{"id":133367,"date":"2019-03-20T21:53:18","date_gmt":"2019-03-20T19:53:18","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/the-importance-of-risk-management-for-small-businesses-and-entrepreneurs\/"},"modified":"2019-03-20T21:53:18","modified_gmt":"2019-03-20T19:53:18","slug":"the-importance-of-risk-management-for-small-businesses-and-entrepreneurs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.myza.co.za\/press\/the-importance-of-risk-management-for-small-businesses-and-entrepreneurs\/","title":{"rendered":"The importance of risk management for small businesses and entrepreneurs"},"content":{"rendered":"

The importance of risk management for small businesses and entrepreneurs<\/a>: <\/p>\n

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Alex Roberts, Regional Director \u2013 Sales & Operations at Cura Software Solutions<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

GETTING YOUR START-UP PAST THE 2-YEAR MARK. The importance of risk management for small businesses and entrepreneurs – Alex Roberts, Regional Director \u2013 Sales & Operations at Cura Software Solutions<\/p>\n

Starting a business is a risky business. According to Standard Bank, about 50% of all start-up businesses in South Africa fail within 24 months. By the 10-year mark, the number of successful start-ups dwindles to 9%. Why is this number so low?<\/p>\n

Forbes reports that 90% of startups don\u2019t fail due to the competitive environment; they \u2018self-destruct\u2019 as a result of their own poor decision-making. Even the few start-ups that do
succeed are likely to encounter several potentially destructive experiences during their lifespan – the difference is how they deal with these potential problems.<\/p>\n

So, how do successful start-ups survive and thrive? Although there\u2019s no \u2018magic formula\u2019 for a start-up\u2019s success, being proactive and prepared for any eventuality and having effective risk management strategies in place from the start is a step in the right direction. Conversely, failing to manage risks may prevent start-ups from achieving their objectives, and ultimately lead to an increased need for risk-based \u2018fire-fighting\u2019, loss of competitive advantage or even closure. Despite its importance, strategic risk management is too often overlooked by small business managers – some feel that it is a domain reserved for larger, more established businesses, but this couldn\u2019t be further from the truth.<\/p>\n

Particularly as we enter the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the uncertainty, velocity and vast scope of this new era poses serious risks – and creates significant opportunities – for businesses of today. In an age of innovation, disruptive start-ups have the potential to overshadow well-established companies that are no longer able to dominate on quality, speed, or price. To remain relevant and competitive, businesses of all sizes need to be agile, willing to constantly reinvent how they operate; otherwise, they are going to be left behind before they even start.<\/p>\n

In these uncertain times, there\u2019s one thing we can be sure of: effective risk management, in combination with a well-planned GRC framework, has become an increasingly critical tool for the majority of organisations operating in the digital era.<\/p>\n

What is GRC?
Governance, Risk and Compliance (GRC) is a collection of capabilities that integrate the governance, management and assurance of performance, risk, and compliance activities. Together, these capabilities enable an organisation to reliably achieve its objectives, act with integrity and address uncertainty in instances of unexpected events or non-compliance. Consequently, neglecting to manage GRC can be catastrophic for small, medium and micro-sized enterprises (SMMEs) and start-ups.<\/p>\n

Size doesn\u2019t matter
The scale of compliance and governance isn\u2019t necessarily dictated by company size, and small businesses are often subject to the same guiding principles and legislation as much larger companies. This means that, despite having fewer resources, SMMEs needs to ensure that they
demonstrate the same level of compliance as a larger, more established business in the same
industry. One may even argue that start-ups and SMMEs have an even greater need for effective GRC strategies than established companies do. With a lack of defined processes, loyal client bases, resources and cash flow, start-ups are often in more vulnerable positions than their experienced counterparts.<\/p>\n

So, how do start-ups increase their chances of finding themselves in the positive 50th percentile that does survive into year three of business?
Successful start-ups tend to be those that are proactive about implementing GRC, foreseeing and managing potential issues before they become serious problems. This proactive approach increases their chances of survival in numerous ways – they set up systems to deal with failure and problems, prepare to adapt in a dynamic world, comply with necessary legislation and regulations, and present a more prepared and proactive proposition to potential investors.<\/p>\n

Using risk as an advantage
By its very nature, all enterprise is the undertaking of risk for reward. Although the concept of risk can seem detrimental, entrepreneurs need to change their perspectives of risk and view it as an opportunity. If handled efficiently, risk is an asset that creates a platform for a start-up to expand to new heights and exceed expectations. For this reason, an organisation should never construct a strategy around avoiding enterprise risk, but rather develop a concise strategy to manage it well.<\/p>\n

Six steps to start-up for success<\/p>\n

1. Research is essential to gain an understanding of what GRC is and how it affects your specific industry.
2. Understanding and documentation of the different risk types (market risk, credit risk, operational risk, reputational risk etc.) that affect business.
3. Business\u2019 specific risks need to be ranked
4. Compliance parameters need to be defined within industry and context.
5. A GRC strategy and framework<\/p>\n

Various risks can be a distraction from core business, and so starting a list with the risks associated directly with business objectives can assist in maintaining those actions whilst preventing any real crisis.<\/p>\n

To successfully achieve any risk management activity, it is critical that the right people have access to the right information, at the right time. This is why Cura Software Solutions focuses on making the vital GRC process as seamless and accessible as possible, with an innovative Software as a Service (Saas) GRC solution that is easy to deploy and use, simplifies and centralises all risk management processes, and is cost-effective with customised pricing.<\/p>\n

Alex Roberts, regional director of Sales and Operations at Cura Software Solutions, says that \u201cthese solutions fill the gaps in connectivity and communication, offering a clear picture of risk across an organisation for better decision making, risk management and ultimately, business performance. Particularly helpful in an SMME environment, the software\u2019s methodologies and libraries give guidance and structure in defining your organisation\u2019s GRC procedures.\u201d<\/p>\n

Cura Software will also soon be launching a GRC solution designed specifically for the South African SMME. It is affordable, easy to implement and simple to maintain from a central dashboard.<\/p>\n

With effective GRC strategies in place, any start-up is adequately prepared for potential events that could arise, aware of how to mitigate these issues, able to prevent problems from occurring and can maintain business continuity through times of political and economic instability.<\/p>\n

Request a free demo of Cura\u2019s GRC software today.<\/p>\n

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