“As an organization whose roots are strongly grounded in an entrepreneurial ethos, we are able to draw from our own experiences and help instill in others the importance and benefits of an entrepreneurial approach.”

- Tami Mfazi, Manager of TBP eQonce

The Business Place eQonce (King Williamstown) eQonce is part of a national network of youth-friendly, walk-in entrepreneurial centres.  Services are clustered under one roof with an information centre at the core.  We help with the “how to’s” and “next steps” for anyone wanting to start, improve or expand a business.  Entrepreneurial support for our clients come from a diverse range of institutions with a common purpose i.e. Eastern Cape Department of Social Development, Investec, Buffalo City Municipality, and the Steve Biko Foundation.

During the past three years, TBP eQonce has reached a substantial number of clients in our region. We currently receive almost 4 000 client visits per year and in the year (2007/2007) our workshops were attended by 1 064 people.

Special focus on Agri-business

The primary objectives of our Agri-Business Development Programme  is to attract young people to agriculture, and to provide technical and entrepreneurial support to emerging African farmers. Agriculture provides a great opportunity in the region because the Eastern Cape Region is a predominantly agricultural economy.  In addition, many young people are rural-based and there is also ample access to land and water. The region has some of the best tertiary institutions specialising in agriculture in South Africa.

This very successful programme is based among others on the findings of our research study on the challenges and needs of the local farming community. It also supports relevant government programmes to support black farmers and is headed by a full-time Agri-business Coordinator.

TBP eQonce has also become involved with the Wouterdrift Poverty Alleviation Project, a National Development Agency funded initiative for people in the Amathole District. This Agricultural Village situated on 588 hectares of land allows 200 households consisting of mainly women and young people to farm on a small scale.

• Investec Bank
• Steve Biko Foundation
• Eastern Cape Provincial Department of Social Development
• Buffalo City Municipality
• Sanlam

Tourism: Sustainable Skills Development Programme

This is a partnership initiative involving international and regional players to build a strong local tourism sector and provide opportunities for young people and the general small business community. This programme aims at building strategic partnership networks in government, private sector and civil society and concentrates on sustainable tourism and entrepreneurship. One example of the success of this programme is the female cooperative called Inxili is exporting crafts and beadwork to Canada through Fair Trade.

TBP eQonce and one of its partnering stakeholders - Buffalo City Municipality - jointly established a tourism hub to create a platform for tourism networks and training programmes for aspiring tour operators and local tourism organisations.  This programme is funded by the Provincial Department of Economic Affairs and Tourism.

The Business Place eQonce offers the following monthly internal workshops facilitated by our own staff:

• First Steps to starting your business
• Business Registration
• Conducting Market Research
• Testing your business idea
• The Essentials of a business plan
• Tendering
• Financing your business
• Financial Management for small businesses
• Basic Management for small businesses
• Costing and Pricing

We also offer the following external workshops in collaboration with other organisations:

• Taxation – facilitated by SARS
• Banking for SMME – First National Bank
• Online Marketing – Virtual Africa Business Solutions
• UYF Information Session - COMSEC
• Franchising – ECDC
• Proposal Writing – Niagara College Canada
• Customer Care – Niagara College Canada
• Fair Trade Marketing – Niagara College, Canada
• Basic Book Keeping – Niagara College, Canada
• HIV/Aids and Entrepreneurship – Walter Sisulu University
• Gender and Entrepreneurship – Walter Sisulu University.
• Basic Computer Skills – Walter Sisulu University
• Micro MBA
• HIVand Aids in Entrepreneurship – Invent Capacity Building International, Germany
• Worteldrift Project (under Special Focus in Agriculture)

Stages - Training and Workshops

1)Start up Stage: This is the business in its concept stage. The owner has a specific idea and would like guidance harmonizing the concept/ idea, turning it into a Business ‘workable' Model/ Project. Focus is Starting a Business (seeing the business kick off).

2)Implementation Stage: This business is in its developmental stage (1 - +-2 yrs operation). The Business is operating for sustainability at the moment (pay bills etc) but no real profit is realized. The person would love to catch the big contracts with Big businesses. Focus here is growing your business.

3)Operational Stage: This business has been in operation for +2 yrs. Some profit is realized. They need further assistance in crunching those very big contracts; managing partnerships, growing the business and investments. The focus here is strategic business operations, people management/ managing relations etc.

Tami Mfazi, Branch Manager, TBP eQonce was born in Kroonstad in the Free State, where he also went to primary school. Thereafter he went to the Eastern Cape for his high school and tertiary education, studying at various institutions including the University of Fort Hare and Rhodes University.  He has worked as public prosecutor, magistrate and legal advisor for a public parastatal organisation and also held various directorships in the private sector. He operated his own company for several years before he joined Buffalo City Municipality as Local Economic Development Co-ordinator, specializing in enterprise development.  He was later recruited by The Business Place where he was appointed as a Manager for The Business Place.eQonce.