SAB Foundation Tholoana Enterprise Programme 2023 for South Africans

Applications are open for the SAB Foundation Tholoana Enterprise Programme 2023. The Tholoana Enterprise Programme is an 18-month programme designed to empower entrepreneurs from all business sectors to build successful and sustainable businesses.

It stands out as a sought-after opportunity for high-potential business owners who desire success. Upon acceptance, participants undergo a holistic process of self-assessment, goal-setting, and strategic growth planning, tailored to meet the specific needs of each business. The programme focuses on nurturing business growth, fostering resilience, and creating a thriving network of opportunities for participants long after completion.

Benefits

• Leadership development: Successful businesses are built on a combination of business skills, personal skills and leadership skills. They follow this holistic approach and place as much focus on leadership development and confidence-building as all the other facets of the programme.
• Practical skills development: Five dynamic workshops form an important part of the programme and attendance at these sessions is compulsory. The presentations are practical and facilitated by experienced entrepreneurs, and the topics include Personal Transformation and Strategic Planning, Costing and Pricing, Sales and Marketing, Human Resource Management and Accounting and Financial Management for Small Businesses.
• Mentoring and coaching: Participants have access to a personal mentor for up to four hours per month. In addition to the mentor, ongoing support and guidance from portfolio coordinators and the programme manager is on offer. Targeted consulting support including agri-specialists, process engineering and investment readiness are also on offer.
• Online information sessions: A number of online information sharing sessions will take place over the course of the programme. These sessions contribute to knowledge sharing, skills building and peer learning and networking.
• Brand building interventions: These tightly focused interventions are designed to improve market access and create brand awareness by providing specific sales and marketing assistance to participants. Examples include development of effective company profiles, price lists, logo development, website creation where relevant and other sales tools.
• Access to resources: Participants will have access to a suite of resources in the fields of legislation and compliance, business development, market access, access to finance and media and public relations.
• Performance tracking: The monitoring and evaluation of business data allows the team to identify individual challenges that require support interventions, and also strengthens the investment readiness of your business. This data also allows the Tholoana Enterprise Programme team to track the performance of the whole group, giving an overview that shows your performance in relation to your peers. Financial information, management accounts and jobs data are submitted on a monthly basis.
• Peer-to-peer community and networking: In addition to the networking opportunities facilitated at the workshops, a digital peer-to-peer networking platform enables participants to share information, collaborate and discuss common challenges. Active participation in peer group activities is required.

Eligibility

In 2023 they will be recruiting high-potential businesses to take up this life-changing opportunity. They prioritise selecting businesses that are owned or run by women, located in rural areas and that benefit persons with disabilities. Below are specific eligibility criteria that business owners need in order to apply.

Entrepreneur requirements

• The applicant should be resilient, self-motivated and driven to succeed.
• The applicant should show a willingness to learn, grow and change.
• The applicant should show entrepreneurial and leadership abilities.
• The applicant is involved in the daily operations and management of the business on a full-time basis and is not employed by any other organisation.
• The applicant is a South African citizen.
• The applicant has the skills and experience necessary for the type of business they are engaged in.
• The applicant is looking for business support, mentorship and skills training to take their business to the next level.
• The applicant is committed to full participation in the programme over the18-month period.
• The applicant is open to change and willing to drive new strategies to support the growth of their business.
• The applicant has high moral and ethical standards and a desire to contribute to the economy of South Africa.

Business requirements

• The business is at least 51% black-owned and managed.
• The business creates jobs.
• The business is in the early stages of growth.
• The business is operational and has been trading for at least 12 months.
• The business should be a going concern, commercially sustainable and viable.
• The business is headquartered and registered (if applicable), within South African borders.

In addition, they are keen to identify enterprises with long-term growth and good job creation potential. This includes enterprises with export potential and/or import substitution, as well as ones in growth sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, water, energy and waste, tourism and hospitality, information communication technology and agro-processing etc.

Application

Click here to apply

For more information, visit Tholoana Enterprise Programme.