Wednesday, 14 December 2016, Issue #10

2016 - WHAT A YEAR!

It is impossible to sum up the last year in just one word.  For us at SA Teen Entrepreneur, 2016 was just a landmark year; we have accomplished that which was way above our dreams and expectations, and I believe it has laid a strong foundation for taking us forward into 2017 and way beyond.

Our pilot project with our seven participating schools has provided us with invaluable intelligence regarding the running of the programme on the ground and has highlighted areas for improvement.  My sincere thanks and appreciation go to the headmasters, teacher champions, and entrepreneur society members of Langa High, Ikamvaltethu High, Isilimela High School, Spes Bona High School, Gardens Commercial High School, Oude Molen Academy of Science and Technology, and the Herzlia Middle School.  Your dedication and commitment to the entrepreneurial cause has been nothing short of phenomenal. 

It was most encouraging to see young people’s mindsets shift over the last year as a result of doing the programme.  A few of our youth have even gone on to start their own businesses!

To SAP (Germany), Shoprite Holdings, Cape Talk Radio, Old Mutual, Southern Sun (Newlands) and many other partners who have supported us this year and who continue to believe in what we do; thank you!  We look forward to your continued support in 2017 as we break new ground with plans to take our entrepreneurial programme into the digital sphere.

Plans and proposals to launch a digital version of teen entrepreneur are far advanced, and we will be making a few big announcements around it early in the New Year.  Online accessibility will mean that we are able to reach far more young learners throughout South Africa, and in fact, Africa!  Exciting times!

We have also experimented with a ‘boot camp’-style version of the programme this year, called TeenBOSS with our partners Over the Rainbow and Entrepreneur and Management Solutions.  Early indications are that TeenBOSS has been well received, with numerous requests to do many more of these into the future.  Thank you to the many businesses who have come on board to ‘adopt a teen’, thereby making it possible for more than 100 learners to be put through the course.    

Our bi-monthly ‘Awaken the Giant Breakfast Series’ meetings have seen successful businesspeople from all walks of life inspiring our young and enquiring minds.  Our Grand Finale guest speaker, former Finance Minister, Trevor Manuel, brought to light a few hard hitting issues for all of us to consider in embarking on a business journey, and positioned entrepreneurship in the context of the current state of the economy.  There’s nothing like a healthy dose of reality to help us benchmark, not only how far we have come, but how far we still need to go. 

I am looking forward to 2017 with much excitement and enthusiasm, and am very confident that the foundation that we have laid over the last 12 months will enable us to launch a successful programme for the next 12.

With warm regards,
LYDIA ZINGONI