EVOKATION: An Entrepreneur Platform

If you want to start a business you have to be have a good foundation in a number of different areas - managing relationships, budgeting, accounting, negotiation, legal requirements and so on.

My dream is a platform where anyone with a good idea can go and with minimum cost find and hire a team of experts to do all the 'non-core' work while they work on developing their business. A baker can focus on baking, rather than invoicing and debt collecting. A book-keeper can focus on her clients books rather than developing a marketing strategy and so on.

It's founded on two principles:

1) We will work and and therefore be best (and happier) at something we are passionate about.

2) We are all individuals and have different drives, talents, motivations and interests.

There are a couple of key ingredients...

1) A technology platform where communication, networking, basic book-keeping, payments etc can be done at next to zero cost.

2) Marketplaces where service providers can promote themselves and user feedback and auditors give a reliable rating system.

3) Access to funding - both start up capital/investment and banking services such as overdrafts.

4) Ongoing Personal development. The world is changing so fast that if you aren't laerning, you are moving backwards. Accessible training and personal development are key to keeping people enthused abut their business. It also enables everyone to widen there horizons and diversify.

5) Community and Social Services. Very few people would consider giving up their jobs to start their own business because of the risks. Developing countries in particular have no social care network. The platform will have to ensure benefits for their members compartive to the security of full time employment, e.g. medical aid

It's important for the system to be as flexible as possible. For instance, we may partner with existing micro-franchisors to help those with no experiance to start a business with a 'cook-book'. Simple, detailed instructions and guidance from a mentor. on the other hand, we would target corporations with large call centers and try convince them to 'privatise' their employees. They reduce their overheads while the employees get performance related pay, the ability to work from home and the chance to sell their skills to other corporations.

A successful call centre worker may find they are running out of hours in the day. They have three options;

1) Raise their hourly rate.

2) Hire and train an assistant.

3) Retrain as a teacher and shows others how to be as successful

All three are good for the economy. All three are just reward for hard work. All three are empowering.

1. The Place.

I will initially focus on Matabeleland, Zimbabwe and Limpopo, South Africa but long term aim for global domination!

Zimbabwe has a tremendous need for innovation and a well educated, motivated population desperate for a chance of work. I also have a range of contacts who may be able to help. Unfortunately, there is still political unrest.

South Africa also has fantastic opportunities but is more stable and has more strucures in place, e.g. SETA

2. The Challenge.

The challenge is to create a wide range of businesses, thereby creating employment, stimulating the economy. It will enable the poor and give equal opportunity to all, regardless of sex or colour. It should also help reduce the rural-urban migration, giving young adults the option to stay in their villages to work.

3. The Idea.

A platform to support and enable new entrepreurs.

4. The Money.

If I had $1,000.00 it would pay for website hosting for 12 months. I would do much of the development myself, appealing to the open source community for volunteers.