It is globally recognised that micro, small and medium enterprises (SMMEs) hold the keys to large-scale job creation and economic growth. While SMMEs have always faced an uphill battle in their early stages, Covid-19 has compounded the challenges by disrupting the world as we know it, says Nobesuthu Ndlovu, director: SME at Old Mutual Corporate.

Launching Nine Yards TV was the next logical step in Old Mutual Corporate’s mission to support SMMEs on their journeys to build resilience. The series is designed to help SMME owners go the distance with realistic, practical advice on growing their business.

“The world is changing and demands new solutions to its significant challenges. SMMEs are poised to provide the creative answers the country so desperately needs. It is therefore vital that institutions such as ours don’t just focus on supporting existing businesses. We must also keep providing inspiration and nurturing fertile ground for entrepreneurship,” says Ndlovu.

“The decision to initiate the show follows the warm reception of the magazine, which we launched ahead of World Entrepreneurship Day in October 2020,” says the editor of Nine Yards magazine and executive head: marketing, public affairs and sustainability at Old Mutual Corporate, Gugu-Lisa Zwane-Johnson.

“As a corporate business, we wanted to capture the two overriding characteristics of this sector, namely hope and resilience, by recognising the tenacity and creativity of entrepreneurs. 

“A year and a half into the pandemic, the demand for free and accessible advice has never been greater,” she says.

Viewers can look forward to engaging conversations between experts and entrepreneurs on big themes and challenges specific to SA, including practical tips explored further in Nine Yards magazine.

“The first episode focuses on one of the biggest challenges facing new business owners — funding. Featuring Zamokuhle Thwala, who cofounded AgriKool to connect emerging Black farmers with finance opportunities, the episode discusses the three most common mistakes entrepreneurs make when seeking funding and offers five practical tips on how to access finance,” Zwane-Johnson says. 

As a small-business owner and part of a large corporate, Ndlovu relates to the challenges facing SMMEs and understands the special role established businesses can play by offering insight and guidance.

“Input from real entrepreneurs and business leaders makes each episode a compelling nine minutes that will resonate with anyone on an entrepreneurial journey,” says Ndlovu.

Click here to watch Nine Yards TV >>>

Entrepreneurs can subscribe to Nine Yards magazine to tap into realistic advice, ideas and tips they can apply to their own small businesses. 

This article was paid for by Old Mutual Corporate.