One of 2014's most successful participants of the Small Business Academy (SBA) Development Programme (www.usb.ac.za/sba) at the University of Stellenbosch Business School says the programme has taught her a great deal, including how to balance the books better.
Rushana Charles, who runs the Little Mermaids Swim School in Mitchell's Plain, was interviewed by women's magazine Destiny for their March 2015 edition. She started the business in 2012 as a response to the absence of a swimming school in her community. Since then her number of students, or clients, have increased from 35 to almost 500.
The best part of the SBA programme, Charles says, has been the mentoring she received from USB MBA alumnus and seasoned entrepreneur Elma Rivera. It was through Rivera's mentorship that she could tackle the challenges that followed the developmental phase of her business, according to her.
Rivera's tips for Charles included that she should only open a second school once her current business is running at full capacity. "Just because you're doing well doesn't mean you have to expand immediately," Rivera is quoted as saying in the article.
The new intake of SBA participants will start with their training soon. The programme – supported by Absa Enterprise Development and the Distell Foundation - runs over a nine month period. It covers all aspects of running a business, including finance, people management, marketing, as well as personal development.
Click here http://www.usb.ac.za/Shared%20Documents/NewsClippings/DestinyMarch2015_main.pdf to read the full magazine article about Charles. For more information about the SBA contact Benjamin Matshoba on 021 918 4379 or at sba@usb.ac.za
