Achieving, The Innovators Way

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A BOOK BY THE INNOVATORS

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ACHIEVING, THE INNOVATORS WAY
@2020 KBN Innovators Group

All Rights Reserved.

This work is protected by the Copyright Laws of South Africa. No part of this Book may
be copied or re-printed in any form for commercial gain or profit, electronic or
mechanical, including photocopying, recording or put in any other information storage
and retrieval system without written permission from the Publisher. Except otherwise
stated. All Quotes & references are from the KBN Innovative Journey experiences.

A PUBLICATION OF KBN2020 INNOVATORS GROUP
Published by: Innovators Group Publishing
South Africa
SANDTON
Our Contact information:
Tel: +27 73 860 2896

+27 83 783 1239
www.thetvbeinnovators.co.za
Email: [email protected]
https://www.instagram.com/thee_innovators
https://www.facebook.com/KHMInnovators
https://twitter.com/InnovatorsCom

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DEDICATION

This Book is dedicated to God the Almighty. We dedicate it to the KBN Visionaries Mr. &
Mrs. Kambasha, the Beryl Group, Partners, Trustees, KBN Executives, TVBE, the Chair
Adjudicators & the Panel, who made our journey as Innovators a success enabling us to
come together in one accord as Entrepreneurs to innovate Africa to be a better place for

everyone.
We also dedicate it to each person who has chosen the entrepreneurial journey. Once

you decide, you can do this. It’s totally worth it.

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ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Our First utmost acknowledgement is to the Almighty God, who divinely connected us to
the Visionaries of KBN Mr. & Mrs. Kambasha whom we acknowledge and appreciate
highly, the Beryl Group, Partners, Trustees, KBN Executives, TVBE, not forgetting our
Chair Adjudicator Dr Jasmine Pega and her Panel who contributed to grooming us into
strong future Giants in the Business World. For a Seed to multiply itself you bury it so
that it comes out ready to bear plenty fresh fruits – we felt buried in the Adjudicators’
process, but we are coming out multiplied as innovators. We love you and
acknowledge you.

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I need Africa, because Africa taught me how to dream big. It showed me
how to dream big. It showed me that I too, have a place in changing the

world around me.

Travis Batista

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Contents

Introduction 10

Chapter One - How it All Began 12

Chapter Two - 2020 – The Year of Plenty – and Crisis 17

Chapter Three - Pillars of Entrepreneurship 25

Chapter Four - In the Presence of Greatness 30

Chapter Five - What did I get myself into? 36

Chapter Six - The Testing 42

Chapter Seven - Sustaining a Business During a Pandemic 50

Chapter Eight - Impacting Africa 53

Chapter Nine - Boardroom Discoveries 59

Chapter Ten - A Presidential Experience 65

Chapter Eleven - An Everyday Learning Curve 58

Chapter Twelve - A Personal Calling 73

Chapter Thirteen - A Little Gift 79

Chapter Fourteen - Sleep is Overrated 80

Chapter Fifteen - Seeking an Understanding 88

Chapter Sixteen - Life Changes Happen in a Moment 93

Chapter Seventeen- Following the Right Principles 100

Chapter Eighteen - Starting Out with Christ 102

Chapter Nineteen - The Journey of an Innovator 107

Chapter Twenty - Gaining Confidence 114

Chapter Twenty-one- Discovering New Things 117

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CONTRIBUTORS

1. Hlalani Ncube 12. Mlibazisi Vuma
2. Dr Cathbert Dutiro - 13. Mirriam Mushakwe
3. Lorraine Penduka 14. Nester Chipangura
4. Melissa Bartus 15. Lyton Zendera
5. Maureen Mdletshe 16. Auxilia Gundavakuru
6. Gugulethu Jeffries 17. Francis Wenzira
7. Njabulo Dubazana 18. Clara Gwete
8. Monica Ndlovu 19. David Makina
9. Nomcebo Ngema 20. Dijon Lloyd
10. Thabo Magano 21. Asichire Mashingaidze
11. Zanele Ntuli
EDITING
1. Monica Ndlovu
2. Mirriam Mushakwe
3. Lyton Zendera
4. Nomcebo Ngema
5. Lorraine Penduka

TYPESETTING & FINALISING EDIT

Nomcebo Ngema

COVER DESIGN & SOCIAL MEDIA

Dijon Lloyd

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INTRODUCTION

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from
another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you

have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”
Esther 4:14

“Innovation is the unrelenting drive to break the status quo and develop anew where
few have dared to go. Steven Jeffes

Perhaps the most exciting thing about writing this book is that it’s innovative in itself.
This is not only because it’s an e-book in nature, or that it contains audio and video
imaging. It’s because it’s birthed from the Vision of Kingdom Business Network (KBN).

KBN has a simple reason for inviting entrepreneurs, a word from God saying, “God has
called you for such a time as this.”

When your vision is engrained in such an idea, magic happens. The God who put your
vision in your heart finds the right people and decides to place them in the same room
so that they can achieve what God has envisioned for them.

In this book we’ve created a unique perspective of our journey as strangers, who
formed a family and were called Innovators. We aim to inspire and bring to life a vision
that has helped each of us grow to become who we are. We set out on an initial six-
week program as part of the vision that Mr. and Mrs. Kambasha had when they formed
this organization. But today, and in the years that are ahead, we see a group of
Christians who would never have come together otherwise, forming a God-given
ecosystem idea to the broken world.

Through this book we hope to give you an idea of what KBN is about. We look for ways
to share our experiences before and after the program. Not only did we grow muscles

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through the program itself, but we were shaped in character as we went through what is
known as the TVBE experience.
Unfortunately, we cannot fully share the full insight of what we learned; we can only
share our experiences. We hope that you will read them and want to get into the
program, so that you can experience this yourself, just like we did.
This is a journey of sleepless nights, as we were thrown curveballs that were
unexpected. We had to be industry experts in foreign fields, and still make it through 24
hours of sleepless nights. But we got to grow so much that the tears have become a
point of reference for you who is reading this.
As the innovators, we have found ourselves and in each other a brother and sisterhood.
We have also learned that we are stronger when we have each other. KBN came
because of one man’s vision. Imagine if we all came into it with our own vision and
aimed to change Africa.

NOMCEBO NGEMA
Author & Filmmaker

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Chapter One
HOW IT ALL BEGAN?

Hlalani Ncube

The invitation to History Makers Season 11 came unexpectedly. And yet, the
experience was a turning point in my life in my pursuit for business.

My mindset was transformed at a time when we were under a lockdown, imposed to
manage the Covid-19 pandemic. Our bodies were under lockdown. We could not meet
in large groups, but our minds were not under lockdown. It meant lockdown was well
spent.

Our meetings were held via the Zoom platform, an unprecedented experience. I had to
learn how to use Zoom very fast, since there were no lessons provided by KBN on how
to use the Zoom platform. After overcoming the challenge of the online platform, I was
then faced with data issues.

My connections via Zoom were not good because of a low bandwidth. I then learnt that I
could disable my video so that at least I can hear and see, and not have the connection
drop intermittently. For the most part other participates were not able to see me.

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The 10 History Makers Ecosystem Pillars represented what I already knew as a
Christian. As a preacher and minister, most of the interpretations were based on my
personal and individual experiences. What I knew was not addressed in the business
institution.

What I had not focused on was how to look at scripture to address the business
environment. Through the KBN platform, I learned how to translate scripture to provide
information into a business environment. This will make it easy for me to engage with
businesspeople, especially those who always think that the bible has no relevance in
the business world. Minister Mtetwa gave us very clear teachings, biblical integration
and a life transforming perspective on entrepreneurship.

Our team was well structured from the very beginning. This started by choosing the right
leadership, which set the foundation for success in all our assignments. Each member
of the team had to research and submit their assignment. We then set up different
groups to consolidate the information into one final document of five pages.

The team assignments about Noah, the widow and Jonah further imparted skills of
integrating biblical knowledge into a business idea. I began to see relevance of the Bible
in today’s economic activities and how Christians are anointed to dominate the
marketplace. We focused more on how the ten ecosystem pillars were evident in the
experiences of the people whose lives we were researching.

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Our team, the Innovators were from diverse backgrounds. I will always treasure the
experiences and things I learnt working with our leaders and team members. We were a
well-oiled machine, aware of each other’s strengths and leveraged it to complete our
assignments.

As I was going through the History Makers program, I realized that what I called a
business was actually a hobby. I was challenged to upgrade my vision to create a
proper business plan.

There was then an invitation to submit a 3-minute pitch of our businesses to our group. I
took this as an opportunity and I submitted my 3-minute pitch to our team.

Many others submitted their pitches and only two were to be chosen, one male and one
female entrepreneur. After the votes, I did not qualify, I was second. Later I was amazed
when our team leader came back to us to say that two more participants are required
from our team. Because I came second, I was automatically chosen.

I rehearsed my pitch countless times, until I felt comfortable. I was happy that I
presented a well-researched business plan. My business was in the technology sector,
an industry that most people are not familiar with.

I also researched the judges, to find out their experience and qualifications so that I
could be ready for their questions. I was happy that two of the judges were in the

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technology sector. At least they would understand my presentation language and
interpret my business plan correctly.

The day of the pitch came. I was disappointed they did not take us to where we needed
to go. They only told us to go left, then right and then to go upstairs. This was confusing
for me. I felt that since we arrived early, we could have used the rooms in advance. This
would have helped us know exactly where to sit.

When my turn came, I could not finish my pitch. It was a nerve wrecking experience.
When the adjudicators asked me questions, they were easy to answer. The adjudicators
who came from the technology industry did not ask me the technology related
questions. This gave me confidence that my business idea was well crafted in terms of
the technology.

At one point one of the judges asked me four questions, one after the other. I thought
she wanted to confuse me. By the time she finished asking the last question, I had
forgotten what her first question was. I never got the opportunity to answer, because of
the time constraints.

The judges at the Chairman’s Board Room Battle gave me an unbiased transparency
into my business idea. What was important for me was to communicate clearly, so that
people would not misinterpret what I wrote.

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Afterwards I revamped the vision for how my business should move forward. I did not
win the contest, but it was a great honor and privilege to have been a participant. It was
also great to hear the presentations from nine other great business ideas.

Shortly after the Boardroom battle, I had the privilege to be part of our team, now
participating in The Village Boardroom Experience. The launch of the TVBE was
awesome.

I am grateful to the visionaries of KBN, Mr. and Mrs. Kambasha, the Beryl group
executives, the KBN trustees and executives for the opportunity to sit under the
instruction of such great anointing and grace.

Finally, after a lot of online conversations, my team and I met physically. It was a good
experience. What I concluded about each person in our team was tested. I got eighty
percent of it right. I had to adjust the twenty percent of my perception to match my
reality.

We struggled to allocate the right people to the tasks. Our preparation was hectic. We
set up different groups to handle the different tasks. We failed to deliver the board pack
on time, but we continued preparing our documentation.

We felt the pressure. On the first day we were so nervous, we even misinterpreted the
one-hour assignment that was given to us before we went into the boardroom. This put
us under tremendous pressure.

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Finally, we entered the boardroom. The presentations began. Our presentations were
not based on the board pack we presented. The adjudicators challenged this.

They told us we did not submit the board pack according to the requirements. Our board
pack was disqualified. It became apparent that we were not working as a team, because
we were failing to answer some questions that were asked.
The conversations around Task one of the assignments were more solid. The
information submitted was not queried much. On Task 2 of the assignment, we got
stuck because the adjudicators said we misunderstood the requirements of the task.
This meant that our submissions could not be interrogated.

The adjudicators complained that we were wasting their time.

The third Task about the eBook was much worse. It demonstrated our lack of
understanding and preparation for the task. Overall, the adjudicators spent their time
interpreting the three tasks to us all over again, until the head adjudicator commented
that they should not spoon feed us. This was our first baptism of fire in the boardroom.

Very few things are funny to me. But one of the contestants at the Chairman’s
Boardroom Battle left everybody laughing. This person commented that if they were not
in a formal environment, they would have rolled on the floor with laughter. I laughed too,
not because this was funny but because it disrupted the formality expected from such
an environment. It was done with such honesty that it was difficult to rebuke.

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Fortunately, I haven’t had painful moments so far. This is partly because I had a bird’s
eye view of what was at play.
There were disappointing moments, where the team members didn’t show up strong.
Btu I learned that this is not about focusing on the pain, it’s an opportunity to take on
more responsibility and to learn.

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Chapter Two
2020, THE YEAR OF PLENTY – AND CRISIS

Nomcebo Ngema

2020 – the year of plenty. The year that was supposed to give us some rest in how we
conducted business. The year where finally, we could breathe, particularly in an industry
that is like mine – the media.

The year 2018 – 2019 was spent in rejection and hopelessness. There were plenty of
job losses. A lot of businesses closed down, simply because when there’s a crisis in a
body like the SABC, you have a crisis in the industry. Sure, there were a number of
productions that were working, but for the most part, we were not looking good, and so
this reflects in our finances within the business sector.

But in 2020, finally things were looking up. After a year and a half of 2020, we finally
could sign contracts with a promise that things would be better. During December 2019,
we were looking forward to a hope-filled January. We started the year with a stride in
our businesses. There was too much that we could fulfil in the year, and for once, there
was the sense of the blessings we were bringing to the table.

As our industry was finally coming to life, we had to bring everything to a halt. 24 March
2020, the President of South Africa, Mr Cyril Ramaphosa announced that we had to

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stop all our operations. This was meant to curb the spread of the disease, Covid-19, a
deadly disease that was equated to a war that would take away the lives of the people
we love, unless we stayed at home to protect them.

So once again, we had to put our tools down.

In an industry where payment depends on the direct output you give as an individual,
this was another hard-knock. The raging spirit was hopelessness. We watched an art
industry meant to start building stand on its feet. We were locked up in a bumpy road
ahead. Level 5, where all things came to a standstill.

The first time I heard about KBN, I got a call from the CEO who told me that he wants
me to be part of the program. I didn’t know this program, and a part of me was skeptical
about this opportunity that he was selling. Firstly, who gives that kind of opportunity to a
total stranger? And secondly, which CEO calls people directly?

What the program offered was too good to be true. Who does all this in the name of this
God when even kindness isn’t a trait that you find in a regular street?

When I came into their office, after I was invited for a formal interview, I had just
released my second book, A Journey for Moses. I was still new in the publishing
industry, and so when Pastor Mtetwa requested that I leave him a copy of the book, I
wasn’t sure if he’d like it.

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I released my first book through a publisher, and so I felt better about it than this one.
But I left it, as I was interviewed to become part of the most exciting program than I’d
ever seen. I was finally going to meet entrepreneurs who believe in God. At that point, I
was sold to the idea.

The next phase was the call backs. I finally understood what the Idols competition wait
is all about. For some reason I was confident I would be called back, but one never
knows. I was sold to this dream and knew I desperately needed it to get to the next
level. I felt like the films that I had placed in the market were going to grow ten times
more through this program.

What inspired me was the fact that I would not just meet fellow entrepreneurs. The
anticipation was exciting. So then when I finally got the call, I was overwhelmed by the
excitement. I moved my schedule around so that I could attend this.

Once the call came, I started preparing. I kept expecting that one of these days I’d get a
call telling me that there was R25 000 that would have to pay towards that course.

Honestly, I still felt that this was too good to be true. Finally, there was a program that
made me believe that what was in my mind was not too big. I could perhaps take the big
dreams that were in my head and perceive them to become a reality.

Then finally, we were given an induction day. I dropped all things to be part of this
experience. I moved the dates of my commitments so that I could have time. We had =

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two weeks that were supposed be dedicated to an organization that I run, Dikeledi-
Thokozile Foundation. But we moved that because this was the critical space that would
have us succeed. It was an investment that we were going to make as an organization.

A few days before it started, the cause was postponed. Sadly, the induction day was
placed on the day that I was supposed to start the program. I was in tears. I explored
whether or not to cancel. I couldn’t. It wasn’t just me, but it was the facilitators who
provide the program. I couldn’t be part of the KBN experience that year.

But off course, as with all things, God knew the timing and His time is always perfect.

In March, a few days before lockdown, I lost one of my brothers, which was such a
painful experience. I was feeling that it was personal. I have served God since I was 13,
and I felt he didn’t have my back. With all the years that I invested with Him; He should
have at least warned me. And given that I couldn’t have the spiritual proximity to the
people who speak into my life, as church was also shut down, the experience with KBN
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I knew that I couldn’t get back into my ministry unless God did something. And so, the
invitation to participate at the 2020 KBN was like God inviting me back to getting back to
Him. I didn’t touch anything else besides work and KBN.

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This was about getting alignment with God. When I started the program, the voices that
spoke through the program spoke directly to me. There is not one speaker who came
into the platform that did not have a message for me that was directly from God.

Through the pillars that KBN taught me, I was envisioning what God has placed in my
heart. I was told many times that my dreams are too big, but through this experience, I
have learned that God would never place a dream that was too big for me to achieve.
Through the unique case studies provided, I looked at the men and women He used in
conducting the business in the bible, and it suddenly occurred that God uses who He
wants to use.

The KBN experience has helped me to discover that there are people who are living the
dreams they once had. Once upon a time, when I outlined that I wanted to be in the film
industry, I was told that with a voice like mine, I could never do this. But when God
places a vision in your heart, He follows through. He’s in the business of purpose, and
sometimes we perceive our purpose as a driven ideology

I have learned so much from the platform so far.

First thing I learned is how important it is that you understand the role that you are
playing in society as an entrepreneur. In a hustle to get things done, we tend to think
that we are alone in this journey. The pressure of building a legacy is so big that we’ve
accepted that it’s supposed to be lonely.

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There are some alumni’s that I have met who have briefly told me about some of the fun
and games that they have had at The Village. That is one of the exciting things that I
was looking forward to – the experience of The Village.
But off-course, with the restrictions of Covid-19, this was not to be. But despite this,
what was interesting for me is how in the challenges that we are facing, the KBN
directors found a way to still reach entrepreneurs. Through technology, we found
ourselves exposed to people who don’t ordinarily expose themselves as they are
running their own businesses.

What humbled me about this experience is the fact despite the millions and billions the
speakers that were on the platform, none of them made it seem impossible to be where
they are. That and the fact that they are so humble.

The other factor that was inspirational for me is how much order goes into the world of
business. As entrepreneurs we sometimes take for granted at how much the little things
count. Detail probably counts more than most things.

Despite being on a Zoom call as entrepreneurs, we were never allowed to just show up,
but there was still a dress code to be upheld. I’ve had a number of complaints from
people who were at a Board Meeting who didn’t even change from their night gowns.
This was an important discipline for me, especially in my industry because we’re used to
wearing jeans and sneakers on a daily basis. It was important for me to learn that we
have to represent ourselves at best when we come into different spaces in a business
area.

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There was a quote about “Staying in the Room” that was sold from the day we were
inducted into the program. I did not understand this at the beginning, but I have since
learned that this is a very important aspect of the experience. For me, staying in the
room was about absorbing what was placed on our table.

The result was, since I stayed in the room, I could get to the next level. I was always
aware of what is happening when it came to assignments and in staying in touch with
the team. And as they say, hard work pays off. So. I’ve had an opportunity to now be
part of the The Village Boardroom Experience, because there was a thrill of working
within a team that worked.

If I had to pitch what the Boardroom Experience is to someone who has not yet had an
opportunity, I believe that it talks to how strangers who have the same vision could get a
big vision.

This already speaks to the reality of what I know as good TV. Our different personalities
play a role, even if we’re best friends. For me, the groundwork that was done with the
team was crucial. We did our best to ensure that we meet the requirement, but
unfortunately, we were not giving the judges what they expected.

One of the things that I’d worked on for many years is how I would lose my voice during
the presentation. I had not become the best, especially because my voice is so low, but
I know that a lot has improved.

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This was, until the Chief Adjudicator focused on my voice.

I was lost for words for some time after she told me I was not inspiring, with an echo
from her co-adjudicators. How do you come back from that?

The beauty of working in a team meant I could call on a backup and the presentation we
prepared was presented. But I felt like I didn’t represent the team well. In fact, what I
knew for sure was that I embarrassed my team.

At that moment, a picture of my childhood came back. I was honestly feeling like I
wasn’t at the right place. Perhaps the call of my whole journey as an entrepreneur was
put to the question. If I wasn’t able to handle that, what would that mean?

What was a bigger ask for me was, I in the personality that I own was going to let my
team down. I remember that in my sleep-deprived condition, I felt like this is over for me.
The competition had ended. After that day I resolved that I had served my team well
and it’s better to walk away from this experience with just this piece of criticism.

But I guess part of the conversation for entrepreneurs is, do you want this enough?
There’s a secret not many entrepreneus share. We often look at the glitz and the
glamour of being an entrepreneur, we never show the tears. And in committing to this
journey, I was placed in the point of no return. I decided to walk away without
embarrassing my team even further.

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I sent a message to our CEO. I thought a personal message would work. The judges
have a problem with my personality. So I am ready to walk away from this.

Honestly, I thought it would end there because he saw what happened last night. They
don’t need that kind of hindrance. Either you have it, or you don’t, and I’ve had enough
things that have gone wrong this year, that it was acceptable for me to let it go.

When the response was, I will call you in the morning, I was quite surprised. After all,
there’s enough confident people in this team to take it forward. If I moved away, they
would be saved the embarrassment.

I spoke to the CEO later in the day, and he reminded me I knew about why I was here.
He told me that there was a long road ahead. There is much more to me than being a
weakest link.

I understood where he was coming from, and it took me the day to think about it. I could
either choose to leave or to stay, but if I stayed, then I knew that I would need to put in a
little more effort. I realized that getting out would be the very thing that would be letting
my team down.

I’ve grown in the first two weeks, because I’ve had to accept that things will sometimes
not favor me. I also had to learn about the hard work that goes into the competition like

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this. I’ve always told myself that I would always work behind the scenes, so never in my
wildest dream did I think that I would be part of a reality show.

The three takes that I have had in 2020 is that you must always expect the unexpected
– from your world, yourself and your business. I believe that though I haven’t spoken
much during the Boardroom experience, the experience itself has spoken to me. I’ve
learned that it’s possible to come together for a common dream.

The second thing I’ve learned is – you have what it takes. Sometimes we think that in
our crisis moments, we are broken. We forget that it’s God who mends us as He sees
the potential that He created in us.

The final thing that I’ve learned through this journey is, giving up is not an option.
Waking up to a day that is given by God is a unique blessing that’s not given to many.
It’s a privilege.

Marrianne Williamson says, “Your playing small does not serve the world.” When God
created man, the first thing He gave him is work. In giving him his work, He blessed it.
This is how we get to worship God, through our work. When we work we are able to
tithe, provide for our families, bless others and do all the things that God has enabled us
to do.

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One of the key things that I’ve understood through the journey is that we are the works
of His hand, and therefore in fulfilling our purpose, we can be fulfilled. In going through
the journey of entrepreneurship, we can solve problems He wants to solve in this world.
We are His hands and feet here in this world.

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Chapter Three
THE PILLARS OF ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Gugu Jeffries

During our sessions of the History Makers program, there were many lessons that I was
taught. These lessons were designed to inform, motivate, and encourage us. We had
the pleasure of interacting with several well-established individuals who imparted their
years of experience.

There are several key take-aways that made an impression on us. One of the key pillars
we learnt is that there is no substitution for passion. Passion can drive an individual to
great heights. But, as an entrepreneur, if you only have passion and have no focus on
your goals, you will not achieve what you set out to do. Focus keeps your eye on your
goals.

In business, emotional intelligence is a skill that is required to succeed. It is vital when
interacting with clients, employees and service providers. Compartmentalisation of
emotions helps the entrepreneur to not blow a fuse each time things go wrong. This is
important.

We live in a highly pressurised society that requires us to always be on top of our game.
This is something we cannot change as entrepreneurs. But, we can change how we
react to the pressure through emotional intelligence.

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Excuses, excuses and more excuses. We have all used excuses to deal with
something, or to challenge the form or another. Excuses are temporary scapegoats.
Eventually, they catch up with the individual who keeps making them.

One key pillar in entrepreneurship is taking accountability for our actions. As
entrepreneurs we don’t give excuses to anyone, even to ourselves. We do know it is not
easy to do this. This is where accountability partners are necessary. Accountability
partners keep us in check and focused on our goals.

We have all seen the self-help books, the self-motivation tips and the belief in self-
speeches. There are books which I have read that talk about self-belief and do not even
mention God and how he plays the most important role in our business.

As Christian entrepreneurs, the emphasis throughout the KBN History Makers
programme is to make things happen. It is important to include God in all our plans. God
is well able to turn every situation around. This is a key pillar for every Christian
entrepreneur.

Most entrepreneurs develop products for a thirsty market. Most entrepreneurs do not
take advantage of proper market research. It’s important is to make sure that the
product you create is relevant for its intended audience. This eliminates a lot of trial and
error, which can be quite costly. Market research is a key pillar in entrepreneurship.

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The programme enables us to interact with business owner from different sectors. This
brings to life the networking experience outside of KBN, which would otherwise have
been non-existent.

We were able to collaborate on different tasks, which highlighted our strengths and
weaknesses. We aim to continue with these collaborations outside the KBN platform
and thereby build a strong network of entrepreneurs. A key pillar for successful
entrepreneurship is to build a strong network of alliances.

You never stop learning if you want to stay ahead in business. Changes are happening
all the time. If the reaction speed for your company is slow, your business may become
obsolete. As a business, if your product or service is not meeting a need or improving
on how things are currently done then it faces the danger of being phased out.

During the programme we had to go through IBM Digital Nation Africa platform. This
platform offers courses to upskills an individual in innovative technologies. We were all
inspired by the experience. Some of us were outside our comfort zone, as they had
never done any courses in technology and innovation.

There are various courses on offer on this digital platform, including coding, web
application, internet of things and artificial intelligence, to mention just a few. The length
of the courses varies. This helps individual pace themselves when completing the
course.

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The knowledge obtained during the completion of this exercise will be used by each
entrepreneur in their business. Upskilling is an invaluable for each entrepreneur to
remain relevant.

When it finally sunk in that COVID-19 was not just a myth created by the Chinese to
create panic, it was already too late. We could no longer take action to protect our
businesses and work situations.

When the nationwide lockdown was announced and was implemented on the 27th of
March 2020, the future of our businesses and employment was very uncertain.

The first month meant a lot of adjustments to how we do work. We were introduced to
zoom meetings, curfews, online shopping, video calls to clients instead of face to face
interactions. As human beings we have an incredible ability to adapt. But it also
exposed the challenging dynamic to some individuals, such as loneliness, depression,
an inability to do exercise routines, decrease in sales and salary cuts. As entrepreneurs,
it meant that we had to reinvent ourselves as we adapted during the pandemic.

When we first joined the History Makers Season 11, we were all excited. We started the
journey at the end of July 2020, after almost four months of the nationwide lockdown. It
gave us an opportunity to rejuvenate our faith, share our challenges and how we
overcame with fellow entrepreneurs.

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To be honest, the History Makers experience came right on time for most of us. We
were motivated, encouraged and challenged every week during the month of August.
They say the road of an entrepreneur is a lonely one. The KBN ecosystem continues to
give us as entrepreneurs to not walk this journey alone.

There is a proverb that says, “If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go
together. The KBN ecosystem proved this statement to be true. Together we continue to
weather the storm that has been COVID-19, and to rise above it.

There are key lessons we learnt on how to sustain business during a pandemic. It is
important to determine whether or not your product is still relevant to the market.
Adaptability and agility should be the key driving factors for your business.
However, changing or adapting your product should go beyond COVID-19. Your
product must be an essential product or service that will thrive beyond the pandemic. As
someone once said, your product should be a need to have an aspirin versus a nice to
have a vitamin.

People have changed what is important to them. Who would have guessed that we
would all be wearing masks in 2020?

Surviving a pandemic demands innovation in all aspects of your business. If the product
was sold through face to face interactions, now is the time to introduce an online store,
cold calling, email marketing, social media advertising.

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It’s clear that the future is digital. In order to extend your reach, it is important to go
digital as a company. We’ve realised this was the case for most of our businesses.
The amazing thing about going digital is that it also enabled us to go beyond our areas
of business. We were able to reach customers in other provinces. I was able to log into
each session from home virtually and this cut down travelling time, which I believe made
me more efficient. I recommended the programme to people outside of Gauteng since
the programme is being done virtually.

A lot of entrepreneurs heard about the government initiatives to alleviate the financial
pressure caused by the pandemic, but they did not understand how to access these
funds. It is important to take advantage of any type of relief offered to you as an
entrepreneur, so that your business remains afloat during the Pandemic.

It’s also important to note that some businesses did not have the compliance
documents required to access the funds. To those types of businesses, it is important to
cut out unnecessary costs by going smaller. Some businesses did away with physical
offices, opting to go virtual. By cutting down unnecessary expenses, it enables the
company to have working capital.

Collaborating, as mentioned before was one of the History makers programme key
benefits. I interacted with people that I otherwise would have not had direct access to.
The programme continues to expose us to new opportunities and inspiring individuals.
In our team we have people from different sectors, in government, media, lawyers, the

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energy industry, etc. I will be able to collaborate with these individuals about future
projects and endeavours.
In order to survive a pandemic, it is important to focus on your strengths and
collaborate where necessary, to expand your reach.

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Chapter Four
IN THE PRESENCE OF GREATNESS

Lyton Zendera

Our History makers sessions always commenced with inspirational songs. Our theme
song was: “No longer slaves to fear.”

The song was relevant and impactful to the entrepreneurs, it felt like wind that blew the
entrepreneurs’ tired and frustrated wings that were held hostage by a deadly pandemic,
Covid-19. It impacted severely, socially and economically.

Before this pandemic, people had some pressing financial issues. This pandemic added
to their problems. Businesses were desperately closing, due to bankruptcy. The news
kept reporting a number of deaths, as did television, radio and social media. This
generation was arrested by fear. Some academic scholars have called the 21st century
“The Age of Fear.”

The song ‘no longer slaves to fear’ always reminded us about the 366 instances of “do
not be afraid” in the bible, one for each day of the year including the leap year.

I compared History Makers Season 11 to a journey embarked by the Israelites to the
Promised Land. Joshua 1 says, ”Now after the death of Moses, the servant of the Lord

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it came to pass, that the Lord spoke unto Joshua saying, now therefore arise, go over
Jordan, thou and all this people unto the Land which I do not give to them, even to the
children if Israel.” KJV

The passage quoted above tracks the death of Moses. Before this it paints a scenario
where Joshua and his partners, who were sent to Canaan. Moses sent them as spies in
the Promised Land, which they had to possess as according to the word God gave
them.

In Joshua Chapter 1, the statement ‘do not be afraid’ was cited more than twice. The
report Joshua and his fellows conveyed to Moses of the dreadful giants in the Promised
Land would have frustrated their determinations to possess the Promised Land. The
History Makers sessions taught us to think and grow big. We were taught to possess
the Promised Land. Joshua was inspired, and so motivated them to rise up and
confront the enemy face to face. The enemy stood aloof between them (Israelites) and
the promised land.

Joshua’s team had the audacity and bravery needed to possess their inheritance. The
inhibited character in Joshua’s life was given an instruction to not be afraid of his
present circumstances.

Joshua’s experiences are similar to the circumstances entrepreneurs and leaders
encounter today. Our fears have frustrated our dreams, desires, purpose and goals.

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They’ve incarcerated us to be slaves to our own selves. We cannot do anything
productive during trying times.

Very few individuals are daring to start and develop initiatives. A few prospect
entrepreneurs are standing tall to contest for their dreams. Endurance and
sustainability, especially within this economic quagmire. A very few people are fully
developing an aptitude to inspire, promote, develop and empower other potential
entrepreneurs.

Only a few have risen to be an icon for hope when all hope is thwarted. The rest are
perhaps motionless, sobbing in their troubles and life’s issues, which stand unabated.
They are living as slaves to fear. Their lives are miserable, as they cannot seem to find
solutions to their recurring problems.

Fear thwarts people from moving on with their lives. It puts people on a stalemate.

Proverbs 29: 25 says, the fear of men bringeth a snare but whoso putteth his trust in
Lord in the Lord shall be safe.” (KJV)

It is paramount to note that fear can become a personality trait to an individual. It
figuratively becomes the manifestation of the person. People would literally fail to
differentiate you from your fears.

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As soon as fear becomes one’s personality trait, it is difficult to destroy it. This is
because fear is entwined and stuck in the personality that has adapted to it. There are
people who have assumed that they can’t contribute anything to the good of society or
systems they are trapped in. They become victims of their circumstance.

Often, fear arouses the adrenal glands and prepares the body for an involuntary action.
This prepares the body for flight or fight. Fear prompts and activates muscles to be
ready for action. This happens after a quick scan of the surroundings.

In this day and age, this fear can be big and daunting. It’s a monster in its physical form.
It corresponds to what our minds can apprehend, but a conditioning that has transpired.
This ‘fear’ is not a monster we can escape from. No one may ever run away from it.

This dragon, fear needs to be fought. It needs to be slayed and overcome. It involves
overhauling our mindset and developing a new way of perceiving things and
circumstances around the world.

No wonder our History Makers session always began with this anthem, to prepare and
equip entrepreneurs with weapons to win in this battle.

It is imperative to note that bravery is not the absence of fear, but it’s the conquest over
it. Individuals who were successful and daring were brave enough to slay the dragon. A
brave man is not one who is not afraid of anything. He’s the one who overcomes his
fears.

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Not everyone is destined to be extraordinarily superhuman beings that are insusceptible
to the sway of these dragons (Fears). They may seem less melodramatic, but the fear’s
extreme manifestation in our lives can be gutter on energy and be a hindrance to
advancement.

Believing that fear doesn’t delineate us - is indispensable to our capability to engender
hope and faith in our expedition for success and development. This has been the
mindset that has been inculcated into our entrepreneurs during the learning period.

Taking a close examination of the lives of successful people who came through to our
business chats during the lectures. The most astonishing of all top leaders is their knack
to navigate above ‘excuses.’ Like procrastination, excuses can get you to hang up in
life and the feeling occasionally gets devastating.

You can make a phenomenal move into great places, start, and grow your business,
develop your expertise, tackle risks, and jump out your daily comforts. People who get
over excuses are rare human beings. They are the ones who succeed because they
make the move. During the history Makers program, we have learnt that we should not
have excuses about anything.

Successful people rise up early in the morning. They take risks with courage. They look
for any possible solutions and way. They focus on the imminent future. They believe in
their abilities, as they create and sell awesome idea. They start even when they are not

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ready. They develop their skills, they sell their abilities, and they set and achieve their
goals.

The successful people we had in our sessions, people like Dr Cindy don’t let anything
be a tentative wedge to their dreams. They don’t let fear express itself through
appearances of excuses holding them hostage.

One of the key takeaways from the sessions we had is that, people who are destined for
greatness don’t burn ladders for temporary comfort. Even if it is hard, take a breath if it’s
difficult to move. They use a diminutive inspiration they have to get them to a better they
want to be.

Excuses are justifications we create to ourselves about everything. They are designed
explanations we create to defend our behaviour. We use them to reschedule taking
action or accountability. They are figuratively a means of enlisting the culpability of an
interior problem, on an external condition or to other people. They tend to justify why we
didn’t take action when we were supposed to.

Excuses are postponements for action, because people don’t address the fear of failure,
awkwardness, achievements, modification, uncertainties, responsibility and making
mistakes. The list is endless.

Living a life of excuses has dreadful consequences. Not only will excuses avert you
from attainment of your full potential. They will also hold you back from distinguishing

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and identifying opportunities, strength, skills and perhaps living success and happy
lives.
Another lesson from our History Makers guests was that new opportunities are always
disguised around most corners. However, you will never find them if you conundrum
your mind with interminable excuses. If you make excuses about everything, you
become a victim to consequences. The results include a lack of responsibility, growth,
low esteemed beliefs, continuous compunctions or regrets, a pessimistic perception on
life, a paranoia that thwarts you from making improvement, and poor decision making.
These consequences create developments in our lives that we are also not comfortable
with the paralyze us and precludes us from building progress in life.

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Chapter Five
WHAT DID I GET MYSELF INTO?

Thabo “Coach T” Magano

In the past couple of months, I heard of a business incubator that was Christian based.
I must say that really intrigued me. I have always been fascinated with the concept of
doing business God’s way. So, hearing about KBN was an eye opener. I was surprised
that such a platform actually exists.

As soon as my friend completed the program, she asked me if I want to join. I gladly
obliged. After my initial invitation, I was so excited. I went online, completed the
application, and waited in anticipation for this amazing experience that I heard so much
about. Initially, the experience was meant to be live in a classroom. But before we
knew it, COVID-19 was upon us, and the country was in lockdown.

This, of course, changed the structure of the incubation. And “lo and behold,” we were
now going to have to experience this online. I remember very vividly the day I got the
message that I need to quickly jump on to the WhatsApp group. They were confirming
applicants. With excitement and anticipation, I jumped into the group and started seeing
multitudes of people joining the group.

What was very funny about that day is that a few hours later, I got another confirmation

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email to another program I had applied for two months earlier. I also wanted to be a
YALI Regional Leader Development program. These programs were meant to start on
the same week, and to run for six weeks. At the back of my mind, I was asking myself
is “boy, oh boy, what have I gotten myself into?” You see, not only would I have to look
at how I manage my time, I ha to effectively be part of both programs. I also had to think
about how I was going to manage my nine to five work job, and my coaching practice
that coaches young people daily from 17:00 – 21:00 pm.

This conundrum almost made me quit. It almost made me decide to pick one and let go
of the other. But I was reminded of a quote my mentor once taught me, “to make the
most of an opportunity of a lifetime, in the lifetime of that opportunity.” You see, it wasn't
guaranteed that I could get the KBN experience opportunity again. I did not want to
lose it for anything in this world.

I decided that despite the challenges, despite the time management nightmare, I was
going to do both programs.” After I made the decision, we were informed that on the
first Saturday of the week, the training would begin on the ecosystem of the KB
Network.

The interesting thing is that the times for my KBN classes almost clashed with my Yali
program classes. On the first weekend I had to multitask. I had both Zoom meetings
running at the same time. I had to take screenshots of the KBN presentation, while
answering questions that my Yali facilitator was asking.

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This was one hell of a juggling job. But I must say, it stretched me in all the right places.
Before I go into the things I learned, let me share the challenges I experienced through
this program. I think the biggest challenge was the time management. I had to juggle
work, a heavy coaching program, as well as an additional program that I had registered
for that ran in those six weeks.

It wasn't that I started my Business Management degree with a dozen assignments
coming up. I had to learn how to manage my time, I had to realize that for the next six
weeks of my life, sleep was going to be a distant friend. The only way I was going to
manage was to make sacrifices.

I started having conversations with people close to me, including my partner, my family,
and the team that I work with in my coaching business. I told them it's all hands-on
deck. Over the next six weeks, I'm going to need support like never before.” I was going
to constantly need to re-adjust my schedule, as every now and again, we would get new
information relating to zoom sessions that we would have to attend. We would also
have tasks to do throughout the weeks. And this meant that my time, as scheduled as it
may be, could change at any given moment, without any notice.

Luckily, with the help, support, and the love of my friends, family and team members, I
was able to develop a working system. It changed regularly, but, work it did.

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