GEORGE NEWS - Vuyokazi Meleni, owner of Glory Eventers, is the winner of the tough 2017 Dragon's Den competition organised by the George Business Chamber.
The announcement was made on Tuesday night at a prize-giving at Upstairs at Harry's in York Street.
An elated Meleni said it was an amazing experience and she was excited about all she has learnt.
"I would like to thank the Business Chamber for a wonderful opportunity. I hope they continue the project to grow other entrepreneurs as well."
She won R5 000 cash and will also receive a business makeover worth R5 000.
The second place went to Bevan Oerder, who fixes up second-hand instruments, and in the third place was Lebogang Mabena, owner of I Scrub, who manufactures and supplies a range of natural, environmentally friendly body scrubs.
Oerder received R3 000 cash and a business make-over worth the same amount, and Mabena R2 000 cash and a R2 000 business make-over.
Oerder said the competition has taught him an immense amount.
"I would encourage anyone who is seeking an opportunity out there, in your own business or just to learn more about business, to try this out. It will empower your life completely."
Mabena said the competition has opened up her mind. "I want to thank Max, our trainer, for his patience. The training is not only about how to make it in business, but to grow as a person."
The Dragon's Den is part of an annual training programme presented by the chamber in collaboration with Max Oerder from TEN-SA to three groups of 30 entrepreneurs from George, Thembalethu and Uniondale.
From each group, the top six participants are selected and given additional training.
They then have the opportunity to pitch their business ideas to a panel of 'Dragons'.
According to the panel, the points difference between the top 6 was extremely small.
Business Chamber chairman Dr Willie Cilliers urged for more focus on entrepreneurs in the informal sector.
"We must help them into the formal economy." To this end, the chamber had talks with the mayor on how the municipality and business sector can work together to empower people in business.
"We need to work together as one team, Team George."
Mayor Melvin Naik said he is eager to take hands with the chamber to help create business opportunites.
He said council is finalising a procurement policy that will promote small, developing contractors and service providers by using them as sub-contractors on bigger contracts.
"We would like to see them as contractors of this municipality and eventually become part of the mainstream economy. But it will not work if they do not have the knowledge, and this is where we need the Chamber."
Cilliers announced that he will be visiting an incubation centre in Belgium in November (that trains 6 000 entrepreneurs a year) with a view to establish a similar centre in George.
Read a previous article: Chamber announces Dragon's Den winners
ARTICLE: ALIDA DE BEER, GEORGE HERALD JOURNALIST
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