August 2024
Sticking to a vision is tough. Of course, when you start out in business, the first thing you decide on is your vision – what you will offer your customers, why you are making this offering, how you will do it, and what impact it will have – and deciding these things is the fun part. But sticking to a vision over a long-term, having the staying power to repeatedly do the good things well, and ensuring that stakeholders are also part of the journey, is very difficult.
This month, we hear from companies that are doing just that. As hard as it is, and as much as it feels like a never-ending road, sticking to the vision is a key element in business success.
B2Gold Namibia, the leading gold mining operation in the country, is a perfect example. The company is headquartered in Vancouver but came into Namibia to make the region of its Otjikoto mine a better place than it found. Country Manager John Roos tells us that the vision is being rolled out by investing heavily into CSI campaigns that will provide the community with income long after the mine closes. This vision has been realised over the last decade and continues to be refined.
Plato Coffee, a Pretoria-based coffee shop franchise, has always had the vision of building communities through excellent coffee in a clean and vibrant environment. The company is busy rolling out new stores and a new app to help further bring people together and reward them for participating in community groups such as running clubs and cycling teams. While some of the large coffee chains have focused only on profit, the vision of Plato has been considerably more community focused, but Founder Stephan Bredell says it has not been easy.
Sanji Electronics, one the most innovative and unique companies that Enterprise Africa has had the pleasure of dealing with, set out its stall years ago: to use technology to protect vehicle assets. Today, the company is working with OEMs and owners to shield them from car theft and hijacking. The vision was a big one in the South African context, and has without a doubt been challenging, but MD Steve Easton is proud of sticking to and achieving that vision.
Jotun Paints SA is also holding a strong vision as it grows across southern Africa. Providing the best possible products for demanding industries is a logistics and manufacturing dilemma but the team is also operating with the vision in mind. A new HQ, new partnerships, and new products will allow the ‘penguins’ the keep their vision alive.
Get in touch and let us know how your company is following its vision and not just hunting for profits. Purpose is the real advantage. We’re on LinkedIn.