Enterpriseroom is a transformation consultancy that helps corporates open up their supply chains to black-owned SMEs, through procurement education, mentorship and enterprise and supplier development programmes. Former CEO Tracey Webster argued the sector’s biggest gaps weren’t just funding, but onerous regulation and corporates treating supplier development as a box-ticking exercise rather than a genuine commitment.
What does Enterpriseroom actually do?
Enterpriseroom is a specialist consultancy that helps companies design and implement enterprise and supplier development, supply chain and economic inclusion programmes, working to advance black-owned SMEs while creating youth employment opportunities as those businesses grow. Its “Doing Business With” procurement series, run with corporates including Old Mutual, IBM, Discovery Health and Nedbank, brought procurement officers directly in front of small business owners to explain how to actually access corporate contracts, rather than leaving SMEs to guess at opaque supplier requirements.
What did Tracey Webster say corporates needed to change?
“It is only when corporates are intentional about opening up their supply chain, provide financing and access to mentorship for small business that things start to shift for SMEs,” said Webster, then CEO of Enterpriseroom. Her framing put responsibility on both sides: corporates need to move beyond superficial supplier development commitments, while SMEs need to deliver with genuine excellence, stay compliant, and manage their back office well enough that late payments and cash flow problems don’t undermine otherwise-good work, a discipline covered in more depth in how Domestly created 600 jobs and scaled.
What regulatory changes did Webster argue South Africa needed?
Webster was direct that current labour laws were too onerous for SMEs specifically, creating a fear of hiring that undercuts the sector’s job-creation potential. Her call was for government to engage directly and listen to entrepreneurs and business development providers, who are closest to the actual problems, rather than designing regulation without that direct input.
What did Webster say about access to working capital?
She pushed for more corporates to set aside enterprise and supplier development funds specifically for loans, and in some cases grants, to support SMEs at both startup and growth phases, alongside dedicated funding for business development service providers who help SMEs build solid operational foundations during that growth phase.
Is Enterpriseroom still operating today?
Yes, it continues to operate as a transformation consultancy specialising in enterprise, supplier and social development. Leadership has changed since this piece was first published, Tracey Webster has since moved on to lead the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust as CEO, but Enterpriseroom’s core work connecting corporates and black-owned SMEs continues.
Frequently asked questions
What is the “Doing Business With” series?
A procurement education series where corporate representatives explain their supplier development and procurement processes directly to SME owners, aimed at demystifying how to actually secure corporate contracts.
Does Enterpriseroom fund SMEs directly?
Its core role is consulting and connecting SMEs with corporate supply chains and funding mechanisms, rather than being a direct funder itself.
Is Tracey Webster still CEO of Enterpriseroom?
No, she has since moved on to lead the Oppenheimer Memorial Trust. Enterpriseroom continues operating under different leadership.
Originally published in January 2019. Updated September 2026.
