Sharon Mohale
If you’ve been to the Small Enterprise Development Agency’s regional office in Bloemfontein, then you’re probably familiar with Sharon Mohale’s smiling face.
She’s also probably the person telling you not to forget to pick up your latest copy of Small Business Connect.
It’s for this reason that she has been chosen as the August Small Business Connect Champion.
“We encourage our clients to pick up a copy of Small Business Connect at any time they enter our offices. We do this to raise awareness on available business information platforms,” she says.
Entrepreneurs in the region regularly approach the Seda office in search of industry information which entrepreneurs access through the agency’s awareness workshops.
Mohale says a large number of clients have businesses based in surrounding townships and rural towns and that many entrepreneurs in those areas did not know of the opportunities available to them.
It is also as a result of the newspaper that many small business owners came to know about the regional Seda office, she says.
Reading printed copies of the publication has helped business owners in Bloemfontein and other nearby areas to better recognise their challenges and how to help remedy it by consulting with agencies such as Seda. “We constantly host information sessions and workshops in community libraries and halls and share copies of the newspaper with those who attend, I truly believe that if from municipalities also get this newspaper then we would definitely cover a lot of ground,” says Mohale.
Print copies of the publication are also shared among all branches to promote access to information.
She explains that they also work with community development workers to “spread the word” to rural and remote neighbourhoods around Bloemfontein.
“Because the newspaper’s available free, we are always armed with the latest copy and whenever we run out we are sure to refer those clients with internet access to the online edition.”