GIBS Entrepreneurship Development Academy taking township entrepreneurs to the next level

This year, the GrowYourBiz programme, made possible again by a grant from the Walmart Foundation, will provide targeted support to growing small businesses through business training and peer-to-peer coaching aimed at helping entrepreneurs grow their businesses into viable entities. Interested entrepreneurs in Mamelodi in Gauteng, Chatsworth in KwaZulu-Natal, and Botshabelo in the Free State are encouraged to apply for the 2020 intake.

The next iteration is a free, eight-month programme that will begin in May 2020 in the respective communities. Targeted beneficiaries are youth (18 – 35), particularly unemployed graduates with a business idea and a keen interest in venturing into the world of entrepreneurship, and existing women entrepreneurs. The two groups will go through a customised intervention catering for the different needs of women entrepreneurs and youth.

The programme will combine a blended learning model, with content being covered in masterclass format and blending in online or mobile learning. Peer-to-peer coaching will form an important part of the programme to ensure post-programmatic impact for delegates and their communities.

Miranda Hosking, director of the Entrepreneurship Development Academy (EDA) at GIBS, says, “We are excited to once again embark on this programme and we would like to touch as many budding entrepreneurs as we can. We look forward to engaging the next cohort of entrepreneurs to help them take their businesses to the next level.”

“Township businesses are key to the economy and it is imperative that entrepreneurs are encouraged and assisted in order to overcome the myriad of challenges that they may be faced with during their entrepreneurship journey. This programme aims to assist individuals in finding lasting solutions that will help them thrive,” Hosking explains. She adds that GrowYourBiz aims to offer real-life support that is practical and implementable to its participants.

Adam Ally, a 2019 cohort from our Mitchell’s Plain programme in Cape Town says that the programme has allowed his business to reach goals ahead of their targeted deadlines, “We would not have realised our business goals without GIBS. By applying the learnings our goals were achieved in three months, as opposed to six months which we initially planned for”.

Once again, we are happy to partner with the Walmart Foundation and we are looking forward to welcoming driven individuals to attend this free programme in order to gain knowledge and information that will help them, and their businesses grow exponentially.

To apply, interested delegates can email Mpho at: az.oc.enatusam@ohpm or Frank at az.oc.enatusam@knarf or they can call 011 656 1033.