30 Jun 2022

L2B Opportunities created in the last 30 Days – June 2022

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Our comprehensive, online, resource platform delivers daily leads to help you make informed business decisions. Find construction Tenders and Projects within the building, infrastructure, mining, and industrial sectors. Opportunities are researched throughout South Africa and Africa. We put new business prospect leads within your reach.

Leads 2 Business Opportunities we have created in the last 30 Days: for more information check out our Pricing Page.

To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Sasha Anderson

Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

29 Jun 2022

Crypto and Construction

by | posted in: Construction Chat | 2


Cryptocurrency, also known as Crypto-currency or Crypto, is any form of currency that exists digitally or virtually and uses cryptography to secure transactions. Cryptocurrencies do not have a central issuing or regulating authority. A decentralized system to record transactions and issue new units is used instead.

The first Cryptocurrency was Bitcoin, which was founded in 2009 and remains the best known today.

Cryptocurrency is a peer-to-peer system that can enable anyone, anywhere, to send and receive payments and does not rely on banks to verify any transactions. Cryptocurrency payments exist purely as digital entries to an online database describing specific transactions. When you transfer Cryptocurrency funds, the transactions are recorded in a public ledger. Cryptocurrency is so-called because it uses encryption to verify transactions and is stored in a digital wallet. Advanced coding is involved in storing and transmitting data from wallets to public ledgers.

So how does it work?

Cryptocurrencies run on a distributed public ledger called Blockchain. This is a record of all transactions updated and held by currency holders. Cryptocurrency units are created through a process called Mining. Mining involves using computer power to solve complicated mathematical problems that generate coins. Users can also buy the currency from brokers, and then store and spend them using the Crypto wallets.

Cryptocurrency is not tangible. You will only own a key that allows you to move a record or unit of measure from one person to another without a third party. It is also considered to be immune from inflation because there is a fixed supply and the Government cannot manipulate the value. The market manipulates the value based on supply and demand.

Are there any benefits of using Cryptocurrency?

Two of the significant benefits of using crypto are that there are fewer fees and the money is available almost instantly. Instead of paying bank fees for electronic transfers or credit card processing, providers pay less than a cent per transaction. Cryptocurrency can also be instantly transferred into cash and deposited into your bank account, cutting down the time it takes to get paid.

For international companies, using Cryptocurrency avoids exchange rate calculations and converting cash into different money types. Vendors will also have more control over their funds as transactions cannot be reversed by the purchaser. If a customer wants to get their money back, they must request it from the vendor. This protects vendors from customers who make purchases and then cancel and do not return the merchandise.

Crypto and Construction?

1. Smart Contracts
Smart contracts are automated contracts that reduce the necessity of intermediaries and can save time and money and are poised to make their mark on the industry. Blockchain is one way that these contracts can be updated and transactions recorded.
2. BIM
Building Information Modeling (BIM) technologies are being implemented on project sites.
When combined, BIM and Blockchain can work greatly to enhance the effectiveness of smart contracts. Combining BIM and Blockchain can work in holding all parties on a project accountable and creating a higher level of transparency. The combination could improve the effectiveness of BIM technology. Currently, BIM uses peer-to-peer networks for information sharing, but Blockchain could make updates in real-time. This constant feedback and monitoring would help with transparency, lead to better overall communication and ultimately result in a higher quality of workmanship on a project.
3. Payments
The Blockchain concept is built around a monetary exchange, as it involves Bitcoin and/or Cryptocurrency.
Blockchain can therefore be used to streamline payment processing. Getting timely payments to all stakeholders on a project tends to be a significant challenge for many companies. Failure to pay on time can lead to conflict, and when a dispute arises, there is potential for the project to go south as a result. By increasing security and creating traceable information, Blockchain can improve the payment process. One technology poised to play a role is BuilderChain, a platform that’s designed to change the way sub-contractors are both hired and paid. It can better ensure that sub-contractors are paid fast and that relationships with good subcontractors are fostered.
4: Supply Chain Management
Blockchain can help trace physical items from origin to destination.
It can help improve transparency, which can help all parties stay on the same page and avoid potential pitfalls and oversights. Similarly, Blockchain can help enable contractors to use unique digital identifiers to verify vendors and suppliers, and thereby grow their reputation over time based on how well their work is performed. These digital IDs can help a company verify the credentials of any subcontractors before they are hired.

The Cryptocurrency market is quite volatile, so users should be prepared for ups and downs. Cryptocurrency is relatively young and is considered highly speculative. If you plan to participate, do your research and invest conservatively to start. Do you think Crypto and Construction related applications will be adopted well in Africa?

To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
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To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Melanie Miles

One girl who would rather wear boots than high heels...

21 Jun 2022

Basics of Financial Planning

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What is financial planning? For anyone who needs a quick explanation, they could simply open google and do a quick search. A few line items down, Google would pop something out like: “A step-by-step approach to meet one’s life goals”, or “A comprehensive picture of your current finances”, or my favourite, “Financial planning … it’s unlikely that your financial position will remain the same throughout your life”.  It can all seem a bit confusing, especially to those who might not have a financial background. Simply put, financial planning is comparing your business’s current financial situation to your long term financial goals. This is so vitally important, not just to businesses but to every single individual in their personal capacity as well. Failure to do even a basic financial plan could lead to cash flow problems, failure to meet tax and other compulsory monetary demands, overspending and ultimately failure to reach your business and personal goals. So let us look at what a basic financial plan would entail.

1. Understand your current financial position

This entails making a list of assets, debts, income and expenses. Once your lists are prepared, compare your debts to your assets and your expenses to your income. If your debts are greater than your assets, this means that your assets are insufficient to pay your debts. Should your expenses be greater than your income, this could signify cash flow problems. This overall picture is the foundation you will use to create your financial plan.

2. Set your goals

Once we know what our financial picture looks like, we will set our financial goals. Each person and organisation will have their own unique set of goals based on the specific financial picture. Your goals set should be realistic and should be set for both the long term and short term. Common goals would be to pay off debt, establish an emergency fund, save for retirement and plan for some downtime. Once your goals are established, you would use this in conjunction with your income and expense lists.

3. Develop a plan of action

At this point in your plan, you would know where you are financially and you know what your financial goals are. Some will be fortunate enough to be in a favourable position and could continue on their existing path without making any changes. For others, they would have realised that in order to reach their financial goals, they require a change in lifestyle or outlook. For each financial goal, you would need to think about what it would take to meet that goal. Retirement savings take decades to accumulate. Perhaps you would need to increase your savings category or deposit a lump sum into your retirement plan. For more short term goals it could just entail going through your expenses and cutting down on unnecessary costs. Budgets should be drawn up and all areas of excess spending should be curtailed. If opportunities exist for generating further income, now is the time to put that into action.

4. Review and revise your financial plan

Your financial plan should be reviewed regularly. Our financial position, the economy, the markets – these can and will change over time. In order to stay abreast of our financial situation and goals, we need to keep our financial lists updated regularly. Take time to regularly view your savings and investments to determine if they are on track for your savings goals. As your circumstances change, your financial plan should be updated. Income and expense schedules should be reviewed monthly and assets and debt schedules should be reviewed quarterly. Your personal life will change as your family grows or as you face life challenges. It is absolutely imperative that your regularly update your financial plan to keep it relevant and achievable.

Should you find your business or personal situation overwhelming or need further assistance on how to set up a financial plan, please do make an appointment to see a financial advisor or planner. These professionals will assist with wealth management and can assist with drawing up plans or investment strategies specific to your needs.

If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.
To view more Featured Companies, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.

About Sheila Davies

15 Jun 2022

Mid Year Motivation & Mental Health

by | posted in: General | 0

So, it has been just a little bit over two years since I last wrote a blog about how to stay positive during Lockdown. This will be our 3rd year of the pandemic.  A fact that we can’t ignore. Little did we know what was going to hit us, and how long it was going to last. In a world of not knowing, we all suffered some sort of loss but we can say the last couple of years brought us personal growth, understanding, and hopefully, renewed optimism. To mention a few points, we value our friends and family more, and we adapted to the new normals. There have been new developments in science, such as the COVID-19 vaccines, and we are just about over the 5th wave. Today we can watch sports again and go to church and concerts and so much more. In the work environment, people have been offered opportunities again, and we are all ready and eager to get going.  Even Expos and Trade Shows are coming back, and that gets me all excited!

It all just shows that we are a testament to humanity’s commitment to healing.  That brings me to the topic of Mental Health. It is imperative that we should learn how to take care of ourselves even more, not only physically but mentally as well.  In fact, I think Mental Health should continue to be a priority in the upcoming years, without a healthy mind, you can’t have a healthy body.

What is Mental Health? 

Mental health encompasses emotional, psychological, and social well-being. It influences cognition, perception, and behaviour. It also determines how an individual handles stress, interpersonal relationships, and decision-making. Mental health includes subjective well-being, perceived self-efficacy, autonomy, competence, intergenerational dependence, and self-actualization of one’s intellectual and emotional potential, among others. 

From the perspectives of positive psychology or holism, mental health may include an individual’s ability to enjoy life and to create a balance between life activities and efforts to achieve psychological resilience. Cultural differences, subjective assessments, and competing professional theories all affect how one defines “mental health”.  Some early signs related to mental health problems are sleep irritation, lack of energy and thinking of harming yourself or others.

Mental Health Tips:

1. Value yourself
Treat yourself with kindness and respect and avoid self-criticism. Make time for your hobbies and favourite projects.

2. Take care of your body
Eat nutritious meals, Exercise, which helps decrease depression and anxiety and improve moods and Get enough sleep.

3. Surround yourself with good people
Make plans with supportive family members and friends or seek out activities where you can meet new people.

4. Give yourself
Volunteer your time and energy to help someone else. You’ll feel good about doing something tangible to help someone in.

5. Learn how to deal with stress
Practice good coping skills, exercise, take a nature walk, play with your pet or try journal writing as a stress reducer. Also, remember to smile and see the humour in life. Research shows that laughter can boost your immune system, ease pain, relax your body and reduce stress.

6. Quiet your mind
Try meditating, relaxation exercises and prayer can improve your state of mind and outlook on life.

7. Set realistic goals
Decide what you want to achieve academically, professionally, and personally, and write down the steps you need to realize your goals. Aim high but be realistic and don’t over-schedule. You’ll enjoy a tremendous sense of accomplishment and self-worth as you progress toward your goal. 

8. Break up the monotony
Although our routines make us more efficient and enhance our feelings of security and safety, a little change of pace can perk up a tedious schedule. Alter your jogging route, plan a road-trip, take a walk in a different park, hang some new pictures, or try a new restaurant.

9. Avoid alcohol and other drugs
Keep alcohol use to a minimum and avoid other drugs. Sometimes people use alcohol and other drugs to “self-medicate” but, alcohol and other drugs only aggravate problems.

10. Get help when you need it
Seeking help is a sign of strength — not a weakness. And it is important to remember that treatment is effective. People who get appropriate care can recover from mental illness and addiction and lead full, rewarding lives.

I’ll leave you with a bit of mid-year inspiration with a quote from Winston Churchill, “Success is not final; failure is not fatal: It is the Courage to Continue that Counts”.

Sources:
Mental health – Wikipedia
Ten Things You Can Do for Your Mental Health | University Health Service (umich.edu)
Mental Health Awareness Month 2022 | South African Government (www.gov.za)

If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.
To view more Featured Companies, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.

About Christine Brooks

My journey started in 2015 with Leads 2 Business, as an Account Executive, and gradually grown to take the role of being the Client Liaison Officer (CLO) since 2018. Assisting in the delivery of our services and insuring our clients expectations and requirements are exceeded.

7 Jun 2022

How to Know if Your Plumbing is Outdated

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A decrease in water pressure is an early warning sign of issues with your plumbing. Leaky pipes do not have a lot of warning signs. 

If you notice a decrease in your water pressure, the first thing you should check is whether your water heater is still in good condition.  Slow water pressure can happen when your water heater malfunctions. However, a change in water pressure can also indicate a leaky pipe.  Old pipes can also be a problem because rust builds up over time and clogs the pipes. Leaking pipes are sometimes hard to pick up as they are hidden pipes but one can see if there is a damp spot on walls or ceilings.

Faucets should also be repaired or replaced.  Replacing faucets is a very budget-friendly way to improve your plumbing and it saves on water.

Discoloured water is a huge red flag. The colour of the water can tell you what the issue is. Orange, red or yellow indicates that it is rusty pipes.  Eventually over time corrosion will cause holes in the pipes.  Blue or green water indicates brass or copper in the fittings.  When your water is black it could well possibly be growth and that can be dangerous. 

A clogged drain can end up being a serious problem.  Slow-moving or clogged drains can be poor venting in the pipes.  You would need a professional to inspect the problem and repair them.

Two types of pipes play a role in how long the pipes in your home will last.  Drain pipes and water supply pipes. Supply pipes are under a lot more pressure than other pipes and can cause more damage if they leak. They would be brass, copper or galvanized steel.  The upside is, that they do last longer, from 80 to 100 years. Drain pipes are usually made of PVC and only last from 25 to 40 years.  It’s important to know what types of pipes you have and to keep track of their age.

You can avoid a big mess and save a lot of money in the long run by knowing more about the plumbing.  Knowledge is key!

If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.
To view more Featured Companies, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.

About Lorraine Grobler

My journey with L2B started in November 2021 as an Account Coordinator(AC). My main role is to schedule appointments for the Account Executives(AE). I mainly focus on quality appointments rather than quantity.

31 May 2022

L2B Opportunities created in the last 30 Days – May 2022

by | posted in: Construction Chat | 0

Our comprehensive, online, resource platform delivers daily leads to help you make informed business decisions. Find construction Tenders and Projects within the building, infrastructure, mining, and industrial sectors. Opportunities are researched throughout South Africa and Africa. We put new business prospect leads within your reach.

Leads 2 Business Opportunities we have created in the last 30 Days: for more information check out our Pricing Page.

To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Sasha Anderson

Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

24 May 2022

Difference between a Tender and a Project

by | posted in: Construction Chat | 0

 

Cambridge Dictionary definitions:-

Tender (verb) A written or formal offer to supply goods or to do a job for an agreed price
Project (noun) A piece of planned work or an activity that is finished over a period of time and intended to achieve a particular purpose

 

Google definition:-

It can potentially get a little confusing, but in short, a project is a development that is tracked from conception to completion e.g. The development of a hotel. A tender is a specific tender for a specific requirement e.g. a tender might go out for the supply of bricks.

 

At Leads 2 Business we have several distinct differences between Tenders and Projects published on our database, for example, how they are captured, how you interact with them, and specific subscriptions tailored to your requirements.

Capturing a Tender:

All tender notices originate from an original Tender Advert that has been advertised publicly on various platforms that we monitor. All the information provided is captured in a user-friendly format paying particular attention to site inspection dates and times, closing dates and times, the contract number, any restrictions that might be applicable, contact names and details of relevant persons involved in the specific tender process and where the actual tender document is available. When the information has all been added and the document is saved, a unique reference number is allocated preceded by the prefix DTA (Daily Tender Advisory)

Capturing a Project:

The information collated for a Project Lead is gleaned from multiple resources and captured in a user-friendly format paying particular attention to the timing and status, GPS location, type of building or infrastructure, professionals involved, relevant documentation and the most current information on the progress of the project. When all the information has been added and the document saved, a unique reference number is allocated preceded by the prefix PPA (Private Project Advisory)

Interacting with a Tender:

Tender notices can be found on the site using the easy search function using either the unique reference number, contract number or keywords from the description. The contact details for the professionals listed on the tender advert will be available should you have any questions regarding the details of the tender. There could be links to relevant documents that are hyperlinked to download directly onto your PC. You can set reminders for the site inspection date so you don’t miss that all-important meeting. Set a reminder for the closing date so you are not late handing in your final tender document. Contact a friendly L2B researcher should there be any further information you desire. Monitor the tender notice so you are notified of any changes to the original tender notice published. The Tender Notice is updated when awarded.

Interacting with a Project:

Project Leads can be found on the site using the easy search function using either the unique reference number, name of the development or keywords from the description. Depending on the status of the project there will be a list of professionals that you are able to contact at each relevant stage of the project life cycle. There is the opportunity to build relationships with professionals to facilitate possible collaboration on future projects. There could be links to relevant documents that are hyperlinked to download directly onto your PC. Contact a friendly L2B researcher that is dedicated to researching that specific project should there be any further information you desire. Monitor the Project Lead so you are notified of any updates and/or progress as the Project evolves from Conceptual to Completion. The Project Lead is updated progressively as it moves through the Project Life Cycle

Tailor-made Subscriptions:

Your Leads 2 Business profile is designed to fit the needs and specifications suited to your trades and capabilities in the building industry. If you are only partial to tender notices your subscription won’t include Project Leads but if Project Leads is your bread and butter we understand the world you live in and you will also be able to access Tender notices.

Sources:
Cambridge Dictionary
Leads 2 Business
Google

If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.
To view more Featured Companies, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.

About Debbie Wessels

I started at Leads 2 Business in April 2008 in the tenders Department and transferred to the Projects Department during the same year. I was appointed Head of Department for Projects from February 2011 to March 2022. April 2022 I started a new adventure as Content Regulator.

18 May 2022

Pertinent Project Stages

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  • Conceptual Stage

The project will still be an idea/concept. Pre-feasibility studies are undertaken to determine whether the project is viable during this stage. No construction consultants are appointed as yet, as it is the earliest stage of the project.

  • Procedural Stage

Environmental studies are undertaken in this phase, and various studies, possibly including heritage, geotechnical etc are undertaken on the project’s site location to determine if it would be safe to develop or if there are any issues. Once Environmental Authorisation is granted, Town Planning (TP) applications would be submitted to the Local Municipality by the Town Planning consultants on behalf of the client. A TP application is to rezone the property if required.

During this phase, we could have only the Environmentalist, Town Planner and clients’ details listed on the project however their contact details will be hidden. The Environmentalist & Town Planners listed on the project will solely be involved in the environmental and TP process that is being conducted on the land and will not be of assistance nor will they be the correct person to forward your profile, as they have no input in the procurement or construction of the development. The client and developers’ details will only be made available once all necessary legal approvals have been granted.

  • Design Stage

A project on our database will only be changed to Design once an Architect has been appointed for a building component. An infrastructure component such as a road will be changed to design when a civil engineer is appointed. The Design Phase is where the Designs are developed. There are different stages within the design stage that Architects often follow before designs are approved and finalized by the clients. The rest of the professional team is also appointed during the design phase as they all collaborate to develop detailed designs. Details of the entire team are sourced during this stage as well. Architect drawings are not sourced or added as Project documents. Subscribers are advised to request drawings directly from the Architects.

  • Tender Stage

Tenders are advertised publicly (if the government department is the client) or are sent to preferred bidders (if private client) we update the projects accordingly depending on which sector it is in.

You will find that some Public Projects (CIDB 7, 8 or 9) are added from the Tender stage to our database. These projects are sourced from Government portals, gazettes or local newspapers.

During the Tender stage, the Bill of Quantities could be made available. A copy will be added to the PPA as a document and an email will be sent out notifying the monitors. If the project is a Private development a request will be made to the consultants for a copy of the BOQ. Should a copy be made available, it can be requested by the subscriber from the listed researcher from L2B. A private BOQ can only to be used for information purposes as it is a confidential document and may not be redistributed.

  • Awarded Stage

The project status is changed once the main contractor has been awarded the construction contract. The project in this stage will be updated with Contract Timing, Contract Value, Site Agent and Contracts Managers details from the awarded company. During this stage, the contractor awaits to receive site handover from the client and work permits from the Department of Labour should it be a public project. Private projects exceeding R65 million are also required to apply for work permits at the Department of Labour through their appointed Health & Safety officer.

  • Underway Stage

Once work permits are received and site handover takes place the contractor would then establish the site (moving equipment on-site and setting up office). Once construction has commenced, the status of the project changes to underway. The project is actively monitored with project updates being generated frequently to notify our subscribers of the entire progress of the works. Subcontractor’s details are requested and added to the awards.

  • Completion Stage

When works reach practical completion or project handover takes place or if the works will be completed within 6 – 8 weeks, we will then update the status to Complete and the Project will no longer be actively researched.

  • Postponed Stage

Projects are listed as postponed if we have been advised or sourced that construction will not be taking place for a period of time. If a project was in the tender phase and the tender was cancelled, the status is changed to postponed pending the publication of a new tender

  • Cancelled Stage

A Project is cancelled if we have sourced or been notified that the development is no longer going ahead

  • L2BShelved

In the event of the researcher not being able to source or confirm any viable construction information or contactable professionals details on a project over a period of time, the status could be updated to L2BShelved. This indicates that all avenues of research have been exhausted and the Project will no longer be actively researched by L2B.

If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.
To view more Featured Companies, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.

About Stephanie Hull

10 May 2022

A Day in the Life of the IT Department

by | posted in: General | 18

IT is the backbone of most offices and day-to-day operations. IT individuals often have an obsession with all things tech-related but that works to everyone’s advantage as keeping up with the latest tech keeps things relevant.

Ever wondered what we get up to in IT?
Let’s dive into A Typical Day in the Life of a Company IT (Admin) Person:

7:20 – Arrive at the office
7:25 – Coffee & Water is the first priority
7:30 – Start Morning checks – confirm daily email generation, notifications, errors, backups, emails and prioritizing and responses and tasks.

Some emails may include the following: “My computer is frozen. Please can you help? Do you have a spare laptop I can use in the meantime?” “The internet isn’t working.” “My computer won’t turn on.” “I can’t print.” “My signature is missing.” “My email to x recipient keeps failing.” “I keep getting this error and I don’t know what it means.” “I locked myself out of my computer/account.” “I did an update and now isn’t working?”

8:30 – Update tickets, go through daily scheduled tasks and send necessary reminders to staff
9:05 – Remote to a PC out-of-office to assist with some technical queries off-site. Check back-ups and software updates.
9:25 – Investigate the dead PC, and set up a spare until the drive can be wiped and restored.
9:50 – Order some IT inventory, schedule deliveries/pickups for purchases or returns
10:00 – Check the internet connection in another department – replaces a faulty cable.
10: 15 – In-between most tasks telephonic queries are also handled according to priority
10:30 – Check a PC that “won’t turn on.” Pushes start on the tower which works as required.
10:35 – Restarts a PC after some updates, clears cache, cookies and history and the PC checks out.
10: 45 – Liaise with Dev Team on priority projects and current daily issues, testing and reviewing new developments
11:30 – Respond to more email queries such as, “I clicked on a suspicious link. I think it was a virus. Oops.”
12:00 – Source, edit, create and schedule content for social and blogs. Respond to any queries on social.
1:00 – Solve hunger problems with lunch and a much needed mental refresh. Catch up on news, socials and possibly a podcast.
2:00 – Set up and test equipment for scheduled demo in the conference room. Give a run-down on how to handle the equipment.
2:30 – Compile requested reports for Meetings.
2:50 – Assist with PABX and user mail setting queries.
3:00 – Bob, asks “So what exactly have you been doing all day? I was looking for you at lunchtime and you weren’t at your desk.”
3:10 – Virtual Meeting with a client to explain website functionality and answer any additional queries
3:30 – Time for the new employee on-boarding; computer station, phone extension setup, new profiles on various systems.
4:15 – Failed emails are checked and sent to relevant departments
4:20 – Mail server settings are checked, requested logs are pulled, whitelisting and liaising with external IT.
4:25 –  Scheduling Meetings for developers where there are API queries
4:30 – Colleague calls to say the company website is down. Check and determines an outage due to ISP issues and report to the ISP. Issue a company-wide notification advising of the outage.
4:40 – Eskom announces load shedding for the week. Pull some hair out while preparing to leave the office.

Although the above paints a picture of what happens in IT there is a lot more that goes on behind the scenes and we could be here for a month if I had to list each task each member of the IT team does throughout the day. While it’s difficult to pin down, there are some very clear skills that individuals in this field possess. Some of these include but are not limited to the ability to work independently and unsupervised but collaborative when required, logical, methodical, direct, strong-willed, responsible, flexible, practical, dependable, stable and often introverted.

Although we may not always have all the answers to your questions on the spot, in IT we make it our mission to find the answers (in detail). Our biggest wins are usually centred around any sort of automation as it’s directly linked to efficiency and progress and one of our biggest challenges is the ‘Because I’ve always done it that way, and, ‘It’s not my job,’ mentality.

The importance of IT in general increases as information technology becomes a more integral part of today’s business landscape. IT can have a direct impact on growth, continuity and success. IT Admins specifically have arguably the most diverse job in a company plus throw in the need to regularly communicate with clients and staff in a variety of departments while dealing with unenviable challenges. Specific tasks may vary on a day to day basis and adaptability is the name of the game. At the end of the day, a solid IT team goes the distance and together contributes to the consistent, progressive and high standard of culture and excellence already existing in a company like Leads 2 Business.

To view more Articles, please visit our Leads 2 Business Blog.
If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit Leads 2 Business.
To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit Leads 2 Business Wiki.

About Sasha Anderson

Millennial Mom + wife living the hash-tag life. Remember: If You Fail - Fail Forward

5 May 2022

Africa Month: Why You Should Invest in Africa

by | posted in: Construction Chat | 0

In 2020 the COVID-19 Pandemic slashed all aspects of foreign investment in Africa. Foreign Direct Investment in East Africa and Southern Africa, declined by 16%. Africa’s commodity-dependent countries were more severely affected than non-resource based economies. This should tell us something; natural resources are good but are only worth anything if we are able to extract them.

The reality is that the state of the continent’s overall economy took damaging knocks due to the pandemic, and the state worsened due to – for instance, the hostile conflicts that affected entire global supply chains between the Ukraine and Russia. Within South Africa, the looting and recent floods in Kwa-Zulu Natal have not helped this region’s case either. Recovering has not been an easy feat. A few years ago, I could have banked on the construction industry being the top sector to invest in, however, profitability in this industry has been at staggering lows. So Why Should anyone invest in Africa?

I say invest in Africa because of the people, invest in the men, women and children. Tidjane Thiam said it so beautifully, he said, “ The challenges in Africa are many and real. What we Africans have in the face of these challenges is our intelligence, our capacities, our emotions, our determination and our convictions. This is what we realistically have to work with.” If this is what we have to work with as the people of this land, then surely investors should partner with us based on those terms and not elaborately designed strategies that were designed for first world countries. It is imperative that they make the link with the importance of the human factor, the answers, the niches, and the opportunities belong and can only belong within Africans themselves. Moreover, I strongly believe the 2 reasons I present below, are good enough reasons for potential investors to consider putting their money in Africa, despite the very real reality of weak markets.

1. Customers are changing:

With the growth of Africa’s middle class, there is the development of new expectations. We are educated, we are young urban professionals, and we are brand-aware and sophisticated in terms of our consumption. In agricultural terms we are good soil to put your seed into, investors would want to take advantage of this.

2. Africa is diversifying:

Africa is seeing a returning diaspora that recognizes the potential and opportunities in their own countries. This population supports local economic growth with their skills and talent, by acting as “first movers”, investing back in their communities. To me, it would seem more logical and cost-effective to invest in someone that is favoured by local trade policies. This not only helps the locals but it is also quite beneficial to investors because we have moved towards a world where it is the intangibles that hold the most value on balance sheets; it is no longer just the properties and the equipment that makes up the bulk of any company’s value – what matters more and more is goodwill. As a result, there is now a benefit in capitalizing on what is in people’s minds as it guides our consumer behaviour. Investors could project yielding good Returns of Investment in our continent because of this trend.

Concluding, Africa has real intellectual and human capabilities, we already have goals specific to each individual region, and we are not idly waiting for someone to spoon-feed us. However, with that being said, we are open to anyone willing to listen to us and see how they can help us achieve these goals. Africans have an eternal commitment to hustle, when we are faced with tough situations, by nature we are designed with the ability to rise, be creative and act.

Bank on the people!!

Sources:
UNCTAD, World Investment Report 2021
The World Bank
AFDB African Economic Outlook 2021
World Economic Forum

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About Minnie Zondi

I am an insanely optimistic ambivert that does everything from the heart instead of the mind. Deeply interested in people and matters that pertain to mankind.

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