05 Mar 2014

Small-scale entrepreneurs need to work together to position themselves against competition from imports and large-scale businesses.

The Local Enterprise Authority (LEA) representative, Ms Boikhutso Komanyane, said this during the South East District market day on  February 28.  Ms Komanyane said it was important for business owners to network and brainstorm on how to make their businesses succeed.

She explained that entrepreneurship had challenges that affected small and big businesses, especially that Botswana was a market economy. She warned business owners that customers could blacklist sellers.

It was therefore important to deliver quality goods and services on time and within budget. She encouraged service providers to build rapport with customers as a way of encouraging loyalty. She underscored the importance of benchmarking.

The deputy council secretary for the South East District, Ms Tshepo Kebakile, said the main objective of the activity was to market and to promote local goods.

Ms Kebakile said the event was also to create a platform for marketing and selling poverty eradication products as well as to encourage the public, government and private sector to be more involved in economic empowerment projects.

Mr Tshekiso Sorinyane, the chairperson of the council, said through the market days, the council was able to monitor small businesses monthly.

“We have observed that most if not all small business owners lack the basics of managing businesses which lead to the collapse of the businesses,” he said.

Mr Sorinyane encouraged the small business owners to always be loyal and committed to their business so that they could grow to greater heights. ENDS