The Indian community in South Africa are an enigma to many other
South Africans. The Indian business community are generally respected as being
great traders. However, with time they have proven themselves as able business
people in big businesses as much as in small businesses.
They however are
not renowned for sharing their business secrets, even within the Indian
community. I have had students doing dissertations think they would get the
cooperation of Indian business people because they too were Indians. However,
they too were unable to get access to the inner “secrets” of the Indian business
community.
While lecturing entrepreneurship, I have always encouraged
students to start, build and sell their businesses. A business worth RXm is
only worth potential wealth of RXm. It is not wealth. It is only potential
wealth!!! No cash.no wealth. My Indian students will just not accept this as an
option. Not one. As far as they are concerned, once you have created a
successful business, you keep it. I support the “cash is king” system. Start
them and sell them is what I believe will produce the greatest wealth. This allows
for you to then buy or start a bigger business, and create greater wealth, with
reduced dependence on outside funding.
The Indian community tend to prefer family-run
businesses and I have not met any with partners, other than in the professions.
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