Think ahead of the curve for success
by Katy Chance,
2015-04-07 06:47:43.0
SYNAQ’s path to success has been rocky at times, its MD Yossi Hasson admits. "We’re about to hit a million mailboxes, and for a country of this size, that’s a substantial amount. We’re starting to scale up again — and it’s scary!"
His company went through a growth phase, then had to downsize. It required faith to embark on a hiring phase again.
"I think that what helps make us an innovator — even though we got it wrong in the beginning — is thinking ahead of the curve. We have had to wait for the curve to catch up with us," Hasson says.
"As an entrepreneur you need to look at changes, be constantly watching for trends globally. People tend to overestimate the short-term impact of change and underestimate change in the long term."
He confirms that being an entrepreneur is not for everyone. Although the pursuit of business success has become trendy — "it’s this rock-star thing" — Hasson believes the ability is innate.
"It can bring great benefits but also massive stress and burden," he says. "There should be no shame in saying ‘I gave it a try, but it didn’t work or wasn’t for me’. There is also no shame in creating a great career in a big corporate environment, if that’s what you want to do.
"When asked for advice about entrepreneurship now, I say it shouldn’t be too difficult. If it really is too difficult, you’re doing something wrong. We were doing something wrong in the beginning and you need to listen to that. And change.
"Since we started 10 years ago there are far more resources and understanding about what it takes to build a business.
"The amount of information available, mentoring, support and funding — much of it from the big corporates that often get such a bad rap — means better entrepreneurs will emerge and more successful business will come about.
"It doesn’t have to be such a lonely, hard road. Bootstrapping it in the garage isn’t done anymore."
Synaq MD Yossi Hasson at Synaq’s offices in Sandton. Entrepreneurs must constantly watch global trends, he says. Picture: FREDDY MAVUNDA
SYNAQ’s path to success has been rocky at times, its MD Yossi Hasson admits. "We’re about to hit a million mailboxes, and for a country of this size, that’s a substantial amount. We’re starting to scale up again — and it’s scary!"
His company went through a growth phase, then had to downsize. It required faith to embark on a hiring phase again.
"I think that what helps make us an innovator — even though we got it wrong in the beginning — is thinking ahead of the curve. We have had to wait for the curve to catch up with us," Hasson says.
"As an entrepreneur you need to look at changes, be constantly watching for trends globally. People tend to overestimate the short-term impact of change and underestimate change in the long term."
He confirms that being an entrepreneur is not for everyone. Although the pursuit of business success has become trendy — "it’s this rock-star thing" — Hasson believes the ability is innate.
"It can bring great benefits but also massive stress and burden," he says. "There should be no shame in saying ‘I gave it a try, but it didn’t work or wasn’t for me’. There is also no shame in creating a great career in a big corporate environment, if that’s what you want to do.
"When asked for advice about entrepreneurship now, I say it shouldn’t be too difficult. If it really is too difficult, you’re doing something wrong. We were doing something wrong in the beginning and you need to listen to that. And change.
"Since we started 10 years ago there are far more resources and understanding about what it takes to build a business.
"The amount of information available, mentoring, support and funding — much of it from the big corporates that often get such a bad rap — means better entrepreneurs will emerge and more successful business will come about.
"It doesn’t have to be such a lonely, hard road. Bootstrapping it in the garage isn’t done anymore."
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