Passion, determination and self-belief are key to starting and running your own business – this is the consensus of a group of South African women entrepreneurs who are featured in a new book, recently published by Oshun Books.

The book – My Success, Your Success – features 26 of South Africa’s top entrepreneurs, including Basetsana Kumalo, Jane Raphaely, Ina Paarman and Carrol Boyes, who reveal the secrets of their success and share what they think all women will need to know when embarking on their entrepreneurial journeys. Of significance to Pétanque is that two of our team members feature in this book: MD Michélle Booysen, and Non-Executive Director Yvonne Finch.

Written by an established women entrepreneur, Jane Notten, the book chronicles the true accounts of these women’s exciting, but often trying, experiences and should prove to be a handy tool to other women who want to run their own business but who don’t know how to get started. “The number one tip is to have passion, determination and self-belief,” says Notten.

Gloria Serobe, the co-founder of WIPHOLD (Women Investment Portfolio Holdings Ltd) and one of the women featured in the book, had this to say, ‘Believe in yourself. Without being arrogant, it is necessary to believe that you can do it, no matter what.’

Equally important is having a good plan to back up your passion and a clear vision.
Jane Raphaely, founder of Jane Raphaely and Associates, chairperson of Associated Magazines and editor in chief of O, the Oprah magazine in South Africa, as well as Jenna Clifford, owner and director of the successful Jenna Clifford jewellery company, agree that having a good plan can make or break a business. ‘Have a clear vision of what you want, and then have the determination to make sure that it happens,’ says Raphaely.

Just as important is to keep the vision and brand alive by regularly reviewing your strategy and plan. Michélle Booysen, MD of Pétanque Business Specialists: “At Pétanque we review our business plan every three months and through that we ensure that team members contribute to our vision and mission - so these are living plans. The result is that we often get compliments from clients about what a happy group of people we are.”

Other top tips listed by the women featured in the book are: to have perseverance; use your common sense; be committed to hard work; make sure you have access to the right to knowledge and advice; be honest and ethical in all your dealings; have self-knowledge; make sure that you have the right people around you (from staff to suppliers and family); have fun with your business and don’t take yourself too seriously; and, last but not least, be courageous.

‘For the 26 businesswomen featured in this book, their journey has led to a creative and interesting lifestyle, happiness and fulfilment. I hope that others will be able to draw inspiration and guidance from their stories,’ Notten says.

The book is available online at www.exclusivebooks.co.za