Another reason to emmigrate
by Andrew on 11/02/08 at 3:55 pm
6 comments
Never mind our electricity issues, crime and political mayhem – I’ve found another reason to emmigrate from South Africa. Business in the rest of the world sounds so damn easy!
Take these guys for example: DanceJam
They’ve come up with the idea of a website where people can upload videos of themselves dancing, and other people rate them. Wow, pure genius. Never mind that they haven’t even launched yet, let alone made a cent in revenues, but they’ve been given over R30 million in funding by investors. That makes this “idea” (plus some unfinished code and a few servers) worth more than a bunch of our established, and profitable listed companies on the JSE.
If you started with nothing but an overdraft and an old door for a desk (which I’m guessing is just about all of us), and you’re surviving, take heart. You’ve achieved what a lot of businessmen in the rest of the world didn’t even attempt.
If you started your business again with R30 million do you think it would have made a difference?
Andrew Smith is the pedantic systems guy behind Live Alchemy, a SA e-commerce company. Andrew writes for Ideate in an attempt to make the world a more efficient place. View more articles by Andrew.
Marc
Feb 11th, 2008
These angel investors really have gone a little crazy lately. I suppose a major reason is that they all saw the astronomical rise of youtube, and want some of that “action”
I actually just read of any NEW site called first30days getting $5mil in series A funding….too much money floating around at the moment (can that be possible:)
Xris
Feb 13th, 2008
you got served?
http://www.news24.com/News24/Columnists/Chris_Roper/0,,2-1630-1649_2269756,00.html
Andrew
Feb 13th, 2008
Here is my response the 24.com columnist:
————————————-
Hi Chris
This is the real A Smith. No alias required.
Thank you for publicity on 24.com. It all helps. Would it be possible to link to my full article so that your readers can see what you are talking about?
The crucial paragraph that you left out was:
“If you started with nothing but an overdraft and an old door for a desk (which I’m guessing is just about all of us), and you’re surviving, take heart. You’ve achieved what a lot of businessmen in the rest of the world didn’t even attempt.”
My article, like most things we write on Ideate, was an attempt to encourage small business owners in South Africa who face a barrage of negativity from everywhere else. It was not at all meant to be suggesting that we leave the country. Perhaps the irony was a bit too subtle.
Anyway, I’m honoured that what we’re writing is getting read by people like yourself.
Thanks again.
Andrew Smith
Ideate - Small Business in South Africa
Feb 13th, 2008
[...] Aye Caramba, that can’t be good. I clicked through and saw that he’s ranting about Andrew’s article on Monday (about a lame business idea). This is a journalist who’s clearly read Ideate for the first [...]
niels
Feb 13th, 2008
Dear Andrew
Thanks to Chris Roper, I have discovered your website. I am a small business owner with a huge overdraft and most of that seems to be used to keep my vehicles and lawnmowers in petrol. Ha ha. Well, at least I will eat baked beans on toast for lunch. It seems that not many really enjoyed Chris Roper’s email but I am glad to have found you. Is it fate? Is it destiny? Is it just another home for my procrastinating soul.
Keep on keeping on
Niels
Chris Roper
Feb 13th, 2008
What, there’s no link to your site? I had it in my original copy. The idea was to send people over to judge for themselves, and then to give you lots of money. Anyway, apparently we’re meeting so I can eat steak pie with you, so see you soon. (Actually, I think Fred said humble pie, I can’t remember).