Free business seminars
Nedbank Business Seminars
Nedbank hosts regular Small Business Seminars around the country aimed at start-up and established small businesses. The free seminars are structured around issues relevant to the entrepreneur, including building your business, marketing strategies, managing finances, how to access finance, cash flow management, skills development and sustainability. Watch the media and the bank’s website for upcoming events.
Get it from: Nedbank (www.nedbank.co.za)
Cost: Free
Less reading, more learning
Soundview
Buying the latest business books is a good way to stay informed, but can be costly. A subscription to Soundview will give you summaries of at least 30 books a year, providing the top, actionable ideas from each business book. The summaries are available in text, audio or video format. You can also access weekly webinars.
Get it from: www.summary.com
Cost: From $99 per year
No registration required
MIT OpenCourseWare
Free lecture notes, exams and videos are on offer from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology‘s OpenCourseWare web-based publication. The site offers much of the institution’s course content for the world to access, at no cost. The courses cover a wide range of topics including technology, human resources, management, pricing, marketing and more.
Get it from: www.ocw.mit.edu
Cost: Free
Listen and learn
LearnOutLoud
Spruce up your business skills by listening. LearnOutLoud offers educational and inspirational audio books on topics ranging from wealth building, debt reduction, sales skill training, mentoring and more. The directory also features free lectures, speeches and interviews.
Get it from: www.learnoutloud.com
Cost: Free
Network with your bank
FNB BizNetwork
Save money by using the free business plan templates or guides offered by banks, and if you are planning to approach them for funding, structure your plan according to their requirements. FNB’s BizNetwork platform offers free membership to FNB clients and one of the benefits is access to an easy-to-use business plan builder with explanations and hot tips on how to complete a professional business plan online.
Get it from: www.biznetwork.co.za
Cost: Free for FNB clients