Every small business owner dreams of landing a big customer. It’s the kind of breakthrough that doesn’t just change a business. It changes everything. For most entrepreneurs, the hustle isn’t only about profit. It’s about purpose. It’s about building something that can provide for a family, uplift a community, and prove that success is possible against the odds. The long nights. The risks. The sacrifices. They’re not just part of the journey. They’re the price of the dream. And for those who persevere, the right opportunity can be the spark that makes all the struggle worth it.

And, truly life-changing opportunities don’t come around every day. But when they do, they can open the door to something much bigger…recognition, resources, revenue, and the kind of growth that transforms businesses and lives. And for Black-owned furniture and homeware SMEs, one of those rare moments has arrived. The 2025 eThekwini Furniture Cluster (EFC) SME Accelerator is here once again, and it could be the catalyst that turns dreams for Black industrialists into reality!

Backed by the eThekwini Municipality’s Economic Development Programmes & Planning Unit (EDP&PU), the EFC SME Accelerator is now in its third year, and 2025’s programme is the most exciting yet. Because this year, four of South Africa’s most iconic furniture and homeware retailers and manufacturers are on board: Mr Price Home, Homewood, Pepkor Lifestyle, and Poetry of Living. These aren’t just household names. They are industry giants actively searching for new local suppliers with the potential to grow. And they’re not just interested in one-off deals. They’re looking for long-term partnerships to support their local sourcing commitments and drive real transformation in the furniture industry.

Imagine seeing your artwork prints sold at Mr Price Home. Your crockery, vases or handcrafted planters featured on the shelves of Poetry of Living across the country. That’s not just visibility. That’s validation. And according to Titus Mazibuko, eThekwini’s Economic Development Programme Manager for furniture, this Accelerator gives you a real chance to get there.

“As a key contributor to employment and GDP growth, the furniture industry in KwaZulu-Natal plays a vital role in the regional economy,” he explains. “Initiatives like the EFC SME Accelerator highlight the impact effective collaboration between government and the private sector can have in helping the industry to grow,” Mazibuko adds. “And the importance of connecting high-potential small businesses with the kind of opportunities that can elevate them to national and even global markets lies in the long-term growth it enables – not just for individual entrepreneurs, but for the broader communities and industries they support.”

Since its inception in 2021, the EFC SME Accelerator has already delivered impressive results. To date:

• Fourteen high-potential SMEs pitched to major retailers and gained exposure to big buyers.

• Fifteen commercial opportunities were unlocked for participating firms.
• One SME secured expansion funding through the Industrial Development Corporation (IDC).
• Multiple businesses received extensive support, diagnostic assessments and coaching from industry experts.

So, who should apply for the EFC SME Accelerator?
Any South African, Black-owned SME with products or services aligned to the sector, including:

• Bedding and soft furnishings
• Outdoor and patio furniture
• Crockery, vessels, vases and planters
• Butler trays, decorative plates and door handles
• Lighting, mirrors and frames
• Timber and carved wooden items
• Upholstery, beanbags and teak or oak furniture
• Printing of bespoke artworks or designs

Selected SMEs will get a rare chance to pitch their products directly to decision-makers from the four participating furniture and homeware retailers and manufacturers, opening doors that are often hard to access. Along the way, they’ll benefit from expert coaching, tailored business support, and the opportunity to win cash prizes.

Big dreams, bold ideas? We’re ready to hear them so don’t miss your chance to be seen. Your seat at the table is waiting; come and claim it. There’s no entry fee. No fine print. Just a genuine chance to scale your business and shift your future.

Applications close on 2^nd June 2025, so you need to hurry.

Don’t miss out. Apply now: https://forms.zohopublic.com/bmanalysts/form/EFCAcceleratorApplicationForm/formperma/1k6fqwlHoCtkxBM2SPJJWWpLLgCzLHkiwjmd_-15FYs

In a bold show of its ongoing commitment to responsible alcohol trading and inclusive economic development, HEINEKEN Beverages hosted a high-level roundtable and media visit to two township taverns participating in the company’s Tavern Transformation Programme. The event brought together key industry stakeholders, government representatives, and members of the media to experience first-hand the potential of reimagining taverns as community-minded, economically viable enterprises.

The outlet visits, which preceded the roundtable, offered an immersive look at the early successes and real-world impact of the pilot phase of the programme. These township-based outlets are part of a growing movement to formalise and elevate taverns as safe, well-managed social spaces that contribute meaningfully to local economies. Traders shared personal stories of growth, the tangible business benefits of being part of the programme, and how the upgrades have improved both customer experience and community perception.

The roundtable discussion facilitated robust dialogue between stakeholders from industry, civil society, and government, reflecting on learnings from the pilot phase and exploring what it will take to scale and sustain transformation efforts. Central to the conversation was the acknowledgement that tavern owners are often overlooked entrepreneurs who operate within complex social and infrastructural environments – yet they remain an integral part of township life and local economic activity.

Millicent Maroga, Corporate Affairs Director at HEINEKEN Beverages, emphasised the company’s view of taverns as part of a wider ecosystem: “We see tavern owners not just as traders, but as partners in building safer, more responsible and economically vibrant communities. Our vision is to enable them to run thriving businesses that comply with the law, prioritise safety, and serve as positive examples within their communities.”

Advocate Fati Manamela, Chief Director of the Gauteng Liquor Board (GLB), also commended the initiative: “What HEINEKEN Beverages is doing with the Tavern Transformation Programme is a significant step towards reshaping how we view and support township businesses. This kind of public-private collaboration is essential if we are to build a sustainable and inclusive economy.”

According to Gift Sedibeng, owner of Siga Culinary, “Our space has been upgraded, and the safety of our customers has improved. People now visit our establishment not just for the alcohol, but for the whole experience — from our food offering to having low- and no-alcohol options to choose from. It’s not just a place to buy alcohol anymore; it’s a place where the community can gather and socialise responsibly.”

The Tavern Transformation Programme is a key pillar of HEINEKEN Beverages’ broader ambition to make a positive, lasting impact in South Africa. It aligns with the company’s social responsibility commitments and recognises the role of the informal sector in creating jobs, fostering entrepreneurship, and enabling upward mobility.

This latest engagement marks a milestone in the programme’s journey, signalling HEINEKEN Beverages’ intent to build on pilot learnings, deepen industry collaboration, and extend support to more outlets in the months ahead.

The Federated Hospitality Association of South Africa (FEDHASA) today reinforced that South Africa’s accommodations, restaurants, and hospitality establishments continue to provide safe, welcoming environments for domestic and international visitors alike.

Following yesterday’s high-profile meeting between U.S. President Donald Trump and South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, FEDHASA emphasises that millions of visitors experience a safe South African hospitality experience each year without incident.

Our hospitality industry upholds some of the highest service and security standards globally,” says Rosemary Anderson, National Chairperson of FEDHASA. “From boutique guesthouses to international hotel brands, our members implement comprehensive security protocols that allow guests to relax and enjoy South Africa’s legendary hospitality with peace of mind.”

South Africa continues to host millions of domestic and international visitors annually across its hotels, B&Bs, restaurants and resorts, all operating under stringent health & safety guidelines developed over years in partnership with both government bodies and private industry partners.

While crime remains a challenge nationally, as it does across many countries the hospitality industry has many safeguards in place including:

• The vast majority of accommodation providers operate with integrated security systems tailored for guest protection.
• High-traffic tourism zones benefit from visible policing support through provincial initiatives.
• Operators have direct access to real-time response platforms such as the Tourism Safety Support Unit.
• Staff at accredited establishments receive ongoing training on incident prevention and emergency response protocols.

“We’ve built professionalism into every layer, from concierge desks knowing how to escalate concerns swiftly right through housekeeping staff trained on guest wellbeing,” says Anderson.

Whether it’s sundowners overlooking Table Mountain or breakfast served in the Drakensburg mountains by someone who sees their job as part of rebuilding this country – you’ll find resilience, friendliness and kindness backed by world-class hospitality standards that we are very proud of.

For years, digital advertising has followed the same pattern: run a campaign, target an audience, track performance, report on ROI, then rinse and repeat. So, what’s wrong with that? It’s a lost opportunity, says Theo Visser, Head of Sales at Flow.

“The truth is, performance often improves the longer you engage your audience. You gain more insight. Meta and Google’s algorithms get smarter. Your messaging gets sharper. Your spend becomes more efficient.”

Yet, most advertisers start from scratch with every campaign. And when a campaign ends, the insights often disappear with it. Brands are left back at square one, guessing how to reach their ideal customer.

“This short-term approach doesn’t just waste time and budget,” says Visser, “it wastes a far more valuable opportunity: the chance to build out a long-term audience strategy and grow your retargeting pool.”

Why always-on audience targeting matters

The good news? There’s a far more sustainable, scalable approach: always-on targeting through high-intent, first party data audience segments. These are dynamic audiences you can plug into your campaigns at any time – not just during peak seasons or for particular campaigns – to help build a robust audience targeting and retargeting strategy.

So, where do you find these audiences?

You can start with your own first-party data, tap into data from other businesses through a data marketplace like Flow, or – most effectively – combine the two. Layering audiences in this way creates a powerful and precise targeting strategy.

“For example, many brands use our marketplace to try different audiences from different sectors, depending on their campaign objectives,” says Visser. “This gives them plug-and-play access to a range of first-party audience segments based on real behaviours and signals of intent – not guesswork. It’s all about flexibility and control, while tapping into targeting that actually works.”

And this kind of targeting does work, with commerce media pulling spend away from the traditional giants, and retailers and platforms increasingly using their own first-party data to offer advertisers precision access to consumers. “Brands are simply realising that their budget goes further when their targeting is sharper.”

From rented reach to recurring results

To truly shift from short-term campaign mode to raising your Customer Lifetime (LTV) metrics in the long run, brands need more than just tools – they need a mindset change.

Rayhaan Williams, Head of Digital Marketing at eComplete, says the first step is classifying campaigns by objective. “You need to separate evergreen activity from tactical promotions, and understand how each campaign contributes to your overall audience pool.” He recommends tagging audiences and campaign categories consistently and tracking user journeys across the funnel – not just when they convert.

This isn’t just another round of targeting based on age, gender, or broad demographics. It’s precision targeting, driven by real user intent. In fact, it isn’t about just targeting – but also learning.

“When you build an audience strategy that evolves over time, you start to uncover powerful insights: what channels drive the most valuable customers, how long it takes new leads to convert, and where your biggest drop-offs happen.”

Ideally, what brands need is continuous access to fresh, relevant audiences, so whether they are running a brand awareness push, a new product launch or a conversion campaign, they’ll have a relevant, high-intent audience, as well as the ability to learn and refine as they go.

What brands can do now

1. Stop thinking short term. Using custom audiences isn’t one-and-done. Consistent engagement and iteration pays off.
2. Map your campaign categories. Different campaigns need different strategies, and should all feed into a bigger audience picture. Align your different campaign types to specific audiences.
3. Tap into data marketplaces. Platforms like Flow give you access to robust, high-intent audiences that you can slice, dice and layer to create fully-customised segments that align with your exact targeting goals.
4. Glean from every campaign. Consider measurables like churn, return rates, and time to purchase to better understand the consumers you most want to reach.
5. Invest in a robust retargeting pool. When you run campaigns like this, you start to build a very valuable retargeting audience based on real insights and results. Leverage this knowledge to make your next strategic move.

Looking ahead: A smarter, more agile future

So where does digital advertising go next? According to Visser, we’re entering a more dynamic and decentralised era: “AI is already changing how people search and navigate online. Big platforms like Meta and Google know this – they’re adapting fast to stay relevant. But at the same time, commerce media is rising, offering brands better ROI and more precise targeting.”

In this changing landscape, it’s never been more important – or more possible – to deliver a user experience that’s truly relevant and personalised. And how do you do that? By meeting your customer at the right time and place, with a message that’s meaningful to them.

The best first step? Know your ideal audience, says Visser.

“At Flow, we spend time upfront helping brands define who they want to reach. Then we match that to segments in our marketplace – optimised for size, relevance and cost. From there, everything becomes more efficient.”

“We do this because we know the future of targeting lies not just in using first-party data audiences for once-off campaigns, but in building long-term, first-party data audience strategies. Brands that want to stay competitive need to start experimenting now!”