I once worked for an extremely successful entrepreneur. He ran a flooring company which did surprisingly well. His real talent lay, not so much in his ability to sell at the right price, but rather to buy at the right price. Good margins emanate from two sources: Selling at the right price And/or Buying at the right price. Well, this […]
In your wanderings, you might come across a wonderful opportunity. That recruitment agent that never got back to you, contacts you out of the blue with a great job offer. It sounds great – medium-sized business with an impressive turnover, a not-too-shabby bottom line and a bunch of cash in the bank. And the annual package is nicely […]
As an entrepreneur, you will have successes. It’s nice and it’s rewarding and it feels damn good. But beware – it is also very seductive! With the bank account looking flush, it is more than tempting to go out and reward yourself. A new computer sounds good (the old one is looking grubby) and a well-earned rest is definitely a […]
The art of negotiation has always fascinated me. It is a skill and it can be learned. In an article titled “The Law Of Disinterest”, I discussed the mechanism of presenting a nonchalant attitude that communicated disinterest. This places the incumbent at a disadvantage as he/she is becomes anxious about losing out. The next technique the I want to […]
Blockchain. Sounds like a plumbing device. But Blockchain is now ready for the world! Picture a world in which there is only one currency – where financial transactions happen instantaneously, paperless, fully transparent and cybercrime-free. Picture a world where there are no exorbitant bank charges, no fees. Picture a world where nearly every transaction from money payments to house transfers to share […]
I just love the picture above. There is something so daringly exciting about this tiny human facing the extreme forces of nature and riding this humungous wave! The odds seem insurmountable and yet he does it notwithstanding – his thrill and joy is palpable. Breathtaking! But there is something deeper here that I think the artist is trying to convey. And […]
As mentioned many times before, I meet wonderful and exciting people every day. Today was a particularly special day the I met the masterful executive! A what? Yip, I met an executive who had mastered the corporate game. And why was it so special? Because he behaved just like a narcissist but remained within himself a remarkably connected human being. Now I […]
Here is a story that you will find interesting, if not a little scary. It’s about a client of mine (let’s call him Jabu) who, as a CA(SA), worked for a listed Group as the Group Financial Manager. Jabu joined the Group 15 years ago as a newly qualified rookie. The company had medium-cap status on the main board of the […]