The Foundations Of Growth How Jurie Venter has focused on working with the right partners and doing thorough market research to achieve business success.

Vital stats

• Player: Jurie Venter
• Company: umAfrika Gaming Technology
• Est: 2014
• About: umAfrika is the provider of Gaming Products and Services to South Africa and all other countries in Sub-Sahara Africa and the Indian Ocean Islands.

Three years ago, umAfrika Gaming Technology co-founder, Jurie Venter split from an international company to start a more locally focused business. umAfrika bought a going concern in the South African gaming market. It was a great opportunity with one big catch: They had to launch with an ageing international infrastructure.

Look for opportunities

Although leaving a large international brand and all the support it offers can be daunting, Jurie understood his goals, and how he aimed to get there.

"Although there was a shift from an international focus to a local one, the foundation of the business stayed the same, with the added benefit that we now had local shareholders and could service local businesses."

Jurie knew he could build a strong business because he had done thorough research into the South African market. The international market was similar enough to South Africa to prove the concept, and research revealed the local market was large enough to offer a great opportunity.

The Lesson: Make sure there is a need for your offering. By international standards, South Africa is a relatively small market. Jurie and his team needed to ensure there was a large enough local market before they invested in support, staff or infrastructure.

Partner for success

"It's very important to work with the right partners," says Jurie. "Focus on developing long-term relationships wherever you can. You want a partner that is reliable and has the right tools to help and enhance your business. I want to know that whenever I pick up the phone to a supplier, there is always someone on the other side who can help me."

What's the secret to building such great partnerships?

"Be honest and open in your business and partner with companies that are honest and open with you," says Jurie.

"For example, we have an excellent partnership with Introstat, which had been building momentum for a few years — long before we created our own independent business. What's been phenomenal is how we've grown together. When they first came onto our radar they only supplied printers. Over the years Introstat has grown into the areas that we needed to grow and enhance our business. We've been able to walk this path together."

The Lesson: As a start-up or SME, you will often work with service providers who are also on a growth path. Work together — with the right relationship and support, you'll actually grow together. This can work in a number of ways. Your support allows your suppliers to grow and extend their product and service offerings, which then helps you to expand, or in other cases, clients expand overseas and can take you with them.

Partner with a business that you can develop a close relationship with, someone who is reliable and has your best interest at heart. The best way to do this is to ensure your values are aligned. Relationships and support are the foundations of business. Build these with your suppliers and your clients — look at business holistically.

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