Bongani Bizo
Cape Town business owner Bongani Bizo was inspired to venture into business after reading stories published in Small Business Connect.
Bizo, founder of public relations company Colourcode Communications, says his plan is to help publicise procurement opportunities among emerging businesses.
Currently he assists less experienced business owners and unemployed university graduates with industry-related information and also employs skilled young people to help grow his business.
Having worked as a key event organisers for the City of Cape Town at the 2010 World Cup, he started reading Small Business Connect a few months ago.
Bizo and his three business partners use the newspaper to obtain information on the various private and government business support programmes.
“Small Business Connect has managed to improve a vision of starting a business network involving new and old small businesses where we share experiences and information to help each other grow.” says Bizo.
He says he registered his business in 2011 after resigning from his position as an events manager at the City of Cape Town the previous year.
After successfully applying for tenders, Bizo says he noticed that only a few black-owned businesses were listed on local procurement databases.
He says the newspaper has since helped him to raise awareness on opportunities and advice available to local businesses.
“I believe information is a major catalyst for growth in business, apart from any other influential aspect of business.”