Media Rendezvous

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WOOLIES YOUTH MAKERS
(supporting youth-owned businesses)
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We're proud to announce the winners of our Youth Makers Competition for 2026.

Launched in June 2023, this competition continues to support small business growth and help the next generation take bold steps on their business journey.

This year, 24 young people pitched their brain children to a panel of expert judges and 15 winners were chosen based on criteria like innovation, viability and sustainability.
They're now in the process of being mentored on the business of retail by leaders at Woolies.
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2026 WINNERS:-

1 ) Baliwe Sibisi | UBaliwe
A handcrafted ceramics brand creating soulful, functional pieces inspired by African heritage, storytelling and purpose.

2 ) Nthato Motlana | Marapyane Farms
A youth-owned agricultural business producing and packaging fresh vegetables for local markets.

3 ) Phiwe Mareka | Hide and Suede
A self-taught leather artisan creating handmade bags, wallets, personalised gifts and leather home accessories.

4 ) Thembeka Dube | KwaDube Essentials
A home décor and fragrance label, specialising in luxury home scents and handcrafted accessories.

5 ) Refilwe Xaba | Glolooks Kiddies
A natural children’s haircare range offering gentle, nourishing products tailored for textured and afro hair.

6 ) Nadia Jacobs | Noac
A women’s wear brand creating romantic, timeless and trendy pieces focused on individuality and self-expression.

7 ) Keamogetswe Matsho | Maru Maphiri Group
An education and publishing company using storytelling to teach financial literacy, entrepreneurship and life skills to children.

8 ) Patrick Ferguson | Patrick Ferguson Designs
A couture-led fashion studio creating timeless, sustainable garments rooted in African craftsmanship and intentional design.

9 ) Lethabo Mokoena | Walk Fresh
South Africa’s pioneering sneaker care service offering premium cleaning solutions and locally-made care products.

10 ) Andile Sasanti | Well N Well
A wellness-focused food label producing unsweetened, plant-based cultured almond milk using indigenous superfoods.

11 ) Anointing Lukola | Mayaka Accessories
An Afrocentric accessories brand designing beaded bags that celebrate African artistry and modern fashion.

12 ) Buhle Ramalepa | Patns by Buhle
An African-inspired art and pattern design offering transforming everyday items into bold, functional statement pieces.

13 ) Kuhle Phumzile Zondo | E_mania
A sustainable fashion and production brand empowering emerging African creatives through design, manufacturing and shared studio services.

14 ) Nonhle Matsebula | Girl Boss Africa
A beauty and empowerment venture creating natural hair and skincare products for young African girls while promoting confidence and mentorship.

15 ) Victoria Ongansie | Victori
A luxury African streetwear collection blending fashion, identity and storytelling through bold, conscious design.

https://www.woolworths.co.za/content/look/youth-makers-2026/_/A-cmp216282?srsltid=AfmBOopy2yXkR8WOFuVzdb2YiI4fBY9fjpX0tSkuZBYmRDjbFziRhsWT
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Woolworths customers will have the opportunity to shop selected Youth Makers products and meet the entrepreneurs behind the brands at upcoming pop-up showcases hosted in flagship Woolworths stores across the country:-

*) KwaZulu-Natal: from 24 June to 5 July - at Woolworths Gateway Shopping Centre
Customers can meet the winners in person - on Saturday 4 July and Sunday 5 July

*) Gauteng: from 22 July to 2 August - at Woolworths Mall of Africa
Customers can meet the winners in person - on Saturday 1 August and Sunday 2 August

*) Cape Town: from 26 August to 6 September - at Woolworths Cavendish Square
Customers can meet the winners in person on Saturday 5 September and Sunday 6 September

https://www.bizcommunity.com/article/woolworths-names-15-winners-of-its-2026-youth-makers-competition-623061a

Why your business isn’t getting engagement on Social Media!!
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Social media marketing might seem tricky; but it does not have to be.

You might wonder why your business has thousands of followers but very few likes, comments, shares, or saves.
This can feel frustrating, especially when you are posting often and trying to stay visible.
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The truth is that social media has changed.
People are no longer impressed by content that only looks nice. They want content that feels useful, real and worth their time.

With the rise of TikTok, Instagram Reels, YouTube Shorts and short video content, people now expect posts to grab their attention quickly.
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In this article, we will look at the main reasons your business may not be getting engagement on social media and what you can do to improve it:-

1. You Are Posting Without a Clear Strategy

A strong social media strategy should answer a few simple questions:
Who are you speaking to? What problem are you helping them solve? What do you want them to feel, learn, or do after seeing your post?

Read more ………

2. Your Content Is Too Salesy

Many businesses treat social media like a digital catalogue. Every post says “buy now”, “shop today”, or “limited offer”.
While there is nothing wrong with promoting your products, people do not open social media apps just to be sold to.

Read more ………

3. You Do Not Understand Your Audience

To create better content, you need to understand your customers’ daily lives:
What are they struggling with? What questions do they ask before buying? What stops them from trusting a brand? What do they care about?

Read more ………

4. Your Content Does Not Grab Attention Fast Enough

People scroll quickly. If your first line, image, or video opening does not catch attention, your post may be ignored.
This does not mean every post must be loud or dramatic. It means your content must be scroll-stopping by giving people a reason to pause.

Read more ………

5. You Are Not Creating Content People Want to Save or Share

If your content does not teach, guide, remind, or inspire people, they may not feel the need to save or share it.
You need to ask yourself whether someone would send this post to a friend. Would they save it for later? Or, would it help them make a better choice?

Read more ………

6. You Are Not Asking for Engagement in the Right Way

Sometimes people do not engage because they have not been invited.
A good call to action can help guide your audience. However, it must feel natural.
Ask questions that are easy to answer. The simpler the question, the better. People are more likely to comment when they do not have to think too hard.

Read more ………

7. You Are Not Being Consistent Enough

This does not mean you must post every day.
It is better to post three strong pieces of content each week than to post daily content that has no value.

Read more ………

8. You Are Not Checking Your Analytics

Do not only focus on follower count.
A smaller audience that engages is more valuable than a large audience that never responds. Your goal should be to understand what works and improve from there.

Read more ………
https://smesouthafrica.co.za/why-your-business-isnt-getting-engagement-on-social-media/

Monday motivation .........

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AWARD-WINNING BUSINESS ADDRESSING POVERTY AND HUNGER
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Food security remains an ever-present concern in South Africa.
Fuelled by a high cost of living, soaring unemployment rate and a worsening global economy, more than 18 million people live in extreme poverty.

Yet, the county produces a surplus of food every year. In fact, ten million tonnes of food go to waste every year.
Why? Fresh goods like veggies and fruit spoil because of being natural products and because they are too expensive. Consumers need to calculate their grocery baskets and tighten their belts, holding their breath as the till calculates.

The question arises: if food prices continue to rise and people remain jobless, how can they feed their families or even generate an income?
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Food Sock Answers the Call

“Food Sock Meals was born out of both necessity and lived experience” says CARL VAN BLERK, the Founder and CEO of FOOD SOCK MEALS and Founder of HEARTFELT FOODS.

(*) Food Sock Meals produces shelf-stable meal products. It is intended to provide convenient and cost-effective food options for families and communities.

(*) Heartfelt Foods, on the other hand, works alongside feeding schemes, NGOs and corporate partners supporting hunger alleviation initiatives.

Van Blerk explains that he wanted to create a meal solution that was affordable, nutritious, shelf-stable and easy to prepare, but without carrying the stigma often associated with food aid.

The original concept was simple: create complete meals in a pouch that require only water and heat, have a long shelf life, feed multiple people and can work equally well in homes, relief programmes, retail stores, schools or disaster response situations.

Read more ……..
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Affordability with Flavour

“Flavour development is one of the most important parts of our process because affordability means very little if people do not enjoy eating the product. We focus heavily on familiar flavours that resonate with South African households and cooking traditions. Meals such as breyani, tomato bredie, mutton stew and chakalaka-inspired dishes reflect tastes many people already know and trust.”

Read more ……..
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Business ‘in a Bag’

Beyond making food accessible to families, Food Sock also offers South Africans economic opportunities.

“One of our priorities has been creating economic opportunities around the product, not only selling food. This is done through Food Sock Meals’ established reseller programme, where individuals or businesses purchase products at wholesale rates and sell into their own communities, networks, schools, churches, informal markets, retail environments, or corporate spaces.”

Read more ……..
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Award-winning Innovation

Van Blerk:-
(**) was recognised among South Africa’s Top 5 Startup Businesses in 2023;
(**) received the FlySafair Business Booster Award; and, most recently
(**) was named IMM Institute Entrepreneur of the Year 2026.

Read more ……..
https://smesouthafrica.co.za/the-award-winning-business-that-addresses-poverty-and-hunger/
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Delicious Food on a Budget
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Tired of battling to pay huge bills in order to put food on the table?
Looking for an affordable, nutritional and super tasty alternative?

FOOD SOCKS may be just what you are looking for ……..
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Food Socks is a perfect meal for all sectors of South Africa.

Whether for poverty relief, the elderly, students, campers, or just those who wish to prepare a great and quick meal, Food Socks is the perfect pantry item.
https://foodsock.co.za/
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Feeding Hope, Fighting Hunger
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HEARTFELT FOODS is a proudly South African company specialising in affordable, nutritious and convenient dried meal solutions for communities facing food insecurity.

Our products are designed to reach diverse communities - including feeding centres, NGOs, large-scale food relief efforts and government projects.
https://heartfeltfoods.co.za/

Aesop’s Fables: The Goose and The Golden Egg
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The Fable:-
There was once a Countryman who possessed the most wonderful Goose you can imagine; for every day when he visited the nest, the Goose had laid a beautiful, glittering, golden egg.

The Countryman took the eggs to market and soon began to get rich.
But it was not long before he grew impatient with the Goose because she gave him only a single golden egg a day. He was not getting rich fast enough.

Then one day, after he had finished counting his money, the idea came to him that he could get all the golden eggs at once by killing the Goose and cutting it open.
But when the deed was done, not a single golden egg did he find and his precious Goose was dead.
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The Moral:-
Those who have plenty want more and so lose all they have.
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The Application:-
They who are of such craving impatient tempers, that they cannot live contented when fortune has blessed them with a constant and continued sufficiency, deserve even to be deprived of what they have.
And this has been the case of many ambitious and covetous men who, by making an essay to grow rich at once, have missed what they aimed at and lost what they had before.
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image (b/l):-
Milo Winter (1919)

source:-
Fables of Aesop: Tom Simondi

The importance of NETWORKING for the growth of SMEs ………
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One cornerstone of business that is overlooked nowadays is the importance of a community that business owners can rely upon.

For most people, this is what we call networking.
Networking is not only about securing big clients and contracts, but also about building a network of partners that helps with reputation building and can lead to more sales.

For SMEs, having a strong network can help overcome limited resources, navigate challenging economic conditions and unlock growth opportunities.
It acts as a low-cost marketing tool to build trust, access new markets and foster crucial partnerships to boost competitiveness.
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In this article, we look at the importance of networking for SMEs, how to grow your network and which platforms to search to find more fellow-SMEs:-

*) What is networking?

Read more ………
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*) Importance of networking for SMEs

There are various reasons as to why SMEs should prioritise networking; these include:

**) 1. Building Relationships
**) 2. Enhancing Knowledge
**) 3. Potential Opportunities
**) 4. Building Credibility

Read more ………
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*) Types of Business Networks

Here are some of the most popular types of business networks:

**) 1. Casual Contact Groups
**) 2. Business Seminars
**) 3. Professional Associations
**) 4. Online Business Networks
**) 5. Workshops
**) 6. Conference and Trade Shows
**) 7. Community Service Groups

Read more ………
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SME South Africa Community Platform

“SMEs need structured spaces designed for collaboration and value creation. This is why we are launching the SME South Africa SME Hub. The SME Hub is not another social platform, but a purpose-built community for SMEs” Velly Bosega (Founder and CEO of SME South Africa) explains.

https://smesouthafrica.co.za/the-importance-of-networking-for-the-growth-of-smes/

First-Monday-of-the-month motivation .........