Africa-Press – Botswana. Business owners in Maun have been urged to sharpen their business management skills and embrace a mindset change if they are to thrive in today’s competitive market.
Speaking during the official opening of the Maun Trade Expo’s first edition, in Maun on Friday the Citizen Entrepreneurial Development Agency (CEDA) North West regional manager, Mr Edward Magosi, stated that while many entrepreneurs in the region possessed great potential, most were hindered by poor management skills.
“Many of our entrepreneurs are passionate and hardworking, but they lack basic business management skills, and this weakness often becomes the main reason their businesses fail to grow,” he said.
Mr Magosi emphasised that small and medium-sized business owners should utilise LEA’s training programmes to acquire skills to turn their businesses around.
“The challenge is not that people cannot run businesses; it is that they have not learned how. Business management is not a talent. It is a skill that must be learned. Business owners should be proactive in seeking support,” he said. He stressed that entrepreneurs must adopt a new mindset, recognising that long-term success relied equally on discipline and planning, not just innovation.
“Many times, the business owner is the weakest link. We must unlearn the idea that passion alone is enough. Knowledge and consistency are what sustain a business,” he said.
Mr Itumeleng Kelebetseng, Chairperson of the North West District Council, urged business owners to take proactive steps in marketing their products, emphasising the importance of intentional visibility.
“You cannot wait for customers to find you. Businesses must expose themselves, go out, mobilize resources, and reach potential clients,” he said.
He reassured local entrepreneurs that the Council was committed to improving the road infrastructure to business centres, acknowledging that access issues directly limit customer reach.
“Once funds reach our accounts, we will start constructing proper access roads because we understand that the current conditions discourage clients from visiting certain business areas,” he said.
In addition, Mr Kelebetseng stated that the council would not remove street vendors but would instead focus on keeping their selling spots clean and presentable. He explained that street vendors are vital for the local economy.
“These small vendors are the ones uplifting our economy at the grassroots, and our role is to make their environment more appealing to investors,” he added.
For his part, Mr Temo Ntapu, Executive Director of Export Development and Promotion at the Botswana Investment and Trade Centre, stated that the Maun Trade Expo could serve as a springboard for collaboration and innovation amid the country’s current economic challenges.
“As our economy faces one of its toughest periods, we must identify new sources of income and growth. Platforms like this expo create connections that lead to real results,” he said.
Mr Ntapu said Botswana’s goal was to become a high-income, diversified, and digitally driven economy. He added that this could happen only through citizen empowerment and education reform.
“We need to build an education system that drives productivity. Communities must also learn to be independent from the government. They should create their own income-generating projects for sustainable growth,” he emphasised.
The Maun Trade Expo aims to promote entrepreneurship, create market linkages, and showcase local innovation in tourism, agriculture, and manufacturing.
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