Episode 16: Porcupine Union

Episode 18: Dr. Abraham Brink

BizCrush Sponsored by the SLC Group: https://slcgroup.co.za [https://slcgroup.co.za/] Dr Abraham Brink was a leading figure in the manufacturing industry for decades. This is shown by the fact that in 2014 he was chosen as president of the International Institute of Synthetic Rubber Producers in Houston. Brink joined the Karbochem division of Sentrachem in 1977 as head of research and development. More than 30 years later, as a director of Karbochem, he played a key role in the management buyout of Dow SA in 2003. Brink believes there is always a solution for every problem, no matter how big. However, he also thinks that South Africa currently lacks the specific niche skills to handle large projects.

Episode 17: Dr. Rutendo Hwindingwi

BizCrush Sponsored by the SLC Group: https://slcgroup.co.za [https://slcgroup.co.za/] Come along on a journey with me as we delve into the African business world with Dr. Rutendo Hwindingwi. With over 20 years of expertise, he's the man and founder behind Tribe Africa Advisory, crafting business programs for major companies across the continent.   Beyond the suits and strategies, he also wears hats as the non-exec director of the British Chamber of Business in Southern Africa and the Chairman of the American Chamber of Commerce Digital Forum Committee.   Rutendo recently gifted us with his latest book, "Reflections Of A Son Of The Soil: A Collection Of 55 African Proverbs." and that was also the starting point of a fun and laughter episode as we delve into his vast experience, the nuances and opportunities of doing business in Africa.

Episode 16: Porcupine Union

BizCrush Sponsored by the SLC Group: https://slcgroup.co.za [https://slcgroup.co.za] Workplace productivity is commonly assessed by evaluating the influence an employee has on the business and its stakeholders, explains Marie Huyser, HR Director of Porcupine Union. Porcupine Union is a company specialising in providing user-friendly HR technology, HR systems, and innovations to diverse industries and part of the King Price group of companies. They are currently in the midst of establishing an office in the United Kingdom. According to Huyser, despite the potential support from artificial intelligence in recruitment technology, it can never entirely substitute human interaction. She emphasizes the difficulty of creating a system that is both straightforward and user-friendly for both managers and employees.

Episode 15: Philip Moore

BizCrush Sponsored by the SLC Group: https://slcgroup.co.za I discuss the challenges kickstarting and managing a successful business in South Africa with Phillip Moore, an accomplished entrepreneur. Drawing on his four-year stint as an Operations Manager in Nigeria and his venture into the medical software sector upon returning to South Africa, Phillip shares invaluable insights. I delve into his entrepreneurial journey, which led to investments in Rhino SA, a prominent technical brand specialising in rugby gear and apparel.

Episode 14: Julie Calidicott

BizCrush Sponsored by the SLC Group: https://slcgroup.co.za [https://slcgroup.co.za] Seeking to transform service delivery in the motor industry, Julie Calidicott became an automotive industry entrepreneur. She established Pinewood SA, addressing the challenge of reselling, implementing, and managing the Pinewood Dealer Management System software for South African motor dealerships. This product is intended to help dealerships deliver better client service in a very complex, multifaceted environment. Now, years later, the motor industry and the vehicle dealership franchise model are experiencing disruption and revolution. Customers are also becoming even more demanding, while the world is increasingly moving online, making big data all the more important. At it again, Julie has recently launched an auto tech company, Motify, exploiting new opportunities to improve automotive customer service delivery through people-driven big data. I talked to her about this and other developments around vehicle industry service delivery.