With financial clarity, small businesses stand a better chance of achieving big success.

Words By Sizwe Shabalala

Every year Momentum asks South Africans to nominate a deserving woman-owned business to win their share of R1 million on social media – and do they bring it! Momentum understands that having a good plan can bring financial clarity and with financial clarity, small businesses stand a better chance of achieving big success.

“Once the budget speech gets going, that’s when we get moving. We don’t only break down the speech in snackable bite-sized chunks, we also uplift women and their businesses,” explains Head of Brand at Momentum, Charlotte Nsubuga-Mukasa.

*Head of Brand at Momentum, Charlotte Nsubuga-Mukasa*

Companies across sectors try to provide much needed economic relief and aid to citizens and budding small businesses, as a response to the budget speech. However, the kind of ideas and tactics that brands offer are quite limited at times. They’re usually the same across the board, with extraordinarily little differentiation of how the budget speech and its updates are covered and communicated.

“We disrupt standard social media budget speech updates with our ‘Small Business, Big Success’ competition,” Charlotte continues. “As a brand, Momentum is here to inspire South Africans to get in there and participate in the economy successfully. Many people listen to the budget speech to find updates that concern them most, but don’t engage with most concepts as it’s too complex or bland as cardboard. People need to see they can play an integral part in the success of our economy as slashers, hustlers, spenders, innovators, taxpayers, and small business owners,” she says.

Now in its third year, the competition has increased in popularity and is widely talked about on social media. Momentum measures this by the number of nominations received on the Small Business, Big Success competition microsite and the number of unique small business owners nominated by the public. The competition only runs for one day and it’s during that day the public gets to nominate a small business they consider as most deserving of this life-changing opportunity.

*Head of Brand at Momentum, Charlotte Nsubuga-Mukasa with 2022 winners, My Online Therapist and Lesedi Scientific Services*

Beyond winning their share of the R1 million prize money, the winners are also given an assessment of their business by an industry business success coach. This tailored 4-month coaching course is geared with all the advice to power their business plans to the next level.

“Our business development coaching partner takes the time to understand the challenges of each business. Each year, the course improves. We use the advice from the previous cohort to move from good to great.”

Charlotte says another strategy is to lobby for increased PR opportunities so that each woman-owned business winner is profiled and has their time in the sun. They are interviewed across all media formats throughout the year. They are also given VIP membership to all Momentum brand events and festivals for increased networking and engagement. Furthermore, the winners are given cover shoots and digital video opportunities to take their success stories back to the very people who nominated them, South Africans.

“The quality and the range of industries are also bolstered with a suite of 10-minute motivation sessions given by the top ten small business owners in our face-to-face dragon-den-like presentation and discussion time with the judging panel. The level of interest and participation of the winners in the coaching development course presented by business success coaches accompany them on their journey towards more success,” explains Charlotte.

*Head of Brand at Momentum, Charlotte Nsubuga-Mukasa with 2022 competition winners, My Online Therapist and Lesedi Scientific Services*

Momentum is very intentional and committed in finding new ways of inserting the winners into their brand narrative. “What I think the ladies loved most, was joining us in person for the annual Momentum Science of Success Festival. We host musicians, comedians, financial advisers, scientists, business departments, celebrities, employees, and professors from the University of South Africa. It might sound unconventional, but it’s our way of saying there is a science to financial success, in how we weave in pop culture and use real people, with real success stories to hit home.”

This initiative comes at a time when the 4th annual of the now very popular #SheOwnsHerSuccess Workshop Series is just around the corner.

“I am most looking forward to seeing small business plans taking big steps to realise audacious and unmet dreams. I am excited for new ideas of how we can take this property to entrench its authenticity and purpose in more lives, post the campaign,” says Charlotte. “Watching the winners rise as we partner with them in our #SheOwnsHerSuccess Women’s Month campaign in August is going to be very exciting.”