Participants of the “Meet Your Business Friend Day” event engage in activities.
Photo by: JonIvins.com The event, at the Durban Undersea Club, allowed business
professionals to share their knowledge and entrepreneurship skills as
well as their contribution towards their KwaZulu-Natal’s Regional
Economic Development with the students who in turn shared their
entrepreneurial aspirations with the professionals.
It is envisaged that through such social entrepreneurship initiatives
- which expose students to the business industry and the business
industry to the students - partnerships will be created which contribute
towards stimulating entrepreneurial thinking and a start-up culture
essential to the sustainability and economic growth of KwaZulu-Natal.
At the event, participants took part in an interactive workshop
facilitated by Graduate School of Business and Leadership academic, Dr
Shamim Bodhanya. The workshop involved the participants in fun actives
aimed at building friendships and exploring leadership and business
strategies. International top Surf-Lifesaving athlete and world class
sport achiever, Mr Wade Krieger, was part of the event to inspire young
entrepreneurs and co-ordinated the beach activities with Bodhanya.
The day used innovative societal technologies of combining Multiple
Intelligence pedagogy practices, with Living Theories, Action Learning
and Participatory Action Research.
It had a distinct purpose of introducing young entrepreneurs and
business professionals to each other, hoping to increase each other’s
levels of entrepreneurial self-efficacy and forming business
friendships. The beach day unfolded into a beautiful happening of
emerging social science.
The Founder of the SHAPE Project, UKZN academic and doctoral
candidate, Ms Thea van der Westhuizen said: ‘It was about relating
like-hearted people, sharing business passions and getting inspired by
one human being to another. It was about raising levels of
self-confidence of being a young entrepreneur in South Africa and not
being scared to network with business professionals. It was about
stepping out of your comfort zone and taking risks through finding a
business friend through beach activities and creative play that
symbolises real life situations. It’s about placing people first,
returning to creative play and finding fun filled purpose in an era that
is driven by idolising money and capitalism. It’s about inspiring
greatness and being inspired to greatness,’ she said.
Business partners and students described the event as a great way to
network, exchange knowledge and evaluate their strengths and weaknesses
in business.
Mr Thabani Nsele of Inamandla Mathematics Education and
Entrepreneurial Platform said he learned a lot about building
friendships and came up with a lot of new business ideas; while Mr
Richard Hoffmann-Jensen of Truck and Plant Engineering said the event
was a positive step towards forming lasting business relationships and
he called for more events of this nature in the future.
From a student’s perspective, SHAPE candidate Mr Andile Xaba said the
enriching experience exposed him to the fun side of business.
‘The business professionals I met were very helpful and approachable.
It was inspiring to get advice on my ideas from people who have been in
the industry for years and I am looking forward to applying this newly
acquired knowledge,’ said Xaba.