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"The world is more malleable than you think and it's waiting for you to hammer it into shape." Bono

Kindly find invitation from the MMC for Finance for a Business Breakfast to discuss the City's financial plans to be held on the 9th of March 2012.

See invite for RSVP details: http://ow.ly/i/u48P

The Department Trade and Industry (the dti) is organizing an Export Awareness Workshop scheduled to take place for one day only, at not cost
to participating companies. Current exporters and export-ready companies are encouraged to attend.

The main focus of the workshop would be covering the Export Marketing and Investment Assistance (EMIA) Scheme, Export Development and Promotion
Assistance. Other export related topics will also be included as this forms an important part of a manufacturer's preparation before entering the international
trade arena.

Attendance is free of charge, but limited to on representative per company.

The details of the event is as follows:
Date: 15 March 2012

Time: 08:30 - 16:00

Venue: Birchwood Hotel & OR Tambo Conference Centre
Viewpoint Street, Bartlett
Boksburg

Kindly complete the attached invitation and RSVP by Wednesday, 07 March 2012 to Rinaldo Botha; email: rbotha@thedti.gov.za or Fax: 012 394 2443

Invitation: http://ow.ly/9kKrn
Program: http://ow.ly/9kKsl

FORA is going green! Support them this weekend at the Randfontein Show! http://ow.ly/i/tO8L

It's the 29th of February...where were you four years ago the last time this happened?

"Never give in…never, never, never, never, in nothing great or small, large or petty, never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force.. never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy." Winston Churchill

Please help us get Gayle the treatment she deserves and a chance to continue on this amazing path that she envisioned! http://ow.ly/9kK6F

Date: Saturday, 10 March 2012
Time: 12H00 – 14H00
Venue: Hervormde Kerk Kruin
Corner C R Swart Drive & Steinmann Road
Entertainment: Rianda and other artists
Guest Speaker: Dr Elize Ellis
Catering: Pekwa Lodge
Cost: R150.00 p/p
All proceeds to the Gayle Beyer Fund
RSVP: Elize Bergh 0828522850

Awesome Lady Rocci Event coming up!

Invite: http://ow.ly/9kIOI
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Do you know a business man in the Westrand that isn't a member of Rocci? Bring them to our Info Session - 1 March! http://ow.ly/9httO

A detailed step-by-step guide on how to write a business plan. Take a look: http://ow.ly/9htf2

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"I'm tired of dreaming. I'm into doing at the moment. It's, like, let's only have goals that we can go after." Bono

Support FORA at the Randfontein Show this weekend!
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U.S. stocks on Friday notched weekly gains that pushed the S&P 500 to its highest close since mid-2008 as economic reports mostly offset concern about rising oil costs. Most European stock markets ended higher Friday in choppy action as upbeat earnings boosted investor optimism. Asia stocks traded mixed this morning, with Japanese exporters helped by a weaker yen and Hong Kong also gaining, but with sentiment bruised by fears high oil prices would hurt the global economic recovery.

The US dollar is currently trading at 1.32 to the euro, 1.58 to the pound and will buy 81.14 Japanese Yen or 7.57 South African Rand.

Spot gold is currently trading at US$ 1 775.10/oz. and platinum at US$ 1 705.10/oz. Brent crude oil is currently trading at US$ 125.47 per barrel.

Lady Rocci! Come & Listen to Dr Gavin Symanowitz tell us how to avoid corporate blind spots and spot new opportunities. http://ow.ly/9htCo

At ROCCI we take women in business seriously, watch as Pres Sakkie Stoltz explains: http://ow.ly/9ht72

If you're starting a new business you'll know all about the need of a business plan, but how do you put it all together? http://ow.ly/9htcO

Take a look at the latest in our series of FAQ's answered by Sakkie Stoltz: Women in business - http://ow.ly/9ht72

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Telephone Etiquette and issue in your office? Sign up for our Telephone Etiquette Workshop on the 13th of March! http://ow.ly/i/tCWO

Congratulations to the Bulls for their victory over the Sharks last night! Sharks, good luck next time.

Morning Market News: Rand firmer as euro hits highs - http://ow.ly/9hsic

Join us for another one of our speed networking events!

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How to write a business plan

 

Starting a business in any facet of business requires endless hours of planning, drafting and re-drafting business plans and creating new ideas with which to implement them. However, formulating a good business plan is a vital step in starting a business, as it may help gain sponsorships or loans from banks and financial service providers.

 

Having a good business plan will also help when adding your business to networks such as your local Chamber of Commerce. These chambers, like the Roodepoort Chamber of Commerce help entrepreneurs and business owners create wider business to business networks. ROCCI is one of the biggest commerce chambers in the area, and because of its focus in one of the centres of Johannesburg, is a prime choice for providing tips for businesses in Roodepoort. For information on how to join the ROCCI network, visit the website or send an e-mail to rocci@rocci.org

 

The following is an article written by Tim Berry, one of the most successful CEO’s in the field of technology in the world. As the owner and founder of Palo Alto Software in California, USA, Berry is experienced in every aspect of business, from start-up to the day-to-day running. He plays a very big role in innovation in his field and is a role model for many business owners, which is why his advice and writing can lead you to developing a very successful business plan from start-up. Berry is a large contributor to blogs for The Huffington Post and various other business blogging sites.

 

‘A Simpler Plan for Start-ups’

 

By Tim Berry

 

Business advisors, experienced entrepreneurs, bankers, and investors generally agree that you should develop a business plan before you start a business. A plan can help you move forward, make decisions, and make your business successful. However, not all business plans are the same, not every business needs the same level of detail. You might develop a fairly simple plan first as you start a small business, and that might be enough for you. You can also start simple and then elaborate as you prepare to approach bankers or investors.

 

For a simple example, imagine a woman making jewellery at home and selling it at a local flea market on the weekend. A business plan could give her a chance to step back from the normal flow and look at ways to develop and improve the business. The planning process should help her understand her business. It should help her define what she wants from the business, understand what her customers want, and decide how to optimize her business on her own terms. She might benefit from developing a simple sales and expense forecast, maybe even a profit and loss, so she can plan how to use and develop her resources. She might not need to create detailed cash flow, balance sheet, and business ratios. A simple plan may be just what she needs to get going.

 

This first stage of a plan, that we call the Concept Kick-Start, focuses only on a few starter elements. The Mission Statement, Keys to Success, Market Analysis, and Break-Even Analysis give you a critical head start toward understanding your business.

 

However, not all start-ups are that simple. Many of them need product development, packaging, retail fittings and signage, office equipment, websites, and sometimes months or even years of payroll before the sales start. Unless you’re wealthy enough to finance these expenditures on your own, then you’ll need to deal with bank loans or investors or both; and for that you’ll need a more extensive business plan. Start-up company or not, the plan has to meet expectations.

 

One suggestion for getting started is to develop your plan in stages that meet your real business needs. A few key text topics might be enough to discuss the plan with potential partners and team members, as a first phase. You may well want to add a basic sales and expense forecast, leading to profit and loss, as next phase. Adding business numbers helps you predict business flow and match spending to income.

 

This might be an intermediate plan, incorporating a more extensive outline and business analysis:

 

OutlineTopic

 

1.0Executive Summary

 

1.1Objectives

 

1.2Mission

 

1.3Keys to Success

 

2.0Company Summary

 

3.0Product Description

 

4.1Market Segmentation

 

4.2Target Market Segment Strategy

 

4.3Market Needs

 

5.0Strategy and Implementation Summary

 

5.1Competitive Edge

 

5.2Sales Strategy

 

6.0Management Summary

 

7.0Financial Plan

 

7.1Projected Profit and Loss

 

7.2Projected Cash Flow

 

 

Ultimately, the choice of plan isn’t based as much on the stage of business as it is on the type of business, financing requirements, and business objective. Here are some important indicators of the level of plan you’ll need, even as a start-up:

 

Some of the simpler businesses keep a plan in the head of the owner, but every business has a plan. Even a one-person business can benefit from creating a plan document with ideas written down, because the process of producing a plan is useful and valuable.

 

As soon as a second person is involved, the need for planning multiplies. The plan is critical for communicating values, goals, strategies, and detailed implementation.

 

As soon as anybody outside the company is involved, then you have to provide more information. When a plan is for internal use only, you may not need to describe company history and product features, for example. Stick to the topics that add value, that make you think, that help support decisions. When you involve people outside the company, then you need to provide more background information as part of the plan.

 

For discussion purposes, text is enough to get a plan started. Try describing your mission, objective, keys to success, target market, competitive advantage, and basic strategies. How well does this cover your business idea?

 

Can you live without a sales and expense forecast? Sometimes the one-person business keeps numbers in its (the owner’s) head. However, it’s much easier to use some tools that can put the numbers in front of you, and add and subtract them automatically. That’s where a plan helps.

 

Do you really know your market? A good market analysis can help you see opportunities that might not otherwise be obvious. Understand why people buy from you. What are the needs being served? How many people are out there, as potential customers?

 

Do you manage significant amounts of inventory? That makes your cash management more complicated, and usually requires a more sophisticated plan. You need to buy inventory before you sell it.

 

Do you sell on credit? If you are a business selling to businesses, then you probably do have to sell on credit, and that normally means you have to manage money owed to you by your customers, called accounts receivable. Making the sale is no longer the same thing as getting the money. That usually requires a more sophisticated plan.

 

Do you do your taxes on a cash basis, or accrual basis? If you don’t know, and you are a very small (one person, maybe 2-3 people) business, then you’re likely to be on a cash basis. That makes your planning easier. However, most businesses big enough to work with a CPA and have separate tax statements use accrual accounting because they want to deduct expenses as they are incurred, even if they aren’t fully paid for. By the time you are using accrual accounting, you’ll probably need more sophisticated cash flow tools, and a more extensive business plan.

 

As you approach banks and other lending institutions, expect to provide more detail on personal net worth, collateral, and your business’ financial position. Some banks will accept a very superficial business plan as long as the collateral looks good. Others will demand to see detailed monthly projections. No bank can lend money on a business plan alone; that would be against banking law. But a good bank wants to see a good plan.

 

If you’re looking for venture investment, take a good look at your plan. Professional investors will expect your plan to provide proof, not just promises. They’ll want to see market data, competitive advantage, and management track records. They’ll want to see robust and comprehensive financial projections. True, you’ll hear stories about investors backing new companies without a plan, but those are the exceptions, not the rule.

 

So, however you cut it, your business plan is very important, even at the early start-up stage, and even if you can keep it in your head. Before you purchase business stationery, telephones, or rent a location, you should do a business plan.

 

 

Do you know of anyone doing business in the Westrand that hasn't joined ROCCI? Just share this link with them http://ow.ly/90LuG

What "toll" do you think all of this is going to have on our economy? http://ow.ly/9eTGO

Spot gold is currently trading at US$ 1 773.00/oz. and platinum at US$ 1 722.70/oz. Brent crude oil is currently trading at US$ 122.90 per barrel.

Today's Market Indicators http://ow.ly/i/tqkO

The US dollar is currently trading at 1.32 to the euro, 1.56 to the pound and will buy 80.20 Japanese Yen or 7.72 South African Rand.

ha ha! "if a deaf person has to go to court, is it still called a hearing?" ;D

Happy Thursday! IF you're celebrating Lent, what are you fasting from?

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Gordhan should have scrapped toll fees: AfriForum http://t.co/7PsqRQyW

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Market Indicators for today. http://ow.ly/i/tjE7

Quick question, are you doing what you believe in, or are you settling for what you are doing?

To all those celebrating Lent, may you have a blessed Ash Wednesday!

A sobering perspective on wealth ;)

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In many cases it is less risky to buy a business than to start it from scratch. (Ben Huh – bought I Can Has Cheezburger )

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I've always wondered, why do toasters always have a setting that burns the toast to a horrible crisp, which no decent human being would eat?

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Quote of the Day: There’s no such thing as a safe bet (David Niu – sold a company to aQuantive and is the co-founder of BuddyTV )

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Do you ever get that nagging feeling that your staff is hiding something from you? http://ow.ly/90KLf

Helloooo Monday! http://ow.ly/i/sEjH

Reflective question: If you could change 1 thing in your past …. What would it be?

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Fill in the blank: when I was a kid I said, "when I grow up______________"

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Have fun, but be safe! Good night.

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Don't you just LOVE Saturdays !

You awake already? Go back to bed, it's SATURDAY! :D

How has your week been? Successes? Failures?

1 hour to go, almost there!

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Something funny for your Friday: http://ow.ly/951U0

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NEWS FLASH: Riot police sent to stop hostile miners http://ow.ly/96FYt

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The Randfontein Show is but two weeks away! Here are some of the exciting events we have planned. http://ow.ly/i/sDDr

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What your staff does when you're not there! http://ow.ly/90KAR

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Office boredom is now an occupational risk! http://ow.ly/90KuT

Please be my valentine? From Rocci :) http://ow.ly/93CoE

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Happy Valentines D'...huh? Did you forget? Quickly, make a plan! http://ow.ly/i/stWq

Monday's over, don't worry about what went wrong, focus on what you can do about it tomorrow. Good night!

Quick investment survey: coffee or IT?

Hey, Group Five profits decline! Check it out: http://ow.ly/91QDy

Now there's an achievement, you may have a medal, but he's got a banknote! http://ow.ly/91Rak

Next time you feel like calling in sick... http://ow.ly/90KpZ

Well, are you ready for the week ahead?

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Do you ever take time and assess your business position?

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Good morning, you're going to be LATE FOR WORK! (relax, I'm just kidding, it isn't Monday yet!)

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Time to reflect, what are the challenges that you face in your business?

Any exciting news from your business?

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Ah, Saturday at last! :)

So, what do you have planned for the weekend?

Come on, be nice to your employees and let them off early, it's already 16h00! Remember, happy employees are good employees!

Some more on the state of the nation: http://ow.ly/8YF8Z

So, what do you make of the our President's state of the nation address? Good for the country or bad? http://ow.ly/8YEtS

Good morning! Get out there and make some awesome business!

From us here at ROCCI, good night, see you tomorrow!

Ah, the end of another day of good business...what have you achieved today?

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Hey, were you there last night? The Member Certification Evening, how'd it go?

How has you Wednesday gone? Just remember, its half way through the week!

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Morning everyone,
What valentines plans have you made?

Have you seen the valentines offers we've up loaded? Go to our photos and the details are all there.

Valentine’s Dinner
Treat someone special at Hole in One Guest House for Valentines Day,
14 February 2012.
Dinner will be R150.00 per person
Bookings essential: 011 958 0236
Email: info@holeinone.co.za

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Valentines day gift
- Masquerade Ball with a Dinner for two at Avianto. Not to be missed!
The image posted along with this 'is the invitation'. Save it, surprise that Special Someone with excitement and a first class dinning experience.

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Tonight, join us for our Information Session 2. Bring a "non member " along. 18H00 - 19H00 at Hole In One Guest House. The image along with this info has all you need, simply save it to you desktop to get all the details you'll need. Look forward to seeing you there.

How about be a romantic this year on the day of love. An evening picnic in the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens? Exciting and a great special for members. Call them now and be her Romeo!

How's your Valentines day gift plans for your loved one going? Here's a brilliant idea... You invitation is on the image and all the details are there for a dinner for two at Croco Lodge with a superb members special just for you.

Or an evening picnic with your LOVE in the gardens of Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens?
Get the details on the image below... Be romantic Romeo!

Valentines day is just around the corner. What have you planned for your loved one? How about a romantic dinner at Croco Lodge? The image along with this contains all the details, save it, read it, book it today! For more info, reply to this post with your request & you'll be informed.

Valentines day is just around the corner. What have you planned for your loved one? How about a romantic dinner at Croco Lodge? Or an evening picnic in the gardens of Walter Sisulu National Botanical Gardens? The images along with this contains all the details, save them, read them, book them today! For more info, reply to this post with your request & you'll be informed.

Generate leads without looking for them. Joining ROCCI means your business is connected to various organisations. Some may require your services or products, while some may have clients that need your business. You may find members who can help promote your services or even offer the services your business needs. The options are endless. Its simple, go to http://ow.ly/8NZpK and follow the prompts.

Visit our site and network with businesses in your area today. Follow http://ow.ly/8NYVb and join our site today.

Another busy day comes to a close. I hope all our fans had a great day :)

Economic Fact : SA is ranked 10th out of 183 countries for good practice in protecting investors in business.

Wow, the fuel prices have really shot up in recent months. What impact do you think this will have on small to medium enterprises?

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