Small idea makes big business

Headgear: Rina Souter, SMME co-owner, showcasing her company's product, Makarabas, head attire with a difference for the contemporary sports fan.

The UCT Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (CIE) at the Graduate School of Business organised and hosted a networking and exhibition day for small enterprises on 15 March.

The objective of the event - tying in with the CIE's mission statement to develop entrepreneurial talent, capacity and skills '“ was to encourage interaction between enterprise development organisations and small, and rapidly growing, businesses.

With a smorgasbord of some 40 businesses on display, ranging from a smoked chicken venture to a clever wheelbarrow and brick-carrier, it all seems to start with a small idea to go for gold. And a good dose of guts.

Ted Naidoo, owner of Delightful Smoked Products (smoked chicken is his thing), started with a monthly turnover of a mere R 3 000. Today, only two and a bit years later, he supplies the likes of Pick '˜n Pay, Shoprite Checkers and Spar. And his turnover? About 333 times what it was in 2004.