Get an Expert to Help you Grow Your Business
Expert Help
I attended a talk at the local Business Forum a while ago about expert help you can get for your business.
The speaker was introduced as somebody who can give (almost) free expert advice to small businesses.
My first reactions was “Ye, sure, some government organization help all the poor “previously disadvantaged” business people while forgetting about the currently disadvantaged people”
I am happy to say that I was totally WRONG.
This is an excellent concept and it boils down to the fact that if your business meets the criteria you can get an expert in the field to come and assist you to take your business to the next level at almost no cost.
Why I say “almost” no cost;
The people who will come and help you are experts who had successful businesses similar to yours and who now retired. They have all the experience you can dream off. This is the type of person you would normally pay R1,200 per hour or more in consultation fees.
You can get a person like that to come and help you grow your business if you pay his living expenses during his stay. That is why I say it is “almost” for free. The cost to get him here and treat him for the week or two while he is here is nothing compared to what consultation fees for a person like this would be.
The criteria they have before they will consider helping you are:
- Your business must be a private small to medium-sized firm.
- Your business must employ at least 10 people.
- Its turnover cannot exceed R50 million
- Balance total on average of R50 million per year
- Foreign ownership may not exceed 49 percent.
- Your business should be at least 2 years old.
- The client must agree to pay for the expert’s living expenses (room and board) during the project.
- The costs of the project should be in proportion with the expected results.
- Your business must not have funds available to pay for similar commercial consultants.
I know this sounds to good to be true. They already helped more than 150 businesses in South Africa during the past three years and YES they help all businesses who ask for their help and who meets their criteria, they do not discriminate against white businesses like our government.
The organization is based in Netherlands and is called “PUM”. PUM experts have extensive experience in nearly every conceivable field. The experts are independent and work on a voluntary basis.
You can get more details, or submit your application, at www.pum.nl
Thanx Dave, is it this one? http://www.bwasa.co.za/
The Business Woman’s Association (bwa) also has a mentoring program free to its members. I have assisted on these virtual boards. It is a great concept.