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SEMINAR: 5 November 2010: Playing The Game At The Highest Level

Why is this the most important seminar I’ve ever organized?


Over the past two years I’ve made a lot of observations about how winning companies (big and small)
conducted themselves during the so-called recession. On the same breath I’ve been part of many
conversations among fellow entrepreneurs and I made further observations. This seminar is an
opportunity that I created to address some of these observations; to drive certain points across and
more importantly, to discuss these issues with fellow entrepreneurs. Some of these ideas came to me as
feedback, suggestions and questions that keep coming up in Feedback Forms from my monthly seminars
from different venues around the country. So what exactly is this seminar about and why is it so
important?

I feel that the time has come for me and my fellow entrepreneurs to step up and play this game at the
highest level. We will be addressing 4 pertinent and crucial issues that all entrepreneurs find themselves
faced with around the world (and throughout history). But the difference is that at no point in history
have these issues been more crucial than they are now. What do I mean by this?

1. Building a Strong Balance Sheet … Why and How to do it?

To answer this question I’m going to dive straight into these issues. The first one is something that I’ve
observed many entrepreneurs ignoring (including some listed companies). This is the issue of a balance
sheet, with a particular focus on assets. One of the biggest revelations of the recession has been the
contrary behavior of well-prepared companies – by that I mean companies with a strong balance sheet.
How have these companies been behaving during this period (great window of opportunity as they
chose to look at it)?

One of the major trends that I noticed over the last 2 years or so, is that companies with stronger
balance sheet took full advantage of opportunities that presented themselves – for acquisitions, raising
capital, and generally remained competitive and favoured by investors despite decline in sales. I’ve seen
other companies using this period to invest in infrastructure, particularly upgrading IT systems. It seems
now even big banks are talking about the importance of a “Fortress Balance Sheet” (paper from JP
Morgan-Chase which I can happily email to you). But what’s this got to do with SMMEs? Everything!

Every entrepreneur (I hope) wants to grow their business beyond a point where it’s all about juggling
cash around – not keeping up fast enough with month ends. Building a solid asset that will make it easy
for him/her to attract more funding; acquire and retain talent. Reward investors and at the same time
create an amazing place where people want to go and do their life’s work. That’s what a strong balance
sheet can do; and already does for small businesses around the world – read this interesting blog
http://funlure.blogspot.com/2010/09/raising-small-business-finance-beefing.html. Of course this comes
straight on the heels of having a healthy cash flow. My point is that more entrepreneurs need to start
thinking hard about building asset fortresses for their businesses – starting with very tiny SMMEs. This
mindset needs to prevail from the get-go (even before starting up a start-up venture).

Of course I’m not an expert in this field – hence I’ve invited someone who is the foremost expert in this
field (at least in my opinion), who also happens to be an entrepreneur, Mr. Sello Moloko. And I’m sure
by the time you finish reading this paragraph you’ll share my sentiments about him. Please note that the
contents of this post are my personal opinions, and Sello may completely disagree with me – and either
way his views will be a huge benefit to all of us. For over 20 years, Sello has been in the forefront of the
South African Financial Services industry. To name just a few - over many years he served in various
positions at Old Mutual Asset Management, namely Senior Portfolio Manager; Executive Director:
Portfolio and Risk Management; and lastly CEO. Before that, he was Deputy CEO at Brait Asset
Management. Now he sits on boards of some of the biggest companies in SA and most prominently he is
the Group Chairman of Alexander Forbes. On top of all that he is an entrepreneur who founded, and
now Chairman of, Thesele Group. In my books, that makes him a guy who knows all about this subject
and I humbly and truly believe that we are privileged to have him educate us on this subject.

2. Why should you become an expert in your field?

Now, in the history of business, we all have an unprecedented opportunity to lead industries as
individuals and small businesses (alongside big corporations). I call this the “window of opportunity” and
most global thinkers are now talking about it. Individuals who have expertise rule. The world is now
open for you to become an expert – whether you are an employee, an entrepreneur or a business
owner. I suspected this in 2005 (although I didn’t know what it was) – when after 15 months of working
for a leading Asset Management firm, I started feeling restless (like most professionals today). Now I
know what it is; it’s the Expert Revolution – the most exciting time in the history of business. How did
Oprah (as an individual) become a media empire? What about Tony Robbins, Steven Spielberg, Steven
Covey, Tom Peters and other industry leading experts? What about young companies like Google,
Facebook, Amazon, etc? What about companies that dominate everything they choose to get involved
in, like Apple? How do they do this and more importantly, how can you copy them? I’ll be presenting
this case in depth during my talk at the seminar. It doesn’t matter what business you are in (or if you are
employed), you want to hear this talk (I hope!).

3. Raising Capital through the banks

This is an old subject. During this seminar we will get straight to the heart of it and close this subject –
once and for all!! We will remove all the mystery from raising money from banks. That’s it! Frankly I’m
tired of the way this subject has been treated as the biggest mystery of business. I know how frustrating
it is.

4. Lastly … the little (but BIG) subject of Useful, Usable and Practical Business Plans

This will be a 10 minutes no holds barred presentation on “1 page business plan”.


This is my most important seminar ever and I beg you to be there. You may know that I never beg
people to attend our events – I just focus on delivering Value. But now I know you’ll kick yourself for
missing this. With me, it’s simple … I hate wasting people’s money and even worse …I hate wasting
people’s precious TIME. If you are not happy at the end of this – the rule is simple “Ask me for all of your
money back” and I’ll give you 100% of your money – no questions asked, no stories and no grudges!
If you like this message please share this document with everyone you care about.

Come join us on 5 November in Cape Town as we explore all these points and more. Please book now to
save 35%.

Date Friday, 5 November 2010


Time: 8:00 am for 8:30 am – 12:30pm
Venue: Auditorium, BoE Clocktower, V&A Waterfront, Cape Town

Speakers:

• Sello Moloko, Founder and Chairman: Thesele Group; Chairman: Alexander Forbes Equity
Holdings
“The importance and advantages of building a strong Balance Sheet”

• Siya Mapoko – Author: Conversations with JSE AltX entrepreneurs


“How to become an Obvious Expert in your industry … in the eyes of people who matter (your
past, present and future clients)”

• Hilton Vos – Regional Manager: Western Cape, Small Business Services


“How to get funding from the bank for your business”

• Grant Hamel, Entrepreneur, Rapid Change Specialist, NLP Practitioner


“The One Page Business Plan”

Investment: R295 per delegate (You get 20% off for every guest you bring). 5 guests, you attend for
FREE!
Early Bird Special: R190 if you book and pay by Wednesday 20 October 2010 27 October 2010
RSVP: cathy@siyamapoko.com or siya@siyamapoko.com
For enquiries call: Cathy 082 819 0527/ 072 314 5345 or Siya 072 644 5156

Banking details: iCaptive Books, Nedbank Kenilworth, Acc: 164 201 2882, Code: 164 205, Ref: your
name

Continental Breakfast will be served

20% of all ticket sales will be donated to the Amy Biehl Foundation
On behalf of the Foundation, as one of the Trustees, I thank you in advance. We truly value your
support!

Regards
Siya Mapoko

www.siyamapoko.co.za
011 784 1720

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