BUSINESS NEWS - A number of the participants in The Entrepreneur Programme 2025 had the chance to introduce themselves to members of the George Business Chamber at its August networking evening. The Entrepreneur is a training programme and competition for local entrepreneurs.
It is about a month into the programme, and already participants are experiencing benefits from the training at the Nelson Mandela University (NMU) campus.
Dr Adele Potgieter, senior lecturer in marketing management at the NMU, said the programme attracted 71 applicants out of whom 21 were selected.
It's an eight-week programme over eight Saturday sessions from 09:00 to 13:00. A mentor and corporate identity specialist are available to guide the participants.
This year, for the first year since the programme was introduced to George, the NMU has come up with a short learning programme.
Potgieter said the course material is more structured than in the past. Participants walk away with a complete business plan upon conclusion of the course.
They are in competition with one another for prize money in the form of business development funding that will be handed over to the top three candidates.
Judging criteria include the potential of the business, the candidate's participation and attendance, the content of their business plan, and a presentation to a panel of adjudicators.
Nicola Greeff of Regus and Rikus Coetzee of Solve-Edge Solution, the hosts for the evening.
Enjoying the networking evening: Stefan du Toit (Business Improvement Services), Rudi Pitts (Millers Attorneys) and Candice van Rensburg (Millers Attorneys).
The evening was co-hosted by Nicola Greeff of Regus and Rikus Coetzee of Solve-Edge Solutions in the First National Bank building.
These two businesses collaborate in providing support services to entrepreneurs, with Regus offering office space, virtual office hosting, telephone answering and meeting space, and Solve-Edge Solutions providing bookkeeping, administration and payroll services.
Seven new members were welcomed to the chamber.
John Barnard of Legacy Property Group and Ruan Viljoen of Labournet.
Nadia van Rensburg of Beauty Express Garden Route was one of the winners of the lucky draw prizes. Rikus Coetzee handed it over.
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