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Botswana, while enjoying a strong economy still depends on the influences of corporate businesses from outside of her borders. It is our belief that this is impacting negatively on the true potential of local entrepreneurs and the earning potential of the local workforce.
Up to now the hospitality sector in Botswana as a whole and specifically food and accommodation has relied heavily on expertise from outside her borders often packaged in franchise opportunities.
Most of the systems they use are predominately generic as they are proven to work effectively and are usually based on industry best-practice, all franchise companies are doing is wrapping them up in a brand and charging extortionate amounts of money for the package.
To a large degree this has stifled the maturity of local indigenous concepts and aspirations. The way to turn this around is to empower Batswana with the same turnkey and best practice models that are being used by the cross-boarder corporate and franchise organisations.
Ournextphase has a wealth of combined expertise, knowledge and experience gathered over some 20 years. We have a vision to put this wealth to good use in the local hospitality sector by using organic business relationships to build Botswana hospitality from within while in the process propagating the same mindset up the supply chain.
As a reference point let us consider the following scenario.
A popular South African Branded restaurant for which we have inside information from a couple of years ago was earning an average monthly turnover of P 1,300,000. This, while being taxed at various levels I.E. VAT, withholding tax and owners income tax was nevertheless “leaking” thousands of Botswana Pula out of the economy and off the the continent into a European account.
Of this P 75,000 was paid in franchise fees and 2.5% of that turnover was paid in advertising fees of which much of the Brand Advertising was not even reaching the Botswana Market. It does not take much to realise that if this money alone were to stay in Botswana it would make a significant difference to those hard at at work in the hospitality sector of Botswana.
Looking at the revenues derived from the business and how they are usually disbursed one realises that the ratios of the wage bill vs turnover are very low and invariably the management portion of the wage bill is significantly higher often unjustifiably so.
Ournextphase and through our RIAB programme aims to change the state of play by keeping as much of the life-cycle of restaurant trade and associated industries in Botswana by
The focus of OurNextPhase is to establish work and development opportunities for Batswana across the entire business establishment landscape created by OurNextPhase based on our concepts of self sufficiency and independence and using the business systems of RIAB.
We want to realise this through the vision we have of creating businesses that thrive on their efficiencies and their true credibility and integrity, by upholding a desire to always be above reproach through every relationship encompassed throughout the business ecosystem.
To make a difference, OurNextPhase and RIAB will have dedicated support systems in place. When a franchise company signs up a new franchisee they present a support structure that appears to be STATE OF THE ART, however in reality a system is presented and then the business owner is "policed" rather than supported. Usually one person will be sent to evaluate the entire store. RIAB will offer support by an entire team with specialist support into each area of the business. IE, food specialists will work with the kitchen, service specialists will advise on FRONT OF HOUSE activities and business admin systems will be thoroughly monitored by seasoned administrators.
As the business network grows KEY SUPPORT capacity will be added so that at no point would a business feel stranded or abandoned. We believe that all of the skills required are currently available within Botswana so as usual it's FOCUS on BOTSWANA FIRST.
Being one of the most important pillars of Botswana’s economy already and with a natural tie to the Food Service and Hospitality sector we look to make TOURISM our key focus, becoming assimilated within the tourism FOOTPRINT as much as possible.
We will create significant links with tourism gateways both locally, nationally and in the region, producing a conduit through which to channel potential business to our customer facing operational locations.
We look to as much as possible build locally inherent concepts to most significantly showcase the wonderful diversities of Botswana in both LANDSCAPE and CULTURE.
This would pivot from the initial base of food and hospitality trading and include intrinsic activities such as the visual arts, crafts, music, theatre and dance. All the participants and contributors will be inclusive of all genres and contribute to the further enhancement of the NATIONAL IDENTITY.
As part of our desire to be seen to have strong integrity the artists and performers will have the utmost support and their intellectual property protected at the highest level.
To do this we would consult with local councils and leaders both in urban and rural settings working together to create spaces that would fit with the overall vision for the villages and towns as well as the business-building concepts and ideologies being upheld by OurNextPhase
Because of our indigenous approach to the business development and its diversity we will be in a position to create theme based tour itineraries with either a mixed theme or specific theme such as “Photo Safaris”.
Our brand development will filter down from a “ BOTSWANA FIRST ” focal point and standing on the Strong National Brand we will establish a strong web presence and create a social network structure that filters down to the individual businesses we establish and reaches out to the global market.
Here again the focus is “ BOTSWANA FIRST ”, all products sourced must first be sought at local market, failing which the product must be sourced in it’s most practically raw state. Following on from this the products required will then be manufactured in Botswana.
A strict monitoring of imported goods will be in place and priorities will be set to maximise opportunity for local businesses especially privately owned SME’s and individuals. There will be significant focus on the quality levels in all processes.
The protocols will include sustainable, 'ECO-FRIENDLY' processes especially concerning packaging and the removal of waste. Again the main focus always being on having a positive impact on local skills development and making opportunities available to those with necessary skills.
A major source of supply into the food sector is through the agriculture and live stock farming sectors. We wish to be very engaged with these sectors. We will actively look for and facilitate the implementation of systems that make good economical sense to the Botswana farming and agricultural community. Training and development will play a critical role in realising this objective and making it sustainable.
This will include perhaps smaller growing spaces with high yields that could be suitably managed by a small workforce, again bringing opportunity to smaller groups and even individuals, where all share an equal investment and receive an equal return.
Livestock farmers will be supported through every tier of the growth stage. Transport systems will be set up in a way that the market ready animals are moved through centralised hubs that will be developed in conjunction with the business growth.
The basis of this entire concept is to create opportunities that could genuinely tranform the lives of Batswana, they that feel within them the potential to become successful entrepreneurs and business builders. OurNextPhase will facilitate this through the provision of the means to realise their dream and unleash their passion for business in and around the hospitality sector of Botswana, bringing about a significant change to that of their own lives and to those within their circle of influence.
How ournextphase.org will achieve this, will be by integrating it's Business-Support systems and People-Development programs into already operating businesses that need to prop up service levels and reduce manpower overhead spending so they themselves become profitable. Using these businesses as the initial training ground will give team members fantastic exposure to real-world experience in the industry, getting to experience challenges and the resolutions that would keep business on track.
The program will RECRUIT, SELECT and TRAIN young people within the 23 to 35 year old age demographic. The training will be carried out in phases where the top performers will advance to a level where they would get to reach full management potential. Once at that level the strong team members will be offered the opportunity to contract themselves into teams of between 4 and 6 and will be given the opportunity to travel to the UK to undergo an intensive 6 month management training program that will be a totally hands-on experience. Here they will be attached to a base business and exposed to a network of other hospitality businesses throughout the UK. They will leave the UK experience ready and able to run and manage a business of their own.
On return the team will be given the opportunity to DEVELOP, SET - UP and OPERATE their own hospitality business. The contract will bind the teams to meaningful and suitable business relationships and business management systems that will be tailored to the specific business they create. They will be held to a high level of accountability, monitored and directed by experienced operational and financial mentors.
As OurNextPhase successfully moves participants through the program it will create opportunities at all levels as those not going through to the management program will most certainly become a well trained staffing component that would be used within the business network or placed in other suitable roles. Here their progress will be monitored and OurNextPhase will ensure that they are developed to their full potential.
