part of my networks: resources, support, help, belonging, empowerment:

26 July Xtraordinary Women Networking Session: Holistic Network

TOPIC:  Out of Lack & Scarcity into Abundance

You didn’t start your business to suffer and struggle! You started it because your soul picked YOU to do the work you do and help the people you are supposed to help out.  So you having money blocks is actually stopping the work you are supposed to do in the world.  And it’s time to shift that because I know you want to make a difference, right?

Join this fun and interactive conversation, with a little tough love to get you out of the struggle into an abundant and juicy life with money! 

You will receive 5 easy ways to change your relationship with money and clear the blocks and faulty belief systems you have bought about money that are not even yours.

15 July Xtraordinary Women: Southern Suburbs Networking Event

THIS IS A MIXED NETWORK. BOTH BUSINESSWOMEN AND MEN ARE WELCOME.

Topic: What Iceberg?

Small businesses face many challenges ranging from choosing the right type of legal entity to go to market with, hiring and firing people, figuring out legal requirements, marketing strategies, customer complaints etc. – navigating these properly will help to get you to where you want to be, sailing blind could sink you.

Drawing on legal knowledge and personal experience, Graeme’s presentation will provide insight into the legal obstacles commonly encountered by businesses.