This document discusses professionalism and entrepreneurial skills. It outlines various attributes of professionalism including specialized knowledge, competency, honesty and integrity. It also discusses using social media professionally and how to develop professionalism through private and public victories like managing time well and dressing appropriately. The document then discusses entrepreneurship as an attitude of service and popular young African entrepreneurs under 30 like Rapelang Rabana, Sizwe Nzima, and Sanele Makinane who started successful businesses. Finally, it outlines 10 common traits of successful entrepreneurs like thriving on ideas and opportunities.

1. PROFESSIONALISM &
ENTREPRENEURAL SKILLS

2. PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
ATTRIBUTES OF PROFESSIONALISM
Specialised Knowledge – working seriously to succeed in a field;
continuously developing and delivering the best work possible.
Competency - Getting the job done; being reliable.
Honesty and integrity - keeping your word, being trustworthy; Never
compromising your values, doing the right thing and taking a
harder road.
Accountability – holding yourself accountable for actions.
Self-regulation - staying professional even under pressure.
Image – looking the part; not showing up at work sloppily dressed;
being polished, and dressing appropriately for the occasion.
Exuding confidence and earning respect.

3. PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
1. BEHAVIOURAL ATTRIBUTES

4. PROFESSIONAL SKILLS
2. USING SOCIAL MEDIA
twitter:
direct interaction;
How to:
Send interesting/
decent tweets; join
conversation; ask
relevant questions;
use “#jobs,
#industry, etc.”
LinkedIn:
Search engine for
130 000+ recruiters
How to:
Create profile; Build
network; Get
recommendations.
Facebook:
Follow employer #page;
Participate in #groups; Ask
your network for referral.

5. HOW TO DEVELOP PROFESSIONALISM
1. PRIVATE VICTORY
 Develop Emotional Intelligence
 Develop expertise and stay up-to-date
 Don’t arrive today and expect to be manager
tomorrow
 Honour your commitments
 Communicate your ideas, challenges and priorities
 Set goals and plan your actions
 Manage yourself and your time
 Show interest in others; be approachable

6. HOW TO DEVELOP PROFESSIONALISM
2. PUBLIC/ WORKPLACE VICTORY
 Familiarise yourself with workplace policies
 Abide by workplace dress code
 Arrive on time
 Office resources are not for personal use
 No personal calls (if you receive a call, keep it brief)
 Tidy up your space
 Replace what you’ve used
 Be enthusiastic and friendly
 Avoid slang and NEVER use foul or offensive
language in the workplace

7. HOW TO DEVELOP PROFESSIONALISM
2. PUBLIC/ WORKPLACE VICTORY
 Respect other people’s differences
 Manage conflict and avoid gossip
 Stay out of office politics (don’t form alliances or
cliques and DON’T take sides)
 Be positive, no one likes complainers
 Do your job - be dependable
 Keep your supervisor informed
 Observe telephone and email manners
 Don’t pull others down to look good in front of your
boss; offer assistance where you can

8. ENTREPRENEURSHIP
… IS AN ATTITUDE OF SERVICE
1. Spot the need in a society
2. Assess opportunities analytically and critically
3. Select opportunities
4. Execute the opportunity (e.g., invent the product
or service; pool the resources)
5. Add value to people’s lives
6. Take advantage of technology to do better
7. Sustain through profit motive and management
8. “How can I take this to the next level?”
9. Build your network and connections

9. STATE OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP IN SOUTH AFRICA
Population Group Prevalence in
South African
population(%)
Ratio of
entrepreneurs to
overall group
Black African 79.2 0.9
Coloured 9.0 0.9
Indian/ Asian 2.6 1.9
White 9.2 1.4

10. ENTREPRENEURSHIP MUST RESPOND TO

11. YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT

12. ENTREPRENEURS
POPULAR FIGURES

13. ENTREPRENEURS
UNDER 30 AFRICAN ENTREPRENEURS
RAPELANG RABANA (SA)
Founder & CEO
Yeigo Communications
30 years
Accolade:
Launched the world’s first
unified telecommunications hub
which is now available on the
Apple iPhone and the Apple iPod
Touch.
Develops software for telecoms-related
services including Voice over IP, Instant
messaging, SMS messaging and push email
services. In 2008, Telfree, a Swiss mobile
telecommunications firm acquired a 51%
stake in Yeigo.
She said,
"One of the biggest misconceptions
about starting your own business is that
the first thing you need to do is get
funding. You shouldn’t actually take any
money until you absolutely need it – and
this should only be after about a year of
hard work on your own," she says.
"Starting out by working on your own
computer at your desk at home, even on
your bed, is the best way.“

14. ENTREPRENEURS
UNDER 30 AFRICAN ENTREPRENEURS
SIZWE NZIMA (SA)
Founder of Iyeza Express
Khayelitsha in the Western Cape. Instead of
standing in long queues for hours, Nzima’s
Iyeza Express collects chronic medication
from local clinics and delivers them by
bicycle to Khayelitsha residents, at their
homes.
“I used to collect medication for my grandma
for three years and experienced first-hand
what happens.”
Clients pay a small fee of R10 (US$1.1) per
collection; he has 40 clients and hopes to
expand to other parts of Cape Town and
nationally.
“Young people should be the innovators.
Every young person needs to decide how they
are going to use their power for good,” he
says.

15. ENTREPRENEURS
UNDER 30 AFRICAN ENTREPRENEURS
SANELE MAKINANE (SA)
Co-founder: Apex Commercial
Solutions
“Digitalising South Africa”
24 years
[Won R1m capital @The Big Break
Legacy 2013]
Sanele is a free spirited young man with
strong business acumen and intellectual
capacity.
Through Mzanzi Digital, Sanele’s goal is to
create participation by previously
disadvantaged communities in the
development of ICT in the municipality, the
district, provincially and ultimately nationally.
Apex Commercial Solutions is a company
established by young people from the City of
Matlosana who have studied various
courses and have merged to create a
company that houses all their expertise,
knowledge and abilities in information
communications technology, marketing,
public relations, project management and
multimedia management.

16. WHAT MAKES THEM WHO THEY ARE?
THE 10 COMMON TRAITS
1. Thriving on ideas
2. Spotting opportunities and filling them
3. Appetite to add value to people
4. Basic but unique vision
5. Building things and being resilient
6. Thriving through complexity
7. Technology-friendly
8. Money discipline
9. Leading and influencing people
10. Willing to discover and to learn

17. WHERE TO GET HELP AND SUPPORT

18. BOOKS YOU MAY READ

19. Q&A

20. THANK YOU
fusi.motaung@gmail.com
Fusi Motaung