26 Must-reads for Starting a Small Business in South Africa

Updated on 18 September 2024

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must-read articles when starting a small business

Starting a business by yourself is not easy. You will need mentorship but sometimes mentors aren’t available to help 24/7. An alternative way to get guidance for starting a business is by reading articles. Articles provide bite-sized information that continuously guides you on your business journey.

If you are starting out a business, articles can help you get started, manage and grow your business. The best thing about articles is that you won’t have to pay for the information (unless it is hidden behind a paywall), so the help is free.

In this article, we look at some of our top pics that are a must-read for starting a small business in South Africa.

Start a Business in South Africa, Find an Idea

The first thing you need to do is to find the right business to start. By researching popular business ideas, you can ensure that your business is successful and profitable. Additionally, you can find a business that fills a gap in the market.

Some articles that can help you find the right business are:

Note: You don’t have to just start a business from scratch, you can also buy a franchise.

Get Your Small Business Compliance-Ready

There are a few things you need to get in order before you start going all out on your business. Some of those include registering your business, ensuring all tax documents are in order and being compliant with the relevant laws in your sector.

Some articles that can help you with that include:

These articles will empower you with information about how to become compliant. This will ensure you reap all the benefits of being compliant.

Funding Articles for Your Small Business

Funding is a very important aspect of starting a business. You will need funding to either buy equipment and inventory or rent operating space.

Some articles that you can use to find funding are:

You can also get funding from private investors. Some articles about private investors include:

Once you have read through the articles and found the right funding platform for you, you can begin applying for funding.

Tools for Your Small Business

In the digital age, every business needs certain tools to function properly. These days its technology tools which can help automate even the most mundane tasks. This is great for new business owners as it allows you to focus on the business and not worry about tasks such as accounting.

Some articles that you can read on different tools for your business are:

These articles will help you figure out which tools are necessary for your business. Remember as scary as tech might look, it will definitely help your business in the long run and set you apart from the competition.

Grow Your Business from Small to Medium

Once your small business gets going, you will need to start thinking about growing it. Growing your business can mean adding a new customer base (overseas) or introducing a new product or service.

Some articles which can help you grow your business are:

These articles will help you ensure that you can start, manage and grow your business. There are more articles that can help you, SME South Africa has a wide library of articles which touch one very single aspect of the business journey.

If you need any expert advice on business, visit SME Advice to speak to one of our mentors. 

Get Personalized Advice from Experts on the Same Topic

Phindile Ndamase
Founder at Soteria Group
Nathi Khumalo
Founder of Inzuzo Analytics
Steven Nicholls
Co-Founder of Tholo Leads the Way
Nikki Gajoo-Frielinghaus
Founder of Imali Coaching
Tinus Visser
Director at KGS Express
Sindi Vilakazi
Founder NOVILS Consulting
Mzwakhe Xulu
CEO at LaTonisi Business Consultants
Thabo Ncalo
Managing Partner at 8th Season Capital

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