COVID-19 has changed the way we do business, with many entrepreneurs and budding business owners using technology to find new opportunities.
Local personality Simphiwe Ngema, popularly known as Simz by her fans, says technology has made it possible for entrepreneurs to access information, customers, and potential investors without needing to leave their homes.
We caught up with Simz who is the Founder of EternalCrush and a Gold Series Perfumes Brand Ambassador and asked her to share tips on how she's continued to grow her business during these unsettling times.
‘It’s my experience that a quality product or service paired with a healthy dose of determination can go a long way to ensuring business success.
The lockdown does not have to mean the end of a dream, ambition or business idea, in fact, it could lead to many opportunities.” says Simz.
She suggests the following tips for growing a business from home:
Increase your online presence
It is important to make it easy for your customers to reach you, whether it’s on social media or via your website. Increasing your online presence creates new opportunities for your business and will help you leverage more exposure on social media. As an entrepreneur, your customers are your main source of income, consciously engaging and communicating with them consistently will help drive sales and traffic to your website.
Be part of an ecosystem
It is often said that it takes an ecosystem to create a successful start-up. As an entrepreneur, it is important to recognise the need to connect, collaborate and exchange ideas with other like-minded individuals and entrepreneurs.
Ecosystems are not just communities in which to network, but also to learn from the mistakes of others, gain great referrals, as well as you, gain a support system that can help you pick yourself up on the hard days.
Look out for relevant groups on Facebook, or join a local co-working space to spend time in once it’s safe (for the moment, you might benefit from a virtual membership). “I also ensure that I show up and take part in industry events to help grow my business and other businesses that I support”.
Time management
Time management is important! No one is productive 24/7. Set aside time to work on your personal development and learning opportunities, and time to work on your business.
As an entrepreneur, you need to find a routine or time management software that will help you increase your productivity and track and measure your efforts and activities.
It’s also important to set boundaries so that your work starts and ends at certain times, leaving weekends and evenings free to spend with family and friends.
Simz attributes the growth of her own business to following these three pieces of advice as well as many women who have taught the importance of investing in herself first and appreciating the value of teamwork.
