Don’t be silly, ask for help!0
Richard Branson January 20, 2013
The career path of an entrepreneur is tough -- it involves a lot of hard work, sacrifice and risk, and it can be very lonely. When you hit a rough spot or encounter a problem you don't know how to solve, it can be difficult to figure out where to find information and who to ask for help, and you can get into trouble.
This was the essence of a problem I ran into in 1969, when at the age of 19 I started a mail-order record business. I did not ask my family, friends or mentors for advice on how to carry out a business plan. I thought I knew it all -- until I stupidly decided to take a shortcut and smuggle records through customs to avoid paying taxes. I was caught by British customs officials and spent a night in jail, not knowing what the outcome would be. (Luckily, customs agreed not to press charges as long as I paid back three times the tax that had not been paid.)
We all make silly mistakes from time to time, but the bottom line is that entrepreneurs should seek input from the start. You will need advice on how to improve your business, beginning on the first day, and throughout the rest of your career.
When your prospective business is still in the planning stages, it can be difficult to understand how best to differentiate your product or service from the competition. At this stage, it may be that all you need to do is look around: the best ideas in other fields for products and services can help you improve your own.
My team and I bounced back from our bad experience and learned a lot from launching a chain of record stores (Virgin Records) and from our music label (Virgin Music) that carried over to most other Virgin businesses. By the time we launched our airline, Virgin Atlantic, we knew that customers considered our products and services to be entertaining and fun, and that this would keep them coming back.
Once your business is up and running, you'll need to know at a granular level whether your customers are satisfied with your product or service. It may be difficult to handle a disappointed or even angry customer, but you shouldn't avoid such calls and leave them to your front-line staff. Learn from your customers by answering some of the calls to the help line yourself or by watching the comments on Twitter and other social media channels, then responding to the complaints. If a small problem is starting to emerge, this is likely where you and your staff will first learn about it.
You can also glean a lot of useful information from your competitors. If one of your rivals' ideas succeeds, it's always good for you and your team to recognize that -- it will probably drive you to achieve even greater triumphs. Or sometimes you can learn from their reactions. For example, in the 1990s when British Airways was trying every trick in the book to put Virgin Atlantic out of business, I knew we were onto something good -- they wouldn't have bothered with us otherwise. Our emphasis on providing great service was a real threat to their business, and knowing that, we redoubled our efforts.
You'll also need to stay informed: A successful entrepreneur is one who knows what's going on both in the local market and internationally. Keeping your eye on the news may give you an edge (I often read The Economist and The Financial Times).
Sometimes you will run into a specific problem that only others who have been in your position will understand. It is important to build a network of mentors and advisers so that you have someone to turn to for advice in bad times -- try local business groups and industry associations for information about finding a mentor. Or if you need feedback from peers, try one of the many great online forums for entrepreneurs. I like The Huffington Post, especially the small business page -- the rate at which thoughts are shared and commented on means you will always get a response.
Finally, sometimes you may simply need help from someone who knows you best. Some of the best business lessons I've learned have come from my mother. She always encouraged me to pursue my entrepreneurial interests when I was young, and when I got into trouble, she was the first person I turned to for help. Having your mother pay your bail money isn't something you would ever want to happen, but I was very grateful when she did!
So listen to your mother. Thinking back to 1969, my mother's common-sense advice would have been just the thing I needed to hear.
About Author(s)
Richard Branson
Born July 18, 1950, in Surrey, England, Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson struggled in school and dropped out at age 16, a decision that ultimately lead to the creation of Virgin Records. His entrepreneurial projects started in the music industry...
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Monday, January 21, 2013
Sunday, January 6, 2013
Madonna tops 2012 world tour chart
Madonna tops 2012 world tour chart: Pop and rock music legends like Madonna and Bruce Springsteen bested their younger chart-topping competition on the concert trail in 2012, according to data released by trade publication Pollstar.
Thursday, January 3, 2013
The @BigBreakLegacy Twitter Live Chat
I was so excited for a minute it felt like l was going live on air - radio or tv that is. There's a chemical in my brain that only get's released then, l love it. The challenge was typing my answers even though l had them type before the flood of questions from every one really threw me off a bit. But with all that said l had a blast, l enjoyed every minute, what a great yeast to start the year.
Here is the questions l answered on the
Penny Lebyane’s rise to the top
To paraphrase Shakespeare, "There is a tide in the affairs of women, which when taken at the flood leads to fortune..."
Success is something both men and women think about. For Penny Lebyane true success as is an overall mind body and wealth status, having a positive mind and living healthy. And she should know as the owner of Penny Lebyane Incorporated, a group of companies whose main purpose is to assist individuals, public and private sector entities communicate effectively in an ever changing business environment.
Penny Lebyane Incorporated is a black-owned and managed company driven by the desire for meaningful empowerment through harnessing of entrepreneurial synergies accompanied by the transfer of skills and expertise.
Many know her as a Radio and Television Presenter but there is much more to this dynamic woman. Penny Lebyane, who grew up in Soweto, is an inspiration and role model to many. Let’s find out what it’s like to stand in Penny Lebyane’s heels and what entrepreneurs can learn from her.
1. What ignited the spark in you to become a successful entrepreneur? What motivates you?
My Backround ignited the spark, l wanted to change it, l wanted to achieve make something out of my life because l had and still have a sense that there's more in me. what inspires me is to be in a position to encourage, share in and inspire others by just pursuing my own success.
2. Describe a day in your heels?
Morning prayer walk 1st, kids to school, meeting with my team for the foundation or website, or production commitments for Motswako. School pick ups by lunch time. After lunch a bit of administrations or business partners meetings and planning for projects l'm involved in at the time. Days differ.
3. If you had to start from the beginning again, what, if anything, would you do differently?
Run Penny as a business from day one, get the right mentors, understand what l'm selling to the tee.
4. What, in your opinion, are the top three entrepreneurial skills most needed for success?
1. Clarity - if the is a need for what u have to offer
2. Determine what is unique about what u bring in to the space.
3. Is there a need for ur service offerings
5. Who has been your greatest inspiration?
Richard Maponya and Oprah Winfrey, commitment, authenticity and reach...
6. What sacrifices have you had to make to become a successful entrepreneur?
Security of corporate career with visible benchmarks to follow to get to the top for a Purpose driven success with no guarantees.
7. Tell us more about you as a social entrepreneur and the Penny Lebyane foundation?
I see a lot of people wt ideas,products daily that they believe in trying to get them to an audience but the audience could be not receptive and it's packaged badly and mostly communicated wrong so we become a link for both. We help them tell their story with color turn their passion to purpose for profit which is why do thing in the 1st place, to make money.
The foundation is a catalyst for all of the above especially in rural settings, information is scarce, exposure is dire, self believe is non existent. We partner wt schools and communities to be a link to the big scary world out of a Village, we look at their need we create ways to meet them by selling it to Corporate and managing to process. We also be a vehicle, face and voice to Corporate to champion their involvement in those communities and simplifying what government is trying to achieve for rural development.
8. What future do you see for women entrepreneurs in South Africa?
It 's a mine field with great potential, it present great opportunities for the country as a whole especially women only if they organize themselves and share information and resources.
9. If you were conducting this interview, what question would you ask?
How is creativity a business
It's a service that individuals, corporate and governments alike use to deliver services, messages to clients and the public it should be treated as such, it's lP intense, it's value proposition offer has the potential to drive the psyche of a nation and create jobs as well.
Here is the questions l answered on the
Penny Lebyane’s rise to the top
To paraphrase Shakespeare, "There is a tide in the affairs of women, which when taken at the flood leads to fortune..."
Success is something both men and women think about. For Penny Lebyane true success as is an overall mind body and wealth status, having a positive mind and living healthy. And she should know as the owner of Penny Lebyane Incorporated, a group of companies whose main purpose is to assist individuals, public and private sector entities communicate effectively in an ever changing business environment.
Penny Lebyane Incorporated is a black-owned and managed company driven by the desire for meaningful empowerment through harnessing of entrepreneurial synergies accompanied by the transfer of skills and expertise.
Many know her as a Radio and Television Presenter but there is much more to this dynamic woman. Penny Lebyane, who grew up in Soweto, is an inspiration and role model to many. Let’s find out what it’s like to stand in Penny Lebyane’s heels and what entrepreneurs can learn from her.
1. What ignited the spark in you to become a successful entrepreneur? What motivates you?
My Backround ignited the spark, l wanted to change it, l wanted to achieve make something out of my life because l had and still have a sense that there's more in me. what inspires me is to be in a position to encourage, share in and inspire others by just pursuing my own success.
2. Describe a day in your heels?
Morning prayer walk 1st, kids to school, meeting with my team for the foundation or website, or production commitments for Motswako. School pick ups by lunch time. After lunch a bit of administrations or business partners meetings and planning for projects l'm involved in at the time. Days differ.
3. If you had to start from the beginning again, what, if anything, would you do differently?
Run Penny as a business from day one, get the right mentors, understand what l'm selling to the tee.
4. What, in your opinion, are the top three entrepreneurial skills most needed for success?
1. Clarity - if the is a need for what u have to offer
2. Determine what is unique about what u bring in to the space.
3. Is there a need for ur service offerings
5. Who has been your greatest inspiration?
Richard Maponya and Oprah Winfrey, commitment, authenticity and reach...
6. What sacrifices have you had to make to become a successful entrepreneur?
Security of corporate career with visible benchmarks to follow to get to the top for a Purpose driven success with no guarantees.
7. Tell us more about you as a social entrepreneur and the Penny Lebyane foundation?
I see a lot of people wt ideas,products daily that they believe in trying to get them to an audience but the audience could be not receptive and it's packaged badly and mostly communicated wrong so we become a link for both. We help them tell their story with color turn their passion to purpose for profit which is why do thing in the 1st place, to make money.
The foundation is a catalyst for all of the above especially in rural settings, information is scarce, exposure is dire, self believe is non existent. We partner wt schools and communities to be a link to the big scary world out of a Village, we look at their need we create ways to meet them by selling it to Corporate and managing to process. We also be a vehicle, face and voice to Corporate to champion their involvement in those communities and simplifying what government is trying to achieve for rural development.
8. What future do you see for women entrepreneurs in South Africa?
It 's a mine field with great potential, it present great opportunities for the country as a whole especially women only if they organize themselves and share information and resources.
9. If you were conducting this interview, what question would you ask?
How is creativity a business
It's a service that individuals, corporate and governments alike use to deliver services, messages to clients and the public it should be treated as such, it's lP intense, it's value proposition offer has the potential to drive the psyche of a nation and create jobs as well.
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
The 55th Grammy Awards
Flying SA Flag High.....No lt's For Africa....
World-renowned musician Hugh Masekela has been honoured with a prestigious Grammy nomination
Fresh from traveling with Paul Simon for his Graceland 25th Anniversary Tour, Hugh Masekela now has the Grammy Awards to look forward to early next year.
The nominations were released in early Dec 2012, Uncle Hugh no stranger to winning Grammys, as his multi-award-winning song, Grazing in the Grass, sold over four million copies and catapulted him to international stardom. His most recent nomination is for Jabulani in the Best World Music category.
The jazz maestro has worked with major artists in the USA, Africa and Europe, including Miriam Makeba, Dizzy Gillespie, Harry Belafonte and Herb Alpert. He's also performed alongside the late Janis Joplin, Otis Redding, Ravi Shankar, The Who and Jimi Hendrix.
He's since opened his own studio and record label, House of Masekela, which has already put out its first release: Friends – a four-CD album of jazz standards featuring his close friend, pianist Larry Willis.
In addition to his regular sell-out concerts in SA and various other countries, he also enjoyed huge success with the musical Songs of Migration, directed by James Ngcobo, which recently returned from a tour to Europe and the USA.
“My biggest obsession is to show Africans and the world who the people of Africa really are,” Masekela 's been quoted as saying.
The Awards will be held 13 February 2013, lt would be a great Valentines's date to be in LA..
See abbreviated Grammy Nomination list below:
Record of the Year
Lonely Boy – The Black Keys
Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) – Kelly Clarkson
We are Young – Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe
Somebody That I Used to Know – Gotye Featuring Kimbra
Thinkin' Bout You – Frank Ocean
We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together – Taylor Swift
Album of the Year
El Camino – The Black Keys
Some Nights – Fun.
Babel – Mumford & Sons
Channel Orange – Frank Ocean
Blunderbuss – Jack White
Song of the Year
The A Team – Ed Sheeran, songwriter (Ed Sheeran)
Adorn – Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)
Call Me Maybe – Tavish Crowe, Carly Rae Jepsen & Josh Ramsay, songwriters (Carly Rae Jepsen)
Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) – Jörgen Elofsson, David Gamson, Greg Kurstin & Ali Tamposi, songwriters (Kelly Clarkson)
We Are Young – Jack Antonoff, Jeff Bhasker, Andrew Dost & Nate Ruess, songwriters (Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe)
Best New Artist
Alabama Shakes
Fun.
Hunter Hayes
The Lumineers
Frank Ocean
POP FIELD
Best Pop Solo Performance
Set Fire To The Rain [live] – Adele
Stronger (What Doesn’t Kill You) – Kelly Clarkson
Call Me Maybe – Carly Rae Jepsen
Wide Awake – Katy Perry
Where Have You Been? – Rihanna
Best Pop Duo/Group Performance
Shake it Out – Florence & the Machine
We are Young – Fun. featuring Janelle Monáe
Somebody That I Used To Know – Gotye Featuring Kimbra
Sexy and I Know It – Lmfao
Payphone – Maroon 5 & Wiz Khalifa
Best Pop Instrumental Album
24/7 – Gerald Albright & Norman Brown
Impressions – Chris Botti
Four Hands and a Heart Volume One – Larry Carlton
Live at the Blue Note Tokyo – Dave Koz
Rumbadoodle – Arun Shenoy
Best Pop Vocal Album
Stronger – Kelly Clarkson
Ceremonials – Florence and the Machine
Some Nights – Fun.
Overexposed – Maroon 5
The Truth About Love – Pink
DANCE / ELECTRONICA FIELD
Best Dance Recording
Levels – Avicii
Let’s Go – Calvin Harris Featuring Ne-Yo
Bangarang – Skrillex Featuring Sirah
Don’t You Worry Child – Swedish House Mafia Featuring John Martin
I Can’t Live Without You – Al Walser
Best Dance/Electronica Album
Wonderland – Steve Aoki
Don’t Think – The Chemical Brothers
&rt;Album Title Goes Here< – Deadmau5
Fire & Ice – Kaskade
Bangarang – Skrillex
TRADITIONAL POP FIELD
Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album
Christmas – Michael Bublé
A Holiday Carole – Carole King
Kisses on the Bottom – Paul McCartney
Best R&B Performance
Thank You – Estelle
Gonna Be Alright (f.t.b.) – Robert Glasper Experiment featuring Ledisi
I Want You – Luke James
Adorn – Miguel
Climax – Usher
Best Traditional R&B Performance
Lately – Anita Baker
Love on Top – Beyoncé
Wrong Side of a Love Song – Melanie Fiona
Real Good Hands – Gregory Porter
If Only You Knew – Swv
Best R&B Song
Adorn – Miguel Pimentel, songwriter (Miguel)
Beautiful Surprise – Tamia Hill, Claude Kelly & Salaam Remi, songwriters (Tamia)
Heart Attack – Benjamin Levin, Rico Love & Tremaine Neverson, songwriters (Trey Songz)
Pray For Me – Antonio Dixon, Kenny Edmonds, Anthony Hamilton & Patrick “jque” Smith, songwriters (Anthony Hamilton)
Refill – Darhyl “dj” Camper, Elle Varner & Andrew “Pop” Wansel, songwriters (Elle Varner)
Best Urban Contemporary Album
Fortune – Chris Brown
Kaleidoscope Dream – Miguel
Channel Orange – Frank Ocean
Best R&B Album
Black Radio – Robert Glasper Experiment
Back to Love – Anthony Hamilton
Write Me Back – R. Kelly
Beautiful Surprise – Tamia
Open Invitation – Tyrese
RAP FIELD
Best Rap Performance
Hyfr (Hell Ya … Right) – Drake Featuring Lil Wayne
… In Paris – Jay-Z and Kanye West
Daughters – Nas
Mercy – Kanye West featuring Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz
I Do – Young Jeezy featuring Jay-Z and André 3000
Best Rap/Sung Collaboration
Wild Ones – Flo Rida Featuring Sia
No Church in the Wild – Jay-Z and Kanye West featuring Frank Ocean and The Dream
Tonight (Best You Ever Had) – John Legend featuring Ludacris
Cherry Wine – Nas featuring Amy Winehouse
Talk That Talk – Rihanna featuring Jay-Z
Best Rap Song
Daughters – Nasir Jones and Ernest Wilson, songwriters (Patrick Adams, Gary Decarlo, Dale Frashuer and Paul Leka, songwriters) (Nas) Track From: Life is Good
Lotus Flower Bomb – Olubowale Akintimehin, S Joseph Dew, Jerrin Howard, Walker Johnson and Miguel Jontel Pimentel, songwriters (Wale Featuring Miguel)
Mercy – Sean Anderson, Tauheed Epps, Stephan Taft, James Thomas, Terrence Thornton and Kanye West, songwriters (Denzie Beagle, Winston Riley and Reggie Williams, songwriters) (Kanye West featuring Big Sean, Pusha T and 2 Chainz)
The Motto – Dwayne Carter, Aubrey Graham and Tyler Williams, songwriters (Drake Featuring Lil Wayne)
… In Paris – Shawn Carter, Mike Dean, Chauncey Hollis and Kanye West, songwriters (WA Donaldson, songwriter) (Jay-Z and Kanye West)
Young, Wild and Free – Calvin Broadus, Chris Brody Brown, Philip Lawrence, Ari Levine, Peter Hernandez and Cameron Thomaz, songwriters (T Bluechel, M Borrow, T Griffin, K Jackson, N Lee and M Newman, songwriters) (Snoop Dogg and Wiz Khalifa featuring Bruno Mars)
Best Rap Album
Take Care – Drake
Food and Liquor II: The Great American Rap Album, Pt 1 – Lupe Fiasco
Life is Good – Nas
Undun – The Roots
God Forgives, I Don’t – Rick Ross
Based on a T.r.u. Story – 2 Chainz
Best Improvised Jazz Solo
Cross Roads – Ravi Coltrane, soloist
Hot House – Gary Burton & Chick Corea, soloists
Alice in Wonderland – Chick Corea, soloist
J Mac – Kenny Garrett, soloist
Ode – Brad Mehldau, soloist
Best Jazz Vocal Album
Soul Shadows – Denise Donatelli
1619 Broadway: The Brill Building Project – Kurt Elling
Live – Al Jarreau (and the Metropole Orkest)
The Book of Chet – Luciana Souza
Radio Music Society – Esperanza Spalding
Best Jazz Instrumental Album
Further Explorations – Chick Corea, Eddie Gomez and Paul Motian
Hot House – Chick Corea & Gary Burton
Seeds From the Underground – Kenny Garrett
Blue Moon – Ahmad Jamal
Unity Band – Pat Metheny Unity Band
Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album
Centennial: Newly Discovered Works Of Gil Evans – Gil Evans Project
For the Moment – Bob Mintzer Big Band
Dear Diz (Every Day I Think of You) – Arturo Sandoval
Best Latin Jazz Album
Flamenco Sketches – Chano Domínguez
¡ritmo! – The Clare Fischer Latin Jazz Big Band
Multiverse – Bobby Sanabria Big Band
Duos Iii – Luciana Souza
New Cuban Express – Manuel Valera New Cuban Express
Best World Music Album
Folila – Amadou and Mariam
On a Gentle Island Breeze – Daniel Ho
Jabulani – Hugh Masekela
Traveller – Anoushka Shankar
The Living Room Sessions Part 1 – Ravi Shankar
Click here to see full Grammy nomination list. The 2013 Grammy Awards are scheduled to take place on 10 February 2013.
Source: www.hughmasekela.co.za
J&b met 2013
Besides back to school for real students, the Good Life Brigade are looking forward to 1st day/ 1st major event on South Africa's social calender... Cape Town's J&B Met is where most wanna find themselves come
Feb 2013...
Here's the official look for 2013.. theme Ground Breaking Outfits, Fly Personalities....
Tuesday, January 1, 2013
My 1st ever interview @19yrs
Another surprise at Christmas was finding my 1st ever published interview. It was publish in the Sowetan in 1996 May 6months in to my radio career at Voice of Soweto. Junior Motsei l will never forget what he did for my confidence. Unfortunately he passed on in 2012.
Young Love Gone Crazy....Chris Brown and Rihanna In Africa
I can't keep up with this young stars....
Rihanna and Chris Brown's romantic African getaway
Back on ... Rihanna and Chris Brown
Rex
Published: 31st December 2012
RIHANNA is currently enjoying an African getaway with on-off boyfriend Chris Brown.
The singers - who have reunited yet again - were seen arriving in the Ivory Coast at the weekend after flying in by private jet.
Chris was guest of honour at the Kora Music Awards in Abidjan last night, which have been dubbed the 'Africa Grammys'.
The annual event - which has previously been attended by Nelson Mandela and the late Michael Jackson - was originally set to take place on Saturday, but was reportedly delayed at the last minute because Chris and Rihanna's flight was delayed due to heavy rains.
Chris also performed at a stadium in the city yesterday afternoon.
Earlier in the day Rihanna had tweeted a message that appeared to confirm they have decided to give their relationship yet another chance.
It read: "Are u still down baby? Are u really bout that life? Is you down for the ride?.......here we go again"
It's not known whether the couple will stay in Africa to ring in the New Year together.
Christmas Day viewing ... Rihanna snuggles into Chris at the basketball
The couple's romantic getaway comes just days after they were spotted looking smitten with one another as they spent Christmas Day watching the Los Angeles Lakers basketball team in action.
The two could be seen cheering, with Rihanna, 24, occasionally whispering in Chris' ear while cuddling him.
She was also wearing a gold collar necklace believed to be a gift from Chris, who is still on probation for beating her up in 2009.
The two singers had arrived in the same car but entered Staples Centre separately, before meeting up again inside. However, they were later spotted leaving the stadium hand-in-hand.
Busy year ... Rihanna is currently taking a bit of time off
Chris had a tattoo of his ex Karrueche Tran removed as a love gesture ahead of the festive season.
It's also emerged that Chris painted Rihanna a picture as a gift.
The 23-year-old R&B star reportedly spent months working on the romantic painting, which depicts them in a loving embrace and includes a personal message that reads, "you're my girl for life."
A source said: "He and Rihanna are crazy as hell. Chris had a bomb a** time with Rihanna over Christmas.
"He was scared, though, when she came to his house because Chris has been working on a painting for like two months for her.
Off ... Chris Brown and Karrueche Tran
Barcroft Media
"He painted this picture of him and her together and it's amazing. It's tight as f***. It's him and her together -- she's looking forward and he's kissing her on the cheek.
"Chris painted the gold necklace around her neck that he got her and at the bottom he wrote: 'you're my girl for life.'
"I don't know if Rihanna got the painting yet, but he shipped it to her and I know she will go crazy when she sees it.
"I don't know why Chris didn't put it on Instagram, but I guess they want some stuff to themselves."
Read more: http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/showbiz/4720266/Rihanna-and-Chris-Browns-romantic-African-getaway.html#ixzz2GlyF3ZzR
Profound Experiences of Christmas....
1. The Book
 |
| The Book that shaped my skills! |
This book gave me an edge as a 18yrs old when I first got on radio at Voice of Soweto. An insider's guide based on the UK broadcasting industry. Before l was on air I knew the difference between being a Radio Personality and a DJ so you can imagine how that made me sound when l kept saying I'm not a DJ but a Radio Personality on her way to becoming a Broadcaster of note, a little arrogant some thought and felt. Wow it opened up my world that I can tell you.
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