The Scaling Entrepreneur

By Johann Joubert

In your view, how important is a basic understanding of commercial law to senior business representatives or entrepreneurs?

In a recent LinkedIn poll, 83% of participants felt this is very important and 17% rated this as somewhat important. 0% viewed it as not important at all.

 

In "The Scaling Entrepreneur" the journey of Mimolette continues as she and her team embark on expanding their cheese empire beyond their home in Fromage. Traveling through France, Italy, and Germany, Mimolette faces the challenge of mastering commercial law to successfully negotiate and grow the business. Accompanied by Gonzales, her astute legal representative, they navigate complex legal landscapes, learning crucial aspects of contracts, intellectual property, and negotiations. This book is a fusion of entrepreneurial adventure and practical legal insights, ideal for anyone looking to understand the legalities of business expansion in a global context.

 

"A must read!"
- Johann Heyns, Head of South African Operations at Legalmax Outsourcing

• Language: English
• Publisher: Angel of Rock Productions
• Release date: Dec 17, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223316688

Book preview

Dedication

This book is dedicated to George Raath. May you rest in peace. You were the best legal mentor anyone could ask for. Your knowledge was exceptional, and you were patient enough and kind enough to take me on a journey and teach me the ropes. I will never forget the late nights and early mornings, trudging through agreements in the offices of CDH and ENSafrica. You were a great lawyer and an even greater man.

Thank you too, to Clem Daniel, who sat on the other side of the table more often than not, but whose fair and reasonable negotiations shaped a lot of my understanding. You are a formidable negotiator, acting always, in the interest of your clients, but never without compassion.

What is this book about?

This is book two in the series that follows the story of Mimolette. In The Scaling Entrepreneur, Mimolette and her team are expanding their empire beyond the town of Fromage. As they journey to France, Italy and Germany, Mimolette must learn the basics of Commercial Law in order to better understand and negotiate the terms with which they will grow their business.

Luckily, she has Gonzales, her quick-thinking legal representative, to help her navigate the world of law as she learns the ropes.

Who is this book for?

Over the years it has become apparent that many business owners or employees who should have at least a basic grasp of legal concepts, do not. This book is aimed at anyone who wants a basic understanding of commercial law, without having to read complex explanations that often lead to more questions than answers.

This book is not a substitute for formal legal representation, nor will it go into the level of detail that requires years of practical experience, but it does serve as a basic outline, allowing you, in the least, to grasp concepts that are often daunting and abstract, in a practical and logical way. It will allow you to participate in the dialog, rather than drown in an ocean of uncertainty.

About the Author

Johann has had an entrepreneurial spirit from a young age. Over the years and through numerous ventures, he has learnt the necessity of having a solid foundational knowledge of commercial law. Why? Because how and what you contract, directly impacts the future of your business.

The more complex your business, the more you will need a strong legal representative or team to support your growth, however, The Scaling Entrepreneur will give you a practical understanding that earns you a seat at the table.

Today (December 2023) Johann is the CEO of the Converge Group of Companies. Since its inception six years ago, the company has grown to deliver services across Africa, the Middle East, South Europe, and the APAC region. Each region, industry and customer have a specific approach and need towards services, solutions, and contracts.

Before Johann and his co-founders established Converge, he managed several enterprises and finally spent 17 years in a corporate setting. The last ten years of that tenure was spent in sales at T-Systems, a subsidiary of Deutsche Telekom, where he won numerous awards over the years.

He soon learnt that he needed to expand his knowledge and skills regarding negotiation and contracting. It meant the difference between identifying a deal and successfully closing it. He had the privilege of working with a range of in-house commercial lawyers, and negotiating agreements with leading legal firms such as Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyer and eNS Africa.

George Raath, a friend and mentor, was at his side for most of these negotiations, patiently imparting the principles of sound negotiation and basic commercial law. These experiences form the essence of this book.

Today, Converge Solutions relies on external law firms for more complex legal matters, while simpler agreements are managed internally. Johann believes that all business owners or entrepreneurs need at least a basic understanding of law as it relates to their business. This book attempts to demystify commercial law for the average person, earning them a seat at the table and ensuring a higher degree of compliance, governance and business continuity.

CONTENTS

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Setting the Scene

Two years had passed since that morning when Mimolette took the first brave step towards owning her future. Two years of ups and downs, trials and errors and long hours of planning and execution.

Her Book of Knowledge had been invaluable in guiding her through these uncharted territories. She quickly learnt that there was a fundamental difference between knowing what to do, and actually doing it. Experience, as it turns out, is the best teacher. 

The business was doing well. Her vision and passion had attracted raw talent and she had surrounded herself with a team of experts. At her age, she needed to tap into the learnings of others who had paid their school fees. She had learnt about the theory of unintended consequences, and how, sometimes, you do something with an expected result, only to see the exact opposite or a completely different outcome. 

One of her team members, Vinnie, had introduced her to Six Thinking Hats psychology. This multi-dimensional approach had helped them steer away from making big mistakes and pursue the right things. On a weekly basis, they would interrogate and challenge their own ideas with this method. It helped them consider all the angles before choosing to pursue a specific avenue.

They were at such a juncture now; the business had been growing organically, mostly within Fromage and the surrounding towns. Expansion and diversification had been methodical, with risk mitigation always being front-of-mind. Mimolette had plunged her heart and soul into growing the company and she did not want to grow too quickly. One of her advisors, Francis, had pointed out some risks early on. 

"There are two certain