one matchstick

We have MOVED

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Sun, 17 Dec 2023 09:32:00 +0000

All the action is on my new WEBSITE:

www.onematchstick.co.za

Come over there and see how the final trade fort the office space is happening!

And sign up for updates too!

See you on the new site!
Telana

Future Landlord found!

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Mon, 22 Aug 2022 13:34:00 +0000

I have good news!

I finally finished my proposal and send this email to someone I wanted to pitch trading with me for the final office space.

I got this reply.

And last week Friday I met with him, and he offered me the final onematchstick office space.

So my future Landlord is Allon Raiz of Raizcorp, and we are finalising our trade, so that I can trade backwards to my current item (My burning the matchstick at both ends strategy).

So dettails to follow soon!

To keep up to date - check out and follow my new onematchstick.co.za blog!

Yeehaa! :)

onematchstick will finish this year!

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Sun, 10 Apr 2022 12:24:00 +0000

I'm on a mission to finish my trading part of my project called onematchstick, this year.

This means that I would either have reached my goal of "office space" to help startup entrepreneurs, or I will give up.

So what will it be? I hope the former.

I am recapping my story to date, as I finalise a proposal to give to my future landlord.

And with that I have started a new website to track this last year of onematchstick - so please go to that new blog to see the recap's of each trade, and watch and help make onematchstick happen!

Let's get that "office space" this year! #onecourageousgoal

Join me at onematchstick.co.za.

The Self Conscious Entrepreneur

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Thu, 21 Jan 2021 09:04:00 +0000

I had a fun chat with Thulisile of Future Females Johannesburg, about how self conscious entrepreneurs can overcome this fear of being seen, and shine and share their value with confidence and courage instead.

And we got to talk about what I learnt from my onematchstick journey, how it has helped me in my business and developed my skills as well, and what my next steps are.

You can watch the live Instagram interview here:

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Future Females Johannesburg (@futurefemales.johannesburg)

Pitch for onematchstick in 1 minute 4 seconds

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Mon, 14 Dec 2020 09:41:00 +0000

COVID-19 Information

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Mon, 30 Mar 2020 10:39:00 +0000

COVID-19: For more information and support on COVID-19 please visit https://sacoronavirus.co.za/ and please, stay home and stay safe.

Social distancing explained with one matchstick

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Thu, 19 Mar 2020 17:53:00 +0000

Just one matchstick... Be safe and stay healthy in these challenging times!
(Thanks @juan_delcan for this video)

View this post on Instagram

Safety Match . . . . . . #Safetyfirst #yomequedoencasa #safetymatch #frenarlacurva #yoelijoserresponsable #yomequedoencasa #motiongraphics #motiondesign #2D #3D #animation #mograph #cgi #digitalart #motionlovers #flattenthecurve #dontbeaspreader #flattenthecurve #socialdistancing #seeyoulater #flatteningthecurve

A post shared by Juan Delcan, Valentina (@juan_delcan) on Mar 15, 2020 at 5:46am PDT

Challenges and Feedback

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Wed, 06 Feb 2019 20:22:00 +0000

I'm taking part in the Future Females awesome "5 Days To Start Business Challenge."

I'm using it to kickstart my final phase of this onematchstick project, of meeting my future Landlord and getting the final offices.

As part of the challenge, I need to get some feedback from... you!

So if you are up for it, I have a 2 page 'concept document' that I would love to share with some peeps who would give me some input and answer a few questions I have, to help me fine tune my next big push.

If that's you, then get in touch with me so we can get going and chatting! THANK YOU!

PS- I'm also a guest blogger for Future Females

Wildlife Photography Master Class and onematchstick

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Sun, 21 Oct 2018 16:43:00 +0000

I just spent a fun weekend at the Tapsnapp stand at the Photo Plus Africa expo, getting to tell all the photographers I could about my latest item up for trade,and I'm looking forward to hearing from some of them with offers for the gear!

I met Michael Tucker there - an award winning Wildlife Photographer - and I loved his photos, and he loved my onematchstick idea. So much so, that he has donated a voucher for his Wildlife Photography Master Class for me to trade on! How cool is that :)

So I am adding this Voucher to Box 2 of my tech gear item up for trade. That means that what I have on offer has just increased in value!

More about this Wildlife Photography Master Class:

If you are a photographer and want to learn from the pro Michael about how to take better shots of wildlife, this is a great 6 hour Master class for you! It is run as 2 three hour sessions one week apart, in Johannesburg, South Africa.

You'll learn about animal behaviour, as well as advanced photographic techniques, manual settings and custom settings. You'll also tackle low light challenges and also how to get photos of the night sky. For the full list of all that you will learn and the techniques covered, see this Photographic Master Class page here.

Here I am at the expo with Michael, as he explains more about this voucher on offer:

So, if you would like this course, and all the other gear I have up for trade, get in touch and make me an offer! Call me on +27837302979 or email onematchstick@gmail.com.

Tapsnapp, Photographers and one matchstick

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Sun, 14 Oct 2018 16:27:00 +0000

I’m on this matchstick mission to help start-up entrepreneurs. So what better way to take a step forward on my mission than to get some help from one of South Africa’s exciting start-ups!

They’re called Tapsnapp! And they’re headed up by the entrepreneur and photographer (and past onematchstick trader!) Vije Vijendranath. Any start up entrepreneurs could learn a thing or two from Vije and his entrepreneurial journey.

And Tapsnapp is such an exciting opportunity for photographers and those looking for photographers: As a photographer, you can list yourself, your portfolio and dates available for shoots. Then anyone looking for a professional to take photos and video and capture their memories (from weddings to holidays to corporate and anything in between) can search online, by location, availability and budget, and book and pay for a shoot.
Easy peasy.
Kinda like uber for photographers!

My three boxes of gear to get you off the grid are ideal for photographers – especially those hip photographers who use Tapsnapp, as the solar panels and the outdoor stands for cameras would come in handy for outdoor shoots and shoots done on location.

So Vije has invited me to join him and his Tapsnapp Team at their stand at this week’s Photo Plus Africa Expo.

I’ll be showcasing some of the gear from the 3 boxes that I have up for trade – and taking offers right there and then. Maybe - hopefully! - if the offer is right, I’ll make my next trade at the Tapsnapp stand.

So: calling all photographers. And all Videographers!
Come visit Tapsnapp at the Photo Plus Africa Expo this weekend and make me an offer!

I’ll be there on Friday and Saturday (19th and 20th October 2018) from 09h00 to 17h00 at the Gallagher Convention Center.

DETAILS:

Photo Plus Africa Expo -at the Tapsnapp stand.
Venue: Gallagher Convention Center, Johannesburg
Tickets: R100 per day
Tickets available www.photoplus.com
OR buy tickets at the door

Call me to find us on 0837302979
See you soon!
Telana

Bartering in Business

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Mon, 20 Aug 2018 15:42:00 +0000

Tamara wrote a great piece for the Gordon Institute of BusinessScience's Magazine, on bartering and how it can – and is – being used in business today. Check it out here, and especially the bit about Tax!

In my interview with Tamara, she had also asked me what first made me interested in bartering. Well, my earliest memory of bartering was doing an “egg drive” to raise funds for something at primary school.

I would go to my neighbours and ask them for a donation, or an egg. If they gave me an egg, I would go the next house and ask them to buy the egg or make a donation of another egg. And so on, often selling the eggs when I had a half dozen. And then I would start again asking for one egg.

I also explained how I have used what I learnt from onematchstick in my coaching practice.

For attending my training courses, I’ve bartered with clients cash for covering expenses like printing and venue costs, and then bartered for the persons services for the rest of the training costs.

I have also applied what I learnt when I did what I called “three-ways” to my business. For an explanation of three-ways see here.

How I applied this was there was a stage a few years ago where I need to upgrade my website for Inner Coaching, and I got a quote from my previous website developers.

I started saving up for this, and while doing that I also asked my website guys if they would consider bartering for the site (my first ever website I traded coaching for the founder of the company, for my website, so I knew they would be open to bartering).

They didn’t need any coaching or training at that time, so I asked them what they did need. They said they wanted a year’s listing on a prominent PR website.

So I contacted the founder of that PR website, and offered them coaching or training for one of their packages. They didn’t have a need then either for coaching, and so after asking them what they did need, they said it was their company’s birthday celebrations soon, and they wanted prizes to give away to their readers.

At that time, Nick who I trade with, the trade of the books for the Strandveld wine, asked me to teach him more about social media, and he’d barter wine for my lessons.

I convinced him to offer me many cases of Strandveld wine for the lessons and social media consulting, which I then offered to the PR website for their prizes.

They then offered in exchange the year package, which I gave to the website developers, and they in turn gave me a new website for Inner Coaching. And a 4-way trade was done. Voila!

Anyway, check out page 62 in the GIBS Magazine, and let me know if you would use trading and bartering in your business. Would you?

Is it time to re-ignite onematchstick?

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Thu, 19 Jul 2018 08:19:00 +0000

There have been many twists and turns in my journey of trading a single matchstick up into office space to help startup entrepreneurs, over the last 12 years (yes- over a decade! I cant believe how time has passed).

With my many attempts to get the matchstick burning again, and then circumstances intervening and snuffing out the flame, forcing me to stop again... I've never felt the embers die out totally.

The latest of these bends in my matchstick journey has given me plenty of time to crystallize what we can actually create with the onematchstick office, besides just having a few rooms to work from. I believe we can use this story and the space it results in, to have a bigger impact on South Africa's startup entrepreneurial landscape.

And so today I have finished my 'concept document' and tonight I start talking to some of the people who have said they were watching and waiting for me... to find out if they are still waiting... and willing to help.

Hopefully this time as I re-ignite my matchstick, I can manage what life throws me AND keep it burning.

#watchthisspace #Iwillneedhelp #letsgo #sparktime

The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.
- Don Williams Jr

My next step in March for onematchstick

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Fri, 03 Mar 2017 13:33:00 +0000

Telana and Barry Mitchell

We had a great turnout for the onematchstick Cashflow Game event on Wednesday! Full house! Such a buzz! Jackson’s looked after us so well!

And Barry facilitated the learnings during the 3 hours.

Louise said afterwards in an email “I can’t even begin to tell you how yesterday’s session made an impact on the way I think. It was such an awesome morning with Barry.”

And the comments about how much people’s mindsets around money and business shifted, keep coming back to me.

If you want to want a chance to learn by playing this game, get in touch with Barry for one of his future Cashflow Game events.

Now, for the next step with onematchstick: I need to work on getting my strategy into a pitch on paper, and then I have some follow up meetings to organise. Especially with Carl!

Carl and Telana

The onematchstick Cashflow Game Event with Barry Mitchell

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Tue, 21 Feb 2017 15:02:00 +0000

It never ceases to amaze me the magic that comes from the power of intention, mixed with decision, and then action!

I have the intention to finish my trades this year and start helping start-up entrepreneurs in the onematchstick office.
I decided to dedicate blocks of time in my diary to onematchstick to work on my strategy.
And I started taking that action: Big chunks of my energy and time over the next few months are now dedicated to this project.

And then the magic started happening!

I was at a friend, Tristan’s farewell, and he had said I should speak to his friend in property about onematchstick and that he would connect us that following week. I was then enjoying standing around the bonfire – Tristan always has a bonfire at his awesome parties – and I ended up striking up a conversation with this exact friend who Tristan wanted to introduce me to.

The conversation somehow ended up with me promising this new contact a game of Cashflow101®, as I have the game at home sitting in the cupboard.... or at least I thought I did.

A bunch of my friends and I, many years ago, decide to learn about money and finances, and purchased the game, after I met Robert Kiyosaki at one of his events in Johannesburg.

So, after turning the house upside down over the next few days, I realised that my game has found legs and left the building L

To keep my word, I tracked down Barry Mitchell who has been trained and mentored by Blair Singer (Rich Dad Advisor to Robert Kiyosaki). After some calls and emails, we have negotiated a trade that has turned out far more exciting than just a game of Cashflow with my new contact.

It has turned into an exclusive event limited to only 20 people to be facilitated by Barry himself! *punchesair*

So, I have already handpicked quite a few of my guests and sent them personal invitations.

If you- as a friend of onematchstick - want to attend, then you will need to email me to apply for a seat at the event, and if I have space I’ll try to accommodate you - but no promises! (better email me soon as seats are getting taken quickly already!) J

Here are the details:

The

CASHFLOW 101 GAME

Join me for a fun-filled, high energy session of business, entrepreneurial and financial learning through playing the Game of Cashflow101®, an experiential board game created by Robert Kiyosaki, author of the Best-Selling book, Rich Dad Poor Dad, and facilitated by the #1 Sales Trainer & Business Coach in Africa, Barry Mitchell.

Date: Wednesday 1^st March

Time: 08:00am to 11:00am

Venue: Jackson's in Bryanston

RSVP Essential, by Friday 24^th February, as this is an invite-only exclusive event, limited to 20 interesting friends of onematchtstick.

(Coffee and breakfast for your own account)

ABOUT THIS EVENT
As part of my onematchstick.co.za journey, I have a strategy to get to my final goal of the office to help start-up entrepreneurs. My next step involves negotiating with a new lead, and that negotiation somehow ended up including playing this game. That led to me finding Barry and trading with him to offer this exciting exclusive event! So please accept my invitation, knowing you will learn a lot, meet some fascinating people and be supporting me with my onematchstick trading journey in its final exciting stages!

ABOUT the FACILITATOR: Barry Mitchell

Barry has had over 23 years experience in the Sales Industry during which he has managed, lead and taught 100's of businesses the art of Sales & Leadership. His clients range from R200 million companies, to start-ups and individuals... all with the common goal; The desire to significantly change their business and their lives. Barry works with and is mentored by the world’s top Sales & Leadership trainers Blair Singer. Barry's Sales Explosion workshop has helped thousands of people dramatically increase their sales in short periods of time.

ABOUT THE CASHFLOW GAME

What do Robert Kiyosaki and his Rich Dad Advisors do to become Rich?

This is a 3-hour event that will give participants an overview and hands-on understanding of what makes rich people richer and poor people poorer by playing Robert Kiyosaki’s Game of Cashflow101.

Are you ready to learn about the 4 ways which could make your financial situation better in 2017?

And are you ready to step up and change the way you have been earning your living?

Barry has trained with Robert Kiyosaki and his team of Rich Dad Advisors and will be sharing their money insights and also practically working with you to teach you how to shift your mindset to think and earn like the Rich, by playing the interactive Robert Kiyosaki’s Game of Cashflow101®.

Some of the insights that Barry will be sharing are:

Why being a successful Entrepreneur is more than just making money.
The 4 Key Levels to financial learning and which level will create infinite returns.
Why only some people will really make it as an Entrepreneur, and what you can do to be one of them.

Invest in yourself. Invest in your future. Invest in onematchstick.

Current Trade: 3 Boxes of Tech for an Off the Grid Lifestyle

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Fri, 22 Jul 2016 08:10:00 +0000

As things keep (slowly) unfolding for me for onematchstick, one of the points that came up a few times is that maybe my previous choice of wording to describe my current offer isn’t quite making it clear what I have on offer.

So here’s my attempt at re-branding this offer:

I traded the WONDERboom private rock concert with Rene and Nina for 3 boxes of gear and gadgets – lots of goodies that will take you off the grid!

Here’s what I’m offering:
(DOWNLOAD a PDF of this item here)

Work and Play off the Grid

Live. Laugh. Love.

That’s a mantra to live by.

It epitomises the philosophy that we want to live a productive, happy life where relationships are a key part. And today technology has evolved to such an extent that it can enhance our life and relationships. And that’s what this is about.

Would you like a lifestyle that is less reliant on the grid- especially the electricity grid? Would it be valuable for you to move from a rigid, fixed way of working (stuck to a desk with access to plugs) to a flexible, mobile way of living an awesome life (reliant on the sun’s energy)?

That’s what I am offering, a change in your lifestyle – or at least, the chance to have a more flexible lifestyle where you can move around more and not worry about how you will recharge your tech when you need to.

So make me an offer and let’s trade!

Details:

Imagine this as your day. . .

It’s Friday. You found a new recipe for breakfast. You put on the kitchen’s Jabra Revo Headset and clip your ipad into its cover which is next to your stove, to watch the video of the chef giving directions, to get breakfast on the table for your family.

You change your headset to the Plantronics M25 Bluetooth one set up for your car, and while dropping the kids off at school, you listen to their favourite songs on your iPod, held securely in the Macally mCup car cup holder.

Next you head to your favourite coffee shop, seamlessly taking a few calls in between listening to some podcasts through your smart phone.

Over a latte, you take out your iPad from your cool, super protective STM Linear case which has all your gadgets which enhance your mobile lifestyle.

You flip your iPad on its ori stand, ready to catch up on the news and answer a few emails, using your Macally PenPal stylus.

While finishing your latte, your colleague in London Skypes you, so you whip out your Jabro Revo headset to take the teleconference without inconveniencing others in the café.

You head off to your next meeting, and remembering your laptop battery might be a bit low, you plug it into your PowerGorilla to charge it on the way, and at the same time plugging in your smartphone.

At your meeting, you set up your Logitech V10 notebook speakers with your laptop, ready for your presentation. And while you wait, you answer a few more emails on your iPad ori setup.

You then head to your child’s school for the sports day, and find a tree to sit under and set up your camera on your Joby GorillaPod tripod, on one of the branches, to record the best shots of the memory making sports activities. With your Bluetooth headset you can update your partner who is at work while taking a few photos.

The next morning you’re off on your early training run, using your heart rate monitor with your phone in your fantastic Runtastic armband, which fits snuggly on your upper arm.

You pack the car and set up an educational video to entertain your children, with your iPad ori stand, and giving each child a Jabra Revo headset.

You’ve changed to your Platronics wireless earbuds to hear Google maps giving you directions to your weekend getaway destination.

You get to catch a late afternoon mountain bike ride with the family, with your go pro camera attached to your bike handlebars with its Joby GorillaPod.

For a perfect sunset self portrait of the family, you set up your camera on its Joby GorillaMobile, balanced safely on a rock.

As you set up camp, you use the Joby Gorilla Torch wrapped around a branch for light, and charge your phone and tablet with your Powermonkey Explorer.

You gaze at the stars, and finding your phone in its luminous case, you use an app to help name the constellations you see, knowing that your phone and all your devices are protected in their funky protective cases from the rough terrain.

Later, around the campfire, you reflect on how movement, adventure and exploration is a part of your and your family’s lifestyle, and how being mobile makes is more possible and enjoyable...

And that was just describing two days!

What I’m offering:

An "Off the Grid" Lifestyle.

Change your stagnant, office-bound life for a more mobile, flexible lifestyle with these three bundles of gadgets (all tech in the photo above!).
(I’ll even throw in a Breakthrough Coaching session if you need a change in Mindset too!)

1. The Mobile Office

This bundle has everything you need for a virtual office that goes where you go, because your office is wherever you are. If you want to work from your home, a café, a mountain top, the airport, your car, or any other moving target, then these accessories are for you. It includes covers for smartphones and stands for iPads, a dualsync cable, stylus pens, car cup holder mount, tripods and stands for phones and cameras for teleconferencing, notebook speakers, Bluetooth headset, adapter lightning to USB cable and 7 port USB hub. Plus the awesome PowerGorilla solar panel for all your charging needs, and Jabro Revo headset. Carry it all in a STM bag.

2. The Outdoor Enthusiast

Get active and adventurous with these accessories, including more hardy phone cases, keysync cable as your key ring, more tripods and stands, wireless earbuds, Runtastic heart rate monitor and armband. Also a Powermonkey Explorer solar panel for outdoor charging of your devices, and another Jabro headset. Plus a STM sleeve to keep your tablet safe.

** NEW ADDITION: Michael Tucker donated a Wildlife Photography Master Class for whoever I trade with- read more here **

3. The Night Time Warrior

From the glow in the dark iPhone case and docking stand, to the Joby Gorilla torch, you’re even set for night time explorations. A mini Gorilla solar panel to power up devices, another stylus pen, Bluetooth headset and a magnetic tripod, amongst more covers, cables, and another Jabra headset too. As well as another STM sleeve to keep your tablet safe.

Brands include:

Ori for iPad
Macally stylus pens, cables, holders and hubs
Joby Gorilla tripods and stands
Logitech Speakers
Sketch covers for smartphones and tablets
Plantronics Bluetooth headsets
Power Traveller solar panel charging devices
Dodo cases
Ce-Link cables
Jabra headsets
STM bags
Runtastic heart rate monitor and armband
Big5Photo.com Voucher

What’s excluded:

All you need to do is add the following for your Off the Grid Lifestyle to be complete:

Your Smartphone, tablet and laptop
Your internet connection
Your adventurous and free spirit

Next Step:

So to have your Off the Grid Lifestyle, make me an offer!

What would you trade with me for having the active, on-the-go, adventure seeking and professional lifestyle you dream of, where you get to work and play, spend time with loved ones and make those big deals?

Get in touch with me and let’s chat. I’ll then give you all the specifics on the tech that will move with your pace of life, and we can work out a deal… on-the-go… wherever you and I are.
(DOWNLOAD a PDF of this item here)

Call me on 0837302979 or email onematchstick@gmail.com

Where is the matchstick now?

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Sun, 07 Feb 2016 14:13:00 +0000

As a big project is about to go live (tweet me on (from Wednesday 10th Feb) if you want to know more about it), more of my time and energy is becoming freed up for onematchstick! So to get going, I got a burst of onematchstick nostalgia and inspiration after catching up with Nikki the other day.

She was the first person I traded with – and she still has that original matchstick that I traded with her for the ordinary green ball point pen!

And she was the first person who traded twice with me, when I did my second trade with her in a threesome involving one of her training courses and one of my 375 T-shirts.

So thanks Nikki for your support, your encouragement, and your willingness to trade!

Who will I trade with next?

Who needs a Lifestyle Makeover so that you no longer need to be stuck at a desk and to a plug for electricity? What I have on offer will keep you mobile and flexible, and not having to rely on electricity. Call me: 0837302979

How to Start a Start-up : online Resources

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Sat, 02 Jan 2016 17:24:00 +0000

** NOTE: The updates list is now on the new onematchstick website here. **

As I am working on my "business plan" for the onematchstick office, so I am coming across some great resources about all things related to startups, entrepreneurship, managing and leadership, and selling!

If you'd like to follow my research and explore these tools, trainings, and articles too, the best way is to follow me on Twitter - @Telana or my new website for onematchstick here: www.onematchstick.co.za

Here I'll be listing some of the online trainings that I have found about startups, for you to enjoy too!

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300 Best Tools And Resources For Entrepreneurs

Alejandro Cremades got in touch with me. He's an internationally recognized startup coach and founder of the venture backed company Onevest/CoFoundersLab, which he sold in 2018 in a multi-million dollar transaction. He is also the author of "The Art of Startup Fundraising" and host the "DealMakers" podcast.

He has a thorough list of 300 resources and tools that us entrepreneurs, and startup's will find useful.

Check out the lists here.

--------------------------------------

How to Start a Startup

A series of 20 free video lectures covering everything about how to start a startup, by Sam Altman.

Check out the videos here.
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The Essential Guide to Entrepreneurship by Guy Kawasaki

In this Udemy course Guy Kawasaki shares his 30 years of experience with budding entrepreneurs on how to build a business and brand that will attract investors and a following. It's about mastering "the essential steps for creating your own company".

Check out the course here.

(Hear my interview with Guy here)
--------------------------------------

Amazing.com

This site helps people build successful businesses. It has a list of many courses, which teach you step-by-step for beginners with not experience wanting to build a profitable business, and also for those more established entrepreneurs wanting to go the next level with their business.

Check out the list of their free courses here. They're amazing! ;)
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5 + 1 Tips for raising early stage capital by Guy Kawasaki

In my learning about how to pitch my ideas for onematchstick, I came across these few short videos with a great outline of the key information investors would like to know.
Here they are.

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How to build a winning Brand Positioning Statement

This was one of the better documents I found on developing a brand, with great infographics. Explore it here.

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Steve Blanks Startup Tools

I attended a lecture about Startups at GIBS by Bob Dorf. Bob, together with his co-author Steve Blank, wrote "The Startup Owners Manual".

At the great talk, Bob mentioned this extensive list of tools for startup entrepreneurs on Steve's website. The list covers links to books, courses, open source software, website development info, market research tools, Finance 101 for Entrepreneurs, and all sorts of starting and running startups' advice. There is also a lot of useful information about the Lean Startup method, and videos on the Lean LaunchPad. Find the full list here.

--------------------------------------

Investec's Startup School

This Startup School looks like it will add value to our South African entrepreneur scene – it’s a 12 week online training to take startups from idea creation to final business plan ready to pitch for funding!

It is also linking the startups to Mentors – and so seeking mentors too!

Check it out here.

--------------------------------------

Venture Capital 4 Africa's Startup Academy

This academy has an online course covering how to start your business, then grow it, and also finance it and it is available in 4 languages.

Their content is from the expertise of 35 experts who share what is proven to work for entrepreneurs in Africa. There are quizzes after each section, and you can get a certificate.

Their network also gives you access to mentors and investors.

--------------------------------------

The 14 Day Entrepreneurs Challenge

York Zucchi has created a free online course to help entrepreneurs connect to the fundamentals that motivate them, so that they have direction and balance in being entrepreneurial. As the challenge is described:

This is a seemingly easy to do 14 days course comprised of daily thought challenges designed to help you remember why you started your entrepreneurial journey, help you find your balance and give you a sense of direction. There is no pass or fail in this course. These are easy exercises you can do over a nice coffee that will help you in this crazy rollercoaster that is entrepreneurship.

York's also got a 14 day challenge for Startups: Sign up for this one here.

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More to come soon, as I find them, so keep checking this page (or my tweets)! And let's start some startups!

Startup and Bootstrapping ideas from Tim Ferriss

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 17:28:00 +0000

As I keep consuming podcasts, one of my favourite show's is Tim Ferriss' interviews.

And for a change, he got interviewed :)

Tim shares some interesting ideas about startups, from his experience in starting his own businesses, and investing in others from the Silicon Valley, like twitter and uber.

He also talks about deal making, and was asked - for the first time - if he actually works only 4 hours a week. . .

You can hear the podcast here. I highly recommend it!

My interview on Expresso Morning TV Show

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Tue, 27 Oct 2015 14:03:00 +0000

Here's the clip of my interview with Katlego Maboe last Monday, 19th October, on Expresso:

It was fun reminiscing about all my trades, and trying to explain how I find people to trade with.

Just wish I had had a few more minutes to explain my latest item, as it's such a fun item!

It's all about a lifestyle change, to get you out of the office or house, and help you work as you go, and explore this wonderful world of ours (check out the details here).

As seen on Expresso Morning TV Show

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Mon, 19 Oct 2015 06:00:00 +0000

I was invited to chat about bartering and my onematchstick project on the Expresso Morning Show on SABC 3 today!

Luckily I was down in Cape Town also visiting Strandveld Vineyards (in my next post I'll share an update!) and my family, so I could pop into the studio at the break of day.

it was a very quick and fun chat with Katlego Maboe, and I was hoping they'd ask me about bartering in today's world, and I could share how it's happening now in Greece quite a bit.

With their financial crisis that broke out in 2010, hundreds of barter communities have materialised and people have started informally bartering more seriously about three years ago.

And it seems to have become even more popular this year, since the banks were closed and bank controls restricting money withdrawals have been put in place since June this year.

Although this alternative economy is not mainstream, it is interesting to watch the likes of butchers swapping a month's worth of meat for tyres for their vans.

Greece is an example of using bartering when times are tough, by finding alternative ways to trade that still allow us to do what we need to do, to get by.

I'm just trying to trade an ordinary little matchstick up into office space, to help startup entrepreneurs. :)

Thanks Katlego and the Expresso Morning Show Team for having me on your show!!

Looking for the "Casey Gerald's" of South Africa

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Wed, 07 Oct 2015 11:34:00 +0000

As I work on getting clearer on the onematchstick office, and what we can do with the space once I've traded up to it, I'm staring to think of the start-up entrepreneurs I hope to help.

And if any of them are like this rebel, Casey Gerald, I will be S-O E-X-C-I-T-E-D!

He believes that if he is out of business in a years time, then he's been successful!

I'm wondering how this idea fits in as a new business model, that would help my objective of creating more jobs in South Africa by helping more aspiring entrepreneurs get their businesses off the ground... but it sure makes you think about existing paradigms of doing business and contributing to making the world a better place.

Here he talks about us needing a new field manual for business, and here he shares "The Essential To Do list for the Aspiring Entrepreneur".

Markets where money is not allowed or doesn’t work

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Mon, 05 Oct 2015 06:00:00 +0000

Thanks to one of my favourite podcasts, Freakonomics Radio, I was introduced to Al Roth’s work. He’s a professor of economics at Stanford, and also the Nobel Prize winner in economics in 2012.

Prof Roth takes what I am doing with my bartering project, to a whole other level.

He develops markets where money is either not allowed to play a role (like organ donation) or doesn’t work in that market (like job markets).

He has developed algorithms that lead to people being chosen, due to certain criteria, for a match where there is a need.

It’s very interesting to see that money can actually limit needs being met, and that there are ways around using a money system for exchange.

Examples are what Prof Roth and his colleagues have found – exchange systems that help the supply of goods or services being matched with the best possible needs with no cash involved at all.

Have a listen to the podcast here.

I might only have one match...

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Thu, 01 Oct 2015 12:48:00 +0000

If there were to be a theme song for where I am with my onematchstick journey, this would be it:

Rachel Platten's Fight song:

and I specifically love this line:

"I might only have one match, but I can make an explosion".

It reflects a sentiment and invitation I often share with my audiences, when I give talks about my journey to date.

This line also sums up the impact I am trying to create as I work on my business plan for what I want to do during my time in the onematchstick office (when I get it, of course!), besides sharing the space with some startup entrepreneurs.

Slow work, lots of thinking, and researching... but one step at a time and I am progressing.

(PS- Thank you Carey for introducing me to this song!)

July 2015 - Confessions of the ‘matchstick girl

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Mon, 06 Jul 2015 11:44:00 +0000

12 June 2006 I started with a single matchstick and now, eleven trades later, I have a Mobile Lifestyle Makeover to trade on... What a journey the last 9 years have been.

Some things I have learnt (and am still learning) about are the attributes of persistence, the line between working hard and burnout, and how to bounce back.

And I confess: the last few months have so exercised my resilience muscle.

Towards the end of 2014, and the beginning of this year, I could see the path from my current item to an office space in Braamfontein. There were a number of pieces in the puzzle all in place – and just one piece missing, being how to link the offer made by Alan Hilburg to the offer of office space from the possible future Landlord that I had...

And then that path fell apart. So the feeling of being so close to my goal became overcome with such disappointment... and with that disappointment, exhaustion set in.

The last time I “burnout” was after the 2 years of trading the T-shirts. And if there is anything I know about applying resilience that I learnt from that time, it was to take some time out, and then go back to my vision, and take it one step forward from there.

And so this is where I find myself now: Re-connecting to the vision of onematchstick and seeing what the opportunities are from this point forward to get to my office space, and help some start-up entrepreneurs.

My view from my temporary
"office" in Switzerland

The opportunities that have and are presenting themselves now, as I bounce back, are:

A working sabbatical in Switzerland (lucky me!) for this month of July, where I will be coaching from and also working more on defining the plan for onematchstick.
Another possible future landlord, in the team from Publicis Machine with their search for someone to share their offices with (thanks to Ray and Jade for alerting me to this opportunity!)
An idea I’ve had for a while to trade on the Mobile Lifestyle Makeover for something even more adventurous – I need to work on that proposal and negotiation.

So if you have any tips on how to bounce back and can teach me more about resilience, please do share!

And for now, here’s more of my view from Switzerland as I re-connect to my vision, and fine tune my action plan for my next step for onematchstick!

Review of APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur -How to Publish a Book

noreply@blogger.com (Telana) — Tue, 24 Feb 2015 19:58:00 +0000

Once people hear of my onematchstick story to date, and get what I am trying to do with trading up in value, the question that they most often ask me is: Are you going to write a book?

And if it’s not a question, it’s the statement “you should write a book”.

And I do believe I will. I will write a book.

Since I started out holding that single matchstick in my hand and writing my first blogpost, I've had an amazing few years. And it’s not over yet.

And when you are open to a possibility, it’s amazing how you start to see and find the resources you need to make that possibility a reality.

One such resource is the book “APE: Author, Publisher, Entrepreneur--How to Publish a Book” written by Guy Kawasaki and Shawn Welch.

I was recommended the book by my friend Mongezi, and we ended up interviewing Guy Kawasaki about the book (as part of my show, Let's Talk Possibility), as it is such a useful and worthwhile read – especially for any would-be author.

APE helped me to feel that I could not only write a book, but also that I could self publish it. Guy and Shawn shed some interesting arguments about the pro’s for self publishing, as the debate around Traditional Publishing vs. Self Publishing can be a confusing territory to traverse.

A lot of people have very little to say about Traditional Publishers that is good, because they appear to be very controlling and take all the profit. Yet, Self Publishers have a bad name too, for poor quality and they are tarnished by the thought that their book wasn't good enough for the traditional big publishers.

APE not only works through all those points, giving clear and practical guidance on how to go either route, but it also introduces what the authors call “Artisanal Publishing” and also a “Plan C” that involves both options.

A valuable part of the book too is the section on the “Entrepreneur” aspect of writing a book, which I found most stimulating. Most people believe their book is the next big thing, and that publishers will fight over the book to publish it, and then people will buy and read it. Guy and Shawn advocate that marketing of your book starts before it’s even been written.

And so, after having read APE and recommending it, I am applying what I have learnt, and letting you know now that I will be writing a book about the onematchstick story – so watch this space!

For more info check out: http://apethebook.com/