Africeler8 - The Bloom Journey

The Bloom Journey

Help for your business, no matter how small

The Bloom Journey is our MSME acceleration program aimed at helping businesses grow from one stage to another, taking on more responsibilities and expanding their capacity. Using the metaphor of a plant, the Bloom Journey features five main stages and categories of businesses at the time they enter into the program. The businesses are usually grouped into clusters based on their own local business community operatives and already existing informal business groups.

Seedling

These are usually small sole proprietorship business with the following traits:

The owner performs all critical tasks
Systems and formal planning are minimal to nonexistent.
The business’s strategy is simply to remain alive.

Sprouting

These types of businesses can have varied ownership structure ranging from sole proprietorship to partnerships. Businesses within the spouting category have the following traits:

A limited number of employees supervised by for instance a general manager.
The business can generate enough cash flow to stay in business and to finance growth
Systems development is minimal.

Budding

These are usually medium sized businesses with varied forms of ownership and have the following traits:

The business has sufficient size and product-market penetration to ensure profits.
The first professional staff members are on board e.g. an accountant.
Planning in the form of operational budgets is happening to support delegation.

Flowering

The focus is the key managers competence to handle a growing business.
The focus is the key managers competence to handle a growing business.
Operational & strategic planning is done with the involvement of specific managers.

Blooming

Adequate resources (staff&cash) to engage in detailed operational & strategic planning.