If you want to exit employees, you need a good reason under law. You can’t dismiss employees just because you don’t like them or they irritate you. Heinrich Marx, SME HR Specialist, discusses some legal reasons, for example damage to property or breaking company rules.

It’s very important to have a performance management strategy around your sales team. In the words of Allon Raiz: "Performance management is a requirement for growth.” It’s advisable to set targets for your teams and let sales and marketing teams report to you as HOD, even though you’re the MD or CEO.

Gary Roux Junior joined his father in their family business called Aerial and Satellite City (AS City) as the MD, and his challenge is that it seems as if only himself and his father can close deals. He steps into conversation with Allon Raiz, CEO: Raizcorp on how to overcome this challenge.

Allon Raiz believes that entrepreneurs should gamify their sales ratios - set your ratios and start playing a game with yourself. How long did it take the last time to get to the right person? How much effort the last time? How much research the last time? To get tips around “loving the hunt” join Allon Raiz in our Entrepreneurial Academy slot.

What do you look for when you want to hire your first HR person? Step one is this person’s job description. What do you want Human Resources to do? Once you’re clear and you start searching for this person, it may unfortunately be a bit of trial and error until you find the right employee as very few business owners are successful the first time round. Heinrich Marx, HR Specialist: Small and Medium Businesses, unpacks.

How do you get competitive advantage? Specialise, specialise, specialise. The public needs to know you for one thing and seek your services for that one thing. Allon Raiz, CEO: Raizcorp, guides Ginen Moodley from Moodley Attorneys around how to build a trusted brand and how to resist changing the brand too often with new offerings.

Allon Raiz firmly believes that having a business partner is a great advantage, especially when the person is totally different from you to balance out your weak points. To get tips on the advantages of having a partner, join Allon Raiz in our Entrepreneurial Academy slot.

When should you start thinking about an HR department? It’s not when you're having staff issues. It’s not when rival companies do so. Before you commit to this overhead, first have a look to see what can be outsourced and when you’re ready and you can comfortably afford it, create an HR department. Heinrich Marx, HR Specialist: Small and Medium Businesses, unpacks.

If you want to invest in a business, there are a few questions to ask yourself. Do you want a majority or minority stake? Do you see yourself as a partner or an investor - get involved in the day to day running or just attend board meetings? How are you going to get a return on investment and what is that return? Allon Raiz, CEO: Raizcorp, takes Tebogo Moloi from Oakantswe Construction and Projects on the journey of being a potential investor/partner.

Entrepreneurs play many roles; dreamers, architects, drivers, comforters, followers. Allon Raiz unpacks these principles in our Entrepreneurial Academy slot.

Human Resources is so much more than a department for complaints and disciplinary hearings. One of their roles is to implement company strategies, among many other things. In our new series around the ins and outs of HR departments, Heinrich Marx, an HR specialist for small and medium businesses, kicks off with what the role of an HR person is.