Last year the inaugural Alexandra Business Leader of the Year Award was held for small business owners in the Alexandra area who had been operating for six months or more and had an annual turnover of under R500,000.  The idea of the competition was to inspire and celebrate small businesses as well as give the top three winners a cash injection into their business.  It was instigated by The Business Place Alexandra in collaboration with Standard Bank Ekurhuleni Region.

The Alex Awards were so successful it was decided to repeat them this year but also run a second event in Soweto billed as the “Gauteng Business Leader Award 2008”.

 The finalists receive access to a Standard Bank business advisor for a year plus a year of free trainings and workshops from The Business Place.  The three winners in each event received a capital injection of R25,000, R15,000 and R10,000 respectively into their business from Standard Bank.

 The winners were announced at two gala events.  The first, in Alexandra, saw Gerson Rasehlo, owner of Rasehlo Transport & Tours, walk away with the top prize.  His driving school and transport business has built up a solid reputation over the last decade and the award recognised this sustainability and steady growth.

Asked what impact he thought this award would have on his business, Gerson said:

 “It is going to have a profound positive impact on my business.  It will help me in marketing further my business and fulfilling the marketing initiatives I had planned.”

The second event was held at the Ubuntu Kraal in Orlando West, Soweto, hosted by The Business Place Kliptown.  Winner Kenny Malao has a wide variety of business experience and has recently won a large tender for road maintenance from Gauteng Provincial Government worth over R7 million for the next 24 months.  This project is currently employing 20 people but this should grow to 30.

 When asked about his win Kenny said:

 “I feel very honoured, motivated and inspired to grow the business in the field of construction and civil engineering, very happy.  Obviously the money will be used for the right cause, to grow the business, to take the personnel on the necessary developmental skills programmes, and to buy some equipment.”

 This collaboration with Standard Bank has been of great benefit to The Business Place and small business owners.  The commitment and enthusiasm of Standard Bank staff contributed to the success of the events and we are looking forward to the Business Leader Awards in 2009.