The future is in your hands

By Kim Browne

Our elections next week are on the minds of many South Africans as we try to anticipate what the future holds. Small business owners such as The Toast may worry about what the political future holds. This has made me think again about being responsible for a business and its employees at a time of uncertainty.

The reality is that times are always uncertain. It’s up to us as business owners to navigate the stormy seas of our endeavours and make the best of a given situation.

Something that usually helps me is a positive ingesteldheid (attitude). I find that when we look at things from a glass half-full perspective, the world and its challenges are easier to make sense of. This means it’s less about what others do (such as politicians) and more about how we approach what we do. I’m not saying it’s easy — it’s not.

But what I mean is the journey towards solving the inevitable difficult situations life throws at us is as important as the end result. Positivity can make this journey more bearable.

Another thing about being positive is that others respond well to a sunny demeanour. At The Toast we have found that even in the most difficult client interactions a smile on our dial will always diffuse tension and open another angle or solutions to a given conundrum.

I am positive about our country, our people and our future and hope you are too. It’s a tough ride, but worth it.

And if perhaps you are wondering what you can do practically in South Africa today to help us all move forward together, vote for small business. It truly makes a real difference.