Tsogo

 Sun  expands  its  entrepreneur  development  programme  

 
Tsogo  Sun  has  significantly  expanded  its  successful  Book  a  Guesthouse  
programme  to  include  Sun1  hotel  operators  and  housekeepers,  to  
form  Tsogo  Sun  Entrepreneurs,  an  innovative  entrepreneurial  
development  programme  for  the  hospitality  industry.  This  move  saw  a  
boost  in  numbers  last  year  with  an  additional  15  in  the  Book  a  
Guesthouse  programme  and  23  Sun1  operators.  It  was  expanded  
further  this  year  with  the  inclusion  of  10  housekeepers  into  the  
programme,  bringing  the  total  number  of  entrepreneurs  supported  
from  85  entrepreneurs  to  133.  
Tsogo   Sun   Entrepreneurs   is   a   business   benefit   and   development  
programme   that   supports   various   clusters   of   entrepreneurs   within   the  
value   chain   of   the   Tsogo   Sun   group   and   within   the   broader   tourism  
industry   in   South   Africa,   to   support   entrepreneurs   to   develop  
professionally-­‐operated,  compliant,  sustainable  businesses.  
“The   continuing   success   of   the   Book   a   Guesthouse   programme   and  
our   commitment   to   entrepreneurial   development,   together   with   the  
ever-­‐present   need   for   job   creation   in   South   Africa,   were   drivers   in   this  
decision  to  expand  our  programme  to  include  more  beneficiaries  and  
offer   a   higher   level   of   support,   benefits,   and   services   to   them,”  
explains   Candy   Tothill,   Tsogo   Sun’s   General   Manager:   Corporate  
Affairs.  
The   programme   provides   qualifying   entrepreneurs   with   business  
development   support   and   benefits   including   skills   transfer   (business  
development,   coaching,   mentorship);   value   added   benefits  
(endorsement,   memberships,   marketing,   publicity);   shared   services  
(extranet,   call   centre,   preferential   discounts,   business   support);  
business   tools   (risk   assessment   and   recommendations,   software  
systems,   equipment);   an   integrated   supply   chain   (market   access,  
networking   opportunities);   and   recognition   (entrepreneur   rewards,  
certification,  awards).  
“Tsogo   Sun   Entrepreneurs   forms   part   of   the   company’s   far-­‐reaching  
sustainability   in   tourism   programme   and   features   a   number   of  
established   partnerships   with   government,   corporates,   industry  
bodies  and  development  specialists  to  advance  our  mutual  interests  in  
contributing  towards  the  creation  of  economic  growth  in  South  Africa  
by  supporting  emerging  enterprises,”  adds  Tothill.  
MEDO  (Micro  Enterprise  Development  Organisation),  which  has  been  
a  partner  with  Book  a  Guesthouse  for  several  years,  has  now  stepped  
up   its   involvement   in   Tsogo   Sun   Entrepreneurs   and   expanded   its  
offering  to  cover  a  wide  range  of  support  services,  as  well  as  discounts  
and   special   offers   on   various   products   and   services;   procurement  
support;   travel   arrangements;   access   to   SMEasy   Accounting   systems;  
tender  alerts  and  corporate  listings.  
Other   partners   that   work   with   Tsogo   Sun   Entrepreneurs   include  
Beyond   Coaching   and   Tsheto   Leadership   Academy,   which   bring  
coaching   and   training   to   the   entrepreneurs,   depending   on   the  
intervention   required.   Beyond   Coaching   offers   a   complete   repertoire  
of   coaching   and   related   services   for   personal   or   corporate   and  
business   development   purposes.   The   Tsheto   Leadership   programmes  
are   developed   to   ensure   the   entrepreneur   has   the   capacity   for   self-­‐
leadership  to  enable  them  to  succeed.  It  has  the  licence  to  use  specific  
coaching   tools.   Tsheto   Leadership   is   owned   and   operated   by   Queen  
Ramotsehoa,  while  Rienzo  Colpo  is  Director  for  Beyond  Coaching.  
Tsheto   sponsors   the   Tsogo   Sun   Entrepreneur   of   the   Year  
Award  Winner   to   receive   training   in   Master   1   -­‐   The   Awareness  
Process,  which   is   then   delivered   by   Beyond   Coaching.   Both   partners  
provide   training   based   on   the   subject   materials   allocated   to   them   in  
the  Tsogo  Sun  Entrepreneurs  –  Handbook  and  group  coaching  sessions  
for  individual  entrepreneurs.
Through   Tsogo   Sun   Entrepreneurs,   the   group   is   in   year   one   of  
implementing   a   long-­‐term   plan,   which   is   designed   more   broadly   to  
address   the   need   for   wealth   creation   in   the   country.   Says   Tothill,   “The  
impact   on   the   Tsogo   Sun   Entrepreneurs   beneficiaries   will   be  
monitored  and  evaluated  and  adjustments  will  be  made  to  the  model  
where   necessary   as   the   plan   unfolds.   Enterprise   and   Supplier  
Development   needs   to   be   undertaken   in   a   manner   that   really   makes   a  
change  to  the  economic  landscape  in  South  Africa.  Tsogo  Sun  has  been  
cognisant  of  this  in  the  design  of  the  Entrepreneurs  programme,  which  
is  expected  to  take  time  to  develop  and  implement,  but  the  results  will  
be  meaningful,  far-­‐reaching  and  permanent.”  
When   entrepreneurs   are   newly   inducted   into   the   programme,   they  
are   required   to   complete   a   training   and   development   course   over   one  
year,  after  which  they  are  assessed  and  go  on  to  become  alumni  or  are  
given   further   individualised   training   according   to   their   assessment.  
Alumni   continue   to   receive   benefits   and   support   on   the   basis   of  
continued  adherence  to  excellence.  
The   Tsogo   Sun   Entrepreneurs   programme   culminates   in   an   annual  
conference   at   one   of   Tsogo   Sun’s   properties.   “The   growth   of   the  
programme   highlights   Tsogo   Sun’s   ongoing   commitment   to   tourism  
and   the   South   African   economy.   More   than   that,   the   programme  
uncovers  business  people  with  significant  potential  for  success  within  
the   country   and   those   with   the   capacity   to   create   sustainable  
businesses  of  an  outstanding  standard,”  says  Tothill.  
Tsogo   Sun   has   a   portfolio   of   over   90   hotels   and   14   casino   and  
entertainment   destinations   throughout   South   Africa,   Africa,   the  
Seychelles  and  Abu  Dhabi.  
For   further   information   go   to   www.tsogosun.com   or  
www.bookaguesthouse.com.  You  can  also  join  Tsogo  Sun  on  Facebook  
at   /TsogoSun   and   the   Tsogo   Sun   entrepreneurs   at  
/tsogoentrepreneurs   alternatively   follow   @TsogoSun   on  
Twitter    #TsogoEntrepreneurs.