Every year, from the 13th to the 19th of November, Global Entrepreneurship Week unites millions of entrepreneurs, investors, policymakers, researchers, and governments worldwide. This global movement aims to exchange ideas and transform the business landscape in various regions. Against this backdrop, Something About Francis conceptualised and delivered the very first Royal Bafokeng Entrepreneurship Summit, to harness the local economy, providing entrepreneurs in the Rustenburg area with access to information, markets, tangible funding opportunities and market linkages.
The RBED Summit brought together stakeholders and small, medium, and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) to tackle challenges within the entrepreneurship ecosystem and create tangible opportunities for local businesses. The event delivered on the following objectives:
Tangible Opportunity Creation: The summit aimed to create an environment where entrepreneurs could engage in critical conversations with ecosystem partners, network with potential customers, and discover business opportunities.
Pitch Den and Skills Transfer: Local SMMEs had the chance to 'Pitch for Business Growth' and showcase their businesses across various RBED digital platforms. Additionally, critical business skills were transferred to SMMEs through subject-matter experts.
Marketplace: The event facilitated access to market opportunities for RBED beneficiary SMMEs, both physically and virtually, through the RBED Virtual Marketplace, connecting local sellers to corporate buyers.
A Key highlight of the summit for the SMEs was the pitch competitions. The business pitch competition allowed the SMEs to raise capital and resources that would contribute to their success. Entrepreneurs submitted pitch applications and videos of their businesses, with the top 10 SMEs pitching in front of RBED executives, stakeholders, and corporate partners. Prizes included business acceleration and boost packages, providing services such as branding consulting, financial management, web development, digital marketing (provided by yours truly), and business mentorship.
Panel discussions at the summit facilitated by Itumeleng Makgato, CEO of Something About Francis, created a constructive dialogue between government and private sector stakeholders, committing to support SMEs and making opportunities more accessible. The Summit also provided practical skills and tools for entrepreneurs, with subject matter experts delivering masterclasses on marketing, strategic planning, financial management, leadership, HR, and compliance.
The RBED Summit aimed to foster trade between SMMEs and Royal Bafokeng partner corporates, establishing economic and procurement pathways. Companies involved in making the event a success include Impala Platinum, Classic Oriental Consulting, Business Partners and Anglo American.
Something About Francis' implementation and facilitation of the Royal Bafokeng Bafokeng Enterprise Entrepreneurship Summit during Global Entrepreneurship Week served as a platform to empower entrepreneurs, provide them with essential skills and tools, and create opportunities for growth and collaboration within the local business community demonstrating our commitment to the growth of South African SME's using our marketing skills and expertise.
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