In conversation with the Branson Centre

Changing Business for Good is more than CSI or the social project or the trees you plant on Arbour Day. It’s about how and what you do every day in your business.

In our latest podcast, the Executive Director of the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship SA, Wesley Noble, sits down with Nwabisa Mayema to talk Changing Business for Good!

Changing business for Good is at the heart of everything we do at the Branson Centre SA. But what do we mean by that? Changing business for Good means that not only are we purpose-led, but we also enable other entrepreneurs to discover, embed, and measure their purpose.

Why do we believe that it’s important for entrepreneurs to be purpose-led? Research has shown that it can increase your customers' loyalty, keep your business competitive during difficult economic times, and retain your top employees.

For more on purpose, visit our website and explore our purpose resources.

“Can I Google you? That’s the first question because I think nowadays because we have that platform, if you tell me my business is so and so and how do I verify it as a consumer? I’m going to check Google, and if I can’t pick you up, I don’t know if you’re real, I don’t know if I should be giving you my money.”

Nthabiseng Makgatho is a marketer who has been very deliberate with the brands she has worked for, choosing brands that have a positive impact.

In this podcast, she discusses the evolution of marketing over the last few years, particularly the shift from traditional to digital marketing.

With the rise of digital media, marketing is no longer a one-way conversation - with marketers bombarding consumers and customers with messages. Consumers and customers can now co-create marketing messages with marketers.

Nthabiseng also highlights how digital marketing has made marketing more affordable and accessible to entrepreneurs, who can now access many of the same resources as big corporations, and encourages entrepreneurs to use these resources.

For more on marketing and digital marketing, listen to the full interview with Nthabiseng.

“Can I Google you? That’s the first question because I think nowadays because we have that platform, if you tell me my business is so and so and how do I verify it as a consumer? I’m going to check Google, and if I can’t pick you up, I don’t know if you’re real, I don’t know if I should be giving you my money.”

Nthabiseng Makgatho is a marketer who has been very deliberate with the brands she has worked for, choosing brands that have a positive impact.

In this podcast, she discusses the evolution of marketing over the last few years, particularly the shift from traditional to digital marketing.

With the rise of digital media, marketing is no longer a one-way conversation - with marketers bombarding consumers and customers with messages. Consumers and customers can now co-create marketing messages with marketers.

Nthabiseng also highlights how digital marketing has made marketing more affordable and accessible to entrepreneurs, who can now access many of the same resources as big corporations, and encourages entrepreneurs to use these resources.

For more on marketing and digital marketing, listen to the full interview with Nthabiseng.

“If you try something you have a chance of succeeding and I found that by trying a lot of things in my life you know some have succeeded beyond my expectations and others have fallen by the wayside and it’s been a lot of fun in the process.”

Sir Richard Branson, the name behind the Branson Centre of Entrepreneurship, needs no introduction. In his most recent visit to Cape Town, he stopped by Studio 17 to hear about the Branson Centre's entrepreneurs and sat down with Nwabisa Mayema to discuss business as a force for good on our podcast, "In Conversation with the Branson Centre."

During the interview, he encourages entrepreneurs To Screw it and Just Do It as he has done in his entrepreneurial journey and points out the impact we can make, not only as entrepreneurs but also as individuals.

It's an insightful conversation with Sir Richard Branson that you don’t want to miss.

“People used to say data is the new oil and now I think you can extend that to fintech is the new oil, it’s driving economies, it’s changing the world, it’s changing livelihoods.”

In our latest podcast, Nwabisa Mayema sits down with Buhle Goslar, a technology operating executive and currently the Africa CEO for Jumo, to talk fintech.

Jumo is a banking platform that operates across emerging markets and gives many people access to finance for the first time.

Buhle is well versed in tech, and during the podcast, she expertly explains  what fintech is and why it’s so important.

She also goes on to discuss the various financial tools available to entrepreneurs and how these financial tools are not only simplifying once complicated business processes, but also creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs.

If you’re interested in fintech, this is a podcast worth listening to.

“People used to say data is the new oil and now I think you can extend that to fintech is the new oil, it’s driving economies, it’s changing the world, it’s changing livelihoods.”

In our latest podcast, Nwabisa Mayema sits down with Buhle Goslar, a technology operating executive and currently the Africa CEO for Jumo, to talk fintech.

Jumo is a banking platform that operates across emerging markets and gives many people access to finance for the first time.

Buhle is well versed in tech, and during the podcast, she expertly explains what fintech is and why it’s so important.

She also goes on to discuss the various financial tools available to entrepreneurs and how these financial tools are not only simplifying once complicated business processes, but also creating new opportunities for entrepreneurs.

If you’re interested in fintech, this is a podcast worth listening to.

We're back with another episode of In conversation with the Branson Centre. This second season of our podcast kicks off in Studio17, our brand new studio, with our first guest, Barati Mahloele.

Having worked in finance for the FMCG industry on multiple continents for years, Barati is now the Tiger Brand Venture Capital Fund Director.

In her latest role, Barati brings together her passion and purpose and works to alleviate the barriers that prevent entrepreneurs, particularly women, from accessing finance and unlocking their full potential.

In this episode, she discusses what finance means to her, what she looks for when investing in a company as a VC fund director, and which financing options are available to entrepreneurs.

This episode is a must-listen if you're an entrepreneur thinking about financing.

“So the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are part of agenda 2030 for sustainable development which was adopted by all UN member states in 2015, it’s called transforming our world."

Our latest podcast episode features Simone Smit, who is the Head of Exploration at the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Accelerator Lab in South Africa.

The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) is the development agency of the UN and focuses on the Sustainable Development Goals. While The Accelerator Labs specifically focuses on infusing innovation in everything they do to accelerate the achievement of the SDGs by re-dreaming the way they deliver development!

During the podcast, Simone explains what the SDGs are and how they provide a blueprint for a more sustainable and better world by working to eradicate poverty, protect our planet, and ensure all people live in peace and prosperity.

She also emphasises the important role that entrepreneurs and businesses can play in accelerating the achievement of the SDGs.

Visit https://sdgs.un.org/goals/ for more information on Agenda 2030 and the SDGs

For more on the SDGs, watch the full interview with Simone on our Youtube channel.

"Impact is basically making the lives of people, the lives of Africans and South Africans better, and that can take the shape of giving them sustainable jobs. It can take the shape of giving them affordable housing, access to quality education, access to the internet even and also financial inclusivity; you know, giving people the tools in order to make their lives better."

Sine Zulu is an investment and finance expert at Ninety One, who specialises in impact infrastructure projects on the African continent.

With more than 12 years of experience in investment, she is well versed in South Africa's impact investment landscape and its key players.

In this podcast, she breaks down what impact investment is, what impact investment opportunities are available for South African entrepreneurs, and how entrepreneurs can prepare for investor readiness.

For more on investing and impact investing, watch the full interview with Sine Zulu on our Youtube channel.

"I think the first thing is what is purpose? And so purpose is about really being clear on the role and meaning you want to play in people's lives. It's why we exist, why we are here on earth. What difference do we want to make? And Richard (Branson) had a lovely quote that if you're not making a difference in people's lives, you don't have a business."

If you're an entrepreneur struggling to find your purpose, this podcast is for you.

Nwabisa Mayema, Strategic Partnership Director at the Branson Centre, sits down with Fiona Ross, the Head of Brand and Creative Capabilities at the Virgin group.

Fiona has the wonderful job of codifying the Virgin brand DNA so Virgin teams across the world can bring it to life across all aspects of creative expression and experience design.

During this insightful interview, she discusses what is the role of brand in business. Why is it important to be purpose-led, and how do you embed purpose into your brand by using examples from the Virgin Group.

For more on brand and purpose watch the full interview with Fiona Ross on our Youtube channel.