Nathan L Simons, our Founder and Managing Director, joins the prestigious 9-month Bootcamp to Boardroom entrepreneurship programme slated to start today. Big Beard Web Solutions is a Level 1 B-BBEE tech startup specialising in website design, development, support and copywriting services. The startup was founded in 2020 and recently celebrated its 2nd birthday on 25 September 2022. Big Beard Web Solutions is composed of four team members and has to date serviced 200+ satisfied clients with over 400 projects successfully completed. When questioned about the timing, Nathan responded: “We are at this wall that is just out of our reach as a company and we have an opportunity to learn how to climb over this wall from people that have done it over and over again. Experience is valuable.”
“86% of start-up businesses in South Africa fail within their first year, because entrepreneurs lack the relevant information and financial management skills. Our aim is to lower this number.”
This is the mission the Bootcamp to Boardroom programme in association with Entrepreneur’s Organization and Over The Rainbow Foundation has devoted itself to. The executive team is composed of superstar duo, Dawn Nathan Jones and Lesley Waterkeyn, multiple award-winning entrepreneurs. Jones is popularly known for a pioneering role in building Imperial Car Rental, better known today as Europcar.
Waterkeyn is passionate about unlocking the latent potential in South Africa’s youth and serves as an active member of the world’s largest peer-to-peer entrepreneurial network, Entrepreneurs’ Organisation.
Recommended by a mentor figure, Nathan decided to join an open day and though acceptance was not achieved after an initial interview, this was soon to change with the launch of Bootcamp to Boardroom. Out of some 25 applicants, only 12 were selected to join and Big Beard Web Solutions formed part of that group.
Our Founder believes that our startup met the strict requirements for acceptance because of our mindset around growth and expects that to be enhanced through insights garnered from those with more experience. When asked about the socioeconomic impact Big Beard Web Solutions would have in the next three years, he had a simple and direct answer:
“To help with youth unemployment and skills development in our community.”
Author: Beardem Beardsley
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