Welcome to Bizland News - Edition 18

April 2003

Articles     - Feature Article - River of Life, by Andrew Cooper     - In Brief - Destress Your Environment, by Bizland Journalist Useful Sites News Update Product Spotlight - Bizland Recruitment Book of the month - The Next Big Idea Success Story - Robert Stodel of Stodels Quote, Unquote

Feature Article: River of Life
by Andrew Cooper, SYNERGISE

As one hikes through the majestic Drakensberg mountains, you look, from high, at rivers down below. These silvery, snaking streams shimmering in the sunlight can teach us a great deal about the basics of life.

Big things can come from humble beginnings - When one sees the source of the mighty Tugela River, basically water oozing from peat bogs high in the Drakensberg mountains, and when one looks at how big the river is when it enters the Indian Ocean, just south of Mandini in Kwazulu-Natal, this point hits home. Every career, every venture, every journey has to start somewhere, somehow. Abraham Lincoln came from very humble beginnings to become one of the most significant men in American history.

If you are going to be significant in life, you need help along the way - If a river's source spring was the only water supply for the river, the river may not make its final destination. Along the way, other streams and rivers join the main river, adding volume, momentum and urging the river to continue. These contributions give the river its power, strength and ability to overcome major obstacles. So too with life, no matter how good you are, you will need a team of people working with you, assisting you and encouraging you.

Persevere and don't give up - The river finds a way past obstacles. It goes over, under and around smaller obstacles. If it reaches a barrier, it forms a pool then eventually overflows the barrier and continues. It does not stop and give up when the going gets too tough. The river has a journey to complete and it will continue until it gets there or dries up. Too often we give up when we encounter obstacles. It's important to remember that you have a journey to complete. You may need to stop for a while to relook at your obstacle; there may be another way around it, or you may need to gain more skills to overcome it. Someone once said, "I'll get there or die trying".

Life is not about the destination, its about what you gain along the way - The water in a river generally starts its journey in the highlands and finishes in the ocean, right? Well, not quite. The water which actually reaches the ocean, evaporates then condenses in the sky and falls, as rain, to start a new journey. It is the waterfalls, the rapids, the vegetation, the creatures and the shores the water encounters along the way which make the journey interesting. Our lives are a series of journeys. Once we reach our destination, it's time to move onto the next one. If we only focus on the destination, we miss out on the experiences along the way. These experiences; the people we meet, the challenges we overcome, the things we learn, the joys and even the heartaches are what life is all about.

Next time you pass a river, transporting its precious, life-giving cargo of water, remember two things: firstly, we need to conserve water and protect our natural resources, and secondly, you too have a unique purpose in life!

Andrew Cooper can be contacted at info@synergise.co.za.

In Brief: Destress Your Environment
by Bizland Journalist

When most people think of stress, they think of piles of work, deadlines, and plenty of overtime. However many overlook the less obvious factors that can add to your stress levels - the organisation of your environment. An organised, comfortable environment can keep stress levels down and improve productivity, while disorganisation and chaos will have the opposite effect. While the following points may seem insignificant, put together they can greatly help to keep stress levels down... Click here to read on.

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For everything you ever needed to know about marketing and networking, click on themarketingsite.com. Everything from articles, tips, newsletters and tools - all marketing related. Click here for more information.

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Disclaimer: Bizland and its associates take no responsibility for any liability resulting out of advertising on its website or newsletter.

Entrepreneurial Workshops - the Sanlam Money Game is once again offering informative marketing workshops at the affordable prices of R200 per delegate, in venues throughout South Africa. Click here for more info.

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This month's Success Story: Robert Stodel of Stodels - Planting the Seed of Success

"Success will not come knocking on your door - you must go out and find it." This is the firm belief of Robert Stodel - a man of humble beginnings who went on to found one of the Cape's most successful garden stores. Robert arrived in South Africa from Holland at age 16, having to adjust to a new school, learning in languages that he did not understand. He struggled with the next two years, failing both, and realised that in order to succeed he must first become fluent in English and Afrikaans. He made the decision to leave school and follow his dream to become a farmer, but having no money or skills, he ended up working as a labourer on a farm near Port Elizabeth, moving down to work on a Cape wine farm a short time later. The work was both physical and uninspiring, so in order to stimulate his mind, he studied horticulture in the evenings - a good preparation for the future.

Robert used his contacts and horticultural knowledge and bought flower bulbs, selling them via mail-order to garden services he had found in the telephone directory. He soon expanded on this by going door-to-door, something he found very rewarding, as he was well received by elderly people who would offer him coffee and biscuits in exchange for a little company. Robert also sold his bulbs twice a week on Cape Town's Grand Parade.

Robert's business started to grow, and within three years, he had the biggest flower bulb mail-order company in South Africa, with nearly half a million catalogues posted bi-annually. He was soon asked by the Consumer's Council to team up with Reader's Digest to form a direct mail association, in order to regulate the industry. Robert soon extended his passion and fast-growing experience into expanding his business, and at age 23, the first branch of Stodels Nursery was opened in Kenilworth, followed shortly by another five branches.

It was at this point that Robert reached a crossroads in his career - to expand or not. He felt that he was not sufficiently trained to handle a much larger company at that stage, and he also enjoyed the hands-on approach of being with his staff and customers on the floor. In his mind, success was not shown by the amount of money you could throw around, but rather by the joy you get from your work - something he felt he would lose if he expanded too quickly. Instead he scaled the business down to three larger branches, in order to be able to work more closely with his branches and keep his systems in check, which in the long run he found to be more profitable. Robert firmly believes that bigger is not always better, and has since seen many similar companies come and go while trying to expand too quickly. He comments that: "It is crucial to regularly assess yourself, your company and your future objectives."

Robert has put much effort into marketing his business, starting at the beginning by sending his bulbs to radio announcers in the hope of a mention. He also sponsored bulbs for the city councils to beautify pavements and road-islands, and soon started selling bulbs at cost to schools, churches and other organisations as part of their fund-raising efforts, using these opportunities to push his brand. Robert believes in looking for opportunities to market his brand, and has organised for various dignitaries to plant his trees as part of environmental awareness, and has in fact seen the likes of Nelson Mandela, the Queen of England and Hilary Clinton planting trees on various occasions.

Robert has four very simple philosophies when it comes to managing his business: customer service; respect for the individual; development of all staff; and the search of excellence. His staff members take a very personalised approach with customers, having been taught: "If you are not happy with it yourself, how can you expect your customer to be?"

Robert is currently handing over the business in its entirety to his son, who is keen to expand in the future. Robert believes that he has been a success if he can hand over a well-managed business with complete closure, not having to continue consulting in his retirement. He plans to enjoy more time on his farm, and pursue his other interests such as hiking, diving and travelling.

He offers the following advice to aspiring entrepreneurs: "Success can come to anyone, but you must go out and look for it as it will not come knocking on the door. You cannot wait for opportunities - you must make them happen. The harder you work, the luckier you will become." A philosophy which has certainly seen this humble man achieve his dreams!

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"Excellence is not an act, but a habit" - Aristotle

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Until next time...

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