Our Services
Incubation
Entrepreneurs that complete the 6 or 12-month incubation programs will gain practical skills (transferred from experienced mentors), theoretical and knowledge (obtained through group training and one on one sessions) and will exit the incubation program capable of supporting themselves and sustaining business growth going forward.
The goal of the STIOSA Full Impact Incubation Program is to produce successful, financially viable and freestanding businesses whose graduates have the potential to create jobs, revitalize neighbourhoods, commercialize new technologies and strengthen local and national economies.
Mentorship
Selected candidates will complete a Baseline Audit Assessment that will enables the mentor to identify specific actions or tasks that need to be carried out.
In addition to this, areas of serious concern and opportunity are also highlighted to ensure they are addressed appropriately by both the mentor and entrepreneur.
Experience has shown that merely working off a fixed identified task list does not allow the mentor enough opportunity to build a strong, trust-based relationship with the entrepreneur.
STIOSA has found that only once a relationship of trust is established, will some of the fundamental problems and challenges in the business be revealed by the entrepreneur. Our solution to this, is to ensure that the project plan that emerges, which links directly to the identified tasks, remains flexible enough to allow for any necessary updates.
Business Training and Skills Workshops
Practical Business Training – Skills transfer to compliment Mentoring and Support
Formalized Training and Skills development forms a large and very important part of the STIOSA approach to entrepreneurial and SMME development. STIOSA has developed in-house facilitated workshops that are short, practical and to the point. These high-impact workshops provide the entrepreneur with tools and skills that can immediately be applied in the business.
The workshop subjects were identified and developed by experienced and qualified mentors who understand the needs of our clients:
Workshop subjects include:
Financial Management Project
Management Tender & Quotation Processes
Marketing & Sales Planning & Goal setting
Human Resources
Entrepreneurship Business IT & Social Media
Business Plan Development
Community Engagement and Youth Development
"ABCD by STIOSA Program"
Asset Based Community Development or ABCD is a GIBS developed and STIOSA defined Community Engagement Program It is a proven engagement program that creates a platform for continued engagement between Corporate Clients and local communities. 6 months of continued engagement per Community.
"SHIFT! - Open your eyes to opportunity Program”
These Practical Workshops will be focused on both Start-up and Existing or Advanced Entrepreneurs. It also has a large community development aspect with the “SHIFT! - Open your eyes to opportunity” workshops that can be delivered quarterly to large groups of youth community members. Delivered quarterly in large group format (50 – 100 attendees) in a community. 1, 1-day workshop per quarter.
" IDEA! - Business Model Development Program"
The “IDEA! - Business Model Development Program” has been specifically developed to build on the SHIFT! Program to take the mindset change that took place during this workshop to the next level, in other words it will form the basis of developing ideas into possible viable business opportunities.
It takes identified business ideas or opportunities and examine the viability, etc. into a basic business plan, ready for possible Level 1 Start-up Incubation. Pre-Start-up Business idea or model development program delivered quarterly in a community or identified area. 4, 1-day workshops per quarter.
Occupational Health and Safety Workshop
STIOSA has created an interactive workshop for SMME’s that enables business owners to grasp the necessity of safety in the workplace and effectively create a safety heritage in any company.
Special focus is given to industry and statutory requirements in the workplace, explained in language that the everyday businessperson can understand.
This two-day workshop starts with a broad explanation of occupational health and safety, the risks to employees and the company as whole accompanied with injuries and possible ramifications of failing to implement good codes of practice regarding safety in the workplace.
Once the knowledge has been fully understood, the workshop moves into practical knowledge and exercises to equip business owners with tools and skills that will enable these entrepreneurs to fully implement improved safety standards in their own business.
The second day is spent on understanding and compiling safety files, with examples of various documents given to the attendees. This workshop can be modified to utilize the standard safety files used by the sponsor company that will improve the safety standards of all parties.
Consulting and Support
The new DTI Broad Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE) Codes of Good Practice which came into effect on 1 May 2015 are stricter in scoring and have dire implications for business owners that do not comply.
A short summary follows on how each type of Enterprise is affected:
Exempt Micro Enterprises (EME’s):
Companies that have an annual total revenue of R10 million or less qualify under this section. EME’s benefit as they are deemed automatically to have a B-BBEE status of a level four contributor with 100% recognition level, even if there is no black ownership. However, if there is 100% black ownership, the status is enhanced to a level one contributor with 135% recognition level.
Qualifying Small Enterprises (QSE’s):
Companies that have an annual total revenue of between R10 and R50 million, qualify as QSE’s. They are required to comply with all five elements of the new code (Ownership (25 points), Management Control (15 points), Skills Development (20 points), Enterprise and Supplier Development, including preferential procurement, (40 points) and Socio-Economic Development (5 Points) and can no longer only select only four elements to comply.
Large Generic Sector (LGS’s):
In companies with an annual turnover of R50 million or more, priority elements such as skills development will become an important and costly factor and the companies must be sure to establish and implement structured B-BBEE plans to ensure that all the requirements are met.
Enterprise and Supply Chain Development
What has changed?
In the new Act, a concerted effort is made to improve economic opportunities by awarding more points in the ‘ownership’ element which affects larger companies (LGS and QSE). There is also a greater emphasis on skills development with an increase from 3% of payroll to 6%. Skills development is now not exclusive to employees “but to anyone the owner feels fit”. A company will also gain more points if they interact with businesses that are involved with employment and social change.
The way forward!
Focus on your core business and let STIOSA provide your Enterprise, Supplier and Skills Development and Socio-Economic Development Solutions.
We can deliver our services under your own brand (“white labelled”) or even establish and operate a SMME Incubator on your company’s behalf.
Taylor made results driven solutions is what is all about!
STIOSA is a 100% local non profitable business that can assist your business with 4 of the 5 elements of the new B-BBEE Codes of Good Practice (Ownership, Skills Development, Enterprise & Supplier Development as well as Socio-Economic Development).