04 Jul 2022

Entrepreneurs have been encouraged to scale up their products and tap into the global market.

Speaking at the Tshipidi Mentorship Programme (TMP) hosted by Botswana Stock Exchange Limited (BSEL) in Gaborone recently, Choppies Enterprises CEO Mr Ramachandran Ottapathu said local companies had the potential to explore the global and should not fear public scrutiny.

“When you are in business, you are bound to make mistakes, losses and risks and you should develop confidence and be prepared for that,” he said.

He further encouraged them to translate their entrepreneurship into sustainable businesses and go beyond the borders adding that the best way to create a future was to start.

For his part BSEL chief executive officer, Mr Thapelo Tsheole said the Tshipidi Mentorship Programme provided practical training on potential issues through a comprehensive and interactive programme covering key themes necessary to position a company to list.

He said the strategic initiative introduced in 2019 seeks to bridge the gap between companies, the BSEL, advisors, investors and leaders of already-listed companies.

“The programme is particularly for Batswana business owners to be trained on how to run businesses and corporate governance in order for them to be familiar with the business industry,” he said.

He further explained that the one-day training covered practical training offered by industry experts with regard to critical elements of corporatisation structure and commercial law.

Advisors in the ecosystem would also provide an overview of their roles in the listings process and provide a high-level orientation on how applicants can be listed he said.

One of the 2021 programmes graduates Ms Lesedi Nthobatsang who is the operations director for Staywell Hotels noted that the programme came at a better time when her business was hit hard by COVID-19.

“The programme was our redeemer as it taught us that this could be an opportunity for us to re-invent ourselves. We were able to appoint a business advisor who is now translating our ideas into a model that would work for the company,” she said.

Ms Nthobatsang also highlighted that one of the outcomes of the programme was that the company had now grown to a point where they needed to bring in more people to assist as they were now in the process of appointing a board of directors.

The Founder and managing director of Precision Vehicle and Asset Tracking, Mr Motlhaleemang Moalosi also encouraged the participants to establish a board of directors for their companies who would be able to give advice given their experience in the industry.

“Board of Directors would also give you a strategic direction on how to grow a company, and with them, it is not easy to misuse the company’s funds,” he said.

Mr Moalosi also confirmed that the programme empowered him with good business ethics and financial reporting. ENDS