161007-spring-flowers-in-front-of-table-mountainSpring seems to have sprung – out of reach!  One minute the weather was fresh and crisp, the chilly air hinting at snow on the mountains and spring flowers waving their colourful faces in the balmy sun… then almost overnight it changed.  Sunny days are here, with early mornings filled with the sound of the birds awakening and a slight breeze lifts the palms and cools the warm day.   The grass has been cut and is turning gold in the warm sun.   The sea rocks gently against the silver-sandy shores and beach visitors flock to sit in the sun and eat ice creams.  It seems summer is here!

We have been so very busy and I cannot believe it’s over a year since I started my first blog!  VCS continues to flourish and is growing from strength to strength.  I know it may seems like I’m continually writing about meeting exciting people, and It’s not to say that our time is completely taken up by meeting interesting people, because much of our time is spent completing tasks that those motivated, busy professional people don’t have time for.  However, a lot of our time is also spent meeting VIP’s – Very Interesting People!

One of the VIP’s we’ve had the pleasure of meeting is Lianne du Toit part of the Silicon Cape Initiative.  Have any of you heard of Silicon Cape before?  It is inspiring to realise that this is happening here in Cape Town.  Lianne is an incredibly busy woman.   Coming from Johannesburg, Lianne’s involvement in the tech and entrepreneur space kicked off in Cape Town 2010 when she started her first business, a Talent Agency in the marketing and digital space. Wanting to give back to the community and increase her network she joined Silicon Cape, a tech cluster that offers non-financial resources to the local start up, developer and investor community.

The Silicon Cape vision is of an ecosystem in the Western Cape of South Africa, that serves to attract and bring together local and foreign investors, the brightest technical talent, and the most promising entrepreneurs, to foster the creation and growth of world-class global IP start-up companies in an environment that competes with other similar hubs around the world against the backdrop of one of the most beautiful settings and pleasant places to live, work and play on the globe.

The concept of the Silicon Cape is not owned or controlled by any single entity. It is a living community and an organic, ever-developing concept in the hearts and minds of every participant, which endeavours to catalyse the local IP entrepreneurial community.  Please have a look at www.siliconcape.co.za  there is SO much information on offer it really is thought provoking and awe inspiring to know there are people out there like Lianne who make these things happen!

Earlier this year, Lianne was awarded an MTN scholarship to complete her masters in philosophy in inclusive innovation at the UCT Graduate School of Business.  Lianne was recently voted as one of Fast Company’s 2016 creative minds to change the world, she is passionate about building an entrepreneurial ecosystem and believes that Africa is the new frontier for finding, cultivating and assisting entrepreneurs along their journey to scaling which will hopefully result in more jobs and skills development.

Another interesting and empowered woman VCS – More Time For YOU had the pleasure of meeting up with recently is Denise Krull.  Denise is currently a student at The School of Practical Philosophy and passionate about people.  During the journey of raising her son and daughter, Denise’s interest in psychology and the workings of the mind grew, which lead to her study of Neuro Linguistic Programming.   Neuro Linguistic Programming (NLP) is the science of modelling excellence and change in human behaviour. It is useful in all areas of life as it creates an awareness of our own capabilities and can bring about quick change in areas which were previously ‘stumbling blocks’.  It creates a consciousness in the client of how to use the language of the mind to consistently achieve specific, desired outcomes.  Denise finds it incredibly rewarding to observe the positive change in people’s lives when they apply their new-found knowledge.  Denise can be reached at denise.r.krull@gmail.com.

VCS are just as passionate as Denise about Customer Service and client satisfaction, and we believe that the personal touch we provide can make a difference to your life.  We handle just about any task so you can concentrate on your work and life balance.  From the simple to the unexpected, VCS can make it happen by either performing the service directly, or quickly and efficiently sourcing the best resource for the job. We help restore the balance to your life.  VCS – More Time For You not only supply professional business services, we assist with travel arrangements too.

VCS can give you back time by helping to arrange every aspect of your trip.   We have recently had the pleasure of organising a family holiday for a client from the UK.  Trevor Greenaway, Founder and Managing Director of 4Sight Systems in the UK, has had many a business meeting here in the Cape but has never really had the time to explore and enjoy.  Trevor contacted us to organise his itinerary and this is what he has to say about VCS:

 “I had no hesitation about approaching VCS – More Time For YOU to assist me with my holiday plans.   Having worked with Dawn previously I knew her and her partners would be excellent…. and they were!  The best thing about working with VCS was that I gave them a brief on what we were looking for and they came back with comprehensive ideas and then worked with us to fine-tune our agenda.   The VCS Ladies were very responsive and thorough.  The activities suggested and organised were excellent, we had an action packed time in Cape Town.  I am very grateful for your recommendation of our Tour Guide Andrew.  He was fantastic and really took the pressure off me having to hire a car and drive in unfamiliar surroundings.  Andrew was excellent. Always on time, very knowledgeable and helpful throughout.   Please use me as a reference and we will certainly recommend you to other friends who are coming to SA.”

It warms our heart to hear how pleased clients are!  VCS – More Time For YOU help create more time for you by providing online business management which includes professional, administrative, technical or creative (social) assistance, tailor-made to suite your needs.

Another reference we have received from our satisfied client, Elaine Mouton – Founder and Managing Director of Coral Wetsuits, Cape Town says this about us:

“I would like to congratulate you on your excellent service and feedback during the course of the registration onto the Government Central Supplier Database.  I have never used a service similar to VCS- More Time For YOU since I started the company over 20 years ago and have always struggled to fit situations like this into my very busy schedule, normally suffering a lot of frustration or long delays before completion. You have made this a very smooth and effortless process and I will certainly recommend your services to my clients and I will definitely request your services in the future.  I wish you every success with your wonderful business.”

I must say, referrals and references is one of the ways we are receiving much of our business and if you know of anyone who could use our service, please don’t hesitate to show them our website www.moretimeforyou.co.za.

Back to the VIP’s.  Karen Wessels of SnappSales, is another one of those Very Interesting People who we had the pleasure of meeting at the Lionesses of Africa Lean in Breakfast in August.  Karen comes from a Sales, Marketing and Systems driven background and offers extensive input in the long-term vision of the business.  She is great with people and offering creative insight into all client projects.

Karen co-founded SnappSales with Albert in 2015.  With a Sales, Marketing, Technical and Creative background Albert offers diverse strategic input. Albert is amazing when it comes to the strategic and long-term growth of the business. He has great insight into both the creative and systematic development of marketing strategies that work.  These two VIP’s combined their sales and marketing expertise and came up with SnappSales!  If you are in sales, you will be very interested to know that this is all about LEADS and I think it is a brilliant concept.

SnappSales is more than a company that fills your diary with qualified appointments.  Snappsales are an extension of your team.  They build relationships while representing your brand in full, from introduction to appointment.  They are an extension of your team.  SnappSales have created the perfect blend of human and technology, to nurture and cultivate your prospects.  They understand that they deal with people, not machines and they chat their way to appointments.  They don’t use scripts, they hate scripts, you hate scripts, your prospects hate scripts.  SnappSales determine your unique value and have the know-how to convey that Value in a manner that will nurture and naturally attract your perfect client.   Karen says: “I take “filling up diaries” very seriously. Coming from almost a decade of sales, I understand the importance of a good, qualified lead that is hot and ready to talk. My team and I are there to assist you to get your diary busy with those perfect clients. Looking forward hearing to from you”.  Sounds almost too good to be true doesn’t it?  Have a look at www.snappsales.com – it is true!

I must end off now, I am busy and need to go and meet another Very Interesting Person!  This has been a bit of a long blog but there is so much going on and time is flying by, so wanted you all to know how busy we are and how happy we are with our business and the way it is evolving.  Thank you all so much for your continued support!  We are also, with the weather as balmy as it has been, looking forward to our first October board meeting next week!