Olivetti 45 — It wasn’t half bad, changing my address for a total of four days. It might be more but who knows with this Astertjie’s insatiable events calendar.
I spent four days making arrangements for a wedding in March with my close friend whose fiancée is running around in Angola for his IT project. Nog nooit was iemand so eensaam nie, but it wasn’t she who felt the loneliness, it was me.
Eensaam is not necessarily negative. A good exercise, ‘n tydjie om myself ‘n bietjie vas te vat. Yes, she’s good company and the MasterChef reruns were nice to watch, but it gave me a lot of time to think positive thoughts while I cuddled her besige Jack Russells. Die groter prentjie.
Then the Rocci Business of the Year 2013 nominees cocktail function put it all together for me afterwards – I told you, an insatiable events calender – I’d like to be such an entrepreneur. I want to be that award-winning entrepreneur. Dit hoef nie wêreldwyd te wees nie, I learned, you could be serving the locals. That foundation in Roodepoort could be the perfect platform for a life-altering business nationally or even internationally. Isn’t it how these nominees got here?
In a big sense my dad’s mid-life crises brought about my sense of business. Quitting the commercial banking industry for a quieter life of buying and selling was a daunting task; he struggled out of those corporate suits and into his plakkies. In no way his life is now struggle-free and stress-free, “but the stresses are different”, he told me once, “and I find that I have a higher quality of life”.
Ek bedank die heelal elke dag vir my salarissie, but imagine not working for a boss, meeting personalised deadlines and rather than taking a fixed salary home with a pat on the back for helping a corporation, investing in the growth of the economy, the creation of jobs and your personal proliferation?
Met die rondgetrekkery tussen my huis en Wilgeheuwel, I also experienced the pushes and pulls of advice from my parents, business owners and even a few student friends.
“You’re better than writing headlines.” That made me angry, I love writing catchy headlines.
“Dis nie so maklik nie en jy gaan sukkel, skat.” I’m not a skat, skat, and if it weren’t for struggles South Africa wouldn’t have existed – I feel up to the challenge. Entrepreneurship, I believe, is about growing yourself and then your occupation, and so I started researching life-enhancing opportunities.
Ek kan weer gaan swot, nie voltyds nie, maar wat? What are the costs involved, when will I have time?
I can become a Toastmaster. My dad did Toastmasters and is an aspiring and successful businessman, and so are all the well-spoken guys and gals I meet at Toastmasters every other Tuesday, Thursday. Maar hierdie Astertjie is skaam.
I can attend more Rocci events. It’s on my office social calendar, and by extension, my events calendar, anyway. Network, Astertjie, skryf profiele oor hierdie inspirerende besigheidswesens en leer by hulle.
I missed the deadline to sign up for that communications course I’d have loved and paid to attend and who cares? For other opportunities are around the corner, at the next event. Of in Michy se voorhuis, as jy lank genoeg dink en ‘n besigheidsplan sommer op daai troukaartjie templates skryf.
Eendag haal ek nog jou tea lady oor en maak haar my executive communications expert. Sy praat die belangrike tale, kommunikeer effektief en jy kan jou eie koffietjie maak. Haar gegradueerde dogter kan selfs my marketing specialist wees.
Groot drome, my skat.
