Sanlam Money Game support for SME sector leading experts to host workshops

The half-day workshops will focus on Tax, financial management and sales and marketing, and will be addressed by Tax expert Matthew Lester; finance expert and KPMG senior partner Christine Du Toit and sales and marketing guru Bill Gibson, Chairman of Knowledge Brokers International.

The first workshop takes place in Johannesburg on 17 May at Glen Hove Conferencing, Melrose.

"Sanlam has the ongoing sustainability of South Africa's SME's at heart." Said Piet Craven, Provincial Manager Sanlam. "The country's current changing economic environment makes us very dependent on the SME sector, and it's time to take strong action to make this sector succeed and grow. Hence our countrywide SME workshops for start-outs."

Continued Craven, "most entrepreneurs do not have MBA's on tap, and often have no formal tertiary qualification to fall back upon. This should not be a deterrent and is why we have selected the best in the sectors where research has shown us there exists the greatest demand for practical skills."

Professor Matthew Lester, well known tax expert and founder of the Master Tax Auditor Programme for training SARS staff, will bring his intimate knowledge of taxation requirements to the forum. For Lester, "money is a game and the more fun you have playing the game, the more successful you will be."

Christine Du Toit will address Financial management – Cash Flow Management @ the heart of your business. Christine runs the KPMG Owner Managed Business Unit. She works with SME business owners on a daily basis to help them structure their finances (cash flow, projections, debtors / creditors) to ensure a sound financial scenario that contributes to stronger growth.

"Besides hands-on experience, one of the best ways of learning is through the mistakes of others", she says. "How many SME's think about the impact of closing over December?" she asks. "Expenses continue to tick over while income has been temporarily suspended". It is thus very important for businesses to continually plan forward and not, as she says, "be run from just the bank balance".

Bill Gibson, Chairman at Knowledge Brokers International will address Boosting your Sales & Profits. Bill has addressed over 1 Million people on stages around the world over the past 25 years. The Institute of Marketing Management and the Professional Sales Association of South Africa have endorsed his work.

The Sanlam Money Game workshop is aimed at business owners that have just started their businesses (one to two years) as well as persons interested in starting their own business.

To reserve your place at the workshop visit the Sanlam Money Game website at www.sanlammoneygame.co.za or call Sally Ross at (011) 706-7242.

Sanlam Money Game Workshop # 1

17th May
Johannesburg
Glen Hove Conferencing, Melrose
Conference ends at 08h30