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Hubs and topics, free templates, checklists and toolkits for running a business. 121 pages.
- Starting a businessGuides on starting a business for South African businesses.
- Legal and complianceGuides on legal and compliance for South African businesses.
- MoneyGuides on money for South African businesses.
- CustomersGuides on customers for South African businesses.
- PeopleGuides on people for South African businesses.
- TechnologyGuides on technology for South African businesses.
- OperationsGuides on operations for South African businesses.
- GrowthGuides on growth for South African businesses.
- Industry regulationSector bodies, licensing regimes and inspections.
- Digital marketingSearch, social, email and paid ads.
- Local and word of mouthHow most small South African businesses actually get work.
- WhatsApp and messagingThe channel most customers here already use.
- Quotes and proposalsWinning the work once somebody has asked.
- Service and complaintsHandling it when it goes wrong.
- Reviews and reputationGetting them, answering them, and recovering from a bad one.
- Payroll and benefitsRunning payroll, deductions, provident funds and leave.
- Deciding and planningWhether there is a business here, and what it costs to find out.
- Licences and permitsMunicipal trading, liquor, food handling, health, signage.
- Going formalInformal trader to registered business — the most common route here.
- Buying inBuying an existing business, or a franchise.
- Premises and leasesSigning a lease, working from home, coworking.
- SARS and taxIncome tax, VAT registration and thresholds, provisional tax.
- CIPC and annual returnsFiling, deregistration, and restoring a company that lapsed.
- Employer obligationsPAYE, UIF, SDL and COIDA — registering and staying registered.
- POPIA and dataWhat a small business actually has to do about personal information.
- B-BBEEAffidavits, certificates, and what an EME really needs.
- AccountingBooks, statements, and working with an accountant.
- Cash flow and budgetsForecasting, runway and the seasonal dip.
- Pricing and quotingWhat to charge, how to quote, and when to put it up.
- Getting paidInvoicing terms, chasing, debt collection and letters of demand.
- Funding and creditCommercial lending, investors and overdrafts.
- Grants and incentivesDevelopment finance and public schemes — not the same thing as a loan.
- Banking and paymentsBusiness accounts, card machines and gateways.
- InsuranceCover for the business, the stock, the vehicles and the people.
- When it goes wrongCash crunch, business rescue, and closing down properly.
- InvestingWhere money goes once the business is making some.
- SellingPipeline, follow-up and closing.
- Brand and designIdentity, packaging, and looking like a real business.
- Content and copyWords that sell, and the people who write them.
- Advertising and mediaPaid placement across print, broadcast and online.
- HiringFinding, interviewing, contracts and onboarding.
- Labour law and the CCMADiscipline, dismissal and disputes — where small businesses lose.
- Contractors or employeesGetting the classification wrong is a SARS and a CCMA problem at once.
- Websites and ecommerceBuilding it, hosting it and selling on it.
- Software and systemsWhat you buy, install and live with.
- IT support and securityBackups, ransomware, and keeping it running.
- ConnectivityFibre, mobile and business telephony.
- Vehicles and fleetAny business that runs a bakkie.
- Registering the companyCIPC, name reservation, sole proprietor or (Pty) Ltd, shelf companies.
- Contracts and agreementsService agreements, NDAs, terms, intellectual property.
- DisputesWhen an agreement breaks down, and what it costs to enforce it.
- Training and skillsSETAs, learnerships and getting people better at the job.
- AI for a small businessWhat it is actually good for, at this size.
- Stock and suppliersBuying it, holding it, and negotiating terms.
- Getting goods to customersCourier, freight and delivery — a job, not an industry.
- Power and backupLoad-shedding, solar, generators, and what keeping the lights on costs.
- Security and riskPremises, cash handling and business continuity.
- Equipment and maintenanceBuying, leasing, servicing and replacing.
- Tenders and procurementCSD registration, CIDB grading, scorecards, bid documents and supplier development.
- Exporting and tradeCustoms, freight, cross-border and currency.
- ExpandingA second branch, franchising your own business, hiring a manager.
- Partnerships and networksJoint ventures, supplier development and chambers.
- Selling upValuation, due diligence and succession.
- Business plan template (South Africa) — free, with guidanceFree South African business plan template with guidance for every section: summary, market, operations, team, marketing and financials. Download for Word or…
- Cash flow forecast template — 12 months, free (Excel / CSV)Free 12-month cash flow forecast template for small businesses in South Africa. Download as a spreadsheet (CSV) for Excel or Google Sheets.
- Quotation template (South Africa) — free quote templateFree quotation template for South African small businesses, with validity period, deposit, payment terms and VAT. Download for Word or print to PDF.
- Tax invoice template South Africa — VAT compliant, freeFree South African tax invoice template with every field the VAT rules require, plus a simple invoice for non-VAT vendors. Download for Word or print to PDF.
- Employment contract template South Africa (BCEA) — freeFree South African employment contract template covering the written particulars required by the Basic Conditions of Employment Act: hours, pay, leave and…
- Letter of demand template South Africa — freeFree letter of demand template for South African businesses owed money: the amount, the deadline and what happens next. The first step before Small Claims…
- POPIA privacy notice template — free for small businessesFree POPIA privacy notice template for South African small businesses: what you collect, why, who you share it with, how long you keep it and people's rights.
- Mutual NDA template South Africa — free confidentiality agreementFree mutual non-disclosure (confidentiality) agreement template for South African businesses discussing a partnership, deal or project.
- Meeting agenda and minutes template — freeFree meeting agenda and minutes template for business, board and team meetings: attendees, items, decisions and actions.
- Service agreement template South Africa — freeFree service agreement template for South African small businesses and freelancers: scope, fees, payment, timelines, changes and termination.
- One-page business plan template — free (South Africa)Free one-page business plan template: problem, customers, offer, channels, costs, revenue and the first milestones. Download for Word or PDF.
- Start-up costs template — free spreadsheet (South Africa)Free start-up costs spreadsheet for South African businesses: registration, equipment, stock, premises, marketing and a cash reserve. Excel/CSV.
- SWOT analysis template — freeFree SWOT analysis template for small businesses: strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats, with the questions to ask in each.
- Marketing plan template for small businesses — freeFree two-page marketing plan template for South African small businesses: target customer, message, channels, budget and monthly actions.
- Business proposal template — free (South Africa)Free business proposal template for South African small businesses: client need, proposed solution, timeline, pricing, terms and why choose you.
- Price list template — freeFree price list template for small businesses with item, description, price, unit and terms. Download for Word or PDF.
- Purchase order template — freeFree purchase order template for South African businesses: supplier, items, quantities, prices, delivery address and terms.
- Delivery note template — freeFree delivery note template: items delivered, quantities, condition and the customer's signature on receipt.
- Credit note template South Africa — freeFree credit note template for South African businesses: reference to the original invoice, reason, amounts and VAT.
- Statement of account template — freeFree statement of account template: invoices, payments, running balance and amounts overdue by 30, 60 and 90 days.
- Customer feedback form template — freeFree customer feedback form for small businesses: satisfaction, what went well, what to improve and permission to share.
- Terms and conditions of sale template South Africa — freeFree terms and conditions of sale template for South African small businesses, written with the Consumer Protection Act in mind.
- Small business budget template — free spreadsheetFree 12-month small business budget spreadsheet: budgeted vs actual income and expenses. Excel/CSV.
- Expense claim form template — freeFree expense claim form for South African businesses: date, description, amount, slip attached and approval.
- Petty cash log template — free spreadsheetFree petty cash log spreadsheet: date, description, amount in, amount out and running balance.
- Debtors tracker template — free spreadsheetFree debtors / collections tracker for small businesses: invoice, amount, due date, days overdue and follow-up.
- Pricing worksheet — how to price your product or serviceFree pricing worksheet for small businesses: direct costs, overheads, your time, margin and the final price, with a check against competitors.
- Job description template — free (South Africa)Free job description template: purpose, duties, skills, experience, reporting line and how performance is measured.
- Job advert template South Africa — freeFree job advert template for South African employers: role, pay range, requirements, how to apply, with Employment Equity wording. Post it free on…
- Interview scorecard template — freeFree interview scorecard for small businesses: the same questions and scoring for every candidate, with notes and a recommendation.
- Job offer letter template South Africa — freeFree job offer letter template for South African employers: role, salary, start date, probation, conditions and acceptance.
- Written warning template South Africa — freeFree written warning template for South African employers: the incident, the rule broken, the employee's response and the consequences of repeating it.
- Notice of disciplinary hearing template South Africa — freeFree notice of disciplinary hearing template for South African employers: allegations, date, venue and the employee's rights.
- Leave application form template — freeFree leave application form for South African businesses: type of leave, dates, days, balance and approval.
- Payslip template South Africa — free (BCEA)Free payslip template for South African employers with the information the Basic Conditions of Employment Act requires.
- Independent contractor agreement South Africa — free templateFree independent contractor agreement template for South African businesses: services, fees, invoicing, independence and termination.
- Directors' resolution template South Africa — freeFree directors' resolution template for South African companies: decision, authority given and directors' signatures.
- POPIA marketing consent form template — freeFree POPIA marketing consent form template: what you will send, how often, how to opt out and a record of consent.
- Partnership agreement outline South Africa — freeFree partnership agreement outline for South African businesses: contributions, profit share, decisions, disputes and exit.
- Load shedding business continuity plan template — freeFree power-outage (load shedding) continuity plan for South African businesses: critical systems, backup power, schedules, staff and customer communication.
- Risk register template — free spreadsheetFree risk register for small businesses: risk, likelihood, impact, owner and actions. Excel/CSV.
- Stock count sheet template — free spreadsheetFree stock count sheet for small businesses and shops: item, expected, counted, difference and value. Excel/CSV.
- Social media content calendar template — freeFree social media content calendar for small businesses: date, platform, topic, post and status. Excel/CSV.
- Supplier evaluation form template — freeFree supplier evaluation form: price, quality, delivery, service and compliance scores for comparing suppliers.
- How to register a company in South Africa — step-by-step checklistStep-by-step checklist to register a private company (Pty) Ltd in South Africa: name reservation, incorporation, tax, bank account and annual returns.
- Hiring your first employee in South Africa — employer checklistChecklist for hiring your first employee in South Africa: employment contract, UIF, PAYE, COIDA, payslips and monthly EMP201.
- Small business tax registrations South Africa — income tax, VAT, PAYE, UIF, SDLWhich taxes a South African small business must register for and when: income tax, provisional tax, VAT, PAYE, UIF and SDL.
- Funding application checklist — what lenders and funders ask forChecklist of documents South African funders and lenders ask for: business plan, financials, bank statements, tax compliance and company documents.
- How to sell to government in South Africa — CSD and tenders checklistChecklist for South African small businesses that want to supply government: Central Supplier Database registration, tax compliance, B-BBEE and finding tenders.
- POPIA compliance checklist for small businessesA practical POPIA checklist for South African small businesses: information officer, privacy notice, consent for marketing, security and breaches.
- Start-up toolkit — how to start a business in South Africa (free templates)Everything to start a business in South Africa: one-page plan, business plan, start-up costs, registering a company, tax registrations, pricing and funding.
- Hiring your first employee in South Africa — free toolkitToolkit for hiring your first employee: job description, advert, interview scorecard, offer letter, BCEA contract, payslip, UIF and PAYE registration.
- Get paid on time — invoicing and debt collection toolkit (free templates)Toolkit to get paid on time: quotation, tax invoice, statement of account, debtors tracker, letter of demand and terms of sale.
- Funding application toolkit — get ready for business funding (free templates)Get funding-ready: business plan, cash flow forecast, budget, start-up costs and the documents funders ask for.
- Tender toolkit South Africa — CSD registration and bidding (free templates)Toolkit to bid for tenders: Central Supplier Database registration, tax compliance, B-BBEE, proposal and pricing templates.
- POPIA toolkit for small businesses — free templates and checklistPOPIA toolkit for South African small businesses: privacy notice, marketing consent form, information officer registration and the basics checklist.
- Load shedding toolkit for businesses — continuity plan and backup powerPower-outage toolkit for South African businesses: continuity plan, risk register and the electricians and solar installers who can help.
- Small business marketing toolkit — free templates (South Africa)Marketing on a budget: marketing plan, social media calendar, price list, customer feedback and the free channels that work.